A New England Fall

"Set free the window. Drink in the day."

- Edith Wharton

The Shakespeare garden at the Mayflower Inn

If there is any season when I am inclined to "drink in the day," it is fall. The lighting, the colors, the feel of the air -- it is delicious. And my favorite place to go in the fall is New England. I don't think there is a prettier place at this time of the year. 

The main house of the Mayflower Inn

A couple of weeks ago we made the trip to Litchfield, Connecticut and stayed at the Mayflower Inn. 

The Mayflower Inn is one of those quintessential country house hotels that happens to be located in one of the most beautiful regions of New England. The county of Litchfield is in northwestern Connecticut, just below the Berkshires in Massachusetts. The hotel is simply stunning.

Beautiful, peaceful and comfortable, it is an inspiring retreat as well as a wonderful location for visiting some of the highlights of the area.

We checked in and took a tour of the place. There are so many public spaces for guests.

This is the gorgeous library

And one of several little sitting rooms, all with fireplaces ablaze

Outside there are many areas for walking

And several gardens; my favorite was the Shakespeare garden 

There is also the American Poets garden

Poetry and gardens just seem to go together

The view from our room in the morning

 On our first day we took a drive to the tiny village of New Preston

Which is lined with fabulous shops, "tiny but mighty," in the words of our concierge.

Pergola shop was the highlight. It is filled with great home and garden decor.

Sweets is a candy store stocked with Halloween delights

The roads in the area are lined with gorgeous trees 

Sometimes we just had to pull over to snap a photo

Lake Waramaug

We drove to the charming village of Litchfield where they really  know how to decorate for fall

 Lunch was at the West Street Grill

We visited the White Flower Farm

Where there were many temptations!

Beautiful mums and ornamental cabbages and kale

I loved this spot under the tree at White Flower Farm

One of the roads nearby

Coming back to the Mayflower and sitting in front of the fire was heavenly

The next day we went to Stockbridge, Massachusetts and admired the decorations

So many beautiful houses

Tucked into exquisite woodsy areas

This is the Stockbridge General Store, part of the famous painting that Norman Rockwell painted of the town

The brilliantly colored leaves were stunning against a blue sky

The veranda of the Mayflower Inn was the perfect place to relax at the end of the day

 Visiting this part of the world is invigorating, nostalgic and restorative. The breathtaking transformation of nature is awe-inspiring. A visit to New England in the fall will definitely get you in the mood for the holidays!