dream house

On Sunday, Jeremy and I took a trip with our friend Martha and her sister to a gorgeous little apple orchard the next town over. It was exactly the Fall experience I have been waiting to find here in good ole Connecticut. At home in New Hampshire, there is a glorious orchard called Applecrest, and my family goes every year; they have hay rides, music festivals, pie baking contests (from which my family has now been banned), roasted corn, and pretty much the best farm market ever. I had basically convinced myself that I would never find anything here that could live up to Applecrest, but Martha found Averill Farm, and I was enthralled the moment we drove in (well, actually, long before that, but more on that in a little while). The apples were great and cheap, we found the most perfect pumpkin I have ever seen, and their cider donuts are what can only be described as sinfully good. Martha, you win.

Anyway, the road leading up to this orchard is possibly the most idyllic and stunning little street I have ever seen. Mountain views, ancient houses, and no traffic - exactly what I love and exactly what is missing from my noisy little life. A little while before the orchard, we found this house, and I immediately went home and sold everything I own (including my dog and both cars) so I can start saving up to buy it:


Can you believe how beautiful it is? As soon as we saw it, I couldn't get it out of my head, and, confession, I did not take these pictures on Sunday. I actually CAME BACK and took them on Monday. Here is where I start to feel a little guilty, because I'm sure a nice family lives here, and they probably saw me drive by TWICE on Monday and lean out of my window, drool a little, and take pictures, and they probably have taken note of my license plate and any minute now a police officer will come knocking on my door.

If you are reading this, people who live here, I promise I am not a dangerous or insane person. I have never once even been suspected of criminal activity; I just can't help myself when I see a house this beautiful and it is everything I have ever wanted in life. Also, if you ever decide to move, please contact me so I can try to buy your house (as you have read, I'm saving up). I will take good care of it. I am a clean person; I bake pies and bread and make quilts and listen to cool music, and I was raised to appreciate, respect, and love beautiful old houses. Just ask my parents; they once loved a beautiful old house so much that they bought it even though it didn't have electricity, plumbing, or windows, and they moved in in December with a three year-old and a newborn. They restored it and have lived happily there for almost thirty-four years.

Sigh. Isn't it just awful and wonderful at once to see something this beautiful? I love it and want it, but I know I will never get it.

On a side note, I also found my new second favorite place on earth:

I browsed around for awhile in this adorable place, and it is perfect: small and charming, but still with a great selection and comfortable chairs for camping out and reading. I bought a new book, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Alan Bradley) and only one chapter in, I am loving it. I also added myself to the store's mailing list so I can get in with the cool crowd.