Hi, Readers! We are pleased to bring you a chat with one of our clients who live in Lyman, NH. Our homeowners at 154 Pettyboro Road in Lyman, NH have owned their home for many years, and now offer this private home that they have named, "Glen Bourne Cottage" to you. This is a private, enchanting home that looks like a gingerbread house when you travel up the driveway on a snowy day. Located in a cleared setting but with woods surrounding, this home on 15.5 acres awaits you! To get a sense of what its like to live in Lyman, NH we asked a few questions.  

P&S: What is it like living on Pettyboro Road in Lyman, NH?

Sellers: Lyman, NH is a small rural town where we've gotten the taste of town hall government, casting paper ballots in a wooden box, buying fresh eggs and maple syrup from neighbors down the road, and enjoying the peace and solitude of living close to nature on our private piece of heaven. Yet, we are close to larger towns that offer a wide variety of services, culture and entertainment. Lyman is also close to two major highways which makes it easy to navigate to large metropolitan areas in NH, VT, MA, etc. We are also close to skiing at Cannon Mountain and Bretton Woods. And in Lyman, we are close to Chutters - site of the World's Longest Candy Counter! Where youngins love to gather!  

P&S: At this time, you feel the time is right to leave the beautiful Lyman, NH community. What led you to this decision?

Sellers: Family health issues have made our presence necessary in NY quite frequently in the last two years.  

P&S: It sounds like you've enjoyed living here in the White Mountains of New Hampshire? What did you enjoy about the area?

Sellers: Living here in Lyman has given us time to get in tune with the beauty of nature. We appreciate the change of seasons by merely looking out the windows at the woods which surround us. In the spring the maples are the first to get leaves and the barren trees of winter follow shortly with the woods turning green overnight. Wildlife can be seen on our south lawn, moose, deer, and an occasional bear cub have been spotted. Hummingbirds return and lilacs and shrubs begin to bloom. Summer brings the lupines into view across our front lawn as we open our pool and anticipate relaxing hours of sun and fun on the deck. In the fall, Mother Nature paints a world of yellow, gold, orange and red outside our windows. I hastily pick the last of August's blueberries from our bushes on the pool deck as the maples begin to show their autumn palette. Winter finds us snowshoeing on trails which we made ourselves on the property. We can get out every day for an hour or so and get our dose of Vitamin D as we identify animal tracks in the snow. Living in Lyman, here at Glen Bourne, has given us treasured memories of nature at its best. [caption id="attachment_3788" align="aligncenter" width="784"] At Glen Cottage, you get the best of nature all year round.[/caption]  

P&S: Where do you shop and dine in the greater Littleton, NH community and why do you enjoy those places?

Sellers: For dining our favorite place is Tim-Bir Alley on Main Street in Littleton. We've been customers of theirs for over 25 years, and they have exceeded our expectations and those of many, many guests in the menus that they have presented to us. The music and ambiance of their quiet and lovely restaurant has left us wonderful memories over the years. When you are in Litteton, you might also want to try Chang Thai for Thai food, Grille 111 in the historic Thayer's Inn and for the best lobster roll, you don't have to travel to the east in Maine – you can get a delicious lobster roll at Meadow Ice Cream on Meadow Street in Littleton! In the winter, The French Sisters Bakery on the Main Street in Littleton has wonderful soups and multi-grain breads. Other wonderful places include Cold Mt. Café in Bethlehem. While in Bethlehem, if you have a special occasion, The Adair Country Inn & Restaurant is also a terrific venue. In this day and age, who doesn't love the local microbreweries! You have numerous options here, Schilling Beer Company on Mill Street in Littleton is a great watering hole. Great beer, root beer, wood fired pizza, terrific atmosphere and more. For a little ride, sometimes we head south to the Woodstock Inn & Brewery– great menu, large tv screens for sports viewing, festive pub atmosphere, live music on the weekends and more. I recommend their nachos! A great destination and a super spot to visit after a round of mini golf at the Hobo Hills Adventure Golf – and just on the other side of Franconia Notch. Ice Cream. I can't forget the ice cream! One of the best places in the area relatively close to our home and features homemade ice cream is Slick's in the Woodsville area. They are located on Route 302, and serve BIG portions…so really, a small is quite large and the value is tremendous and it is delicious.  

P&S: Where do you shop in the area and why do you enjoy those places?

Sellers: We shop locally, and close by in Lisbon is the Lisbon Riverside Market on Main Street – nice deli, fresh veggies and a place for staples like bread and milk. Ten minutes further for my bread baking needs we shop at the Littleton Food Coop and are members. They feature local produce, grass fed beef, organically grown produce, grains, and more. In addition, Shaws Supermarket has a large store in Littleton with a "Shop the World" section that is quite nice. In Littleton, I can always find something at TJ Maxx. This is one of the best organized TJ Maxx's I've ever been in, and they carry a good selection. The store has a very nice layout. We like being in close proximity to Interstates 91 and 93 for those times you want to shop in bigger stores and malls an hour or two away. For specialty shopping, I motor on down to I-91 to the West Lebanon/Hanover NH area and go to the Powerhouse Mall and check out Clay's, a unique women's clothing store. I also have discovered InfuseMe, a specialty olive oil and vinegar marketplace. Also in the Powerhouse Mall, we like to visit the two level LL Bean store, Eastern Mountain Sports, and we may top off our trip with Italian food at Lui Lui's in West Lebanon. On my way to the Powerhouse mall, I always stop at Exit 13 off I-91 at the King Arthur Flour store in Norwich, VT for specialty baking ingredients. Bethlehem has some great antiques stores. I also enjoy purchasing items at Ragamuffins, Barbara has an eye for color. I've purchased a lot of scarves and gifts there! The WREN (Women's Rural Entrepreneurial Network) store is a great place for artisan jewelry, pottery, soaps, wool from locally grown sheep and llamas and it supports our local artisans when you arrive home with handsome and unique gifts.  

P&S: What cultural events and other types of events can you recommend to people coming into the community?

Sellers: We enjoy going to the Colonial Theatre in Bethlehem. They feature a lot of indy films and it's a great venue for performing artists - Tom Rush, The Barr Brothers, The Klezmatics, The James Hunter Six and many more. For a reasonable fee, you can become a member of the Colonial and get a number of member benefits. The Lupine Festival in Sugar Hill is a fifteen minute drive in June. It brings so many artisans and music into the area. And my nieces and nephews have always loved the Lilac Festival in May in Lisbon. And for other in my family, Jerry Jam in late July in Bath proves to be a fun event. [caption id="attachment_3779" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Colonial Theatre in Bethlehem // Flickr[/caption]  

P&S: What events brought you the most pleasure?

Sellers: The potluck dinners at neighbor's homes after snowshoeing at night with head lamps on! Moving here and golfing anytime I wanted at a reasonable price – at Maplewood Country Club, Bethlehem Country Club, The Omni Mt Washington golf coures and the St. Johnsbury Country Club where we are members. Hiking the White Mountains, and enjoying cold beers at trails end at the Woodstock Station or Schillings– the best part of a hike! Baking bread, trying my hand at diverse cuisines, in my large well equipped kitchen has been a huge bonus for our family. My husband and I love to cook, we are "foodies" who watch the Food Channel incessantly. I can shop organic and buy diverse grains and grass fed beef etc. at the Littleton Food Coop. We are also close enough to the King Arthur Cooking School in Norwich, VT to have taken many excellent cooking classes. A New Year's Eve dessert class was an experience I will never forget. [caption id="attachment_3778" align="alignnone" width="784"] Glen Bourne Cottage looks like a gingerbread house in the winter.[/caption] I've also enjoyed taking a number of art classes in the area at the Littleton Studio School, WREN and The Artful Eye in St. Johnsbury. I was really able to pursue watercolors at my leisure, and for inspiration I only have to look out the window. And while not an "event" per se, but something that happens each night, the Jax Jr Cinemas in Littleton provides great entertainment nightly. First run movies are on the list and they have a state of the art sound system. Just 3 miles away from our home is Camp Ogontz, built in the 20s as a school for the daughters of elite society. Amelia Earhart is listed among the most famous alumni. Currently it is a music camp that attracts musicians from all over the world. Just recently the owners extended special privileges to locals encouraging neighbors to come for dinner and tour the facilities. And while speaking of Ogontz, we've enjoyed nice kayaking and canoeing on Ogontz, but we can also travel just a few miles away and enjoy water sports on Dodge Pond and Round Pond. All of these waterways are right in the town of Lyman. We are so lucky to have these places in our neighborhood. There really is so much to do in this area…sometimes it's hard to fit it all in!  

P&S: What did you look forward to the most when you came to your home at 154 Pettyboro Road in Lyman?

Sellers:  Being foodies, we couldn't wait to "play chef" in our spacious kitchen! Breads and fruit filled pies are a specialty! It's just such a nice place to live. We have a Viking stove and a nice island to work at. The kitchen is very conducive to cooking and gathering with family and friends. Everyone who comes to visit hangs out in the kitchen. We looked at our house at the peak of foliage season and I must admit, I looked forward for the first time in my life to enjoying fall in all its North Country glory outside my kitchen windows. Mother Nature provides quite an art gallery every season of the year! We love the snowshoeing in winter and jumping in the hot tub afterwards. Summer comes, and often we tub first and jump in the pool to be refreshed afterwards. Entertaining people in the summer, in the pool, on the deck with guests and hosts retiring at the end of the evening to their own private space after a day well spent outdoors. These are the memories that are forever etched in our minds. Listening to the bubbling brook outside our bedroom window, even in the winter with the window cracked open, almost ensures a good night's sleep. Looking out the windows on a snowy day is like living inside a snow globe. Mother Nature drizzles royal icing on all the tall white pines and evergreens as a white carpet covers the south lawn. Glen Bourne! Sitting on our dining room deck in June and watching the woods and south lawn glimmer and glow with fireflies…just magical! At dusk we've enjoyed spectacular sunsets from the deck, many of which I've painted. Seeing moose, bear, birds, porcupines, minks, deer & turkeys on the south lawn always provides a thrill. And the way our house is set up is ideal for company. The walkout basement provides their own space with living area, tv, bathroom and more. I know that the next owner of this home will enjoy the views that change each and every day. [caption id="attachment_3780" align="aligncenter" width="784"] Just a taste of the many views outside the Glen Bourne Cottage[/caption]  

P&S: How did you choose the name "Glen Bourne Cottage" for this home?

Sellers: My husband was born in Scotland. We moved from Valley Stream, NY and this property had a little stream we could hear from the house. The Scottish word for stream is "Bourne". Then a "Glen" is a valley, often glacially u-shaped, another Scottish term. So it just seemed like karma to move from Valley Stream, NY to another valley with a babbling brook – hence the name Glen Bourne Cottage. We make sure when we send our friends directions to our home, we send them through Bath, NH and over the historic covered bridge. They love it, for a few, it's made the experience that much more special! In closing, I must say, we will truly miss this area. There is so much to see and do. It's just a perfect place to begin a new chapter in your life.  

P&S: What tips would you give to new people coming into the community?

Sellers: I think it's important to get involved in the community. Whether it's the Lyman Community Group, town hall government, the Lisbon Lions Club, or supporting local schools it really allows you to get out, meet people and learn more about the sense of community in a small rural town. I have enjoyed volunteering at Littleton Regional Healthcare, Friends in Council, delivering Meals on Wheels and more. While I knew the area from vacationing here, these activities really helped me to know the people and the community we were living in. I would highly recommend community involvement. To learn more about Glen Bourne Cottage, click here.