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Recent retiree--35 year's experience teaching reading, English, adult basic education and volunteer leadership skills. Started this blog to exchange ideas and commentary with friends and others having an interest in joining the discussions. Greatest life accomplishments include: 1.organized my 3rd grade class to check out library books for me to get around librarian's weekly limit--Amazon.com, the Mullins Elementary 3rd Grade Class of 1956 is still waiting for "thank you" notes; 2. volunteered in the Peace Corps, island of St. Kitts, West Indies; 3.taught adults to read, earn their GEDs., and speak English as a second language; 4. bought a border collie puppy for $6, got evicted rather than give him up, and began a life-long love affair with all things "Dog"; 5. joined a physical fitness boot camp in my mid-50s--don't mess with someone who's been doing regulation pushups in wet grass at 5:30 a.m.; 6. walked across Northern England with best friend Sally--over 80 miles from the Irish to North Seas; and 7. travelled to many foreign countries for pleasure and work.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Barn Charm - Flowery New England

Ran across these great barn photos from a garden tour of New England in the 1990s and decided to participate in the Barn Charm meme for the first time. This working farm (I'll wait until later in the week to reveal what they grew in addition to amazing flower gardens) was outside Sturbridge, Massachusetts. The tour was in late May, early June. We visited this farm early in the day and just ignored the rain. As you can see, the rain just improved the color of the barn:
Another view--note the bowed double doors and viney window boxes:
A side view with wonderful New England flat stones used as steps:
Another view of the barn across one of the many gardens that surrounded a white two-story frame farmhouse:
One of many beautifully composed containers. It was the first time I saw mostly different colored foliage with very little blooms growing in containers. For years, I took a lot of pleasure out of designing container gardens, each year a different theme after going on this garden tour:
If you'd like to participate in the Barn Charm meme, click here: Bluff Area Daily

25 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

that's a really pretty place! can't wait to hear what else they raised/grew. :) yay for barn charm!

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi Faye, Great New England Barn pictures... I hope we make it to that area sometime. We had a trip planned last year in the Fall --but that big storm did so much damage to their area that we cancelled that trip.. BUT--one day, I hope we get there!!!!

Hugs,
Betsy

Faye said...

TexWesGirl--all will be revealed for Friday Fences. :-)

Faye said...

Betsy-I was feeling stranded in Scandinavia when that storm went through New England. Wondering if airports would be closed in D.C./New York. Thank goodness for CNN and kind fellow travelers who will loan you their smartphones to check the weather. In September I'm going to Russia and will definitely have a reliable phone or iPad for just such emergencies.

On this trip to New England we stayed at an historic inn and a hurricane came through knocking out all the power. Hotel mgment just passed out candles to all guests.

Pamela said...

There was a time that husband and I would stop while traveling just to take a photo of an old barn. Looks like we should start doing that again.

Grandma Barb's This and That said...

This is a beautiful place. Love the photos. Looking forward to Friday Fences.

Maiu said...

Really beautiful place. The garden is so pretty and goes well with the rustic barn! :)

Elaine said...

Beautiful barn and gardens!

Linda said...

Very lovely place! One that would be interesting to visit in different seasons, just to see what the gardens looked like!

Tanya Breese said...

oh this is a beautiful place!

Nancy said...

Wow -- this has a real cottage feel to it, Faye. Love it.

As far as the red paint, I'm sure in the old days, it contained lead, which can't be used now. You can buy big 5-gallon buckets of red barn paint at our local farm store, although I imagine it doesn't last as long as the old formula. :)

Jan n Jer said...

I just love the New England states...such beauty! You captured it very well Faye! Bet it was a little scary when the hurricane hit!!!

Keetha Broyles said...

Lovely barn.

But what drew MY eyes right away, Miss Faye, is your blog template. I still use that same one too. I simply cannot "flit" away from it on a whim.

Oh - - - I flirted with changing, but no matter what ones I look at, they don't give me the classic old feel of this one.

Besides, some of those fancy smancy backgrounds make those blogs take FOREVER to load.

So, no thank you, I'll stick with good old "tried and true" and LOVE sticking with it.

Great minds - - -

Brian King said...

That is a really nice barn! Gorgeous colors, too!

Carletta said...

That weathered wood is gorgeous!
All of your photos are lovely!
I like the clean landscaped look and the container of plants is lovely. I've been looking for plantings and this is a great idea for some old wine barrels I have.
A lovely post for barn charm Faye!

Anonymous said...

Welcome to Barn Charm!

What a beautiful place & I LOVE the dark barn wood... you'll notice I say that a lot, but I can't help but say it when I see something I love so much! LoL!
The flowers really add to the views of the place, too

Wonderfully captured & thanks so much for joining this week's Barn Charm =)

Faye said...

Keetha-thanks for you kind words about my blog header. It's an original. I had done some pen and ink drawings of some weeds and my Geek Squad friend used that drawing as an inspiration for this header. All in the earth tones that I favor. There's a blue riff on this theme, but I can't give up this one.

Pamela Gordon said...

Thanks for visiting and commenting on the Ukranian barn. The barn in your photos is really beautiful with lots of character. Pamela

Beth said...

This is gorgeous and fascinating. I love such gardens and am a big container person also as I have a small yard. Love the barn. Terrific find--so glad you joined up and shared this with us!:>)

Ruta said...

Beautiful weathered wood and stone steps! The overcast sky made the gardens look vibrant!
Great post for Barn Charm!!

Mari said...

Welcome to Barn Charm. You shared a beauty! I love the color of the wood, and the stone steps - not to mention the flowers!

EG CameraGirl said...

New England barns are amongst the very best!

Molly said...

Hello Faye,
I am glad to see that you are still blogging. I like your barn pictures. One of my retirement goals is to take pictures of old or interesting barns.

Faye said...

Molly-I saw you were back blogging as well. That's good. I've kept you in my blogroll hoping you would start up again. I'll be around to visit you real soon. And your should join Barm Charm meme and share some of your barn photos--it's every Monday.

A Colorful World said...

These photos could have been taken in England, not New England! Beautiful farm...loved the barns!