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We have been welcomed!
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It's a representation of a farming village from the 1830's
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Inside one of the homes, this guy was mostly decoration . . .
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Ride the stage around town for $5. We didn't . . .
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A lot of the exhibits focused on home crafts - this one on dyed wool
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Most progress is good . . .
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Maybe that's taking togetherness a bit too far . . .
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The fall colors were just beginning to show . . .
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Looks old, but it's a purpose-built modern restaurant . . .
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A 19th century printing shop, much like the one Al used in high school . . .
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Except for all the yelling school kids, it was like a trip back in time . . .
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Al tried on a new body . . .
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The progression from home industry to factory was evident in several displays
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We like glasswork, and they have some neat stuff
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Getting water wasn't easy. Wonder how well this worked in winter?
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This house dates to 1796, and was moved from Charlton MA, near Salem
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That's not a bricked-up fireplace - the fire was in the basement, and provided heat to that oven
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The guy who shot the musket drew a crowd . .
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We rested our feet and took a peaceful boat ride on the local river
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More fall colors, but no wildlife . .
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There are a couple of picturesque covered bridges in the complex.
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These leaves were in mid-turn, with multiple colors per leaf.
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Some parts of the village were quite peaceful
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There were fish in the millpond, probably not as curious as they looked to us
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The old sawmill was very interesting
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And so was this grizzled character who ran it
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Squirrel!
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The wool carding mill was fascinating - mechanically getting all the wool fibers aligned before spinning
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The blacksmith shop produced many nice sounds
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A tire stone is used to mount iron "tires" on wooden wagon wheels. Never knew that . . .
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Inside, the smith explained what he was doing . . .
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These ladies cooked up some neat stuff, but wouldn't let us eat any . . .
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In the cooperage, barrels and buckets get built
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The kids liked the farm animals, Not sure how the animals felt about the kids
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In the pottery, local clay is turned into dishes
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This is all stuff waiting to be fired in the kiln
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The kiln is fired about once a year, and they also fire bricks used to repair it
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This Friends Meeting house was built in 1796, and served the Quaker community of Bolton MA
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The old Sturbridge Congregational Church, built in 1832, was somewhat more elaborate
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The inside features pew boxes that were "owned" by local families. Poor folks sat in the balcony.
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This expressive guy explained and played the church pipe organ
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Next stop, the McCarthy home in Wilton CT, to visit niece Lisa and her family
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Patrick and daughter Niamh were chopping wood when we arrived . . .
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They were stockpiling firewood for winter, using up a tree that was blown over in a storm
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We tucked into a corner of the driveway for a week's stay . . .
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Homework was a daily ritual - Niamh and Aiden apply themselves
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In anticipation of an airport run to pick up her parents, Lisa cleans the van
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We made the the airport run and brought Jan & Denny to catch Lisa and Patrick at the local train station as Patrick left for Ireland
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Grandma Jan and Aiden . . .
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Mom and daugher at the backyard fire ring
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Jan tries her hand at a computer game. Aiden, the master, explains
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Liam and Niamh help mom clean up after dinner
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Denny does his dad thing and replaces a light switch
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We took Jan & Denny to Mystic Seaport in Mystic CT, arguably the best maritime museum in the country
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Lots of old ships and things maritime to explore, and a great day to do it
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Below decks in an old fishing boat was pretty confined
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Note the cupboard doors adapted to avoid knocking heads . . .
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Judy spotted a stowaway . . .
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How they preserved fish back then. The result was like fishy plastic
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Among the old buildings, this lifeboat station
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The harbor is very relaxing, and you can take boat rides if you want
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Not all ships are restored - this one they left as they found it
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Not a lot of headroom . . .
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The views are very peaceful
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Inside a rope-making shed.
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This ship is restored on the outside, but inside it's a modern dormitory for summer sailing programs
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Built in Denmark in 1882, it's a bit bigger than Jan & Denny's boat
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Lots of fun buildings in the village
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We don't wanna grow up . . .
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Neither do we . . .
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All the medical essentials in the apothacary . . . if you ever need a leech or three . . .
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The doctor's examining table, circa 1850. Bucket's a nice touch . . .
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The wood carver's shop was most interesting . . .
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They do lots of projects for the village
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In the general store, all the essentials. Need a washboard or butter churn?
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The seaport's pride is the CW Morgan, America's oldest commercial ship still afloat
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Built in 1841, this whaler made 37 successful voyages, most lastng 2-3 years
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It was completely rebuilt and made it's 38th voyage this past summer, visiting several New England ports
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The ship chandlery, where everything a ship needed was for sale, and Denny couldn't buy any of it.
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The sundial was about 40 minutes slow this day . . .
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One night, Judy, Jan and Lisa went to a Tapas cooking class . . .
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Lots of Spanish nibblies were created
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And consumed
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It was a fundraiser for a local demonstration farm
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One day, the five adults visited Kykuit, the family estate of the Rockefeller family, near Sleepy Hollow NY
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We couldn't take pictures inside, so lots of pictures of the outside artwork
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Originally built by oil tycoon John D Rockefeller, it was lived in by four generations of Rockefellers
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Much of the modern artwork was added by Nelson Rockefeller, US Vice-President under Gerald Ford
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Corpulance comes in many forms
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The 40-room mansion was given to the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1979
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Some of the more classical works of art were installed when the home was built from 1906-13
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The former carraige house is now a conference center and automobile museum
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And everwhere you look, leaves turning color
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As we left, this idyllic old mill just begged for a picture
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Next day, we took Lisa to the airport for her flight to Ireland
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One day, we gave everybody a chance to play on our mobility scooters. Niamh and Liam had a good time
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And so did Jan and Denny
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Through it all, Tilly calmly watched it all . . .
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And too soon it was time to head out. So we end here . . .