Took off today for our latest vacation. Shel suggested Historic Deerfield, MA, which I never knew about!. We got here around 11 AM and the place was pretty much deserted except for people attending a function at Deerfield Academy. As the day progressed, there were about 25 or so people walking around. I loved it!!

There is a main street with many restored houses from the period of 1600's to 1800's. Each home told a different story of how the people lived -- from the early settlers who never knew if they would see their loved ones either from being killed or captured when working in the fields by the French or Native Americans. Or, the women could be burned while cooking by the hearth and become infected, which would lead to death. Just an indication of how tough life was in those early years. After the revolution, the settlers were able to farm and raise cattle and do well.

We liked the Wells-Thorn house the best - it was a progression house. Each room represented a different period of time so we went from living as a new settler to the mid-80's. It was a real sense of how people became more settled and civilized -- from out houses to bed pans -- beds in the kitchen to private rooms.

During the 1800's, the women of the town, afraid that they were losing their learned skills to machinery, got together to work on quilting, weaving, needlepoint, etc. and sold their crafts. This area is also known for the preservation of homes by the Flynt family and others and the beautiful woodworking pieces.

On the way out, we finished driving through the Mohawk Trail (which probably is beautiful in autumn) and made our way to Torrington, CT. There is not much of a people population, as we saw very few cars on the road.