New England's Narrow Road

The Searles Castle For Weddings

Searles Castle wedding at night — A romantic castle wedding

My son and his wife were married in January 2007 at the Searles Castle in Windham, New Hampshire. It was an elegant and romantic wedding in a historic old building and this picture is one of my favorites. They were brave to plan a wedding in January and if it had been this January, they would have had tons of snow. In 2007 there was relatively little on the ground, but just enough to make it pretty. After the ceremony, the wedding party and parents went outside and braved the cold to get some photos and then the newlyweds traveled around the grounds with the photographer and got bunches of great pictures.
Just a few days ago I was asked by a customer at my Narrow Road store if I would make her a “Save the Date” card with the Searles Castle on the front because she was getting married there later this year.
The picture above was taken by a professional photographer and my photo (below) was taken in the summer when I went with my son and his fiance and her daughter to check out the place.
The castle sits on a hill and is surrounded by trees with a long winding driveway to the main entryway and the grounds provide a wonderful background for wedding pictures.

Save the date: New England
Save the date: Hydrangeas
Save the date: Beach / Tropical / Destination

Realistic Sand Dollar “Save the Date” Magnet (sandpiperwedding.wordpress.com)
Save the Date Beach Wedding Magnets (sandpiperwedding.wordpress.com)
Picture Perfect Wedding Announcements (sandpiperwedding.wordpress.com)

I Found The Snow

Last month I was asking where all the snow was, but I can tell you now that I have found it. For the fourth time in a little over a week the kids are missing school. My son is so sad, I’m sure he will be crying all day – NOT. But I might be… just kidding. No time to cry – must shovel!
We are not setting any records (except maybe the one for the most snow in the month of January) and usually get a bunch of snow where I live, but we are just getting it all at once.

So this morning when I went out to shovel out the bird eating stations and took a few photos. I think we are likely to get around 6 inches today. My car is in the shop so I won’t have to clean that off! Nice..! Of course I will have to pay the bill to have my brakes fixed.

If you are in New England, I hope you are enjoying the white stuff and are getting ready for that arctic chill coming this weekend when the temps will be well below zero.

I hate when the snow is as high as the deck. It makes getting it off much more difficult. As you can see, I will have a bunch to shovel once that roof lets go. And that is some heavy stuff.
The cat caught a blue jay the other day and I think he must have done so while hiding in one of the snow paths that lead to the bird feeding areas. The other cat, Fontana, mostly stays inside.

can in snow — Richie hoping to make a kill

Our DIY Christmas Village

painted ceramic house in a christmas village — Painted Ceramic Village Home

The Christmas village was set up; the tree was trimmed; the gifts were delivered and illness struck for Christmas day. My daughter was sick for Christmas (and is still sick) with the flu which meant my son and I celebrated alone. She certainly didn’t want to make the hour drive to my place, and we didn’t want her germs. So the tree will stay up with the gifts under it until she gets better and can come get them. I’ve read and heard that the flu is affecting many people and it’s too bad that it has to ruin a special day, but it seems like that is always what happens.
A week before Christmas, the kids were together and set up our old ceramic village. The kids and I painted these houses, church and toy store many years ago and I hadn’t set them up in years. It was a very inexpensive way to have a scenic village since we bought the houses at the craft store along with the paints and then used our imaginations to make them colorful. One of my favorites is the one at the top with the little old car in the garage.

(Want to paint your own Christmas village? Read my page on how to do that and set up your own unique display.)

It’s always a challenge to get the people and animals to stand in the fluff, but when it’s lit up on a dark evening it does look pretty good. I’ll admit that I didn’t go nuts making it look perfect – because no one will really see it and I plan to take it down this week. When Christmas is over I am anxious to get all the decorations put away because I can reclaim what little space I have in this house.
I hope you had a great Christmas without any illness.

people skating in the miniature Christmas village — My daughter painted the barn in the background

toy store painted ceramic — Colorful Toy Store

More Info on The Girl Scout Camp

tent city at camp chenoa — "Tent City" at Camp Chenoa

I have posted some photos of the girl scout camp near my place (all photos were taken in the off season) and the following is from a reader of this blog who works at the Camp Chenoa girl scout camp during summers in Antrim, NH. Thought I’d post it for anyone wanting more info.
She says:
“Tent City is used for administration staff, like the nurse and the rock wall supervisor. I was a CIT/Camp counselor at Chenoa this past summer, and I’ve spent entire summers there for 5 years. Currently i’m about to turn 18, but ladies, its still amazing when you an older teenager as well as a younger child. Girls go between ages 6/7(The Itty Bitties) And 17 if they decide to be a CIT or Dream Worker. It’s an amazing place to send your children if you aren’t close enough to Chenoa’s sister camp Farnsworth. I highly suggest this camp to parents who have adventurous children! Even children who are excited in making friends! There are so many activities and fun things to do, and the counselors are very funny. Pickles is my camp name! If your daughter is interested, look Chenoa or Farnsworth up and sign up! There are three sessions, 2 weeks long at a time! Your daughter can spend a week, or 2 weeks there in cabins, and camping out at the various camp sites around the camp itself such as The Point and The Treehouses!”

Camp Chenoa wraps around a large section of Gregg Lake and is located in a beautiful area of New Hampshire. At the other end of the lake is the Gregg Lake beach area and this is a photo from the summer of 2010. The camp is located in those woods on the right in this photo. Read more about the camp at their site Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains.