House on Stone Pond below Mt Monadnock, near Keene

Family house, in quiet wooded setting, steps from Stone Pond. Loll on the deck, cook gourmet meals, gather in the living room by the fireplace. Use the lakeside firepit or picnic table, paddle the canoe, or swim in crystal-clear lake water. Hike the woods or up Mt Monadnock (3165 ft, the most-climbed US mountain). Dine or shop in the nearby college town of Keene, see summer theater in Peterborough, or hear nearby Monadnock classical and other music concerts. Pets OK, but not loud parties Our parents built this house in the 1972, and spent their summers here after they retired. We are making it available to guests during most of the summer and early fall (good for fall colors!), when we are not enjoying it ourselves. The house is not winterized, so we close it up every fall after the leaf-viewing season and reopen it in late spring. It is a simple house. We have tried to maintain its rustic feel while at the same time making it comfortable for our guests. The large common area (26.5 by 14.75) has a dining table, two comfy couches, and a central fireplace, and opens onto a deck that overlooks the lake. There is a large master bedroom (12.5 by 16.5) on the lower floor off the basement storage area (it can be chilly, so use of the baseboard heating is often needed even in July and August). The other bedrooms are just big enough for a bed, chest of drawers, and closet. The main bedroom upstairs, right nest to the bathroom, has a queen bed and is 11 by 11. Two smaller bedrooms (10 by 10 and 8 by 10) have two single beds each, which can be pushed together for a couple. There is a small table in the kitchen as well as an electric stove and oven, fridge, dishwasher and microwave, and enough pots and pans for gourmet cooking. There are a washer and dryer on the lower floor, off the bathroom). The pantry is well-stocked with spices, dried goods and wines which guests are welcome to use; we ask that if you run out of something, replace it for the next guest (or us!). There is a large chest in the common area with toys; there are puzzles and games, children's art supplies, and a number of children's books as well as adult reading, a small stereo system with a CD player and CD's; you also play your iPod or phone through a receiver to room-sized speakers using hard connection, or bluetooth. But no TV. There are various guidebooks and maps for local hiking: If you are around for a few days, you should make sure to spend a half-day hiking to the top of Mt. Monadnock on one of the dozen trails to the top, but there are plenty of other good hikes around -- just walking to the other side of the lake is a pleasure. A notebook offers suggestions for local activities and cultural offerings and favorite eateries in the surrounding towns (especially downtown Marlborough, Peterborough, Dublin and Keene). Our beach, thirty yards from the house, is grassy/mossy and gets sun during the afternoon; there are a picnic table so you can dine beside the water. If you prefer to sit in more sun and play in the sand in between bathing, walk down to the town beach 400 hundred yards away. The firepit beside the lake is good for sitting by the fire or modest grilling. Our parking area is big enough for two small cars; there is more room for parking along the road. The temperature may reach the 90's down in Keene and Marlborough, but it is always pleasant up at the lake. Note, though, that you may want a sweater for the evening, even in mid-summer. The house has baseboard heating in all rooms, each with a separate thermostat. You can eat at a table in the kitchen, at the dining table in the living room just off the large picture windows looking at the deck and out onto the lake. There is a small table in the deck, and an 8-foot picnic table down beside the lake. Tranquility is one of the nicest features that all of the neighbors prize. Nearby houses are not on top of you, but your enjoyment of the house should not be audible 70 yards away through the forest, out of respect for our neighbors. The entire house and grounds are open to guests We are always available by phone or email, but if issues arise requiring local attention, a neighbor two houses down the road (about 200 yards) is available. Stone Pond is a pristine, deep lake, ideal for swimming. The house is secluded; the lake is clearly visible through the trees from the house and deck, but set far back enough from the water's edge for a feeling of privacy. The woods provide just enough screening that you will feel isolated from the road and the houses on either side; if you see the neighbors it will be out on the lake, or running or walking their dogs along Stone Pond Road. You will see an occasional canoe, sunfish or kayak, and there are a couple of motorboats. but most of the time the quiet is lovely. There is a boat entry point near the town beach if you have brought your own boat. A wooden canoe is available for guest use. Marlborough has a few small cafes and a decent small grocery store, and the Dublin General Store is a landmark. Supermarkets and a wide range of dining options (from fine dining to fast food) are 20 to 40 minutes away. Keene is closest, with a state university, picturesque town square and walkable Main Street (featured in the Robin Williams file "Jumanji"!). Peterborough (Thornton Wilder's "Our Town") has more dining, and is the home of the Peterborough Players, a top-notch summer repertory theater. There are a variety of musical performances around throughout the summer. Jaffrey has a range of arts and crafts shops as well as an inn with a fine restaurant. "Friendly Farm" in Dublin and Twinkletown mini-golf in Keene will appeal to the kids. A number of suggestions can be found in a notebook in the house. The road out from downtown Marlborough is unpaved but well-maintained and usable by any car -- about ten minutes into Marlborough, then an additional 5 to 15 minutes to shopping, restaurants, etc. The Sunapee trail runs across the road a few hundred yards from our house -- you could walk it to the top of Mt. Monadnock, or you can drive the backroads a couple or few miles to one of several trailheads that reach the top of the mountain. We do not have trash collection, so if you are staying for a week or more, you will need to visit the town dump (and Marlborough is very strict about recycling). It's open Wednesday afternoon, Friday morning, and Saturday. The "swap shop" is fun. Whether your stay is short or long, please take any remaining trash with you when you leave. Some recent guests have reported difficulty getting cell signal from T-Mobile. (but they say that using wi-fi can cure this). Other providers work fine. We are installing high speech municipal broadband this spring.