Arrived at my host’s home in Hadley, MA..  They’re both professors at U Mass and I’d landed at the beginning of school so there wasn’t much time for visiting but they made me feel very welcome. Began exploring the Berkshires and came upon the Peace Pagoda, situated on the top of a fairly inaccessible hill.  It was constructed by a Japanese Buddhist monk (one of several he initiated throughout the world) in response to

the bombing of Japan during WWII. A lovely, quiet place to do some contemplation.  Decided to skip Rattlesnake Gutter but winded my way

thru some small towns tucked into the crevices of the Berkshires.  Also took a short hike to Doanes Falls, a series of small falls down through a ravine.  Finally figured out the MA speed limit system.  They don’t tell you if it’s a 10, 15 or 20 MPH curve; they just post it as a speed limit.  It can change 3-4 times within a mile so best to keep alert.

Couldn’t leave Amherst without a visit with Emily.  The tour of the Dickinson house included many readings from her poetry.  It also included a photographer from the Boston Globe following us (me and three young senior women from Hampshire College) for a story on the renovations taking place at the home.  Emily lived in almost complete seclusion, except for contact with members of her family and would not allow any of her poetry to be published.  After her death, a tussle regarding their publication broke out between her sister and her brother’s mistress, each having access to different poems.  In fact, they think there may be others squirreled away.  

Left the Amherst area and arrived in Springfield for a visit to their museums.  It’s a complex near downtown with four buildings and a sculpture garden.  Started out at the science museum where they were featuring an exhibit on butterflies.  In addition to the story of the change from caterpillar, you could walk thru an enclosed area where live butterflies were kept among plants. Walked outdoors to the Theodore Geiser Sculpture Garden to admire the Dr. Seuss characters.  He grew up in Springfield and many of his ideas for the books came from living there.  Another fun exhibit at the History Museum was a collection of fancy leather motorcycle jackets from the 50’s (rekindled some old memories) and an old Harley Davidson.  Also didn’t know that the Rolls Royce was manufactured here.  In fact, Springfield had a lively manufacturing base that included  Breck Shampoo, the Indian Motocycle, Parker Brothers and others.  Sadly, its seeing some hard times, as are all the New England areas that relied on those industries.

I just can’t seem to get enough of Eleanor.  Back to Hyde Park and a visit to Val Kill.  The tour was led by a 90 year old woman who knew Eleanor and had some great stories about her kindness e.g. a woman in town had mentioned she was sad about missing her granddaughter’s graduation from Hunter College (the first in the family to do so).  Only 2 tickets were available and so those were going to her parents.  “Don’t worry”, said Eleanor, “you can have mine”. Imagine her granddaughter’s surprise when she marched down the aisle and saw her grandmother seated on the stage.

Val Kill was built because Eleanor had expressed regret that the “big” house always closed for

the summer.  FDR decided to build a “shack” which could be used year round.  The cottage was  then added for a furniture and pewter training facility began by Eleanor and her friends during the Depression.  When it was closed, Eleanor made it her home until her death.

Took a ride through the Catskills to check up on Rip Van Winkle. Had a great goat cheese sandwich on an artichoke focaccia in Rosendale.  Wish I’d bought more than 2 of the oatmeal cookies too

Decided to swing over to Stockbridge and chose a couple of

places I wanted to see.  First was a salute to the Gilded Age, Ventfont, a huge, almost entirely renovated summer home of JP Morgan’s sister.  It also houses a lovely exhibit of 30” dolls dressed in period costumes (1855-1914) designed by a senior wedding dress designer from Pricilla’s of Boston.  The dolls were a traveling exhibit but are now in the process of being purchased by the museum.  The house (in its day of shambles) was also the site of the movie, Cider House Rules.

Also took a stroll thru the Berkshire Botanical Garden where my Chicago Botanic Garden membership again got me a pass.  They were featuring an exhibit of garden potting sheds and with large pottery sculptures throughout the grounds.  I was sorry to be too late for the day lily walk featuring 200 kinds of flowers, each planted in the year they were introduced.

Ran into Grandma Moses again in Hoosick Falls, NY.  There’s a huge painting of hers on the

side of a building (am assuming she didn’t get up on the ladder to paint it) but she’s at home in her final resting place in their cemetery.

Saratoga Springs has always been a resort community with many visitors coming to experience the healing powers of the springs and horse racing.  Huge beautiful summer homes of the eastern wealthy.  Went to the museum in Congress Park (dotted with spring fountains).  The museum (a former casino) has three floors.

  The first, a history of the area, the second, a representation of casino where Cornelius Vanderbilt and others came to play and the third, a re-creation of rooms from the Walworth family.  Although gambling was technically illegal, there are privileges awarded to the moneyed. The ladies (of course) were not permitted in the gambling area so a private library was set aside for them to gather. The upper floor is more interesting, in fact ghostly.  A marriage gone bad because the wife was mistreated, dad is killed by the son and a long dead aunt (killed during the Civil War) visits the bedside of the dying mother.  The woman at the desk swears things have a habit of being moved about and there’s a clip from the SyFy channel showing the ghostly investigation.

There’s also a lovely National Museum of Dance which begins with the place of dance in the life of nature – animals, insects, birds and us.  A great explanation on the En Pointe form of ballet, stories from ballerinas about what age they began, a series of exhibits on how the shoes are constructed and a beautiful display of decorated slippers. They also had a special exhibit on Judith Jamison who performed with the Alvin Ailey dance company.  The town has been decorated with ballet shoes (a la the catamount in Bennington).  

The fort at Ticonderoga has quite a story.  Although it never was a battleground in a Revolutionary War, it was the ping-pong ball between the French and the English during the French & Indian War. The Colonials finally took it over during our War when Ethan Allen & company showed up & the sentry forgot to close the gate.  The fort’s cannons were then moved down to defend Boston.  Two "French soldiers" had set up a camp outside the Fort and

were in the midst of making lunch.  One of them doubled as the

outstanding guide who gave us gave us an hour long history lesson of the battle for possession.  Then it was off to the King’s Garden to see where the occupying soldiers grew their food.  The original fort was blown up several times and the locals had used the stone rubble as their Home Depot so there was little left of the original. Enter the Pells (of Pell Grant fame) who decided to reconstruct the fort, the gardens and build a summer home.  They also added all the land around it (2000 acres), including Mount Defense, across the bay where British guns were placed to capture Fort Carrillon from the French.

Dismal day but a beautiful ride through the Adirondacks.  Lush mountains with leaves beginning to turn, splotches of lakes and beautiful rivers to drive along. Stayed at a B & B in the Hamlet of Jay with a couple who fell in love with the Adirondacks 20 years ago and moved from New Jersey. The next day was pretty gray so I headed north in search of sunshine.  The border guard into Canada wasn’t sure I’d find

it in Montreal, but he encouraged me to take a look.  Wish I’d done a bit more planning.  It’s a beautiful city with a combo of old and new.  Parked near an old cathedral and then wandered over to the underground mall (stopping to admire the chrome sculpture topping it) to get a map of the downtown.  It was a "walk and look" visit.  Next time I’ll be a bit less impulsive and do some more research.  One thing however, did impress me – the number of people who smoked.  Perhaps it’s because it’s been awhile since I’ve been in a large city but I don’t think so.

I was too late to walk the Ausable Chasm but pulled over to take some pictures of what I could see from observation sites.  Then stopped in Ausable Forks and watched a fly-fisherman trying his luck at the convergence of the east and west branches of the Ausable River.





A sign beside the road lists the high water mark for Irene's visit 2 years ago.  I knew it had hit hard in Vermont and New Hampshire but didn't realized the storm had come so far into New York.  

Left Jay and headed for Whiteface Mountain, site of the 1980 Olympic ski events.  It’s a twisty climb up to a castle-like structure at the top which has an elevator that takes you to the very top. The tunnel thru the rock and elevator were added in the 30’s at the request of FDR.  His bout with polio made him especially sensitive to handicapped access. 

Also took a boat ride on Lake Placid to see the “camps” (so-called summer “cottages” for the Eastern wealthy).  Their boat houses are the size of large homes and some are only accessible by water, no roads.  NY decided tearing down all the trees was not a good idea so the New York Preserve was instituted and in the Lake Placid area, 40% of the land is designated unbuildable - called “Forever Wild”  It’s a spring fed lake so it’s one of the cleanest, keeps replenishing itself with spring water.  At one time, it was only summer residents but a small group organized the Lake Placid Ski Club.  A bit snobbish at first but gradually it opened up and through their efforts, the Olympics were brought to the area.  Traffic is controlled, no jet skis or high powered boats.  Lots of wooden Chris Crafts are visible in the boathouses.

Cut through the Adirondacks on a diagonal road which gave me lots of opportunities to ooh and ahhh. Drove along the Raquette River Valley thru Tupper Lake down to Long Lake. Passed some docked seaplanes and stopped to investigate.  Would have loved to see the area from the air but no one was home and I was in a dead zone for phone service so couldn’t contact the owner. Loved the  community involvement tho – the sign said free ride were offered to Long Lake residents and land owners two days in June.   

Finished off the Adirondacks with a stop at the Adirondack Museum. It’s a walk thru park with

several buildings telling the story of the mountain settlements and industries. Also got more information on the establishment of the New York Preserve 1885 Act which instituted the “Forever Wild” program.  It’s not without its critics.  Many landowners feel an entitlement to develop their property as they

wish.  The Act looks at ownership as a kind of stewardship for future generations. They point to Lake George as the worst example of what can happen when over-development is unchecked.  There’s also an exhibit of carriages and buggies that ends with an extravagantly appointed private railroad car.  Got a kick out of the history of

the home owned by Rev.Clarence Archibald Bull.  Would yell across the street at his wayward parishioners, “Why the hell weren’t you at mass?”  Also was famous for his dislike of children, however; was an avid gardener.