Maple...mmmmmmmmmmmmm.

This is my brain on maple candy...

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Full disclosure. I'm a sucker for Vermont maple products, having grown up with family in Vermont and with an uncle that has his own sugar shack. We call maple syrup "Vermont Liquid Gold." That said, I am going to try to get on board with the New Hampshire Liquid Gold and share some local spots to see sugaring in action (which is such a cool process).

While I love the comforts of home, I love having a home in an area surrounded by a national forest and historic farm land. Lucy Brook Farm, in North Conway, was built in 1912. "Arthur and Irene Lucy lived in the house, and then their oldest son Fred took over the farming. Fred and his wife Hester raised Hereford beef cattle, made maple syrup, and sold wood and hay. In 2009, after fifty five years of marriage and working together, both passed away within six months of each other. The farm is now owned by their daughter, Mary, and her son Randy, and his wife, Kim. The farm now raises alpacas, chickens, pork and natural produce which is grown as the first families did......naturally."

White Pine Farm is located in Tamworth, NH. From Christmas Trees to pumpkins to beef this farm has it all. The farm also offers Farm to Table dinner tours with seven course meals, and a mobile pizza oven with "Sunset Pizza" nights (which I can assure you we'll be checking out this summer!).

Olkkola Farm is located in Ossipee in the White Mountains on New Hampshire.  The farm will be tapping its trees in the coming weeks. With a stretch of cold nights and warm days, the clear sap will be transformed into sweet syrup. Fun fact from the farm? It takes 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of sweet golden syrup.

Crawl through the Whites

Looking for a spring getaway? If you live in New England, you'll agree that it's been one cooped up March. Plan a weekend away in the Whites with a group of friends and check out this itinerary:

Moat Mountain Remember when drinking beer in cans was frowned upon? Not anymore. While the cannery isn't open to the public, Moat is. Eat all the smoky meats and try some delicious craft beer. Moat Mountain was established in 2000 and has years of experience under their belt.

Tuckerman's Brewing Co. Tuckerman's in another North Conway area standard that you should not miss. Established in 1998, this brewery is nearing two decades of fabulous brewing. The production facility and tasting room are a great place to spend an afternoon--whether the weather is warm or cold. 

Hobbs' Tavern and Brewing Hobbs' Tavern is a 5 minute drive from the Silver Lake Vacation Getaway House. You can enjoy amazing food and even more amazing beers here. There are a few TV's around for some sports action, a great lineup of music and events, and a store to take and enjoy some cold ones!

Sap House Meadery New Hampshire's first mead pub is the Sap House Meadery, located a very short drive away in Center Ossipee. On Saturdays you can sign up for a "Hive-to-bottle" tour and learn all about the ancient process of making this warm, wonderful honey liqueur. 

Whipple Tree Winery is located in Tamworth..again just a quick drive from the house. We're a beer-loving family, but sometimes you need a nice wine to make a meal. I also personally love their preservation story. "The winery, housed in a 1940s summer cottage was moved from Ossipee Lake to Tamworth to save the building. The building was originally owned by Virgil D.White who patented the snowmobile in 1917."

Let us know if you try any places from this itinerary on your stay with us or if you have some fun additions to the list!

Mount Washington Hill Swillers

A group of friends just booked the Silver Lake Vacation House for the Mount Washington Road Race weekend. What? A road race around Mount Washington? No--a road race up Mount Washington!

Typically held in mid-June, the Mount Washington Road Race opens up the auto road for a unique and exclusive experience allowing a few hundred runners from around the world to climb 6288 feet in 7.3 miles. Anyone who knows Mount Washington knows this is a totally unpredictable weather site, adding to the adventure of planning and training for race day.

I completed this race in 2012--and while the race itself is incredibly well organized and awesome, it was one of the worst races of my life. I felt very well trained for the experience having come off recovery from the very hot Boston Marathon. I did a lot of my training running loops of the Stonetower Hill in Lynn Woods. I was mentally and physically in the best shape of my life, but race day had other plans.

The race is a real mind-twist. Experienced runners tell you it's relentless and grueling but you really don't know what that means until you are about a mile in and you look up, down, and around and just see hills everywhere. Don't get me wrong--the scenery is breathtaking--but woof. It doesn't help that I was swiftly passed by the majority of runners including this man who was 92 at the time (and one of the friendliest guys on Earth!)

If you want to learn more about the race, click here. We're wishing our friends a happy training season and a great stay in Silver Lake this June!

Launch!

Thanks for checking out our page! We're the Bishops and we're excited to share our Silver Lake Vacation House with you! 

A Little About Us

My husband and his family have been coming to Silver Lake for decades. It has been his dream to own a home here and enjoy some rest and relaxation. Before meeting him, I had never heard of Madison or Silver Lake, despite annual stops at The Yankee Smokehouse which is just up the street!

We've been coming as a family to Silver Lake for about five years and on a car trip from the area to my family in Vermont, we seriously discussed the possibility of making his dream our reality. In the fall we started looking at Zillow and this home immediately caught our eye. I'm a historic house buff (we live in a 1910 American Foursquare on the North Shore of Massachusetts) but this house was just loaded with CHARACTER! When we went to see it in person, with my mother-in-law in tow (since we knew she'd be spending lots of her time here) it truly was the one.

Why this house?

At our closing in November 2017 the previous owner took us through his projects on the house--a place he maintained with a great deal of pride. He told us about pine floors, custom counters, and stunning fireplace. His family dynamics changed, but we assured him the house would be in good hands.

In our first weekend we scrubbed, cleaned, enjoyed the fire, hiked through the woods, and feasted on stew. For the rest of November we made some trips for furniture and appliance delivery so that the house was prepared--not only for us to enjoy, but also for you!

This vacation house is family-owned and we hope that you'll consider renting from us. It's a wonderful place to gather and sleeps 10 comfortably. My husband and I both cook so the kitchen has all you need to cook up a feast. The living room is the perfect spot to get cozy with a movie. The dining room table is perfect for a meal or some Cards Against Humanity. We travel and rent homes and wanted to be thoughtful about things we love in other homes. 

How can we help you?

Check out the reservations page for links to our partner booking sites or to inquire about available dates. We'll be happy to help you book your stay. We're offering a great introductory rate for March and April so why not plan a getaway to the Whites? Take in a spring hike or just enjoy some time away from home for a weekend with family or friends.

We can't wait to welcome you! Contact us with questions!