Who can resist exploring a castle? And that’s a problem with America for us castle-lovers — there simply aren’t enough of them around. So when you get to tour one, even if it isn’t five centuries old, I jump at the chance! I’d like to say that even Boldt Castle isn’t castle enough — it’s really […]
historic houses
1000 Islands Visited: Sunset Dinner Cruise on the St Lawrence River
I’m a sucker for beautiful sunsets, dinner is always a winner, and who doesn’t like a cruise on a lovely river? This “day trip” had all three — a Sunset Dinner Cruise on the St Lawrence River, touring the Thousand Islands. Lovely scenery and the food wasn’t half bad! That morning we’d driven 8 hours […]
Valentine’s Day Special: Boldt’s Castle Is the World’s Best Love Letter
In honor of Valentine’s Day, I decided to write about a visit to Bold’s Castle in New York’s Thousand Islands region — one of the most extravagant valentine’s day gifts ever! Middle class men give Hallmark cards to their wives; multimillionaires build castles. George C. Boldt started work on his love letter to his wife […]
Hampton National Historic Site
Hampton National Historic Site is an historic house whose owners witnessed and formed the history of Maryland and the young United States as it unfolded; a grand old home that was much loved by its owners, who eventually made the decision to save it (because of declining financial fortunes) by opening it up to the […]
New Year’s Resolutions: Daytrips for 2014
I always make New Year’s resolutions. Some I keep, some I don’t, some I try diligently to keep but peter out about June or July… This year I’m making some day trip-related New Year’s resolutions — and I’m betting I’ll keep all these! Here are some day trips and places I haven’t been to yet, […]
Frederick by Candlelight: Decorated Houses, Museums, and Houses of Worship
Funny how you take your home town for granted until you’ve lived away from it a few years. I moved away from Frederick in the late 1980s. Now I find myself coming back to explore it – from ghost tours of Mount Olivet Cemetery to the latest, the 28th Annual “Holidays in Historic Frederick” Candlelight […]
A Happy Visit: Longwood Gardens
He who plants a garden plants happiness, according to an old Chinese proverb. Both Pierre S. du Pont and his wife Lilian planted a lot of happiness, as they planned and developed their estate, Longwood Gardens. I felt so very spoiled walking through the gardens. From the visitors center we turned right, into the formal Idea […]
Finding the Stories: Rock Run Historic Area
Visiting an historic home, or old factory, or those fast disappearing grist mills, is a walk among the ghosts of the former inhabitants. I love exploring these places, peering into corners for the stories of the people who lived and worked there, and Rock Run Historic Area, tucked away in the Susquehanna State Park, in […]
Fallingwater
My boys are generally not enthusiastic when I announce that we’re heading out for another house tour. And if I recall correctly, it wasn’t until I was in my 20s that I began enjoying touring old homes. I’ve often wondered what it is about us — or maybe about me — that figures, if our […]