Mosses from an Old Manse

I just spent the past 4 days visiting friends and family in MA. I was without any internet for the whole time so had to find other things to fill my time (sorta kidding, well not about the no internet).

One of the things we did was visit "The Old Manse" in Concord MA. It was amazing. It is a very old home that at one time or another served as home Ralph Waldo Emerson and Nathaniel Hawthorne. I went on almost a whole tour (story for another time) of the home. You can just feel the spirits of all the creative people who walked the floors. There are love notes in the windows scratched in the glass with the diamond from a ring that Hawthorne and his wife left for each other. There is one that just makes you cry, left to comfort each other after the loss of a child. You can feel their love and pain. I had to control myself when at the top of the steps there were shelves and shelves of books, some dating back to the 1600's. Oh how I longed to touch them, feel the weight of the leather and parchment...but I didn't. I did tear up at the sight of them all though. The history of the area is amazing and it is a beautiful place.

I plan on going back and spending more time.

I also got to spend time with my friend Patty, her husband and her son. I enjoyed meeting Ken and K.J. and look forward to spending more time with them next visit. Poor Patty broke her hand the day before (I didn't know until I saw her, remember no internet) but still came to see me. The kids got along like they had known each other forever.

It really was a great time....We hope to move to the area as soon as it is possible....Enjoy a few more pics of our time: