Add together the first weekend of October (which is almost the peak of fall leaf color in New England), plus Old Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts (a living history museum), plus a wedding, plus seeing old and very dear friends…it all adds up to a must do trip.

Old Sturbridge Village  re-creates life in rural New England during the 1790s through 1830s. It is the largest living museum in New England, covering more than 200 acres (80 hectares). The Village includes 59 antique buildings, three water-powered mills, and a working farm. Costumed interpreters speaking in modern language help visitors understand 19th century life.

The daughter (Christine)  of a very good friend, Ellen Riley, used Old Sturbridge Village as the setting of her wedding.  Being New Englanders it was the perfect setting for Christine and her fiance Jeff Miller.

Linda Dobrusky Esplin (another very close and dear friend) and I decided to make the effort to attend Christine’s wedding.  We have all been friends for years and years since the time when Linda (and Cordell), Ellen (and John) and I (and Bob) all lived in Medfield, Massachusetts.  (Linda and I were friends even before this time at the University of Utah.)  My children were all born during this time.  (As was Linda’s oldest child) Both Cordell and Bob were doing their residencies.  Riley’s moved into Medfield with their three daughters; twins Jennifer and Christine and Karen.  (Karen has been a life-long friend to my daughter Jen-and Karen was a bridesmaid at her wedding.)  And the rest has been history…not just friends but kindred spirits.  We make the effort to attend Women’s Conference at BYU every year to renew and catch up. (Visit previous blogs on Women’s Conference 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010)

Old Sturbridge Village outdoor history museum is  located on Route 20 in Sturbridge, Massachusetts and is easily accessible by car from I-84 and the Massachusetts Turnpike, I-90.  It is about 60 miles outside of Boston.

Becca joined us for the weekend.  We all flew into Hartford and drove north to Sturbridge.  Since the wedding was not until the evening we spent the day visiting the village.

Unglazed pottery, Old Sturbridge Village, Massachusetts

 

One event which occurred on the day we visited was a real treat.  They had heirloom apple tasting.  We tasted varieties of apples that are only grown by antique apple growers and not available to the public.  These varieties would be extinct except for the specialty growers.  Some were sweet, and some tart (I had no idea apples could taste so different with so many “apple” flavors) but all freshly picked at Old Sturbridge Village and very delicious!

We got to taste apples of the heirloom varieties of: Esopus Spitzenburg (Thomas Jefferson’s favorite apple, dates  to 1817), Roxbury Russet (Boston Russet, dates to 1600’s), Baldwin (Butters Apple or Woodpecker apple-the most widely planted apple in in the United States 1852), Rhode Island Greening (Green Winter Pippin- considered to be one of best cooking apples, dates to Rhode Island before 1800), Dyer (Golden Spice Apple-originated in France in 1600’s), Pomme Gris ( French Apple or Gray Apple-brought to St. Lawrence River Valley by French immigrants about 1803), Sheppard’s Sweet (Originated in Connecticut in Connecticut, introduced 1850), Swaar Apple (Originated in Dutch, New York, ca. 1804, considered  a favorite among home orchardists), Pewaukee (a cross between Duchess and  Northern Spy apples, first recorded in 1870), American Beauty (Sterling Beauty-Originates from Sterling Massachusetts, first noted in 1854), Titus Pippin (Hang On, Hangan, Timothy-Originated in New York, dates to 1842), Mother’s Apple (Queen Anne, Gardener’s Apple-a dessert apple, developed in 1840’s Massachusetts, widely grown in England), Sheepnose (Black Gilliflower-Prized for baking, dessert and drying, believed to originate in Connecticut in the 1700s).

 

BEFORE the wedding:

AND THE WEDDING AT OLD STURBRIDGE VILLAGE MASSACHUSETTS