Get ready for a little time warp. Today we’re going inside the Falcon’s Roost, a *super rustic* ski house in Rochester, Vermont. I first visited here in the late 80s and after our recent trip, I can confidently say, not much has changed except the removal of the wall-to-wall orange shag carpet…

On the left is the mudroom entrance to the farmhouse. On the right is an old trailmap from Mad River Glen, the closest mountain with the taunting tagline, ski it if you can.  I truly learned to ski at Mad River. I had snowplowed my way down Powder Ridge a few times, but somehow for my first run in Vermont, we didn’t start on the bunny slope. I’m sure it took over an hour to get back down to the lift line. Once I realized it was too far to clomp down the mountain in my boots, I gave up and decided to learn how to stay up on my skis.

For over 30 years, Falcon’s Roost has been a bare bones crashpad, largely visited only on the weekends. It sleeps 16, but with only 2 bathrooms I can’t quite imagine a full house. With my interest in cooking, I found the kitchen the most fascinating place for photos.

Our first morning, we had a light breakfast of coffee and scones before heading off to the Rochester Cafe for the maple sausage that had been on everyone’s mind for days. No matter what the time of day, the kitchen wallpaper never fails to fascinate me. There’s one phone in the entire house and when you have no cell service, it starts to feel like more like a life line than a land line. Unplugging from email, texts and Internet instantly adds to that sensation that you’ve stepped back in time.

Check out these stove top controls:

I always feel so much quiet stillness when I stay here. Since we weren’t barreling out the door for a day on the slopes, it was a nice peaceful morning in the kitchen.

Here’s my cousin Brent on top of a snowbank with Brandon Mountain in the background. It was his first time in Vermont.

I find very little joy and wonder in snow any more, but this Hawaii boy has got to get his fill. He’ll be completing his masters this summer. If Brent’s smart, he’ll escape Boston and find his way back to a place with warmer winters!