Door Number 8: Quintessential New England

Saturday, October 17, 2015

Quintessential New England

Dwight House 1754

It turned out that this year the REAL Columbus Day, October 12th, actually occurred on the day set aside to celebrate it, though, in fact, such celebrations now don't amount to much more than not having to put money in parking meters. Otherwise, the congestion of cars around here as people made their way out of town, home again after the weekend--THE New England weekend, meaning the best of fall color--overloaded the roads considerably.

I, too, had to leave, for an appointment an hour south of here, but I chose not to take the interstate which I find a race-course and instead took the two-lane state highway which basically parallels the interstate on into western Massachusetts. A wise choice. No traffic whatsoever. I did not have to speed and so could take in the beauty of the countryside as I meandered on down past farms (one advertising a corn maze), sheep, past trees in golds, oranges, reds, all burnished by a totally sunny day complete with an unmarred blue sky. I put on a new CD by the contemporary Italian composer Ludovico Einaudi with stirring violins and piano--the perfect accompaniment for my magical drive.

Then ... since I was taking the back road, I happened to drive right by the turn-off to what is called Historic Deerfield, a mile-long authentic18th century New England settlement with restored museum-quality houses and furnishings, some open for inspection, some privately owned. (The opening scene of the 1994 movie, Little Women, was filmed there.) So, turn off, I did.

When I got home again, I decided I'd experienced the quintessential New England day. THE day of the year for color combined with THE place for a viewing of an authentic early New England setting.