Our Trip to Cabot

Yesterday we took a drive to Cabot, Vermont to see the Creamery. I believe the Cabot Creamery is the largest dairy farmers' cooperative in the Northeast. We saw the video of the history, took a tour to see the operations, and sampled some products.

We were impressed with the speed of the line and the efficiency of the workers.

Since we had read in the Summer 2012 Vermont Life magazine about a nearby historic Victorian home, we continued down Main Street to find it. It is privately owned. Looks like it could be a wonderful Victorian museum someday. 

From there we drove to the Grand View Winery. The roads were unpaved, rural, and rough. Loggers were at work and they needed to move their truck so we could pass them. It was worth the drive. The views were Vermont-beautiful. Gardens leading to the winery were gorgeous, including a hardy hibiscus that , I was told, can survive a 30 degree below winter. I was busy taking photos of the flowers while Geo was sampling wine.

I like this view through the wineglasses of the fields and mountains.

We purchased a bottle of Pear Wine.

Then it was back over the rough roads to highway 2 towards Plainfield. Geo wanted to find The Dancing Goat cafe. We stopped for tea for him and a latte for me.

We had lunch at a restaurant on 2, then headed home through Montpelier. We stopped at Manghis', one of Geo's favorite bakeries, for a few loaves of bread. AND Geo picked up one of these:

Special edition dark chocolate yet to be enjoyed... (along with the pear wine!)

The Brick House of the Shelburne Museum

Even before we entered this historic house, I had my camera ready and I began taking photos. "This is a great place for taking pictures," one of the guides said to me.

The Brick House was the summer home (and frequently a fox hunting retreat) of Electra Havemeyer Webb, the founder of the Shelburne Museum. It is located at the Shelburne Farms in Vermont. Our guide said this house may be seen as a microcosm of the Shelburne Museum because it is furnished with pieces from the founder's collections.

Once inside, I turned to see the view from the front entrance, the tree-lined drive.

   Here's a close-up of the reproduction of the original wallpaper.

         We took the very elegant staircase to the second floor.

The family's bedrooms were on one side and the servants quarters on the other. All rooms were comfortably furnished. I do think each bedroom had its own full bathroom.

In one room I spotted a quilted fabric chair. (I was surprised it wasn't a lot more well worn!) One of the rooms had fabric "wallpaper."


















One bedroom has a photograph from 1938, showing how the room looked at that time. It's easy to see the similarities and the changes that have taken place.

  

I like the image of the lily on this wooden mirror.

The doll looks quite at home here.

What I really like are all the arched doorways. I wish we would have these in our home!

 This open door is leading into one of the many bathrooms.

         The photographer at work: 

                                                                                                                  

         We returned to the first floor.

This is the very first item Electra collected at age 15. Apparently her mother, not as appreciative of folk art, was quite dismayed at her purchase.

The room for entertaining is very much like a den or family room. The guide pointed out that the "curtains" are actually made of wood. (Hmm, fabric on the walls and curtains made of wood!)

                  The living room is also comfortably furnished.

       From the dining room we can peer into the breakfast area.

             I again note the arched doorway.

Here's a centerpiece of glass globes.

This view is of the oldest portion of the home. It had been the site of a circular drive and where the foxhunters would gather with their horses.

From the patio there are stunning views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks. It is not hard to imagine the family and guests gathering here to enjoy the summer breezes off the lake.

Not far off is a little cemetery for the hounds. I was told there is also one here for the horses.

Our tour concludes with refreshments.

Tours are available at appointed times during the summer by reservation. This was our first visit.