by Jamie on October 29, 2009
Winthrop Estate Foyer, ready for the party
This foyer picture looks South, through the French doors to the verandah and Great Lawn. This room stays quite cool in the summer, and was lovely on hot days even before we added the a/c. The building is mostly a stone façade on the first floor, and this room does not get much passive solar hear and it is the coolest place in the whole house. I remember hanging out with friends in the foyer the first year we were at the estate, before we did any restoration, one summer evening marveling at the heat outside. Now the estate is fully air-conditioned and we revealed the wood floor you see here a few years ago. This space is very popular for mingling and socializing. It’s ready for you. Photo by Konrad Brattke
by Jamie on October 26, 2009
Relax and soak up the view
This picture was taken by our caretaker, Chris. I can understand why he likes to be outside so much. The chairs are placed near the crest of the hill. Almost every day, guests enjoy some time on these chairs, whether it’s for a drink, reading time, talking, writing or even napping.
by Jamie on October 22, 2009
Verandah with Mist, early morning
This picture was taken in 2004 and continues to evoke the morning magic of being at a country estate. When you see the mist rising from the ground in the morning, and rising up from the valley to the west, you can hear many birds singing.
by Jamie on October 16, 2009
Early morning, sunrise balloon flight, Berkshire Fall Foliage
One morning just after sunrise, I happened to be outside, walking to the mansion on my way to start set up for breakfast. I walked near the tent to check that everything was ready for the catering crew to set up for the reception dinner for our wedding that afternoon. It was a nice surprise to see this colorful, quiet hot-air balloon drifting over the tree tops. The light breeze took it just over the mansion, so of course, I tried to shot as many pictures as I could with my phone which is often in my pocket. During the summer and fall, many visitors enjoy a ride in a hot air balloon, this one was flown by Worthington Balloon. What a beautiful, almost magical way to see the Berkshire hills.
by Jamie on October 13, 2009
The Three Muses, our fountain, in Autumn
This picture of the fountain of the Three Muses, made of marble from Baci, Italy, was taken in the fall when the Copper Beech Tree just to the east of the fountain was a rich burgundy. The trunk of the Copper Beech is probably more than four feet in diameter. The area under the branches is covered by a soft mossy green covering and the roots poke thorough in a few places and leaves can grow off them right near the ground. A few of the roots hold water after a rainstorm and I have seen birds bathing there.
by Jamie on October 9, 2009
View from the West
This photo was taken from the lower portion of the Great Lawn where we added some new grass last season. It’s about an eighth of a mile from the edge of the lawn to the verandah. Some black berry bushes are still pushing up through the grass despite the fact that it’s been more than a season since any grew here, where the photographer stands. The sky is not enhanced in this picture though it looks like it’s been colorized. This was taken one September afternoon.
by Jamie on October 7, 2009
Stunning New England Fall Foliage
You don’t have to go driving to see the trees turning. You can sit on the verandah and look west to see this vista. This picture was taken in late October, 2008. Each year we try to guess the peak of foliage in New England and each year no one can quite agree which week it is when you are in it. It’s only in hindsight that we know the “peak”. It depends on water and warmth and sun, and I love watching the trees change for many weeks during the fall in Lenox. The estate has a tree map noting the many types of trees on the property. We have some specimen plantings from about 80 years ago, including some rare Ginko Biloba trees.
by Jamie on October 2, 2009
The Music Room
The Music Room is usually used as a living room. However, the room changes depending on the guests. It has had a cabaret singer who played the piano and lead a sing-along for a musical family on their reunion weekend; it has held a 8’ Christmas tree; it has hosted a wedding ceremony on New Year’s Eve for a group of 24; it has held talented musicians from major symphonies (such as the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra) for intimate concerts (to see more about programs we host, see www.LenoxAthenaeum.org/~lenoxath/pastevents.html); it can accommodate a poker table (or 5); it can be a dance floor for a newly married bride and groom.
by Jamie on September 27, 2009
Young girls play in the conservatory, a morning on vacation
The estate can host families of all ages. Here two sisters play in the conservatory one morning. The conservatory can be full with tables for a formal dinner, or it can have more play space for young children and a comfortable places for parents to sit and observe, or read, or relax. We configure the rooms to best accommodate the guest who are there. Here you see playing cards, our wooden tic, tac, toe board, a peg set and our children’s tea table.
by Jamie on September 26, 2009
Fall Foliage at the Winthrop Estate
From the verandah, you can see Yokum Ridge and now the hillside is covered with fall colors. It is to the west of the mansion so the colors change drastically in the light from sunrise to sunset. You can see the Copper Beach, the Japanese Maple, the Ginko Biloba, the Blue Spruce, and the varieties of Evergreens. If you start to walk along the edge of the lawn or explore into the woods on our walking trails, you see even more variety of colors and leaves, and you smell the crisp, fall, sweet fragrances of autumn in New England.
