I am sitting here, 2,295 miles away from what felt like home. Feeling a bit nostalgic about the place I once lived. The place that I miss most is our little town of Pepperell, MA. I miss walking along the creek that ran through our backyard. I miss exploring the wooded area behind our home. It was so thick you could lose site of our home and feel like you were hundreds of miles from anything. I miss the frogs that you could catch after a rainstorm and the turtles that would pop up to say hi. I miss our spacious townhouse where we welcomed Caiden into our family.
I miss the green... The green grass, the green trees and the green and purple wild raspberry bushes. I miss seeing the rock walls and the cemeteries that begged to be explored. 
In the cemeteries you would find whole families that died within months of each other. We would collect information and try to figure out what was taking place in society at that time to cause these mass deaths. Often it was disease epidemics (plagues, pox, fevers). Some of the saddest ones were house fires, or farming accidents. Scott also found people that he was related to in a few cemeteries.
In the cemeteries you would find whole families that died within months of each other. We would collect information and try to figure out what was taking place in society at that time to cause these mass deaths. Often it was disease epidemics (plagues, pox, fevers). Some of the saddest ones were house fires, or farming accidents. Scott also found people that he was related to in a few cemeteries.
(This pizza shop is where I found out I was pregnant with Caiden.) Don't ask...
I miss the pizza and the grinders in Pepperell. C & S Pizza was the best for grinders and we loved treating ourselves to their delicious sandwiches.
I miss buying ice cream at our favorite shop called the "Rail Trail Ice Cream Shop" and I miss the "Rail Trail". We miss the amazing restaurants in Boston. The Clam chowder, lobster that was truly 'fresh' and the fish... So wonderful.
We would rent a peddle car and ride the Rail Trail. Sometimes Scott and I would rollerblade or just take family walks by the pond.
The humid summers and the amazing snowstorms were not for everybody but we loved it. 
There were wonderful Rainstorms that the kids were more than happy to get soaked in.
New England in the autumn time though, was a site not to be missed. It made the other seasons pale in comparison. Being able to see world famous foliage was just one of the many treats we took part in.
There were ponds and lakes everywhere.... (I didn't love the mosquitoes.)
We were truly humbled by the history made and the sacrifices that were battled out there.
We have to mention the ward we had there. It could have been translated to higher spheres. The members were so kind and gracious. They served in the communities, had inter-denominational get togethers and basically had the law of consecration being lived already. You could post a need on the ward's message board and within minutes you would have a response to whatever you needed. For example: A message posted that a widowed shut-in needed a television because hers had gone out. We had an extra t.v. and so we handed it over to whom ever had requested it. At one time we needed a twin mattress with a frame. Literally within hours there were a couple of people that had extras and we could have them. The one that we ended up taking was still wrapped in plastic that had been bought and then not needed..... FOR FREE! Another time we were getting furniture from a friend that was moving and we needed a truck and trailer. A ward member called and asked Scott if he had ever driven a truck... with a huge horse trailer. Scott said "no." They didn't care! They had it to lend and they did. They lent us their brand new Expedition and horse trailer. Scott was driving over $100,000.00 worth of vehicle. Their only question when he returned was, "Did it work OK for you?" The list could go on from: babysitting to needing a vehicle after a car accident to just having sweet friends that we could count on.
We were so blessed by the many gracious acts of kindness that they showed to our family. We were also blessed by being able to serve when needed.
Typical New England Architecture. I would absolutely love to live in a "typical" New England home. The structures and homes were gorgeous.
We were so blessed by the many gracious acts of kindness that they showed to our family. We were also blessed by being able to serve when needed.
Typical New England Architecture. I would absolutely love to live in a "typical" New England home. The structures and homes were gorgeous.
Although we could never afford a home there, we always loved looking at the homes and dreaming about their histories and unique details. Maid quarters, slave quarters, carriage houses and secret stair cases. Grand homes with grand histories!
Pepperell, MA library. They had the best DVD selection and an amazing children's section.
The nerd part in me misses the library. In the summer time they had wonderful children's activities that included themes such as: I Spy, beach party, bubbles, a teddy bear picnic and scientists in the making. We loved it just as much as our children did. They had a children's section that took up the entire basement. They had a quiet area that was relaxing. They had a NOT QUIET room filled with pretend play, trucks, and kids who seemed to have had too much sugar. AWESOME!
Pepperell, MA library. They had the best DVD selection and an amazing children's section.
The nerd part in me misses the library. In the summer time they had wonderful children's activities that included themes such as: I Spy, beach party, bubbles, a teddy bear picnic and scientists in the making. We loved it just as much as our children did. They had a children's section that took up the entire basement. They had a quiet area that was relaxing. They had a NOT QUIET room filled with pretend play, trucks, and kids who seemed to have had too much sugar. AWESOME!
Faneuil Hall in Boston- Part of the freedom trail monuments
A Sweet Apple at the Cider Mill in Vermont.
Ben (Shane) and Jerry (Kindra) all I can say about this is YUMMMMM. 
We traveled to Vermont a few times to get Cheese from the Cabot Cheese factory and ice cream from Ben and Jerry's and then there was the maple syrup that was so good too.
Holocaust Memorial in Boston- The Memorial features six luminous glass towers, each 54 feet high. The towers are lit internally to gleam at night. They are set on a black granite path, each one over a dark chamber which carries the name of one of the principal Nazi death camps. Smoke rises from charred embers at the bottom of these chambers. Six million numbers are etched in glass in an orderly pattern, suggesting the infamous tattooed numbers and ghostly ledgers of the Nazi bureaucracy. Evocative and rich in metaphor, the six towers recall the six main death camps, the six million Jews who died, or a menorah of memorial candles.
Old State House in Boston.
A sadness feels me as I post this last picture. It is one of the many historical covered bridges that have become a lost architectural structure. It stood as an entry point beckoning you to enter. It now marks the entry point of 'our' town that we can no long claim ownership to.
New England was an amazing visual, physical and spiritual journey that I am grateful I was able to take.
1 comment:
i so love it back east!! i am glad my bro still lives there so if i want to go visit there is a reason!!
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