A summer retreat in the Berkshires, great for gatherings of family and friends. Swim in our private pond, have lunch out on the deck, gather by the fireplace or sit in the screened-in gazebo to watch the moon rise while the frogs and crickets hum. This is a classic New England Barn converted to a comfortable modern home. The 24-ft. ceiling features original hand-cut beams. Screened sliding doors lead from the living area to the wraparound deck and views across the valley. It's a welcoming place to relax: open, homey and comfortable, but with everything you need for your stay; spacious, with extra beds for friends and an emphasis on room to gather with loved ones. We've had our own family reunion at the house every fall for thirty-plus years. The open galley kitchen is equipped with electric range/oven; microwave; pots & pans for cooking and baking; tableware and cutlery for 12 (we make vats of applesauce every year with no problem). The kitchen table seats 4-6; the dining table seats 10. You’ll find a mix of queen, double and twin beds in our five bedrooms. The second floor has its own couch and chairs on a balcony overlooking the main room. Next to the third-floor bedroom (accessed vial semi-spiral stair)is a rooftop cupola with 360º views, plus a convertible sofa for extra guests. There are also steps leading to the house; those with mobility issues should keep this in mind. There are 2-1/2 baths and a washer/dryer in the basement. The air conditioners, large ceiling fan and room fans are seldom used, since we catch a nice breeze coming up from the meadow. For the odd mid-summer cool evening, a cheery fire is perfect in either our stone fireplace or our wood burning stove. You can hike the woods of our 120-acre property; head up the mountain or down to the trout stream. There's also the private pond at the bottom of the meadow, visible from the house. It's about 100 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 9 feet deep in the middle: perfect for a swim, paddling in the rowboat or just sitting on the deck, listening to the birds, bullfrogs and crickets. 30 minutes from Lenox and Tanglewood to the south, or Williamstown to the north, and just another 10 minutes farther on to North Adams, home to Mass MoCA, we're central to all the cultural attractions of today's Berkshires. Closer to home, we're only 20 minutes from the Hancock Shaker Village and 10 minutes from Jiminy Peak, which has a variety of mountain activities in summer. For beach swimming, boating and lake fishing, Cherry Plain State Park is very close by, with Queechy Lake in Canaan and Lake Pontoosuc in Lanesborough/Pittsfield each just a little farther away. You'll have private use of the entire house, and access to the whole property, which is shared with a separate cottage, sometimes used by family or rented separately. If you'd like to book both, please ask! The houses are about 150 feet apart and have separate parking areas. Members of our family may be in the cottage on the property, but we're always reachable by email and phone. Neighborhood? Our closest neighbor is a quarter-mile away (and helped build the house, in fact). The charm of the place is its rural beauty. In town, there's a gas station/convenience market and a small grocery and a Mexican restaurant. There's a used bookstore, a farm stand, a horse stable and a mini-golf course as well. Excellent grocery shopping is a half-hour away. Nearest train station is in Albany. The bus station is in Pittsfield, MA. You'll need a car to get to the house. The swing you see in the living room was built by my dad and can hold 3 seated adults (no standing, please). See house rules.