A day on the road with TOH

We are about to embark on over a month's worth of filming at the Bensonwood shop in Walpole, NH, beginning…tomorrow. But first, on our way up to the Granite State today, Jen and I had some scouting to do. We had wanted to scout a native plants story at Garden In The Woods (The New England Wildflower Society), but I didn't give them enough notice, so we ended up at the Miele appliances test kitchen in Wellesley, MA, instead―unannounced. But what a place―they've agreed to make a six-course meal for us in one hour using the latest steam and induction cooking methods, so we'll definitely be back with the TV cameras.

After that, we drove North 1.5 hours to Brookline, NH, to a place called Bingham Lumber. On the way, I realized that I had extra time and could make a 2pm online meeting and conference call with the architect, Chris Adams, and the homeowners, Pete and Amy. So I pulled over at a farm stand, popped my laptop on top of my car, fired up the broadband card, and was soon dialed into a web-based meeting where the Benson team was showing Pete design options for the central stair in real time.

With the guys in NH, Pete in Boston, and me at a farm stand in the middle of nowhere (with huge hornets swarming my car) Pete got one step closer to getting the industrial stair that's been in his mind's eye for so long. (I often listen in to meetings like this to follow the various story lines, figuring out what might be most interesting for the show.)

It was a gorgeous spring day, and a memorable moment that made me stop to appreciate modern technology and conveniences. When I was hired for this job, six years ago, the founder of the series, Russ Morash, told me, "Deborah, we live life on the road―with cell phones, and laptops, far from home, on job sites, in sawdust. It's not for everyone." But on stunning days like today…actually on most days…I still feel lucky to have this great job, and it's all absolutely fine with me.

So after 45 minutes lurking in the parking lot at Lull Farm (I went in to buy an iced tea as a sort of lame/guilty compensation for using their parking lot), I rejoined Jen at Bingham Lumber in Brookline. They are providing a TON of wainscoting, chair rail, and paneling for the Weston house―all reclaimed wood in a custom painted six-part process (to achieve an antiqued finish) created by a renowned folk artist who's part of the family business.

This facility is unlike any I've seen before. They have a new showroom that is like a stroll through homebuilding history, where, as quoted from their website, "Each of the seven rooms depicts period wall sheathing, wainscoting, trim and flooring authentic to the New England timeline spanning 1690 to 1900." This is DEFINITELY a Norm story, and one we hope we can film in the next few weeks. (Or maybe days, as they are working on our job, right NOW!) Check out this photo that Tom Bingham had hanging in his shop.

It was given to him by a guy in an old mill down South, but he's not sure of the origin of the photo. Does anyone have any idea where or when this might have been taken? (Tom assumes it was a scene from somewhere out West.) Either way, the photo is remarkable, as was this scout. Another story I hope will be a part of the new Weston series.</p>

<p>After another 1.5 hour drive west, trying to talk to our director by phone (giving up after 3 dropped calls), Jen's GPS sent her to Walpole on the main roads, while mine sent me on the back roads, partially up a mountain which (I think) might have been Monadnock―spectacular views with daffodils in bloom everywhere―we finally landed at our destination. We dined locally at Burdick's, where they try to source food locally, and I had an amazing culinary first (for me): locally harvested (we are told sustainably) -fiddleheads! They were FANTASTIC, but looking them up on wiki, I am now wondering if they contain toxins or carcinogens…? But who cares, they were great. This is one story that WON'T end up on the show, but I thought I'd share it anyway.

A nice reward for a day's work on the Road. More to come…