Saturday Staycationing Part 1

Even if a teacher has to work all summer, there's still plenty of time for the staycation. This Saturday's trip: My Mom, and a ride up route 63 with an end stop in Keene, NH.

We had a mid-morning chai and gf cupcake at the previously blogged about Cushman Market. Lunch was a warm rice salad (prepared especially gluten-free upon asking) at the The Lady Killigrew Cafe in Montague, MA, where we had headed to find a craft show that was not to be found...

So we continued on, through Northfield, where we took a little driving tour of the beautiful, to-be-someday CS Lewis College, then on to Keene, NH where I parked in front of a delightful looking country store:

That's when I noticed the little "Wine Tasting Today" Sign. What luck!

The store is filled with wonderful treasures: beautiful jewelry, adorable baby onesies, great educational toys like Melissa & Doug products, and a fine collection of New Hampshire wines:

The wine seller was a personable man, very knowledgeable about the various wines in stock. I found it interesting and fitting that all the wines are local from New Hampshire. It makes me want to look up the various places and go try them out. Hmmm...another staycation? I think so.

I was able to taste, and then purchase a mead called 'Kurt's Apple Pie'. Now, I'm a big fan of both people named Kurt and apple pie so perhaps I was destined to like it. The wine is from The Moonlight Meadery in Londonderry, NH. It is not tart at all, it actually finishes with a warm cinnamon flavor. Fabulous. I am sipping it now as I type this!

I also purchased (without tasting) another mead called 'Fling" which has strawberry and rhubarb, and a Moscato from Zorvino Vineyards in Sandown, NH. I haven't popped those open quite yet. Too much wine makes for a sloshy Abbie!

After we left the country store, we headed down the streets of Keene:

Keene is reminiscent of Cambridge and Northampton with it's funky stores and various resturants. There was a store called

that has local artisan wares, and those wooden home signs I love so much. Unlike the store at the beach, it wasn't so crowded that you couldn't read them. I may be back to purchase one soon!

After a while, nature called, and I found both a restroom, friendly staff, and a PERFECT caramel latte at :

The inside was small and pretty popular and crowded but it was the perfect to-go sipper.

All in all, a very nice Saturday Staycation. Sometimes unplanned is the way to go!