When my first child was born, I was living in Brookline, MA. We had no yard. I wanted one – I had grown up in the country with acres to explore. In my childhood in Virginia, when we’d go horseback riding, we could be out for an 8 mile loop: our land then the city reservoir land, and never see anyone. Woods, water, and mountains.

I wanted my child to have a chance to be outside.

I first looked at the suburbs. But WHO wants to drive in Boston? Getting out of town was better – be here or be there. So then I determined that the country spot had to be no further than 2 hours away. I looked at Lake Chocorua. No.

A friend recommended Squam and I drove up. The realtor showed me the 3 options available at the time. None of them appealed to me. Then he said:”Oh! There is another one I know about. The couple puts it on the market for about 3 weeks a year and then they pull it off because they really don’t want to part with it. But they have to: she has mould issues”.

It was on the lake, it made sense to me that it might have mold. I didn’t think that was a deterent.

But, a short while after I bought this propery on Squam Lake in 1988, I was ready to sell it. The only reason I didn’t was because Rich Richmond, my mother’s lawyer from Virginia who had spent summers on the lake for years and years – he told me: don’t sell. You’ll never find a location like it.

I had put in a hot tub right after I bought the place. That and the lawyers advice persuaded me to hold off. Hold on.

But I was deeply discouraged. The inspection before purchase had not revealed so much that should have been. The house was not just moldy, the attic was white with overgrowth – those owners had added onto the original boathouse in a way that maximally attracted wet runoff from the hill above. On top of that they had done their own wiring: the house was dangerously close to to burning down. Finally, the orignal part of the house, the boathouse was old: it’s foundation had been decimated by carpenter ants.

BUT I chose not to quit/give up/leave. I took the lawyer’s advice, got lucky with an amazing carpenter (and friends). The original boathouse (from the l880’s) and the lousy new addition were removed and the place was rebuilt – exactly to the envelope measurements of what was once here. – but with a much better design.

When it was done, I said to the carpenter: I had no idea a home could make me so happy.

That’s easy to say at that time: it was summer. When life is easy – travel is easy, going outside is easy. Since then, I’ve been here for many winters.

But this year I hadn’t planned on it before my partner passed away … and I noticed my apprehension as it got colder.

And this week – winter came! WHAM! 8 inches of powder snow. Temperatures dipping to near zero and not getting much warmer during the day. Indoors felt good. Outdoors was work.

But today when I was out walking with Peaches in the single digit air through the still powdery snow, wrapped in layers of clothing which took a good minute to put on … I felt glad to be here. I love being bundled up. I love how quiet and stunningly beautiful fresh snow looks. It’s so peaceful.

And feels so so good to come back inside. To this house I still love. What a blessing.

“I love winter!” – Peaches. I love this place.