Our Town Of Hopkinton

Hi Prims, I was thinking I wanted to share with you our qaint town of Hopkinton. There is alot of history, in the 1800's it had a shoe factory with a train coming through. It was a small hard working town and everyone knew each other and watched out for each other, just like today. We all know each other and look out for one another!!Back then, the men would go to work and the women stayed at home doing the daily chores and taking care of the children, have supper on the table for their husbands after working 12 hours. The children would do their share as well for chores. They would leave school and go home and work on the farm, milking cows, feeding the animals, collecting the eggs for the next day, cleaning out the animal's cages. They all did their share, which today I find so different in family values, but I think it is the way you raise your children. Our son's get firewood everyday, we don't pay them as they are part of our family and we are a team. They shovel when it snows. Mr. Hillcrest snowblows with the machine but one boy cleans all the stairs and a path to the mail box and the other boy makes a path to the firewood and a path to put the trash cans out for trash day.  I always have hot chocolate when they all come in and warm up near the fire. In the summer they have chores also. Things have changed but it is the parents that need to give their children good morals and values, and I feel that we as parents have done this and are still doing it.
Below are some pictures of our town and things about it for you to enjoy.



Here is a sign Welcome to Hopkinton(1715).



Across the street is a great pond for kids and families to come and skate.

 The buiding you see me standing at used to be the old train station were you would get your tickets and wait for the train the building is old (1872) but the town moved it down to the pond and renovated it.
This is were the kids put their skates on and then hit the ice and have a ball, pictures of the building and here is one picture of some kids on the on ice skating and having fun.









Here is a picture of the old High School on the front it says High 1894 School all grades were there and look how small it is.



Here is our fire station
 

 and when we were there they had a call , and picture of the ambulance going out to a call.



Here is our police station, they just built this about 7yrs ago and it is beautiful.



The next picture you see is they carried the torch all the way from Greece to the  Boston Marathon that starts here in Hopkinton and this picture is the latern of the flame from Greece that NEVER goes out, it is special to all of our residents here in our little town.



 

and here is a plaque of the Flame of the Marathon



The next stop is the statue of the man that shoots off the gun that starts the Marathon.

 

  Across the street is a house I just love it was built in (1745). Here are some pictures of the home





Then our Town Hall built in(1715) and there are two pictures of the Town Hall





Of course we had to stop by  Hopkinton's own Country Plus, Judy was happy to see us and we took some pictures outside and inside.









We said bye to Judy and took off down the street to our small drug store( Hopkinton Drug),



 it is like family. A family run drug store and they have seen our children grow up and it is the same women and two men that still work there and we aren't a number they know us by name and some have become friends. I truly love living in a small town, we all look out for each other and I think that our founding fathers would be proud that we have kept it small and quaint!!!! I feel blessed to live in Hopkinton!!!

I hope you enjoyed our tour of the town, it was just something different.

Until next time prims,
~ Blessings and God Bless~
Tricia

Cold January

Hello, my prims. I had a great day yesterday. Mr. Hillcrest and I took a nice ride and we went to Pepperberry Cottage in Westboro. Here are two pictures of the outside.




Here is one picture of inside the shop.
 

It is a warm,cozy and quaint shop. I found something there and here is what I got


I have been looking for a sign that says Hopkinton  for a while and I love it. I put it on my kitchen window sill.  What do you prims think????

Then we went for a ride looking at some beautiful homes and they were very old. Some said the year 1720, 1796. I really enjoy being with Mr. Hillcrest. As we were driving  we always hold hands, I know that some of you prims are saying Oh my, but in this day in age I feel truly blessed to have a man like my husband. I love hime more everyday. Mr. Hillcrest is a protective, loving ,caring ,compassionate man, great provider and loves being a father and husband to me.  I thank the Lord above that he sent Mr. Hillcrest to me!!!!!

I wanted to show you all my kitchen table.


My kitchen is important to me because that is where I cook and bake for my family. This is also were we sit together and eat delicious meals and have great conversations. I feel my kitchen is the heart the our home.
You can see a lamb in a wooden trencher that my friend gave to me for a Christmas present


I just love it. I want to thank my sweet friend Judy from Country Plus for that, and the candle also that she gave to me


Judy is a great friend. Please click on to Country Plus on the side bar and you will see what is new at the store and you will see a slide show of the store done by Lynn who does all the wonderful wood paintings. Lynn is truly talented. Let Judy know that I sent you!!!!!

It has been very cold here in Hopkinton, MA. So, we are doing alot of things inside and today we are watching the Patriot's game but we are getting our butts kicked. I have been doing a hook rug that Mr. Hillcrest bought for me and I am enjoying that
But because the Patriots are not doing well I decided to post which I enjoy more anyway.
Here is a picture of me doing my hook rug and watching the game,


Here are some pictures that I took because I am rearranging things a little bit here and there

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
The next post will be a recipe and some other things that I am doing!!
I want to thank all of you prims for supporting my blog, and the wonderful heartfelt comments that you leave me.
Well my prims, until next time,

~~~~God Bless and stay warm and safe~~~~
Tricia

My first recipe for the New Year!!

Okay Prims, I promised that I will be posting new recipes and I am. Also, why I love doing this is because I am making a family cookbook for my sons and our future DIL'S, so they will always have their favorites and it can be carried on to our grandchildren. With that said, when I make a new recipe for the first time, I ask everyone at the table if it is a keeper or not. Believe me, I have had a few that were not keeper's!!!

I made this for the second time and wanted to share it with you all, it is nice when it is cold outside, comfort food, for sure!

Pork & Cider Stew:



2 med. sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into pieces
3 sm. carrots, peeled and sliced thin
1 cup chopped onion
1 boneless pork shoulder
(about 2lbs., cut into 1 in. cubes)
1 lg. granny smith apple, peeled and chopped
1/4 c. flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup apple cider

Layer sweet potatoes,carrots,onion,porkand apples in a 31/2 qt. pan or slow cooker
Stir flour,salt and pepper in a small bowl to combine.
Add apple cider,stir unitl smooth, pour over meat and vegetables.

Cover and cook on low (slow simmer) for 7 to 9 hours until pork falls apart

You will love this stew. The first time I made it was the this past autumn so
I hope you all enjoy this recipe for next fall, but
I just made it tonight (and so can you all), with corn bread. It was a hit!!!

Here is a picture, Let me know if you are going to try it,and if you do, let me know
how it came out!!!



Till next time my prim friends
~~~~God Bless~~~
Tricia

This 2010 new recipes and crafts to share

Hi, my prims, I want you to know that I will be doing alot of recipes ,cooking and baking and alot more craft,like bowls fillers for Valentine's day and St, Patrick's Day and Easter. I plan on making this a very fun blog for all of you!!!!!

Baking and cooking are very dear to my heart,and I will make it and take a picture of the food I make and post it with the recipe  Also, doing alot of different crafts which I can't wait to start!!
So, I just wanted to let you prims know what I am doing for 2010!!!!!!!
I also will be doing some woodworking and the wood blocks, Mr. Hillcrest will cut out the wood and I will do the rest and will be taking orders. The first one I will be making is my sign Hillcrest Home Prims.
Then I will post it and if anyone that is interested in one just let me know and it can say anything you wish and  I will make it!!!!
So, with all that said I hope that this is going to be the best year ever!

Till next time my Prims,
~~~~~Blessings and Hugs~~~~~~
Tricia

Happy New Year 2010

This is what we do on Decemeber 31st to ring in the New Year!! For years people have Chinese food for good luck for the New Year coming up, so we do it even though we don't believe that, we find it a fun tradition to do with our sons!

We always go to our favorite restautant in Milford called the Manderin, great food as you can see from my plate


Here are my three men and ready to eat,


Here is our oldest son Steven that will be graduating this June(2010)

Mr. Hillcrest and I can't believe that it went so fast. Steven was accepted to Bunker Hill College and will be taking engineering and working part time in construction. We are so proud of him and Matthew started 9th grade (2009) and he is on the honor roll and already is looking into colleges to be a vet, so 2009 was a great year for us here at Hillcrest Home.

Here is Matthew saying No more pictures Dad,


Here is Mr. Hillcrest and I
which I love him more everyday!


And here I am
 
Mr. Hillcrest wanted to take a picture of me, I really don't like my picture taken but my family does it for me so I can't complain!!!!!

In the evening we always stay home and I make a nice spread of goodies, dip, wheat chips,cheese, crackers,
pepperoni and wings

We do try to stay up but just can't, that's okay because  we wake up to a New Year!  For dinner we are having a spoon roast, which melts in your mouth with potatoes, carrots, gravy and homemade busicuts~~(happy family)!!!

So, my prims, I want to wish all my Prim friends a Happy New Year (2010). Thank you for supporting my blog and your comments mean so much to me!
This will be the best year for all of us!
I want to leave you with this saying that I love:

The best and most beautiful things in the
world cannot be seen or even touched
they must be felt by the heart!

With that I say, "till next time prims",
Blessings to all,
God Bless friends,
Tricia