This and That - Early Spring

Hello friends! Today, I thought I would put together a few odds and end that never quite made their way to the blog. First, I realized that I never shared the photos I took when we visited Vermont earlier this winter. Have you ever seen an image on Pinterest that you just had to see for yourself? This was one for me. It is the covered bridge in Arlington, VT.

It didn't disappoint! I have an entire board full of places in Vermont that I would like to visit and hopefully we will get to check out more of them this year. We are doing research to narrow down the list of where we might like to live when Billy retires. The village of Dorset, VT is definitely on the list. There is a town green surrounded by a variety of charming white homes and businesses, including an Inn and Country Store. We visited on an overcast day but I can just imagine what it would look like on a sunny day. We will have to go back.

When we check out an area, our youngest son likes to see the local skatepark (his top priority in a place he might live someday). While Billy took him there (he approved), Kyle and I checked out the Northshire Bookstore in Manchester. Old bookstores are my happy place and this one was at the top of the list of memorable ones that I have visited. It has old creaky pine floors and handwritten book recommendations on the shelves. Just perfect!

Last week, Billy and I took a day trip to Calicoon, NY in the name of farmhouse research. Calicoon is in the western corner of the Catskill Mountains and only about an hour and a half from where we currently live. Yet it feels like a world away. I can't help but grab my camera when I see a red barn in the snow. This day was a brilliant sunny day. The calendar says it is spring, but it still looks like winter in these parts.

This yellow farmhouse is currently on the market and was calling our name. It is situated on 21 acres with a barn. The only thing wrong with it (for us) is it is already completely renovated and we want something we can work on ourselves.

Speaking of moving to the country, I have been enjoying the BBC tv show "Escape to the Country." Season One is currently on Netflix and I find the inside look at life in the English countryside fascinating. And it just goes to show that the lure of living in the country is widespread, in all parts of the world.

Back in NJ, we enjoyed some warm days in February that prematurely gave us spring fever. We even took the top off the Jeep on a warm day. I think we jinxed all chances of an early spring with that move.

March arrived with lots of cold weather and even a blizzard. Dax literally had to leap through the snow to get around.

At least I have been able to add a bit of spring to the inside of the house with store bought flowers. And I think this week is actually going to warm up. Fingers crossed.

 I will leave you with an image of smiling Dax on this Tuesday morning. I am putting the finishing touches on our spring kitchen and I hope to share that soon. Hope your week is off to a great start!