So, over the past year, many of you have asked me to show an exterior shot of my home. Michael J. Lee, my resident photographer, was at the house shooting updates of the girl’s bedrooms last week, and it was a sunny day. We stepped outside, and he composed these two shots especially for you… Is it what you expected? Probably not. It isn’t what I expected when I moved from LA. I can tell you that with confidence.

Coming from an angular mid-century home in LA to this was, well, a real gear shift, white picket fence and all. It certainly does not have the “cool” factor that we once had in Los Angeles, nor the long winding entry. Does not have the mature Eucalyptus trees lining the flagstone driveway, or the walls of windows. And it sure ain’t got the modern kitchen or the open floor plan.

But it has all the warmth, charm and grace that any self respecting New England shingled house would claim. It has quirky corners, a multitude of low (and sometimes annoying) dormers, humorous creaky floors in places, solid plaster walls, and most of all, it has all four of us in it– this time for the long haul. Plus, the picket fence doesn’t hurt…