Inspiring New England Visit

Ger enjoys his breakfast with a side of cold mountain air.

Ger's birthday present this year was a hike in Franconia Notch, and some of our good friends with way more experience came with us (luckily for me!)


We started the night before here to lay out our gear and get comfortable. It was the off season, so we practically had the hotel to ourselves which was great fun. Our first day of hiking was to Greenleaf Hut and for the rest of the company, to the Lafayette Ridge.

Enjoying a morning tea and the view at Greenleaf, though still skeptical of the wisdom of this endeavor.

A flavor for what the trail to Greenleaf looks like. It was butt busting to the extreme.

Ger checks for cell reception at Lonesome Lake.

The second night had us at lower elevation and at Lonesome Lake Hut. We had the hut to ourselves and the caretaker regaled us with mountain stories and plied us with coffee in the morning.

After loading up with pancakes,  Ger and I started to make our way back to Philly with a few stops along the way. The first was in the Upper Valley to visit some friends and old haunts.

My favorite place at Dartmouth is the Sanborn library. I've spent HOURS here.

We stopped in at Tuck as well.

Our second stop was the The Mount in Lenox, MA. The Mount was Edith Wharton's home in the US, and is actively being restored.

The librarian was working in Ms. Wharton's library and I guess I must have passed some basic test cause she LET ME BEHIND THE ROPE to look around and take pictures.

I almost passed out with glee.

I can hardly contain myself in Edith Wharton's library among approx 1/3 of her known book collection. I love that the curtains lightly brush the floor. If that is okay in the house of the woman who brought modern interior design to America, it's okay for our living room.

I was able to see some of the inscriptions in a handful of her books. She was definitely well read. We also learned more about her life, including her years doing relief work during World War I. After visiting and learning more about her life, I think I'm going to have to elevate Edith Wharton to my mental category of women "who are accomplishing a great deal while keeping it together."

View of The Mountain from the lime walk path.

Overall an inspiring trip!