We had been out adventuring and were gradually making our way back to the hotel to enjoy a quiet rainy evening. We were looking for the Guthrie Center and we were talking about finding apples to take home.
And suddenly, there it was, the granddaddy of roadside stands. Taft Farms has a wonderful year round market where they seek fresh produce, baked goods, plants, and more.
We spotted it at the same time, gasped and whirled right into the parking lot where we found ourselves in a pocket of fall.
They had pumpkins, gourds, apples, mums, and all the things you need to kick off fall decorating and baking.
I picked up some Honeycrisp apples because I know I like them and some Zestar apples because they were recommended by an employee. Both were good, I also grabbed some jars of preserves so I can have a taste of vacation this winter when I’m home being cozy.
This quick stop was a feast for the senses and I was so glad to be there. They’ve been around for over fifty years and are know for their pesticide-free growing. Want to go? Get the details here!
Several months ago I read a story about the town where Norman Rockwell said he found some of his best inspiration. The story promoted a quaint New England town and a Norman Rockwell Museum where visitors could get to know more about the man and his work.
While Norman Rockwell has become something of a cliche to many, I tend to think his storytelling is genius and that our society could benefit from a good dose of small town innocence.
So, off we went to Stockbridge, Massachusetts in the Berkshires. This town of 2,000 residents is a year round attraction known for access to outdoor activities, small town charm, and a handful of famous folks who once made their home here.
Rockwell’s first Stockbridge studio was in the upstairs of a building that now is home to a cafe (also the same building that was home to the famed Alice’s Restaurant). He moved to the area and set up shop here when his wife came to Stockbridge for medical care.
It has north facing windows on the second floor that overlook the Main Street and would be quite the window out on the world. What I wouldn’t give for a morning of writing and people watching from that space! While he rented this studio space, he set out to have renovated an 1830s carriage house in the yard of his home in town.
This would be his creative space beginning in 1957 until his death 21 years later. He adopted Stockbridge as his hometown and said some of his best work originated here. Most of his important social commentary work was done here in this studio.
The studio is no longer located in Stockbridge. That’s because it was loaded onto a flatbed truck and moved to the campus of the Norman Rockwell Museum in 1986.
We toured the studio before we went through the museum and had a wonderful tour guide.
He shared with us that the museum looks much the same as it did when Rockwell worked here, aside from the fact it is now perched on a rural hillside instead of in town. His easel is set up as though waiting for the master to return from lunch. His paints and brushes are on the table.
His radio and phone too.
Rockwell was a fastidious housekeeper who our tour guide said cleaned his studio several times a day. This seemed odd to me given how messy most artists are but fitting giving how squeaky clean his storytelling was. The space is light and pleasant and I can see why he said it was his best studio of all the twenty or so he worked in.
I lingered at the end of the tour and remained for a moment after everyone else had filed out. It was easy to imagine that Rockwell had just stepped out and that I might be able to perch on the couch while he began his next painting.
The property has walking trails which we didn’t take advantage of and a world class museum that we enjoyed thoroughly. I’ll take you to the museum next time.
Our first glimpse of Stockbridge, Massachusetts came as the sun was slipping below the horizon. Rocking chairs on the porch of The Red Lion Inn were all occupied but the sidewalks appeared empty.
This is the kind of town where you might joke that they roll up the sidewalks at supper time and there is some element of truth to that joke. The thing is, that quiet and slowness is part of the undeniable charm of the place.
The sky was pink with streaks of orange as we traveled through town, admiring the tree lined streets and magnificent old stone churches. We stayed in nearby Great Barrington and got to enjoy a fiery orange sky along the wooded route just before the sky descended into pure darkness.
This is a place where you can still see the stars at night. It was all so mesmerizing I didn’t think to take a single photo to remember it by.
It was chilly that evening as we lugged all our stuff into the Marriott which would be our home away from home for the week. The next day, we delighted at the mist rising over the mountains in the early light.
We had tickets for the Norman Rockwell Museum and studio at 11 a.m. but first we went for a stroll around Stockbridge.
Here we found a couple of older gentlemen already sitting in the Adirondack chairs outside the library and a cafe packed with early diners. A few fallen leaves gathered at the feet of the stone lions outside the inn and enormous old homes in groves of trees beckoned for our attention.
There was a good bit of traffic that morning but motorists are mostly courteous to pedestrians. Plus, the sidewalks are wide with plenty of shade making for truly pleasant walking conditions.
Everything is old but it’s well tended and there’s a sense of respect for what has always been. Taking care of what you have is a way of life and one that is increasingly rare in this country.
The sign outside this place said 1850.
I liked it.
I liked it all.
I liked the old cemetery in town and the character of old houses. I liked the way delivery truck drivers held traffic so we could cross the street. I liked the way store clerks so carefully wrapped our treasures because we were clearly visiting and needed to get them home safe. I liked the way things are so laid back literally no one cares what you do as long as you’re not hurting anyone.
The place is calm and calming. There’s history everywhere you look and people who, in their very rural laidback ways, are glad to make your day better.
There’s a reason why Norman Rockwell stayed. There’s a reason why so many people who live there are transplants. It feels like your hometown even when you have been there for just a minute.
Tomorrow I’ll take you to one of my favorite places in town. Hint: it’s an old church. You had to know I would find one of those on this trip!
