Our 15th Wedding Anniversary
Autumn Vacation 2009
To celebrate Steve's and my 15th wedding anniversary, we took a two week vacation to enjoy the places we wanted to go in our own neck of the woods. The weather was with us providing sunshine and cool temps in the 50s on the days we chose to take our trips. Here is a summary of all we did from Oct. 5th to the 17th.
Our first trip of our vacation was on Tuesday, Oct. 6th. Steve and I traveled into Connecticut to take a train ride. The ride down was fantastic as we enjoyed the first autumn weather with the changing of leaves and cool temps. Once there, we seemed to have gone back in time the moment we entered the station to get our tickets. The locamotives are fueled by steam and the pullman cars are antiques. The following link will show you all the information and I have added some of our own pictures as well.
http://www.rmne.org/trainrides.htm
http://www.rmne.org/trainrides.htm
Click on Images below to see them in original size
The Naugatuck Railroad, Ct.
Thursday, Oct. 8th Foliage Trip
Title.
Here we are traveling up to the Kangamangus Highway in the White Mountain region of New Hampshire. Along with us for this trip is Ken and his mother, Ginny. You will notice in some of the pictures that the foliage is past peak. This was seen at the highest elevations of our trip. We had a wonderful time, but we were exausted by day's end.
The Notchland Inn
The Notchland Inn was truely an unexpected treat. As we passed this estate, we realized we wanted to turn around and take a peek at this gorgeous building. We climbed the steep driveway and this is what we found. To go to their website, just click on the link.
http://www.notchland.com/home.html
http://www.notchland.com/home.html
click images below to see them in original size
Sunday October 11th
Steve and I along with Ken and his mom, Ginny, decided to go out to eat on Sunday. Ken had been here before, but Steve and I have not, even though this restaurant has been on this site atop a hill on Rt. 1 in Saugus for many years. The name of the restaurant is Jin. We went early to dine in the style of Dim Sum which is the way the Chinese eat at restaurants. It is much different than the typical food you would order off a menue. Carts of steaming bamboo bowls are brought to your table where you make your selections of foods you do not see in regular American Chinese restaurants. I couldn't tell you the names of any of them!! I can tell you that everything I ate.....I really liked. Please click on the link to their website.
http://www.jinasiansaugus.com/
http://www.jinasiansaugus.com/
click images below to see in normal size
Tuesday Oct. 13th
An other beautiful day for a road trip! Steve and I, along with Ken and his Mom, started our treck in search of our favorite buffet........the Golden Corral. We had a long drive ahead of us first and so......we took the scenic byways instead of the highways. Along our route the foliage that we saw was at peak color. We had a wonderful time going through little New England towns that haven't changed with the times so much, giving a taste of days gone by.
One town we went through, Petersham Massachusetts, had a common that was enchanting. This is one building that drew our attention and our camera as well. When I got home, I googled the town and this is what I found. The story of the Nichewaug Inn
One town we went through, Petersham Massachusetts, had a common that was enchanting. This is one building that drew our attention and our camera as well. When I got home, I googled the town and this is what I found. The story of the Nichewaug Inn
Nichewaug Inn
The 1899 Shingle Style building located in the common in Petersham, Massachusetts was built as a summer resort by prominent Petersham citizen, James W. Brooks, after a 1897 fire destroyed a previous inn located on the site. The Inn was a popular summer getaway for nearly 50 years. In 1951 the Inn was acquired by the Sisters of Maria Assumpta and converted into a parochial school for girls. A 55,000 square foot brick building was added to the rear for classrooms and student housing. The Sisters closed the school during the 1970s, but used the building as a retreat until its eventual sale to private interests in the 1980s.
For the better part of 200 years there has been a tavern, inn or hotel on this property. The property has sat vacant and unused for 20 years, changing ownership several times during that period, until it was purchased by its current owner in 1992. In 1992 the town supported plans to develop the property as a restaurant and inn and granted the
necessary variances. However the project did not go forward and the property has been offered for sale ever since.
The threat of arson is a primary concern for the community,which has a volunteer fire department with minimal equipment. A local concerned citizens group, Friends of the Nichewaug Inn, has been formed to promote this important historic resource.
The 1899 Shingle Style building located in the common in Petersham, Massachusetts was built as a summer resort by prominent Petersham citizen, James W. Brooks, after a 1897 fire destroyed a previous inn located on the site. The Inn was a popular summer getaway for nearly 50 years. In 1951 the Inn was acquired by the Sisters of Maria Assumpta and converted into a parochial school for girls. A 55,000 square foot brick building was added to the rear for classrooms and student housing. The Sisters closed the school during the 1970s, but used the building as a retreat until its eventual sale to private interests in the 1980s.
For the better part of 200 years there has been a tavern, inn or hotel on this property. The property has sat vacant and unused for 20 years, changing ownership several times during that period, until it was purchased by its current owner in 1992. In 1992 the town supported plans to develop the property as a restaurant and inn and granted the
necessary variances. However the project did not go forward and the property has been offered for sale ever since.
The threat of arson is a primary concern for the community,which has a volunteer fire department with minimal equipment. A local concerned citizens group, Friends of the Nichewaug Inn, has been formed to promote this important historic resource.
click on images below to see in normal size
We also found a very out of the way apple cider barn. I can't remember the town where we found this, but it was so interesting. We went in where some ladies were packing bags of apples to be taken to markets to sell. There at the barn we bought two gallons of their tasty cider and a peck of apples and blueberry preserves. We still had not eaten yet, so it took everything I had not to eat one of the homemade doughnuts that we bought as well!! Here are some pictures from the property around the barn.
Thursday Oct. 15th
As much as we enjoyed our entire vacation, the best two days were of the last trip we took to upstate NY. We had made reservations at the Howes Caverns Motel in Howe caves, NY for Thursday night and the tour of the caves for Friday morning the 16th. The 16th is our actual anniversary date and so, this trip, was made for just Steve and I. Our trip took us through NH and Vermont and into the greater Albany NY area.
Here are some pictures taken on our way to the caverns.
Here are some pictures taken on our way to the caverns.
When we arrived at our motel room it was after dark. We were full as we ate at the Golden Corral in Colonie NY before reaching Howe Caves. Waiting for us on a silver platter were a vase of Peruvian Lilies, two wine glasses, a bottle of sparkling juice (Steve and I don't drink) and a box of their homemade fudge. We watched one tv show and then both of us were in bed, sound asleep by 9pm.!!
Looking out our window at the breathtaking view the next morning, there were cars in the parking lot with a light coating of snow. It was much colder outside than in the caverns! We turned in our key and made our way to the visitor center to pick up our tickets for the first tour of the day. There were only two other people waiting to take the same tour. We took an elevator down to the cavern entrance. What we walked into when we got to the bottom and the elevator door opened is really hard to describe. We had entered another world. A peaceful, cool, darkened world where some of God's most beautiful, natural art had been waiting to be discovered. The tour took about an hour and half to complete. The first half was a walking tour followed by a boat ride and then back to walking the way we came with an extra level to where the bridal alter stood with a lighted quartz heart at the base. Steve and I stood on the stone, kissed and then our tour guide took a picture of us. It was now time to take the elevator back up to the top. What we took with us from that tour will stay with us for a very long time.
We stopped into the gift shop on our way out where I picked up my yearly Teddy Bear and a ring to represent our 15 years of marriage. Here are some pictures of the cavern, but our camera just doesn't do justice of the cave shots. You really need to see it for yourself. I have a link to their website for you to enjoy.
http://www.howecaverns.com/
Looking out our window at the breathtaking view the next morning, there were cars in the parking lot with a light coating of snow. It was much colder outside than in the caverns! We turned in our key and made our way to the visitor center to pick up our tickets for the first tour of the day. There were only two other people waiting to take the same tour. We took an elevator down to the cavern entrance. What we walked into when we got to the bottom and the elevator door opened is really hard to describe. We had entered another world. A peaceful, cool, darkened world where some of God's most beautiful, natural art had been waiting to be discovered. The tour took about an hour and half to complete. The first half was a walking tour followed by a boat ride and then back to walking the way we came with an extra level to where the bridal alter stood with a lighted quartz heart at the base. Steve and I stood on the stone, kissed and then our tour guide took a picture of us. It was now time to take the elevator back up to the top. What we took with us from that tour will stay with us for a very long time.
We stopped into the gift shop on our way out where I picked up my yearly Teddy Bear and a ring to represent our 15 years of marriage. Here are some pictures of the cavern, but our camera just doesn't do justice of the cave shots. You really need to see it for yourself. I have a link to their website for you to enjoy.
http://www.howecaverns.com/
