Back with a Vengeance

I made it back home in one piece, with no fewer than 50 mosquito bites covering my entire body (on the palms of my hands? are you kidding me?). The vacation was wonderful and I may post some pics to come. It was just what I needed. Alex's Aunt and Uncle are just peachy-keen. They have the most gorgeous old house on some beautiful grounds with ponies wandering around on some of their land. The live in this tiny little town that literally has four stores and no stoplights. It was brilliant. We slept every night with the windows flung wide open to let in the cool breeze. We woke each morning to birds chirping outside our window, nesting in a huge 100 year old maple tree. We took some time to explore Great Barrington, MA. We headed out to The Mount, the home of famed author Edith Wharton. We checked out the Choate "cottage" called Naumkeag. Beautiful old mansions built during the end of the 1800s or so. So interesting to see how places were built as well as to get an idea of what society was like way back when. I am a true voyeur at heart, I constantly look in peoples' windows to see what their houses look like inside, so this was wonderful for me. The Choate place was kept exactly as it was when it was given to the preservation group in the 1950s - how cool to see! The landscape around the Berkshires is breathtaking, and the weather could not have been more perfect. We took a day to hike around Bartholomew's Cobble this amazing area near the Housatonic River with forest, wetlands, open fields and summit views. It was really breathtaking, I must admit. We capped off the stay with a trip to Harney Teas, one of my personal favorites and headed back to Philly on Friday afternoon. Unfortunately, I've contracted some sort of illness, complete with high fever and sore throat and swollen tonsils, so I am hoping to get better soon. I must, however, highly recommend a trip to the Berkshires. A wonderful place!