Peace Pagoda in Leverette, MA

This was a really pleasant trip about 35 minutes from Enfield to see the Peace Pagoda. When we were in Northampton a local had told us about this place, said it was a beautiful spot to hang out and enjoy nature. Known to be a favorite among photographers in the area.  It was a great trip so allow us to show you the Peace Pagoda in Leverette, MA.
The directions were real sketchy on both mapquest and the Peace Pagoda's website which looked as though it had not been updated in 10 years! But we found it following hand painting signs such as this one.
Once we arrived we had to park the car and walk as no cars were allowed on the premises.  The walk was a real work out let me tell ya...all up hill!
All along the way were these little stone stupas erected by passerby's or maybe by the monks who tend the grounds.

Finally after much effort we see the Pagoda!! It is very beautiful set in a picturesque natural surroundings. We learned that the person who built this Pagoda had in his heart a wish for peace and nuclear disarmament. He vowed to raise money and build these Pagodas all over the world  as a place for people to come and contemplate peace.

Elizabeth is wearing the cool shirt she got in Northampton the week before at the Tibet store. Fierce! Goes well with the surroundings E.  :  )
I take a minute to sit on the rock bridge and enjoy the sun....hey,that was before I got my hair cut...drum roll please....I cut my hair!
I think it is much more me...here it is slick and sassy but I also can wear it curly and with clips all fun and cutesy. I am liking it very much and it is sooooo much cooler for the summer, summer time!
Okay back to the story....the Japanese style gardens surrounding the Pagoda structure were breath taking. Lots of beautiful flowers of every color broke through the sun drench pond surface.
Prayer flags swayed in the summer wind across the pond....
Life was just every where....a little birds' nest in a shade gazebo near the pond.
Such a tranquil place! I could see why photogs like the place too.
There were some of the biggest tadpoles I had ever seen...and I'm a country girl! Look at those babies!
Sparkly! Sparkly! Pretty.
Can a say it was a gorgeous sunny day!
Flowers were all around the pond along side stones and decorative grasses.
Ahhhhh!
The top of the Pagoda looked very nice against the striking blue sky of the day.
The walk ways and relief works were really incredible.
Praying monks relief.
These stones lined the pathways around the Pagoda...they looked like the lotus blossoms in the pond!
Dragon flies! I love those guys...they were every where!
I love pictures that have reflections in them....so cool!
The stone walk way around the Pagoda.
Just thought I would throw this photo in to show the scale of the structure itself...see Elizabeth in the bottom of the frame! It was huge!

The ponds had many stone structures and bridges...lots of little alcoves you could loose yourself in.
It was such a nice day trip. Well we  enjoyed sharing the photos from our little trip to the peace Pagoda. Hope you did too.

PEACE AND LOVE TO YOU ALL!!  : )

Northampton - Our kind of town!

This weekend we ventured to Northampton, MA.  What an awesome town!  It is only about 30 minutes drive from our home in Enfield. It is a wonderful town filled with unique shops and eateries with a bohemian, New England feel. It is also home to Smith College.  Elizabeth said she found it ironic that this very earthy crunchy town is one of the most affluent and highly priced towns in the area!  That's New England for ya.  So please allow us to take you through our day in Northampton.  As always the pictures are clickable, so click on them and they will come up full screen.Our first stop was this great vintage clothing store. I mean this place was like walking into the prop closet in a theater department. Three floors filled from floor to ceiling with EVERYTHING...wigs, clothes from every era, costumes, shoes...any and everything you could imagine.  Just like all the people we met on this day the store owner was so nice and told us about the store and let us have the run of the place trying on all kind of crazy things. We decided we would need to have a 70's party so we could wear some of the to die for clothes they had of the era.  
Here is Elizabeth trying on a very cool Mardi Gras mask she found!

Yea, that glitter Fedora was calling to me! Note all the stuff in the shot...the large costume heads etc.

Next we went to a cute little french store.  Loads of scented drawer papers, stationary, children books and these cute little unique guys...homemade stuffed teddy bears made from french fabrics.   Awwwww!

As we left the french store an elderly woman came up to us and told us about a peace protest going on across the street.  For more than nine years the northhampton community has been holding a vigil for peace  and justice against the war and occupation and the innocent people caught in the middle.  Elizabeth and I had just been talking on the drive about the alarming new numbers being published of members of the armed services committing suicide on a daily basis. God how sad.  So we grabbed a sign and joined in.  Just an interesting side note to this too, most of the protesters were in there 70's and 80's. I first found this kinda unusual...most times when you go to protests it's more a younger crowd.  After talking to one older gentleman I understood more as he told me how his generation had seen war up-close and knew how futile it was and of his concern for his grandchildren having to pay the debt of bad decisions. "Bush can apply that stimulus package to my granddaughters credit cards!"  he remarked. LOL  I found seeing our older generation out there working for peace so inspirational. As one grandmother remarked "it is NEVER right to kill another" Amen to that and may peace be our ultimate destiny.

After the peace protest was over we walked through the lovely fresh market. There were flowers and fresh vegetables by local growers, honey and home-made canned goods also.

Okay this is my new favorite dog store....We needed to get new holster leads for our two boys (because they pull on the lease so hard they almost choke themselves!) so we stopped in here. The young girl inside helped us and was just so friendly...much to our surprise this 20 something was the store owner!  I really liked that every shop we went into the owners were there...right at the cash register.  I love purchasing from people I can get to know and feel like I know where my money is going.  Buy local!

Then we stopped for lunch. You are not going to believe this....this is Lhasa Cafe...a TIBETAN RESTAURANT.  I so love living in the east... I mean where else could you go for tibetan food!

Here is the yummy and healthy food we ate.  We had dumplings with some sort of hot sauce that was very tasty. 
And a dish that was tofu and vegatables in a sauce that had something like gram masala in it. It was really good. I noticed on the menu that they served Yak meat. So I asked our waiter (Tashi)..."where do you get Yak meat from in the states?"  his reply.... "some where in NEBRASKA!"  LOL 

After lunch we continued looking/shopping and we purchased this great watch for Elizabeth from a shop called Harlow.  The owner was an English women and we spent some time talking about life in New England.  
Then on to a store called Glimpse of Tibet. All the product are from Tibet. I met the sweetest older gentleman who was visiting his niece who owned the store there.  He had just come from Tibet and was such a jolly fellow and he and I (kristi) enjoyed a really nice chat.  Below are a few of the purchases we made there.  

 We will be going back to Northampton all the time. Those of you coming to visit us we will for sure go there. It is such a great town with something for everyones taste.  I hope you enjoyed this little day trip to Northampton.  : )

Pics of The Cottage

We just thought we would show ya a few pics from around the cottage now that we have all our stuff placed in it.  So here we go with the tour...

Here is the view off the deck toward the back yard... If we purchase this place that scary shed is coming down though! You can see the yard has a lot of potential...I can see raised flower and vegetable beds and all sort of great stuff out there...or concrete and a pool! Lots o' potential. Those are Elizabeth's flowers..looking good E! ...Elizabeth is out walking with the boys to get them use to the property and where they are allowed to go. We love sitting out there for morning coffee.
This is a little cut through to the kitchen from the living room, a great place for fresh flowers and a few candles.  
This is a little eating area we made to be able to have a place for that sort of thing in the kitchen ...Elizabeth uses it often to sit and talk to me while I make dinner.  : ) 
The kitchen prep area and cut through to sun-room...I like that the sink is one of those old farm house sinks, very durable and large. If we were to purchase this house new cabinets and granite counter top would really spiff this kitchen up.  But we love it as is! As we love the whole house...it's just great layout and just the right amount of space for us...much more manageable. 
Really bad pic of the living room sofa area....BUT cool new japanese rice paper screen lamp on the table.

Above is the living room...my apologies now for the photo quality of all these pictures. There are issues with the thing, what can I say.  Love the hard wood floors! 
Living room entrance to kitchen. The only surviving book case after the move...there are boxes and boxes of books in the basement which you will not get to see! LOL  Awwww and the boys just hanging out being cute. 
The living room...stayed with the retro modern stuff we had from our other house...new floor lamp behind the chair though that I adore! 
Back door entrance and cut through to kitchen. This is the buffet from our old dining room being used as an entrance way piece (personal note to "the boy"... do you see the rock piece you bought us in Portland! giggle) We come in through this space into the sunroom (sorry no picture of that included) and it adjoins the kitchen space so we have our dining room out there. It's great for eating dinner and drinking coffee and watching squirrels (K's new hobby).
Our bedroom is always the one room we have never done for ourselves but it currently is in light colors with all the Heart Art we won at various auctions in support of Camp Kindle and The Diamond Foundation.  We no longer have a bed due to the crappy movers...thank you very much! But E and I go with the flow you know ...can't sweat the little stuff...E says it feels even more supportive on the floor! : ) We will be looking for a platform japanese style bed when the sale of the house happens. Which speaking of that....could all my very much loved friends and family send some love, prayers, visualizations ..whatever is your path..towards the sell of our home in Omaha. We really appreciate that!  
Elizabeth in the guest bedroom checking her PDA.... For all those guest coming, we have cable TV , computer internet and printer, tropical fish tank and new bed all in a spa like room awaiting you. ; ) We had put a screen saver of Poo on the computer in preparation for Monica's stay!!  lol
This is "Simey Guys" room! (or at least he thought it was for that moment) / second guest bedroom. It's a cute old style room with handmade bedspread by Elizabeth's grandmother, framed vintage saucers and on the opposite end of the room a rocking chair and old timey record player!  Elizabeth laughed that it was so cute it just needed a little girl to put in it. Laughing out loud!! awww a  little Asian girl would be so cute. NO!! We are not adopting a little child! LOL
This is the front door entrance...and a crappy picture. lol
Okay this is the Tv / entertainment area, with the jeweled golden buddha given by my (kristi's) dear brother. Guest rooms to either side...I like the way the pink curtains from the guest room to the right make a pink glow radiate from  that room. This is also funny for the baby gates...those of you who have dogs know this drill well....can I just tell you how many times E or I have busted it stepping across baby gates...it's too many bruises to count I tell ya!  LOL

Well hope you enjoyed this little tour....it's not all of the house but gives you an idea, for the rest you have to come for a visit and see your self!!  

I think Elizabeth and I are going to the beaches in the lower part of the state this weekend so I will make sure to take some pictures and I am going to even try to take a short little video so we can actually say hello to all of you.  Okay tootles for now.