Break in the Action: Road Trip to Massachusetts

You might think we travel all the time. We don't. It's just that it takes me awhile to write about it all and still have this blog make any sense!

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..."  

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!

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