All 4 of my grandchildren are playing varsity high school sports which is one reason that I wanted to go to Florida this winter. It’s a 3-hour flight home for tournament games, etc. These are my super athletes:
Lenox Art Walk - after our “best sales ever” show at the Lee Art in the Park two weeks ago, we were invited to attend the Lenox Art Walk. It’s a big deal as you have to be juried (which Rich is) and the level of artists here sets a high standard. These are a few of the artists…
We didn’t break our record, but came pretty close. This is a commission that Rich did for a woman whose Benny is 16 years old - she wanted to do this while she still has him.
Long time no see friends Jeff and Cindy from Florida texted us. They are camping nearby and asked if we could meet up for lunch. We sure could. Good to see them - the last time was in November 2020 at the condo in Bradenton. They had just gone off the road and bought a home in Oak Hill, FL. They had work-camped for Rich at North Ranch for several years and always have great stories to recall. 
Our last Hoorah for camping this year was at Peppermint Park in Plainfield, MA. We went with Tim and Dee - they have been there several times before. You could not have asked for a better string of 4 days with sunshiny days in the 70’s and chilly nights in the 50’s.
This park is less than an hour from Lee - really clean, well kept, full hook ups, swimming pool, hot tub, dining hall, playground, new pickleball courts, horseshoe pits, volleyball court, baseball field, et al. Of course, it was very quiet this time of year, but we were able to walk the tree studded grounds and check out the seasonal set ups in their various configurations. As is typical Northeastern style, they have patios shaded by gazebos, decorative decks, lawn furniture, lawn ornaments, welcome signs, on good sized grassy lots tucked into tall evergreens, maples, ash, and birch trees. A perfect set up for a 2nd home in mountain country.
The Community Hall is very nice with booths as well as tables for gatherings.
Notice the flooring which is brick shaped blocks of wood dropped into the floor with no glue or sealant.
The last of our nightly camp fires (a la Tim), we indulged ourselves with S’mores, as if we hadn’t had enough to eat for brunch, apps and dinner.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my daughter, Shannon Lee!
Lee Founders’ Day was celebrated this weekend starting with the Friday night Taste of Lee…
The Saturday parade was very nice with at least 7 nearby towns representing their community Fire and Rescue vehicles, One Mile Run, 2 marching bands, acrobatics, cloggers, cheering teams, and much more.
End of Summer Music Festival in Easton, MA was a nice adventure for us. When we were at the Lenox Art Walk a young lady, Kristen, saw our set up, liked it, and sent Rich an email invitation to participate in this event. Easton is near Boston, a 2-hour ride from Lee, and because it was 12-4pm on a Sunday, we were able to go. What a beautiful town! They are celebrating their 300th birthday this year and have numerous events happening all year long.
Oakes Ames Memorial Hall
Ames Free Library
We noticed that the town used a lot of “shovel” terms. So I Googled it and found that this is where Oliver Ames established a shovel company in 1803 which provided the shovels used in laying the extensive Union Pacific railroad tracks which opened the West.
There were several food trucks and the music was awesome - Steven Smith and the Nakeds sounded much like Chicago of the 70’s. Love the big band sound…
I walked down “Artists Row” to see what other vendors were selling. One that stood out to me was a mom with her 10-year old son showing framed photographs of many sizes. I was addressing the mom and she said, “He is the artist!” WOW! I asked him if he would mind if I included him in my Blog - he grabbed his business card and struck a pose in front of his work. He was not afraid to let others who passed know that this was his work. Amazing…
This day was yet another gorgeous Fall day in New England with blue skies, hints of colorful trees, and crisp morning air followed by mid-70’s in the sun. And it was bountiful - well worth the trip. I am very happy that we are leaving Lee later this year than the past 4 years. This is my favorite season in New England.
This is our daily walking crew, Dee, camouflage Kathy, and me among the sunflowers.
Lee High Wildcats Football 1st home game… are doing spectacular (42- 6. 48-0, 41-0) so far this season. Sadly, my grandson (H S Junior) dislocated his patella in this game. Waiting to see an orthopedic doc for more information. I was deeply moved seeing the Lee team (as well as the Pittsfield team) swarm onto the field to surround him on one knee before he was put into the ambulance. He has worked out lifting weights before classes and practiced hard with his team through the heat and humidity of August and September. Breaks my heart…
Our departure date for Florida is set for 10/27/25 with a stop in Fredericksburg, VA to see Eddi…
