Hello Friends!
Well, it was one of those weeks! We were busy bringing things in and putting things away. The patio furniture, potting bench, birdbaths, and all the little things that make our outdoors so enjoyable. However, they are now tucked away for winter to stay dry from the cold, wet snow.
Thankfully, the whole week wasn’t all work. I did get a few pictures of the lake looking bare without it’s leaves.
I then drove down to the college to see if the Ginkgo Bilbao tree had turned golden yet. I was happy to see that it was! A golden surprise!
A November surprise appeared in the garden when I spotted a lilac blooming. Apparently, it thought it was Spring!
I also discovered a rather impressive hole in a tree, courtesy of a Downy Woodpecker. That little fellow has been busy, too! I saw him pecking away the other day but forgot to look. Wow! Look how big the hole is!
This wasn’t a surprise but I met up with some high school classmates for lunch. It’s always a treat to catch up and enjoy each other’s company.
When I drove home after lunch, I stopped and took this picture of the lake. I hardly ever share from this side of the lake because we live on the other side.
I did decorate our antique booth for Christmas. Here is one small spot.
Throwback Tuesday
In November of 2023 we went on a Panama Canal Cruise. It was a wonderful cruise!
Ask Nancy
Remember this? “ASK NANCY”
I started this back in the spring, then stopped. I stopped because Summer came with all its fun activities! So I decided to ask a question today. SURPRISE!
How do you like having two homes, one for winter and one for summer?
We really do enjoy having the best of both worlds. Arizona gives us sunshine, beautiful desert views, and those star-filled nights, while Pennsylvania brings us our lake, changing seasons, and all the memories that come with being in my childhood home.
But there is a downside. It isn’t always easy to leave one home to head to the other. We leave friends behind in both places; we leave family behind at our summer place. Then, once we’re settled in one, we sometimes find ourselves missing the other.
But when all is said and done, we do enjoy it. We are fortunate to have two special places to call home, wonderful friends at both, and the chance to enjoy two very different lifestyles. For now, our hearts have room for two.
We know just how blessed we are, and we don’t take any of it for granted.
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You are blessed indeed to have two beautiful places to call home. I’ve never known anyone to have two homes as far away from each other as yours are. Here, it’s not uncommon to have a place in a warm location (usually a condo) such as Florida but Florida is not too far away (depending on where in Florida). Anyway, what is so neat about your summer place is the family connection and having childhood friends from the town right near you. That must make it so special and lovely. I have only been to Arizona once (I’d love to go back) and it’s stunning- I can see how special it would be to live there as well especially with lots of friends there as well. Enjoyed the pictures from your cruise, too. I wouldn’t have though Panama City was that big either… Have a great day!
Hello sweet Maria. Thank you for the visit especially with your busy schedule this week.
Arizona is a little further than Florida, I agree. It’s the arid climate we enjoy in AZ. I’ll be sharing pics of AZ soon!
Thank you always for all the sweet comments!
Good morning, Nancy! Yes, you are truly blessed with two trails. I love that you get to enjoy both. That downy woodpecker sure did a number on the tree and yes, what a surprise to see a lilac blooming in November. Your antique booth area looked so pretty. Who cares for your booth when you’re in Arizona? Have a beautiful week, my friend. Thank you for visiting my blog and your sweet comments. I’m sorry that I’ve been busy with lots of birthdays and activities lately and haven’t gotten back to you. 🧡🍂🧡
We all have lives beyond our blogs, sweet Kitty. It’s okay. We all know when we can catch up with our blog friends. When time allows. ☺️
I always enjoy your visits, no matter when. Thank you for all your sweetness. Hugs, my friend!
Yes, Nancy, you are so fortunate to have two homes. Beauty in both places and for different reasons. The captain and I have sorta the same thing by using our motorhome as our second home. But we can move it around from place to place LOL. Thanks again for your beautiful pictures. And for a revisit to Panama Canal. It is indeed impressive . Hugs and blessings always🤗🥰
Thank you, Kari, for all the love. And yes, you do have two homes as well. We are so blessed!
Have a blessed week ahead!
Good morning Nancy! Such lovely times and photos! I love how you check to see what your favorite tree is up to and if your special tree is golden yet…kind of like checking on old friends…
We no longer have 2 places, as our girls encouraged us to slow down a little bit. The care and maintenance was alot as we aged. They were right for this time in our lives. We enjoy a little RV and tootle about for a few days, then back to our home. I think you and sweet man have the best of both worlds…beautiful and such different places and family and friends near by at both homes! And you maintain them both beautifully, it’s alot of work and care, but you do this with enthusiasm. God is good! Have another beautiful autumnal week!
I know exactly what you mean. We have learned to hire people to do the work. For now, that works for us.
I do love my trees. It is fun to check up on them.
It has been a beautiful fall. It’s 60 here today. And the sun is shining! We have enjoyed ourselves.
Thank you, as always, for stopping in and checking on us. How kind of you!
Have a blessed week ahead!
Great post! I enjoyed seeing the other side of your lake, and oh, my!…that woodpecker has been busy! I’m happy you’re sharing answers to questions again and yes, you’re lucky to live in two beautiful areas! We’re trying to decide whether to move or stay in the home we’ve lived in for about 30 years. Did you decide to live in AZ for the nice weather? Or were there a multitude of reasons? Besides family and weather, are there any other really major considerations we should be thinking about?
We moved to Arizona for the beauty and the desert fun. But most importantly, the arid temperatures. We do, however, enjoy being with family when we are in Pennsylvania. Having the childhood home keeps family get-togethers a perfect place for everyone to gather. Plus, we have the lake, which everyone loves. For now, this situation works well for us. As we have gotten older, we hire people to do whatever work needs to be done. If you sell, will you get something smaller for your home base? Close to family? Hard decisions.
Take good care, and thank you always for stopping by.
Nancy, the autumn colors at the lake are gorgeous! Have a wonderful week!
Thank you, Beth! Same to you!
Lovely seasonal shots, just what’s expected for mid November. There is something a bit sad when its time to move the outdoor furniture to the garage/storage area, Nancy. Love the view of the lake from across. The woodpecker hole is impressive. Beautiful flowers! Interesting you have a ginkgo tree on your local campus–gorgeous, by the way. I looked forward to early November every year when I worked on the Sacramento State campus where they huge ginkgo grove is. So glad I took tons of pics. Now we have one growing happily here in our backyard in Nine Mile!
We still get the yen for trying to buy a home in AZ, but most are fixer-uppers, are too much in the desert, or now, the interest rates are too high. We realized we can afford AirBNBs better than monthly mortgages. I guess you’ll be heading south soon. I think I mentioned we are staying in Chandler for three week before we head to Tucson, then San Diego. I am already experiencing SAD, so sunny AZ will be welcomed!
I sure hope we get to see each other this winter! So glad you know how I feel about the Ginkgo Tree. It’s a beauty!
Thank you always for all the love. Enjoy your week!
I will make the drive, effort, etc to see more of you! Maybe Marsha and I can invite ourselves to lunch at your place and gawk at your she-shed and decor first-hand 🙂
I would love that.❣️
Oh goodness, that woodpecker is really going to town! It doesn’t seem to take them very long to make such giant holes either. You have some really lovely photos.
Thank you Joanne. How nice of you.
And yes, woodpeckers can be destructive!
Have a blessed week, my friend.
Nancy, I enjoyed your post as I always do. It doesn’t seem long ago the lake was filled with all things summer. Seasons pass so quickly! I love that you share both of your homes with us. You all do a wonderful job keeping both homes and gardens in pristine condition. I have friends who have enjoyed two homes for a while, but end up selling one. Happy rest of the week to you and Sweet Man!
Thank you so much, Pam, for your lovely comments.
And yes, as we get older, we will have to come to terms with our situation. Just not quite yet. Lol.
It’s good to know that the LakeHouse will always stay in the family. So no worries there.
Have a blessed week, dear friend.
It looks like you are having the most wonderful season! The trees are incredibly beautiful. It’s so special that you are able to reconnect with such a large group of classmates – that kind of energy is unmatched! Congrats on your antique booth selling out so quickly!
It sure did! We are restocking tomorrow!
Thank you so much for enjoying our seasons at the Lake with us. We have thoroughly enjoyed our time here this year!
Happy new week to you! And thanks so much for your sweet comments.
Happy new week to you!
Hi, Nancy, Educate me! I have never lived in an area where the docks are taken out. Is that because of freezing waters? How is it done? Are docks manually pulled onto shore? Are they moved to a different location by boat?
I feel sorry for the sweet lilac. It is as confused as I am by the changing weather. I changed out my spring/summer clothes with fall/winter ones and the next day I had to wear a t-shirt. 🤣
Our fall weather has been incredible here! Yesterday it was 60 degrees and sunny skies. That doesn’t happen very often in November. But some plants are mixed up! Lol!
Now to answer your dock questions. The docks are not wooden. They are heavy-duty aluminum and steel frames, which are covered with slip-resistant polymer. They are floating docks anchored in certain areas so they don’t float away. Edinboro Lake, along with many northern lakes, including Lake Erie, freezes over. Therefore, the docks are all pulled out. These kind of docks can not stay in a frozen lake. Men pull them out, put them on a flatbed truck, and then stack them in a public area near the lake. Then in the spring, they put them back in the lake. These are all public docks that are rented each year. We rent the same dock each year for our boat. They leave one dock next to the boat launch area for those who still want to boat/fish until December.
I hope this answers your dock questions. They were great questions!
Have a wonderful and blessed week.