Horses have been the theme at our home recently. My six year old is smitten with all manner of horses and we are very fortunate, in her mind, to have numerous opportunities to spot them on Concord and Carlisle farms that abut local roads. This Palomino beauty was our latest chance to opine about the virtues of having a horse in the same way one might discuss a goldfish or cat. For now, thankfully, keeping a sharp eye out through the car window, “collecting” Concord and Carlisle horses as she spots them is enough!

This particular animal seems well-accustomed to roadside visitors, perhaps because it lodges just down the street from Henry David Thoreau’s newly renovated birthplace.

The Mill Brook Inn, is an antique colonial dating to both the Georgian and the Federal period of Concord’s history and architecture. This came about when the original 1758 structure was moved in 1828 to its present Walden Street address and the front of the house as it exists today, was added. The original owners of the home were the Hosmers. The name Hosmer can be found throughout this part of New England. There are Hosmer Houses that have been preserved in Acton, Sudbury and Concord and represents fathers, brothers, daughters and grandchildren that populated this part of Colonial New England.

This particular house is now known as the Mill Brook Inn and is a superb bed and breakfast run by Kathryn and John Paul Gosselin. It is authentic inside and out with a subtle weaving of modern conveniences such as WiFi. It is Concord tradition at its best, civilized right down to the opportunity for guests to enjoy an evening sherry in the Library. When you walk out the front door and you are in the heart of the Mill Dam District of Concord, art galleries, antique shops, museums and cafes are within footsteps.

Hello all – My apologies for not blogging over the past month. I have been completing final edits on my book which will be published at the end of June. It is a compilation of selected entries and photos from the past two years. It will be made available for purchase in stores throughout Concord, Massachusetts also on Amazon.com and here on my site. Thanks for your encouragement and loyal readership over the past two years. Above is a preview of the Cover.

I was out on Walden Street in Concord yesterday and noticed a distinct difference in the tenor and energy of the people out on the streets. There was more interaction than I’d seen since the holidays accompanied by a leisurely stride that can only signify winter is indeed behind us. Absent was the head down, collar up, determined walk toward ones next retreat from the cold.

Window shopping is particularly gratifying in Concord. Each storefront is so individual, the wares of the various stores spills out onto the sidewalks as does the wholly unique character of each of the shops and its owners. Today’s picture is of Thoreauly Antiques one of Concord’s several excellent antiques shops. Although there are people who comes from long distances specifically to find a treasure of sorts, Thoreauly Antiques is equally compelling to the person who is just crossing its path by chance, as was the case with me. Something caught my eye from the sidewalk display, I hesitated to venture in as this was not something I had intended to or typically seek out. But after choosing to give it a go, I could not have been greeted by a kinder professional. A women of age and experience was welcoming and informative and just the type of person you might envision in a place whose walls are lined with fascinating pieces from the past. I immediately became intrigued, picturing perhaps an Antiques Roadshow type of find in just such an establishment. However, time was short, as I was suppose to be heading in an entirely difference direction. I hurried off, sidewalk item in tow, musing about its potentially hidden origins.

As you can see in today’s passage, Concord and Boston are to your left. On many of the original roadways in New England stand granite markers. Before GPS and before Michelin Maps, there were clear, concise postings consisting of an arrow and the destination where the arrow would take you. They dot the landscape of roads that were once travelled on horseback or in carriage. This was a time where Yankee or perhaps Puritan sensibilities were still dominant and signs either on rock or post were purposeful and brief. If the road led from Carlisle into Concord it was named Concord Road. If it was in Carlisle heading toward Acton, it was named Acton Road…where this photo was taken. Adjective-driven names were not preferred in early New England. Patch Meadow Lane and Oak Knoll Road were for a later time.