Carriage House

This spacious three-bedroom townhouse is so close to the Oakley Country Club that the fairways seem to roll right out of its backyard. The red-brick building has had many lives: Built in 1882 as part of a carriage house attached to a sweeping estate of a local mill owner, it was later converted into a Catholic school and then a school for the blind. In the early 1980s, the entire property was converted into 23 condominiums and named the Payson Estate on Oakley Hill. It now offers private homes and a community swimming pool and patio on the highest hill in Watertown.

Up until a month or so ago, if you had told me that a plant could have a personality, much less an evil one, I would have disagreed with you. That was before I tangled with bishop's weed. In small doses, bishop's weed is actually quite lovely, with delicate serrated leaves and white frothy flowers that resemble Queen Anne's lace. The problem is that there is almost no such thing as a small dose of bishop's weed. It spreads like crazy. We've always managed to stay ahead of it in our garden with semi-regular weeding.

This historic 1905 West Newton home was once the carriage house and gardens for Boston philanthropist George Frost, who made his fortune selling undergarments and whose generosity helped start Suffolk University Law School. The four-bedroom, 2 ½-bath house is located down a long narrow driveway off busy Highland and Chestnut streets and gives visitors a sense of quiet, surrounded by mature trees, a stone wall, and well-kept gardens. The front door leads to a renovated kitchen that celebrates the old and the new: A double-sided brick baker's fireplace built with the house as well as a...

This spacious three-bedroom townhouse is so close to the Oakley Country Club that the fairways seem to roll right out of its backyard. The red-brick building has had many lives: Built in 1882 as part of a carriage house attached to a sweeping estate of a local mill owner, it was later converted into a Catholic school and then a school for the blind. In the early 1980s, the entire property was converted into 23 condominiums and named the Payson Estate on Oakley Hill. It now offers private homes and a community swimming pool and patio on the highest hill in Watertown.

Judy and Joe Dougherty bought their 1770 antique carriage house the first night they saw it. They fell in love with the 25-foot high entryway, with its elaborate stained-glass window taken from a Vermont church. Now, 10 years later -- after expanding the kitchen and adding a wrap around screened porch -- the Doughertys have put their unique property on the market. Listing broker Jan Triglione of RE/MAX Top Achievers in Reading, describes the house as "the perfect marriage of the antiquity of the 1700s and all the modern conveniences.

Up until a month or so ago, if you had told me that a plant could have a personality, much less an evil one, I would have disagreed with you. That was before I tangled with bishop's weed. In small doses, bishop's weed is actually quite lovely, with delicate serrated leaves and white frothy flowers that resemble Queen Anne's lace. The problem is that there is almost no such thing as a small dose of bishop's weed. It spreads like crazy. We've always managed to stay ahead of it in our garden with semi-regular weeding.

MARBLEHEAD - We had never met a castle keeper until we checked into the Herreshoff Castle Bed & Breakfast. Tucked away in a warren of winding streets along the harbor, the castle looms over Colonial homes built by ship captains and blacksmiths when the country was new. Though the castle was erected in the 20th century, it is a replica of Erik the Red's 10th-century Viking castle in Greenland. It is named for its most famous former owner, yacht designer L. Francis Herreshoff. While castle keepers are admittedly few these days, it's hard to imagine that there could be a more...

Linden Tree Inn 26 King St., Rockport 800-865-2122 www.lindentreeinn.com What we liked most: The location in a quiet, residential neighborhood just a short walk from scenic Bearskin Neck. What we liked least: Crowded quarters in the dining room at breakfast. What surprised us: How well equipped the carriage house rooms are for an extended stay. You know you're at the Linden Tree Inn when . . . you hear guests imploring innkeeper Tobey Shepherd to share her recipe for scones.

Bassist and composer Bruno Raberg will bring his quartet, Ascensio, to perform at Gore Place in Waltham this week. Raberg has taught at the Berklee College of Music in Boston since 1986, and has performed with some of the area's most noted jazz players and ensembles. He's been in a Swedish jazz group, Corpo; the Lars Erik Norrström Trio; and Orange Then Blue. He's worked with Bruce Barth, Jerry Bergonzi, Mick Goodrick, Yoron Israel, Donny McCaslin, and Bob Moses.

Swift House Inn 25 Stewart Lane, Middlebury, Vt. 802-388-9925 or 866-388-9925 www.swifthouseinn.com What we liked most: Freshly brewed coffee and tea available at all hours. What we liked least: A Duraflame log instead of wood in our bedroom fireplace. What surprised us: The spaciousness of the guest rooms in such an old house. You know you're at the Swift House Inn when . . . family portraits line the walls of the upstairs hall.

$349,900 687 MAIN STREET, WAREHAM SQUARE FOOTAGE > 2,960 LOT SIZE > 2.45 acres BEDROOMS > 5 BATHS > 2 three-quarter, 1 half 2011 TAXES > $3,559 LAST SOLD FOR > First time on market > PROS Abraham Lincoln was just a baby when relatives – descendants of whom have lived here ever since – built this home around 1810. Little has changed since then, making the home quite the find for the preservationist. The woodwork is simple.

This historic 1905 West Newton home was once the carriage house and gardens for Boston philanthropist George Frost, who made his fortune selling undergarments and whose generosity helped start Suffolk University Law School. The four-bedroom, 2 ½-bath house is located down a long narrow driveway off busy Highland and Chestnut streets and gives visitors a sense of quiet, surrounded by mature trees, a stone wall, and well-kept gardens. The front door leads to a renovated kitchen that celebrates the old and the new: A double-sided brick baker's fireplace built with the house as well as a...

PORTLAND, Ore. - At Portland's White House Bed & Breakfast, Lanning Blanks is commander in chief, and he is serious about making his West Coast version of the D.C. landmark a place where everyone, no matter their political affiliation, feels at home. Located in the historic Irvington district, the Greek revival mansion, a former summer home of lumber baron Robert Lytle, has been restored by Blanks with European chandeliers, gilt-gold ceilings, a grand staircase, and 14 massive columns.

MARBLEHEAD - We had never met a castle keeper until we checked into the Herreshoff Castle Bed & Breakfast. Tucked away in a warren of winding streets along the harbor, the castle looms over Colonial homes built by ship captains and blacksmiths when the country was new. Though the castle was erected in the 20th century, it is a replica of Erik the Red's 10th-century Viking castle in Greenland. It is named for its most famous former owner, yacht designer L. Francis Herreshoff. While castle keepers are admittedly few these days, it's hard to imagine that there...

MENDON, Vt. - Mary Strelecki speaks with a soft Texas drawl as she shows us around the inn she and her husband, Dave, have owned since 2001. The 1840s farmhouse, later enlarged into a summer retreat, sits along a country road almost in the shadow of Pico Peak. The 14-acre property may be small by Texas standards, but it's big on New England charm. On a fall afternoon, ducks glide on a pond and fruit hangs heavily on apple trees lining the road. "Deer browse under the trees," Strelecki says, "and there are moose in the area, but I've never seen them...

Judy and Joe Dougherty bought their 1770 antique carriage house the first night they saw it. They fell in love with the 25-foot high entryway, with its elaborate stained-glass window taken from a Vermont church. Now, 10 years later -- after expanding the kitchen and adding a wrap around screened porch -- the Doughertys have put their unique property on the market. Listing broker Jan Triglione of RE/MAX Top Achievers in Reading, describes the house as "the perfect marriage of the antiquity of the 1700s and all the...

17 Newmarket Road, Durham, N.H. 603-868-7800 or 888-399-9777 www.threechimneysinn.com What we liked most Fresh coffee in an air pot 24/7. What we liked least Bedposts blocked the view of the TV. What surprised us Finding a top-flight, former Boston chef running the kitchen. You know you're at Three Chimneys Inn when . . . Instead of roosters, you hear Canada geese honking at dawn (and again at sunset, too)

Bassist and composer Bruno Raberg will bring his quartet, Ascensio, to perform at Gore Place in Waltham this week. Raberg has taught at the Berklee College of Music in Boston since 1986, and has performed with some of the area's most noted jazz players and ensembles. He's been in a Swedish jazz group, Corpo; the Lars Erik Norrström Trio; and Orange Then Blue. He's worked with Bruce Barth, Jerry Bergonzi, Mick Goodrick, Yoron Israel, Donny McCaslin, and Bob Moses.