On the Road Again

Anyone for a road trip? We're headed to Rick's trade show, traveling from Michigan across Canada to western Massachusetts, via upstate New York for a special dinner!

Our early morning departure was designed to get us to Geneva, NY before dark and dinner. Our mission was simple. We were again celebrating our together time (which all started in a March long ago) and we wanted to get to Belhurst Castle, our dining location before it was dark!

And yes, we fought those winds you may have heard about all along the way, even seeing an overturned semi on an overpass (fortunately for those of us on the highway, it overturned on the overpass, rather than over it). You'd never know I had a new "do" by the wind damage!

But as it was last year, the place is delightful. I wrote more about it here so I won't go into its past. Let me just show you a few details. Like the fabulous view of Lake Seneca...

...the wooden walls and beautiful cozy art...

...the magnificent fireplace in our dining area...

...the Poseidon mosaic fireplace in the corridor...

...and us! Friends for 24 years, partners for 21!

The dinner, as always, was fabulous. We both chose the prime rib special which included a fabulous Caesar salad, a delectable soup with black beans and pineapple (I'd kill for the recipe for that one) an oversized portion of prime rib and so many potatoes that we took them to our MA hosts and enjoyed them later.

Dessert was nothing to laugh at either! We ate the ice cream and enjoyed the apple tarts as a road snack the next day!

Then we worked our way toward Pittsfield, MA, where we would be staying with Rick's brother and sister-in-law, traveling some through drop dead gorgeous territory.

But we had a stop on the way -- Sharon Springs, NY, where my friend Jane is restoring an 1830s guest house.

Most people would have torn down. But Jane is a historic preservationist and she is intrepid! The house is basically being rebuilt, using whatever they could salvage from the original, including floorboards and doors. The floor boards are numbered and will fit back together in good order when the rest of the construction is complete.

I loved the details of the doors, their locks and knobs.

I love this!

During the restoration they have discovered lots of interesting things -- shards of pottery, an old sign, coins, and bits of wallpaper from a previous design incarnation. It's Sharon Springs' own little archaeological dig.

And of course for Jane, this is the frosting on the cake! All the discoveries and the things that can be saved and used again!

Most of the town was closed and very quiet. We wandered a couple of stores, regrettably missed lunch at the Black Cat cafe and then headed on.

More pretty territory! And when we came upon the Shaker Village at Hancock, MA, just outside of Pittsfield, we knew we were almost there!

It was an early rise the next day to head to the trade show. You can see that while the snow had melted, the ice on the rock shelves was still strong.

And the weather was bitter cold and looking a bit tricky.

I'll bet they saw a lot more of this sign later in the week when the blizzard would arrive! (More to come!)

Delighted to be linking up this week to Share Your Cup!