The Freckled Hen's Berkshire Nest

My home is a sweet, cozy, private, and very clean farmhouse style Cape in the safe, and quiet neighborhood of Abbey Court in the foothills of October Mountain in the beautiful Berkshire Town of Lee closely bordering Lenox. Actually just a stone’s throw from Stockbridge and Lenox! Conveniently close to the highway, but off the beaten path. A great place to work from home and getaway simultaneously in a peaceful setting. A bird watcher’s delight, because a lot of them congregate in my yard. You can enjoy the view from the kitchen window.

Privately, proudly and locally owned. Centrally located and a very short drive to the best places to visit in the Shire: Stockbridge (5 miles to Main Street-only 5 streets away from my house!), Tanglewood (5.5 miles!), Main Street in Lenox (5.5 miles!), Berkshire Botanical Garden (7 miles), Norman Rockwell Museum (7 miles), Jacob's Pillow (9 miles), Olivia’s Overlook (7.5 miles), Berkshire HorseWorks (12 miles) and more. A stone's throw to Berkshire Scenic Railway's Lenox Dale Depot (Saturdays May 29 to September 4th). A scenic drive to Berkshire Scenic Railway's Hoosac Valley Depot in Adams/North Adams (May 29th through October with special events after October). Close to notable hiking and mountain biking trails (Appalachian Trail, October Mtn, Ice Glen, Monument Mtn, Donato's Trail, Kennedy Park, Schermerhorn Gorge, Tyringham Cobble, Charcoal Trail and Michael H. Walsh Trail at Olivia’s Overlook in Lenox (sweet vantage spot overlooking the Stockbridge Bowl), and tennis courts around the corner. Very short drive to scenic golfing outings at Cranwell (Lenox) and Greenock Country Club (Lee) golf courses.

Lee offers satisfying dining at restaurants like Starving Artist Creperie and Cafe (best cafe in the Berkshires with an uh-mazing and unique brunch menu), Baja Charlies (best fish tacos in the world!), 51 Park (Steak 51! Fig and Goat Salad!, or the hottest Buffalo Chicken pizza on the planet!), Morgan House (my choice is the Salmonnnnnn....), Timothy's (known for their pizzas, but my favorite dish is their shrimp salad!), Salmon Run (I’m all about the salmon), the famous Joe’s Diner (casual dining), Agave's Mexican Grill, Burmese Bowl offering Asian cuisine and sushi, and more, like Rose's Restaurant (new owners offering a swanky new breakfast/lunch menu), ice cream at Lucky’s (summertime treat)! Just two streets away from fabulous antique and apparel shopping - Main Street and/or the Lee Premium Outlets. Also noteworthy, Berkshire Mountain Bakery is a little bit of a drive in the sleepy little town of Housatonic, but worth the trip for takeout and take home to bake pizzas (I can give you directions for what is one of my favorite scenic routes to get there). Just a short 15-20 minute drive to Hilltop Orchard and Furnace Brook Winery in Richmond for cider donuts (for the kids!) and wine (for the adults!). I also highly recommend the very popular Fratelli’s in Otis for a delicious meal on Main Street in Otis (takeout might only be offered at this time), a short drive from my home, but worth it. Exciting news. If you’re looking for iconic and eclectic, the Dream Away Lodge is open again and very close by in Becket. It’s a big deal and really fun with great food and live music. Also in Becket is another favorite of locals, Jacob's Ladder Tavern on Route 20. Short drive, good food and live music.

The Town of Lee is an easy and manageable size town to navigate. It’s unique and has so much to offer, with sweet downtown shopping and dining, as well outlet shopping close to the Mass Pike.

Tanglewood is a very big deal here for all of us in the Berkshires. Get your tickets for another exciting season with Yo-Yo Ma, Joshua Bell and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Weird Al is there on July 21st, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit on July 28th, Cynthia Erivo with the Boston Pops (fun!) on August 21st, the divine Carrie Underwood on August 29th, Tedeschi Trucks Band (wow!) on September 2nd and Alabama Shakes (they're gonna rock!) on September 5th. There's something for everyone musically at The Shed in Lenox, a short drive from my home.

My home is nestled in the foothills of October Mountain where there’s hiking and rumors over the years of being haunted or at least inhabited by ghosts. The legendary resident ghosts include the mysterious 10 year old Anna Pease, Secretary of Navy under President Grover Cleveland William Whitney and uniformed soldiers from the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. You’ll need to google it, because that’s as much as I want to know and research on that subject! My favorite part of hiking October Mountain is bringing a picnic lunch to Felton Pond.

The Lee Farmer’s Market is a great way to start your Saturdays here in the summer and fall. There’s a lot going on there in a small space on the town green with locally handcrafted items. Live music is in the background to entertain you as you nibble on tasty treats and shop for perfect plants, soap, jewelry, and more.

For a splash of color, there is artwork is on display at Good Purpose Gallery on 40 Main Street in Lee. Local artists are featured in exhibits daily from 10-4, closed Tuesdays. You can check out current artist’s featured lists and exhibits online for more details. The garden grounds at nearby Berkshire Botanical Garden are open seasonally and often there's a sweet exhibit in Leonhardt Galleries and weekend classes.

More about my home: Small and yet spacious. Continually updating accommodations for a pleasant and calming home away from home rental experience. Cozy kitchen with a wall hung electric heater and manual dial to make the living room and kitchen instantly toasty on those chilly Berkshire mornings and nights. To combat the summer heat, there are four air conditioning units, 2 on the first floor and 2 on the second floor. There are also 4 overhead fans and 3 tables fans. There's also a box fan if you feel it's necessary to use. There are four bedrooms (one is very bright and sunny with a skylight; one can be made to be very dark and; two with a combination of lightness/darkness - each bedroom can suit any sleeping and ambiance preference!) and they all have windows to let in natural light. Large screen TV (4 feet wide, 3 feet high) with fabulous picture quality and a Netflix app in the living room. Relaxing back stone patio with a outdoor gas grill for comfortable outdoor dining along with a portable outdoor fire pit for making s’mores. Peaceful backyard in the morning with active, chirping birds and even more peaceful in the early evening when the birds are going to bed and they’re a little quieter. The birds are busy flitting around in the backyard, especially Cardinals, and can be seen investigating the little compost bin behind the garage camouflaged within the ever-expanding pollinator garden looking for fruit scraps and eggshells. Besides Cardinals, there are: House Finches, Gray Catbirds, Cedar Waxwings, American Goldfinches, Carolina Wrens, Eastern Bluebirds, Chipping Sparrows, Blue Jays, and Pileated and Hairy Woodpeckers and, of course, American Crows. The comfortable and cushioned dining table and chair set is on the patio for some quiet and relaxing breakfast, lunch or dinners. It's just what you need to relax while you visit the Berkshires, whether you want to get out for an adventure or prefer to spend a quiet night in the privacy of your home away from home.

Note: Since the start of the covid-19 pandemic, I have closely followed and adhered to any limitations on short term rentals such as mine as outlined by the Town of Lee Board of Health and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. I appreciate your understanding as we all work together to be safe. I make every effort to not only thoroughly clean, but I also offer contactless check-in to every guest. You’ll receive a personal door code and notes about the home with all the important details prior to your arrival, such as the WiFi password and the best ways to reach me during your stay.

I am thoroughly dedicated and focused on providing a clean home for your stay with extra time blocked off between guests who stay at or enter my home (including me) to air it out before you arrive. In addition, the local supermarkets have shopping open to Seniors one hour before the general public to avoid crowds and potential exposure.

My neighborhood is very safe for walking and bicycling, but I would also be happy to provide you with a customized list of very lovely areas for walking and cycling during your stay.

Thank you for choosing my home. I appreciate each and every one of my guests.

Nancy