Salem has some great knockers...

This past Sunday I made a trip to check out the Salem Literary Festival in Salem, MA. It was a very soupy day; not sunny, but not rainy. The air was thick and the tourists were starting to trickle in in anticipation of the Halloween festivities. (The parties start early in Salem...or would it be better to say they never really stop?)

I did find the few panels I went to interesting, but what really drew my attention were the houses around the McIntire Historic District. Gorgeous, imposing brick homes, tiny sweet cottages, this area had it all. I noticed that Salem is a town that has knocker pride. These were a couple of my favorites.

I also came across the remnants of a yard sale. The picker in me sighed with remorse that I may have missed some colonial treasures at Yankee prices.

A stop at one of my favorite yarn shops was a must. I resisted the pull of the fiber, especially knowing that the Rhinebeck Sheep & Wool Festival is in less than three weeks, but I did admire this nautical-inspired display at Seed Stitch.

Everywhere I turned in Salem there was something new to be discovered, and a story waiting to be written. Here was a dog (cat?) house behind the historic Phillips House. When was it built? What kind of dog could fit in it? What was the dog's name? So many questions.

And this giant stack of chairs? Going in or coming out? For free? For sale? I was so tempted to pull one of the bottom ones out, just to create a stir.