Changing State

Just so that you'll all know it wasn't a waste of time bringing a Ukelele along on our trip, here's a pic of Jim happily playing and singing along to 'McArthur's Park' whilst waiting for his dinner!

We've done a lot of travelling since leaving Cape Cod.  Last night we stayed at Centennial House, a colonial house built in 1811 near the border of both New Hampshire and Vermont.

Jim was very interested in the property's state-of-the-art, German-made, wood pellet boiler which took up the whole garage space. It was certainly very efficient at providing plentiful hot water but I don't think we have room for one at Brackenhurst.
We took the Mohawk Trail (originally an Indian trade route) on  our onward journey today. This was the first officially designated scenic drive in New England, and its twisty roads offered magnificent  mountain views particularly on Hairpin Turn looking towards Mount Greylock.

 However, before we reached that point we came to a place called Shelburne Falls - a small town stuck in a 1940s time warp.

Main St  Shelburne Falls

 It was notable for its two bridges, one an old iron bridge and the other, The Bridge of Flowers,

Bridge of Flowers seen from the Iron bridge

walking on the Bridge of Flowers

View from the Bridge of Flowers

 and for its glacial potholes.

We saw photos of the river during the floods of Hurricane Irene last year and could see that several buildings had been completely washed away.
A little further on we came to America's only naturally formed marble bridge which was pretty spectacular. The bridge was an arch over a deep canyon formed by a river.

 Nearby an abandoned quarry had supplied USA towns with marble floors and shop fronts before the factory that finished the stone had been destroyed by fire in 1947. There was a party of school children here (roughly about 15 years of age I should think), who were dressed in waders in the middle of the river, testing the water quality. It seemed to us to be a pretty scary thing to do as the river was in full flow and there didn't appear to be a great deal of supervision, but they were obviously having fun.
We crossed the state border into Vermont (the whole state is only 150 miles long and 90 miles at its widest point) and really entered into Green Mountain country, hence the name.

 The leaves are changing colours fast because it's further north and therefore colder. The whole state is studded with memorable English names like Manchester, Shrewsbury and Rutland to name but three. We were attracted to the tiny village of Arlington off the main highway that punched way above its weight advertising a chocolate museum. This was a shop that sold chocolate made in a not so nearby city but there was an enormous chocolate bear on display about 150 cm high; not to be touched, licked or eaten in any way.

We are staying for two nights in the most beautifully located Crisanver House.

 It couldn't be more remote, but we've already fallen in love with it! The house is packed with beautiful paintings, furniture  and books. The views over nearby mountains are spectacular as the forests turn from green to various autumnal shades. We hope to walk in the woods tomorrow, taking in a section of the Appalachian trail if the weather is good and the black bears keep their distance.