Pond of Doom

I have really been enjoying Fall this year in all it's splendor.  We were lucky enough to catch the foliage 2 weeks ago at it's peak when we visited my Dad in the Catskills.  Last weekend the local foliage was at it's peak.  This weekend, what we refer to as the Valley (the Connecticut river valley just south of us) was at it's peak.  New Salem is located on the eastern edge of the Connecticut River Valley which brings us high levels of humidity in the Summer.  It has a much longer growing season than our area, which we reap the benefits of locally due to the access of the wonderful fruits and veggies grown in the valley.  To get to the valley from New Salem we take a beautiful road (Rt 202) which follows along the eastern side of the  Quabbin Reservoir.  When Rt. 202 reaches it's highest point (about 15 minutes from my house) one then takes a right turn onto Pelham Road which plummets down into the town of Amherst which is in the heart of the Connecticut River Valley. I went there yesterday with my 40% off coupon in hand from JoAnne's Fabrics to procure some Insul-bright for my hot pads.  Amherst has 3 colleges (one of which my daughter attended) and on our way to the mall that JoAnne's is located in my husband Tim informed me that it was home coming weekend...YIKES!  We were on our way back out of the valley at around 5:30 in the afternoon and were back on Pelham Road when we passed by this pond which the homeowner put in right next to the road..   Shortly after my daughter Meagan learned to drive, we were on our way down to Amherst and were approaching this pond and she referred to it as "The Pond of Doom."    When teenagers around here learn to drive, where are they going to go?  To the closest college town, Amherst, of course.  What road are they going to take?  Route 202 to Pelham Road..  It is a steep drop down into the Valley and if one isn't careful one will exceed the speed limit on a less than major road. If one would end up loosing control of ones vehicle,one could easily end up in this little pond....hence, the nick name Meagan and her friends gave this pond.  This is the road Meagan took every time she came home to visit us when she was in college and she has been traveling this road her entire life but it wasn't until she started driving that she noticed the location of this pond.  It is obviously a lovely and beautiful pond so it is rather ironic that they came up with this nickname for it.  Being a mom, I was rather pleased that these new drivers could see the it's precarious location.  On the other hand, it is really beautiful this time of year.

Now that I have my insul-bright in hand and my husband has left for the tailgating festivities in Foxboro, today will be all about uninterrupted work on hot pads.  Thank goodness for left overs, I won't even have to cook....YES!