A Brisk Day in Stockbridge, Massachusetts

Not far from the New York border sits the wonderfully eclectic town of Stockbridge, Massachusetts.  A great place for a walk, Stockbridge offers something for everyone.  Quintessential New England abounds here and it made for a terrific outing on a cold but sunny winter day.

The branches of the tree sans leaves makes a beautiful frame for the stone church tower.

This stone wall rambles on and on and on.....

A lovely leaded window flanks the door that neither opens nor shuts.

Set back from the center of town, the garage has perhaps seen busier days.

A colorful and inviting entrance.

This fabulous home is for sale!  Intrigued?  You can find the listing here.

Christmas is only a memory for this old window.

Is it the carefully carved trim or the sleepy color we're drawn to on this quaint little barn?

Tom Sawyer would not have enjoyed whitewashing this fence!  Mark Twain's home was a short distance away in Hartford, Connecticut.

Rumor has it that Tories lived here; at least that's what the black paint on the white chimney is thought to mean.  

Seems quite cozy.

I absolutely love these birch "candles" of sort!  The glass balls are situated on top of birch logs which have been decorated with greens.  We can only imagine how pretty they are at night when the light shines on them.

There are gorgeous windows like this all over town.  Although a bit neglected, this one seems to beckon us to the attic of the graceful old home.

The Stockbridge Library is currently undergoing major renovations.  I wonder how this exquisite trim will be affected; if at all.

A small stained glass window with a big heart.

Stunning against the blue sky.

The charming shops invite us in to browse.

Magical.

Fun.

Be sure to look down every alley.  Shops and restaurants are tucked into every nook and cranny.

The Red Lion Inn has stood like a sentinel in town for more than two hundred years. 

A little snow doesn't bother the lion at all.

We chose to have lunch here.  A fire greeted us in the parlor as we entered and we hated to leave.  Our meal was delicious!

A bit chilly for the rockers this time of year.  We'll need to make another trip during warmer weather.

The icicles foretell the temperature.

The homes here are full of charm.

Tucked away behind the sidewalk is this cute cottage.

Delightful.

Coffee is absolutely necessary on a day like this!  The mercury never rose above eighteen degrees.

Another glorious window.

Does this whimsical canine greet us or bid us adieu?  Perhaps both.

Stockbridge is home to the Norman Rockwell Museum.  It's not a museum to be rushed through so we chose to visit another day.  Tanglewood, in nearby Lenox, is the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. 

The first seed catalogs of the year have arrived!

With a temperature of twelve degrees on New Year's Eve and a storm barreling up the East Coast towards us for tomorrow night, it was a welcome sight to see my first two seed catalogs for the spring!  The pages emit much needed sunshine; they let us dream about fresh mulch in the garden.  The trowel has been put away for the winter months, stored in a bucket of sand keeping it clean and shiny.  These first inventories of summer allow us time to plan our gardens with focus.  So gardeners.....dream on!

Look closely at the cover of the Rare Seeds Catalog....it's all natural.

I love the employee photos in the Rare Seeds catalog!  It allows us a peak at the people who bring these glorious seeds to us.  Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds is a destination for any gardener; novice or expert.  You may visit them at the Petaluma Seed Bank in Petaluma, California or at Comstock, Ferre & Company in Wethersfield, Connecticut.

In my opinion, everyone can grow strawberries!  Many varieties are perfect for a container garden.

I admit, I have never heard of kohlrabi.

Be adventurous; try planting something you've never planted before!

Now is the time to choose your decorative pumpkins and squash for the fall season.

Did you know there were bi-color tomatoes?

According to the catalog, hyssop makes a wonderful base for herbal tea.  It's shown here at the top of the page.

Hollyhocks are one of my favorite flowers!  Their "old fashioned" quality lends itself to my antique home.  I am going to order the jet black hollyhock seeds shown in the upper right hand corner of this page.  Stunning!

The Golden Age Marigold shown on the right is a beautiful shade of orange.  It is edible and would dress up any summer salad.

Prior to the cold snap on New Year's Eve, we actually had several pansies that were still blooming!  The lovely purple shade of Laura, shown bottom left, calls to mind a colorful sunset.

I am determined to have a cutting garden full of zinias this summer!  The color choices are plentiful.

I love the colorful cover on the Seed Savers Exchange catalog.

Ralph Thompson's Squash, shown in the upper right, originally came to Boston, Massachusetts with Italian immigrants.  This wonderful story is shared with us, as is a recipe for Gertrude's Hot Squash Pepper Relish.

There are five different types of corn; Dent Corn, Flint Corn, Flour Corn, Popcorn and Sweet Corn.  There are sixteen different varieties offered here.

 My bunnies would love this lettuce!

Celebrating their 40th anniversary, Seed Savers Exchange is offering 40 heritage apple trees.

A Speckled Cranberry Bean; who knew?!

You can call or go on-line to get more information about the Community Seed Resource Program.  If your town doesn't have a Seed Library, start one!

The Amish Pie Squash, shown upper left, is perfect for making a delicious pumpkin pie.

Did you know that there were so many different types of sunflowers?

This page is so inviting.

Let's inspire our children to garden too!  The Children's Seed Collection would make a wonderful gift for any child in your life.

The Seed Garden tells how to properly save seeds.

Seed catalogs can provide a much needed escape during these cold winter months!  Many of these catalogs are free but you have to order them early in the season.  If they are all gone for this year, put your name on the mailing list for next year.