Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Surprises in Litchfield, CT


My husband and I had such a wonderful time driving through Litchfield County, Connecticut a week ago on a Fall leaf peeping trip that I'm finding it hard not to show all the photos I took, so the collage above is a representation of the many scenic sights that we saw along the way. Fall is such a lovely time of the year!
(All photos can be enlarged by clicking on them once, and then again when they re-open on a new page)



Very often on a trip like this we come across the most interesting and unexpected sights...a few of which I'll show in today.....

The first is Lourdes in Litchfield, a ministry of the Montfort Missionaries since 1958. Located at 50 Montfort Road in Litchfield, Connecticut, the shrine is part of the grounds of Montfort House. The 35 acres is open to the public from dawn to sunset.  The grotto replica Mary's apparition to Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes, France and is a place meant for prayer and meditation. Outdoor services are held from May 1 to mid-October at the grotto, weather permitting.


Past the grotto is a paved walking path up a hill that leads to the Way of the Cross.

Large statues winding around the steep hillside show all the Stations of the Cross. It was inspirational to see them in such a beautiful and natural setting.


Our next surprise is that there is a wine trail in Connecticut!  Having recently visited Sonoma and Napa Valleys in California, where we visited many wineries, we knew we'd like to visit a counterpart in Connecticut and stopped at the Haight Brown Vineyard which resides on ten acres atop the historic Chestnut Hill in the town of Litchfield.


Opened in 1973 it is Connecticut's first established winery!


The grape harvest was already completed for the 2010 season, but the grapevines were still green.


We decided to go inside and share a wine tasting. Since the growing season is short and the temperatures are cooler here than in California the Haight Brown Vineyards produces many white wines such as Chardonnay, Riesling, and Covertside White. They also have selections of strawberry and apple wines, and a limited selection of red wines made from imported grapes.


We did our wine tasting with an accompaniment of cheese and chocolates which complimented the wines. It was an interesting way to try them!


Last, we saw this pretty house in Litchfield that reminded us of many houses that we saw in Quebec, Canada, as it had a metal roof. The bright red roof is so bright and cheerful, don't you agree?



I'm linking with Susan of A Southern Daydreamer for her blog's "Outdoor Wednesday" event, and Sue's "Rednesday" on her blog It's A Very Cherry World, and Cathy's "Adventure Express" on her blog A Bit of the Blarney and Jenny Matlock's blog for her "Alphabe Thursday" as this week the letter is "F" and I can't think of a better F than all these fall images! Please visit these blogs and join in all the fun!





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74 comments:

Vee said...

Oh you really did find surprises. And you're being sweet and not comparing CT and CA wines. That mosaic is so beautiful. I'm going back to enlarge it and take a good close look at all your scrumptious photography.

black eyed susans kitchen said...

Such perfect pictures for the Autumn! There were several things that I did not know of like the lourdes of litchfield. One of the things that I love to see when we are in Vermont are the metal roofs. Lovely post.
♥, Susan

Cherry Chick said...

I can never get enough of your Fall photos. I would love to get to CT next year to see Autumn there. I had no idea how cute the towns are.
A funny side note..if you "Google" the phrase "Adirondack leaf peepers" you will find me as the 4th entry. Don't ask me how I got that ranking...lol...but this Floridian does love Fall colors.

Dena E's Blog said...

Perfect photos Sweetie... And from Brooklyn too!!!
My late husband and all his family were from Brooklyn NY..
I could hardly understand my father in law,,,how cool was that!!!
VERY :0)

Blessings and Hugs Dena

And as you seek Him~~~ May God's Awesome light continue to shine through you!!!

Patricia @ ButterYum said...

LOVE your mosaic! Stunning photos. The leaves in VA look very similar right now.

:)
ButterYum

Ginny Hartzler said...

The house with the red metal roof is my favorite, hands down!! It needs framed. Wonderful, beautiful, unusual, and startling!! Gosh, a vineyard in conneticut, who'd have thought? And a vineyard walk! The pumpkin patch is interesting, with that one lone white pumpkin, and the Lourdes replica, wouldn't you love to attend a service there? You find THE COOLEST things!

Ebie said...

I cannot pick the best adjectives to describe this post! Your photos are very inviting...makes me want to visit FALL in New England.

I remember the Way of the Cross....

Keep the surprises coming!

Tales From My Empty Nest said...

Gorgeous photos. You always post the most wonderful pictures. And you have been so lucky to get to do so much traveling recently. What fun!!! I have never been to CT, but what a pretty state. The stations of the cross was really neat. Glad you had a nice trip. Can't wait to see more of your pictures. Love & blessings from NC!

GailO said...

Just gorgeous photos, Pat!

Light and Voices said...

Enjoyed your cyber tour of Litchfield, CT. Lovely, just lovely photos.
Joyce M

kayellen said...

Beautiful!!
Happy outdoor Wednesday!

Smiles,
Kay Ellen

dianasfaria.com said...

I can't get enough of those unique pumpkins that only seem to be found at farm stands in the country!
& yes, that red roof is very cheery.
Love your collage Pat.

Cheryl D. said...

How gorgeous!

Carol said...

Pat, you find the best places to visit! The Autumn mosaic is absolutely perfect capturing the splendor of the season!

Doesn't look like that on Long Island yet. At least not where I am. I still have geraniums and impatiens that are actually doing well.

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Pat, I see what I did! I scrolled all the way down and was confused. So I'm glad you let me know because I am back and read more carefully. LOL!

Neat that you got to go the the Lourdes in Litchfield shrine. My friend Sister Marie Renee says that Lourdes is her favorite European shrine. She and her sister (who is also a Sister) went on a tour of many of the shrines in Europe when her sister retired from teaching. Neat, too, that you got to see the stations of the cross.

And I didn't know that there is Ct. wine and am glad that you got to go to a vineyard there. I guess wine is now being grown in many places across the US. St. Augustine has a winery here, and some friends of mine say they carry some good wines. I haven't tried it. My grandfather used to make homemade elderberry wine that was just phenomenal.

Hope all is well with you. I leave for a doctor's appointment out of state tomorrow. Am trying to finish up some postings tonight.

Much love...

XO,

Sheila :-)

steviewren said...

The foliage is so pretty there. One day I hope I get the chance to tour the northeast in Autumn. It was been really warm and dry here, so there isn't much going on color wise.

Willow said...

Wow, what an amazing place! You had a lovely trip! Love that white house with the red roof!

http://jackieinsurrey.blogspot.co.uk/ said...

Hi Pat, a great post with such lovely Autumn colours. I love the pumpkins in the field. I have heard of lots of people visiting Lourdes in France, I didn't know there was a replica in New England. Lets hope and pray that visitors get healing there too!

Great mosaics. Jackie in Surrey, UK.

Sandy said...

Great Fall mosaic Pat! And that tree in all of its orange glory is just stunning. You take fantastic photos.

Blooming Rose Musings said...

Your photos are out of this world! They absolutely speak "Fall"! Do you know while living in Litchfield county I had heard of both of these places but had never visited. Thank you so much for taking us along on your trip so we could all enjoy seeing these interesting places. As always, your posts are a real treat!

Old Kitty said...

Oooh I do like that field of pumpkins!! Oh but that Lourdes in Litchfield is incredible!!! It's Lourdes!! WOW!! And I love the spiritual walk too. It seems a very apt and peaceful place for prayer and meditation. And then there's a wine trail!! I never knew Conneticut produced wine!! How wonderful!! And I think it's always proper to have a bit of cheese with wine tasting! Chocolate is an added bonus! I remember having to sneak in some bread from breakfast when I was last in France and we went to a wine tasting thing! The bread really helped! :-)

Awwww thank you for sharing these beautiful pics of another hidden gem of a place (for me!!)! The Lourdes in Litchfield was definitely unexpected! Take care
x

A Bit of the Blarney said...

What a wonderful place to walk and reflect on the passion and death of our Lord. Growing up in Colorado we made pilgrimage to Mother Cabrini's Shrine. We would climb the mountain praying the Stations of the Cross along the way. At the top is a magnificent stature of the Sacred Heart. Such a wonderful post. and thank you for adding the the journey! Wishing you well! Cathy

Our Italian Kitchen said...

Wow, I never knew CT had a wine trail! You should the wine trail in NY state -Shawkgunk wine trail. It's very nice! Great photos!

LV said...

Since I could not have the pleasure of being on this trip in person, I will settle for it through your lens. That is sch a lovely part of the country in the fall. You did a very nice job on presenting it to us for today.

Tracy said...

Your autumn bounty & beauty posts have been super treats, Pat... I get excited to see what you'll have in store for us! Lourdes of Litchfield looks very moving place to see... so beautiful... Happy Days ((HUGS))

La said...

I am really enjoying your blog. Your pictures are amazing. I like the picture in your collage of the white and orange pumpkins intermixed.

Thank you for taking me along on your weekend trip in Connecticut. La

Claudia said...

Fascinating the replica of Lordes in CT. And lovely to remember how scenic CT is. I do love how every state seems to have wineries - I mean we have them here - although usually some variety of fruit wine is the mainstay. Many thanks for the road trip - you have such an artistic, discening eye for the visual.

RoeH said...

I want a red roof! I loved it. As well as all those beautiful photos. What a beautiful time of year it is.

SavoringTime in the Kitchen said...

Gorgeous photos! I'm so glad you shared more of them. I love the white house with the red roof!

Judy said...

Wow...I just love the colours in the mosaic! You do find the best of places to take us to...photographed beautifully.

Unknown said...

What a lovely trip!! Thanks for taking us along :)

Blessings!
Gail

Gracie said...

It's always nice to look for something and discover something else, even more interesting and beautiful. It happened very often while we were on a vacation trip, to just wander around without having a real destination, and discover real jewels hidden away.
Your photos are amazing, as always.

Linda said...

Wonderful post as usual...I htink that I would like to visit the Lourdes Shrine in Litchfield when I go visit my niece who has moved to CT. The statues of the stationsof the cross were amazing...all your photos are wonderful...and I love all the history you give! Awesome :0)

Beverly said...

Thank you for taking me along on another gorgeous tour. The scenery is breathtaking.

There are quite a few vineyards in North Carolina. As the tobacco production decreased, much of the land has been changed to grape production.

Bunnym said...

Thank you for being such a gracious guide.. Loving the red tin roof.

Olive said...

Such fall beauty! That red roof is neat and loved the cross images also. ♥olive

annie said...

I love the red roof. The sound of the rain on the metal must be nice in a storm.
The photos are wonderful, as they always are.
We are in the height of fall now here too.

Lynn said...

You continue to take me along on the most beautiful tours! Thank you for that!

Kristen said...

That collage at the top just screams New England Autumn. What a glorious place to enjoy the beautiful weather.

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

What a beautifully colorful post...your opening collage is wonderful. I like that bright red roof too!

Nancy said...

Just lovely! We are back from our CA house hunting trip and many of the leaves fell during those two weeks, but there is still some color to enjoy here in Vermont.

We also drank more wine in those two weeks with friends, visiting a hobbyist, and then a vineyard near Capitola. The Livermore winery tour was canceled and I think that was a good thing! :-)

Great pics. Thanks for sharing. I'm still visiting around PS posts. Have a wonderful week!

Tamara Jansen said...

Your photos are just GORGEOUS! I wouldn't be able to pick the best one either since they are all so beautiful :)

Arlene Delloro said...

Great photos! I've never been to Litchfield; how interesting that it has its own version of Lourdes.

Donnie said...

Those were beautiful Fall photos. I'm glad I got to see them. Happy Outdoor Wednesday.

Unknown said...

Hi Pat! Thanks so much for taking us along on your trip! I kove the red roofed house! I so want a metal roof, but not sure the color.

Vicki/Jake said...

Oh, takes my breath away! I love Fall...and your road trip :) Thanks for sharing:)

podso said...

How refreshing to see all your northern fall photos! The colors are just gorgeous...you took some wonderful images and nicely arranged them in mosaics. Thanks for the tours.

★Carol★ said...

As if I haven't always wanted to visit Connecticut, after this I'm pushing for a trip next year! What a perfect time of the year to go too. I just love the Fall colors!
Happy REDnesday!
Carol

Unknown said...

Oh wow! Those are some gorgeous photos of fall! Lucky you! I wish I could be surrounded by so many colors too!

mle said...

Oh! your pictures are so beautiful & festive!! Perfect Fall : )

Christy said...

What a beautiful bunch of pictures - I especially loved the ones of Lourdes in Litchfield - I have been to the real Lourdes and that looks so much like it. And the stations are wonderful!

Living In Williamsburg Virginia said...

Beautiful shots. We are just starting to have some leaves turn and have only been able to post one photo of it so far. You are weeks ahead of us in the "fall foliage" department.

Darryl and Ruth : )

Judie said...

I live in Arizona. We don't have such beautiful fall colors, but if we have had winter rain, the desert blooms in the spring!!

Anonymous said...

I love that house!!!

Gorgeous pictures!

EG CameraGirl said...

Fall is such a gorgeous time of year in Connecticut!

Theresa Plas said...

Lovely Fall Fotos Pat! Especially enjoyed the pumpkins!

Rocky Mountain Woman said...

Lovely photos!

Really made me want to visit that vineyard..

Susan Anderson said...

Oh, wow!

Just...WOW.

=D

Jo said...

Pat .... your photos are just stunning ... beautifully stunning ... i wanna be there ... that kind of stunning ... looks like a wonderful adventure!

Annesphamily said...

Pat, you chose a wonderful F word. I love Fall. I wish I could shot photos like you! You are gifted in photography. I always enjoy your posts. Thanks so much for sharing. Anne

Mary said...

Your fall images are always a treat for me to see! Beautiful photography & such vivid color :-)

Susan said...

Beautiful photos and a lovely post as usual!! I would love to be in your shoes sometimes :)

anyway
please come visit:
http://piecesoffatesusan.blogspot.com/2010/10/tuesday-er-um-thursdaytreative-been.html

I have a surprise for you :)

Susan

diane b said...

You crammed a lot in your trip. The colours are so vibrant. Great pics.

Together We Save said...

Your pictures are amazing!! Thanks for sharing!

The Painted Garden said...

Hi,

Oh my goodness - what beautiful Fall photographs. Thank you for taking us with you on your lovely fall trip.
Have a wonderful day.
Blessings,
Erin

Kate on Clinton said...

Beautiful! I always love your collages, but this one especially jumped out of my reader!
Lourdes in Litchfield looks like a wonderful place to visit and take in the peace.

Trotter said...

Hi Pat! Fabulous pictures; and the collage is superb!! All those colours are truly fantastic!!
Enjoy Halloween!!

Recovering from the flu and other viruses, Blogtrotter Two is looking at views, palaces and gardens in Algiers and misses your comments... Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Marina Capano said...

Hi What a cute post!
excellent post
Such perfect pictures for the fall!
Happy and wonderful Halloween!

BOOOOOOOO

Sheila said...

Hello Pat - I enjoyed seeing the beautiful mosaic of your fall photos. They're spectacular. I find Cherry chick's comment interesting because when I type in my blogspot it's followed by many many links to your blog page - at least 152 I think. I've noticed this before and today looked through and found it was some of your 2008 posts when I hadn't even discovered blogging.

Sheila said...

Hello Pat - I enjoyed seeing the beautiful mosaic of your fall photos. They're spectacular. I find Cherry chick's comment interesting because when I type in my blogspot it's followed by many many links to your blog page - at least 152 I think. I've noticed this before and today looked through and found it was some of your 2008 posts when I hadn't even discovered blogging.

La Petite Gallery said...

That was some beautiful trip The Grotto was a place i'd like to visit, then the winery, Oh yeah!!
your photography is wonderful.


yvonne

Lacey R said...

I just found your blog today and it is wonderful! Very detailed and informative posts/suggestions/photos of places to visit. Thank you!

myletterstoemily said...

one of my most favorite parts of the
country! and as always, your photos
are just spectacular.

thank you!

Jenny said...

I am enchanted and envious (oops, that would be the letter "E"!) of your trip. This is exactly what I miss the most about the East during the fall. I love the warm surprises and beautiful vignettes you shared with us in this post!

You and your husband need to start a travel guide company...you could call it "In Your Urban Backyard".

Thanks for letting us tag along Pat.

This was a fabulous link.

And I'm also witching you a BOOtiful Halloween today!

A+