Wednesday, September 26, 2018

American Dream: Find a B&B and Make Some Discoveries

The Traveling Writer Sees Quirky Things in Rhode Island

By Norma Jaeger Hopcraft


Last week I shared my Louisiana music festival with you. I want to recommend Zydeco again! A week ago I invested in a C.J. Chenier live recording made at the New Orleans Jazz Festival.  I’m glad I did. His showmanship is obvious even when he’s not making music on a stage. And his Red Hot Louisiana band doesn’t play a single note that isn’t red hot.

While attending the Rhythm and Roots music festival (the largest gathering of Louisiana musicians outside of Louisiana) in Charlestown, RI, I stayed with my sister in a bed & breakfast in Kingston, RI.

We went for a walk one morning and found out it’s a college town, the University of RI at Kingston. We drifted onto campus and found an arboretum with a fantastic assortment of exotic trees. They were all labeled with their English name, Latin name, and area of origin.

Everyone in my family is a plant nerd, so we really appreciated that somebody, at some time, planned this place, took care to ship in trees that were likely to survive Rhode Island winters, and took the time to make sure each tree had a label.

This arboretum is a great, humane legacy that some person or persons created and shared. I admire that legacy-building instinct, and I’m grateful for it.

Let me share some quirky pictures of the weird trees. I have pictures of the labels for some, not all. Then we'll get into the bed & breakfast.
The Traveling Writer in Search of the American Dream
Look! A tree in camo!

The Traveling Writer in Search of the American Dream

The Traveling Writer in Search of the American Dream
This tree has beautiful bark in flowing lines.

The Traveling Writer in Search of the American Dream
This blue beauty is a Korean fir.

The Traveling Writer in Search of the American Dream
Here it is in close-up.

The Traveling Writer in Search of the American Dream
Not sure of the name, but it sure looks like green fireworks.

The Traveling Writer in Search of the American Dream
This is a larch, from Central Europe. A bit quirky-looking.


The Traveling Writer in Search of the American Dream
There were neat gates and structures throughout the arboretum.

The Traveling Writer in Search of the American Dream
Not sure what this is, but it sure does have strange roots.

The Traveling Writer Recommends the Sheppard B&Bs


We stayed at Sheppard’s Campus B&B, run by the Sheppard family. It was in an appropriately Victorian house and decorated with antiques. I always enjoy looking at this type of house and furniture, and I enjoy even more thinking how glad I am not to have to take care of any of it.

We had two terrific breakfasts and enjoyed the company of our fellow guests. We also enjoyed exploring the grounds.


The Traveling Writer in Search of the American Dream
A splendid house, both inside and out.

The Traveling Writer in Search of the American Dream
I love the weathered brick.

The Traveling Writer in Search of the American Dream
A compass rose built into the porch floor.

The Traveling Writer in Search of the American Dream
Tons of antiques and healthy potted plants.

The Traveling Writer in Search of the American Dream
A bird cage from India. Felt quirky to find it in Kingston, RI.

The Traveling Writer in Search of the American Dream
Close up of the front door.

The Traveling Writer in Search of the American Dream
Splendid hydrangeas, and all kinds of other beautiful plants, in the gardens.


One of the Sheppards had created a lovely garden around the house. Since I used to be a passionate gardener, and my sister developed one worthy of a House and Garden spread, we made a point of exploring the garden’s paths and noting the different foliage combinations that this gardener had fostered.

I sat in one of the seating areas to make a phone call and to just soak up the sight of sunlight on leaves. This is something I starve for in my life bouncing between Brooklyn and Manhattan. It’s one of the most gorgeous sights on earth, and this peaceful garden filled my soul up to the brim. Then a groundhog came out from under the porch and sat in the sun, to top it all off.

How about you? Been to a good B&B lately? Comment below!

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