So, a quick England break as I take you back to the land of snow (I can hear the screams already from my northern friends!) We recently returned from a road trip to Massachusetts -- part business for Rick, but pleasure too.
We started going through Canada -- we're about two hours from the border and it's easiest to get to the East by cutting across. My favorite part of this journey are the windmills around Strathroy. I am mesmerized by them.
(I can't drive and look at these so it was nice to be the passenger!)
We arrived at Rick's brother's home in PIttsfield. Randy and Elaine have the world's best bird watching station, a beautiful deck with loads of feeders.
Yes, those were turkeys at the feeder. It freaked me out when they flew up!
And of course there were large, clean windows to make for good photo ops!
The next morning we took the back roads to Montague, a little village with the wonderful Montague Book Mill, a used book store. I wrote about it a few years ago, here.
Set in an old mill on a river, it is charming both outside...
...and in.
The bathrooms are worth a visit, too!
I came away with a "few" books! I will need to live a long time to read all these!
Then we headed to Longfellow's Wayside Inn in Sudbury, Massachusetts, stopping first at the General Store, built in 1790.
It truly has something for everyone!
Especially if you have a sweet tooth!
"One Autumn night, in Sudbury town,
Across the meadows bare and brown,
The windows of the wayside inn
Gleamed red with fire-light..."
Across the meadows bare and brown,
The windows of the wayside inn
Gleamed red with fire-light..."
The Inn is a historic landmark that is reputedly the oldest operating inn in the country, opening as Howe's Tavern in 1716, although its archives include documents from 1686 and beyond, including the official inn license granted to the first innkeeper, David Howe.
Poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow visited the inn in 1862 when it was Howe's Tavern and later wrote "Tales of the Wayside Inn." It was later renamed Longfellow's Wayside Inn, presumably to take advantage of a bit of free publicity!
The property itself is a historic district that includes the Martha Mary Chapel, built by Henry Ford and named after his mother and mother-in-law.
Ford also built a working grist mill. Until 1967 it made flour for Pepperidge Farms bakeries and from 1967-1969 for King Arthur Flour.
It was incredibly picturesque and there are tours -- but not during this weather!
The nearby garden had little to offer either, but I'm sure it is lovely in season. About the only thing blooming when we were there was me!
The inn, however, had a great deal of history within its walls. Rooms are reconstructed to the 1800s, showing a drawing room with original furniture...
...a bedroom that would be used by the owners...
...and the type of room that would be used by the travelers passing through.
We headed to the restaurant and since we were early got a wonderful seat, right by the fireplace!
And what a meal it was! Crostini and cheese was brought when we sat down, followed by the best New England Clam Chowder I'd ever had, a wonderful cod with crab stuffing and lobster sauce, beans, scalloped potatoes and Indian Corn Pudding. We were stuffed. But happy!
Alas, we weren't staying here. So off to our hotel and a big day to come!
Sharing witih: Best of the Weekend / Let's Add Sprinkles
43 comments:
Any time there is a cardinal against the snow, I am thrilled. And turkeys? Wow.
Such an adventure to enjoy. every part of it makes me happy.
Both mills - the book mill (store) and the flour mill - are sites worth visiting.
You certainly get around, Jeanie. Those windmills fascinate me also. We have quite a few places in California with them. I am going to try to put this comment through with your suggestions and see what happens. You might get more than one comment to contend with..Happy Wednesday..Judy
Ok, I still got the thing when I clicked the captcha, but I did not get it when I just clicked publish and nothing else. So guess that is the answer! Thanks for the help..xxoJudy
Well now, you travelled through Ontario, went to a house with an incredible array of bird feeders, amazing birds patronized them, and then you enjoyed that fabulous bookstore. My question is why didn't you take me with you? And I haven't even got to that fabulous meal!
Wonderful shots, especially that old mill.
I like travelling with you and Rick, Jeanie. You find the most picaresque places. (Also the most delicious food...) Looks like you have enough books for a week or two.
Beautiful photos. Great books, especially the "Victoria" ones. Also a gorgeous flour Mill.
You love to stop at the same kinds of place I did back when we were traveling so, of course, I love you taking us all along with you and Rick. The Boston area was one of favorite places to go because of all the history the people there have preserved.
Oh my stars and heavenly bodies ~ that bookstore!!!
And that dinner you had... I just finished dinner, but it still had me drooling!
I love searching for treasures at used bookshops. You got a great pile of books! I need to find my way out there sometime. I have never been to Montague. And last time I went to the Inn was for a friend's rehearsal wedding dinner back in the 1990's. Guess it is time to go back and rediscover it. Nice photos today Jeanie. Hugs-Erika
OH MY GOSH! That is the prettiest red cardinal that I've ever seen. So beautiful. Your road trip to Massachusetts sounds wonderful. Those skies with the fluffy white clouds are lovely. Your turkeys look a bit different than ours here. I see them all around here, even in my neighborhood. The used book store looks charming. And I always love the country stores in towns, and make it a point to stop there. What a sweet picture of you in your floral jacket. That's a great photo with the snow in the background. I'm glad you had a fun road trip, Jeanie. Road trips are the best.
~Sheri
You really captured New England in winter. I lived in northeast Massachusetts my entire life until this past August when my husband and I relocated to South Carolina for milder weather! That inn is full of charm being decorated for the 1800s. My parents get flocks of turkeys in their backyard. They are funny to watch.
What a great-looking book store. Driving means you can almost exert no restraint at all. Different story if you fly -- then there's no choice but e-books. Unfortunately I have a sense of dread when I read your New England trip because I know what happened later. I hope Rick's foot is healing quickly.
best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com
This is beautiful, but still so much snow!!
What a charming trip!
Love your travels . . .
I feel like I am riding along in your hip pocket!
Not sure I would want wild turkeys at my feeders,. . .
although they seemed calm and enjoying their feed.
Nice Cardinal picture Jeanie!
The book store sounded like a great visit.
Looks like you found some “keepers.”
I hope your Rick is healing and you are enjoying some nurse duty!
Oh, this red bird! So beautiful! The "awwww" covers my snow-scream ;-)
Windmills are common here, too, but ours are colorful so no one hits them by accident (and I mean small planes).
The Book Mill link isn't available (for me), but what a cute name and place! I really managed to buy but one book yesterday at my fav bookstore (and only two the other day, dangerous place!).
The Wayside Inn sure has some history.
Thank you, your blooming made me smile - such a grey today...
You two look so happy, it's wonderful to see!
I always enjoy your travel posts Jeanie. Somehow you make everything look wonderful even in Winter! It sounds like you had a fabulous dinner and you definitely got some fabulous photos. I'm very far behind with posting but I am home now and so much to catch up on.
How beautiful the cardinal... I miss the red of the cardinal! We don't have cardinals here. WOW... turkeys visiting feeders! I've not seen that before... they must have been hungry! Oooo... that Book Mill!! I'd like to live there! :) GREAT stack if reading your left with!! Queen Victoria's Sketchbook is LOVELY! She had a great way with a brush and paints. Very fun that General Store... and visit to Longfellow's house. How beautiful that chapel, and Inn interior... Just love New England architecture! You meal sounded sooooo GOOD... YUM!! Can't wait for your next leg of this journey! ((HUGS))
What lovely places you have passed through on this trip. I'm glad you're celebrating the good times. the inn is wonderful and must have been a welcome sight all those years ago! It's great that Randy was feeding the birds, that turkey looks awfully thin and is probably relying on the food!
How lovely!! You experienced and caught New England so well. So....maybe one day you and Rick will takd a road trip to Maine, yes? Did you enter the US in Vermont?
Well it looks like you had a great time! Those turkeys cracked me up. They visit me but my feeders are out of their ability to reach. Who knew Mr. Ford was building things in other cities? Your visit to the general store looked like a fun experience and the book store being located so close to the river- how interesting! Your visit to the inn and the dinner sounded pretty good!
I really have to get back to New England sometime. I miss The Berkshires. I enjoyed going along with you vicariously.
LOVE this post!! The birds surely (never seen a live turkey before) and what a lovely Cardinal. But most appealing: your MA Trip. I’ve been to those places on my road trip with my cousin a few years ago and we had eaten inside the Wayside Inn. Yes it was a good meal.
Love Mass..never been to that specific area but I love it..You're so photogenic Madame!!
Hello, jeanie,
What a lovely trip and travel post. Your photos of the Maine, the bookstore and mill are some of my favorites. I love the beautiful inn. I am sure it takes a lot of seed to feed those turkeys. Enjoy your day, have a great weekend ahead.
Jeanie, I enjoyed your post. Those last two pics of you and your husband are great. You should frame one of them. You look beautiful. You were glowing.
I chuckled at your box stack. If you read all those books and blog like you do and all your other activities I need HELP! I can't finish reading and commenting on blogs much less read a book!
The cardinal is so pretty. It would be scary to see those huge turkeys coming to the deck to eat.
You certainly looked "blooming" well by that cute mill house.
The book store was very cute too, they seem to be a dying breed, so glad to see people still buy books.
I too have a stack of books still to read but just don't find the time.
What delightful photos...what a fun trip. Cardinals and turkeys and clam chowder..oh my. Love the history of New England...kind of made me homesick. :)
Jeanie: I thoroughly enjoyed this post. Would have become lost in the book store, I am sure. Enjoyed the turkeys and the cardinal. Also, the photos of you at the end are wonderful. Happy weekend to you!
You're hitting on all the things I love about living in New England - even the turkeys :-)
What a beautiful adventure. I love all the history in the places you visited. That is something we don't have on the west coast. Just gorgeous scenery there. Your meal also sounds like is was quite wonderful. I love the picture of you in your flowers and then again of you and Rick a dinner.
I like thetravel posts! I have a backlog of travel posts of my own, sigh. So nice to see other countries. Great photos.
Cath
Love your post.
Love your photographs, especially the old mill.
All the best Jan
Jeanie, I love New England and would love to go back and tour more areas. I've only been to Boston, Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard. I really love all the historic buildings and sites. Your photos are lovely!
Those wind farms look lovely in the snow. It's always stunning to see them in a field.
You got some awesome photos of the turkeys and the beautiful cardinal. It's a glorious sight to see nature right outside your (or your friend's) door.
That book mill is beautiful. I can't believe you got all those books. It must have cost you a fortune.
So much beauty from the church to the grist mill to the town. It was a feast for my eyes, because these are unique photos of places I may never visit. Thanks for taking me with you, dear Jeanie.
I am so sorry I am late in commenting, we are on baby watch waiting the arrival! New England has much to offer any season, and winter is certainly picturesque. I would enjoy the book store and would be hard pressed to leave. The turkeys coming that close is extremely unusual, your photos are amazing and the cardinal should be framed! I enjoyed this post, Jeanie!
Hi Jeanie, I loved your post about our nearby state of Massachusetts. Your photos are beautiful - loved the turkeys, cardinals, snow and the country scenes. My family is originally from Massachusetts but slowly we seem to have all migrated to southern Maine. I love the colonial charm and unspoiled back roads of New England and you really captured the sense of the place. Thanks you for sharing your travels. Have a great weekend! ~Cheryl, a fellow traveler, writing this poolside in Tampa, FL!
So sorry you didn't get to watch the windmills on your way home.
I just think you are darling and so pretty too. Mom always said there is nothing prettier than a smile. Your hair, your coat, and scarf and hat. DARLING!!!!! Thank you for all you post. I feel like I get mini vacations. I really appreciate your perspective. Hope Rick is doing better. How is he now?
Your floral coat is so cheerful - a nice contrast to the snow! That meal sounded wonderful and it's so cozy to sit close to a fire! Looking forward to hearing more about your trip East!
So much history in the area, it is why we enjoyed all our years living there. We ate at the Inn as well and do remember it being good. It was in the fall and a walk around the property after our meal was needed.
Post a Comment