62 SUNSET LAKE RD (The Ponderosa)

Essay by Jill Butler, Winter, 2009

Moving up from Connecticut during the summer of 1986, there was nothing to keep us tied to Greenfield other than an apartment that would take dogs. Until our landlord, Sam Proctor, called us about “a great starter home.”  The owner, Roger Buxton, was ready to buy a second home elsewhere. Roger had inherited the cottage from his father, Arthur D. Buxton.   Ted and I bought “the Ponderosa” late December 1986. The town has the house built in the 1940’s. Roger’s brother, Richard Buxton, told us it was built in the 50’s.  The small 2 Bedroom ranch included 7.50 acres. Roger had the land “logged” to cover his last tax payment. What a mess and it was now ours. 

We moved in January 1st 1987. Anyone can imagine all the memories we have living here every season, for 21 years.

One winter memory was about 10 years ago, when the ice froze clear. It was like being in a glass bottom boat. My boys and my nephew had an otter swim right under their feet!

Life was pretty quiet until Brandon was born April 9th 1989. Now that I was home more, we met everyone while I walked him in his stroller. What a perfect road to walk on! Justin and Devon were born April 8th 1990. Which meant a double stroller.

One story comes to mind: During the summer of 1990, we had a few very warm days. It was hard for me to lug the boys to the beach or across the road to Dick Buxton’s dock. So, we did our walks or stayed put. Sylvia Robbins came to the house and told me to grab a book and go somewhere and read it. My boys would be fine. What makes this a story is, I barely knew Sylvia Robbins, and here she is, making me leave my children and kicking me out of my house. I went and read my book and Sylvia has been the highlight of our summer ever since.

I cannot forget to mention the generosity of The Buxton family for letting us bombard them with kids, trampoline floats, and a regatta of various boats. There would have been no summer memories without their patience and sense of humor. Not to leave out the fact, we could avoid cleaning out our little section of beach down the road.

We made a few structural changes over the years. Chris Robbins put an addition on the house during the fall of 1993. The house is still small, but that add-on felt like a huge exhale. Around that same time we cleared about 2 acres; we needed a new leach field and the boys needed to get over their motorcycle, dirt bike, and snowmobile faze. 

The barn was built in 2003; Chris did such a great job on it. I can easily say it’s my favorite feature on all our property. 

Some interesting Butler/Sunset Lake facts: The Butler boys would NOT go in the water. When they finally did at around 6 years old, they wouldn’t take their shoes and socks off.

As the boys reached 8 years old the fleet of boats, with various friends, would go out and head to Sylvia’s for candy and soda. Roy taught them to play cribbage and told them bad jokes. I still remember Devon paddling away with his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle life preserver on. As the years passed, Brandon, Devon, Justin and a few local boys received their certificates for swimming across the lake. Sylvia and Roy made and presented them.

Dick Buxton rented one of his cottages, (the Buxton’s called them “camps”). We remain friends with numerous families to this day. My boys grew up with a different family every week and learned to deal with children of all ages and backgrounds. How fortunate is that?

And of course, there is Dick Eaton, the best neighbor we could have. We have gathered every year (sometimes not till February) to do a little Christmas together. We all look forward to it. Dick is so well traveled; he has fascinating stories! On Halloween, the kids would run next door with their costumes on and Dick would give them candy.  And much to my chagrin, Dick will give the boys money when they do odd jobs. And of course they take it! I have the memory of Dick on his blue float, on a hot summer day, enjoying the lake for the jewel it really is.    

I am admitting that when summer is over and the road is quiet, I enjoy every minute of it. I can drive down the road slightly faster and Sylvia can’t take the air out my tires! The smell of Dick Eaton’s wood burning stove, the leaf raking and the cold chill coming off the water brings another year to an end. Then summer comes and we start all over again. Living on the perfect lake.

Letter to Jill from Winnie Russell, Winter, 2009

Bruce and I were married in the fall of 1967 and needed a place to live.  I recalled that my great-uncle Steve Velardo had rented the “Ponderosa” from Arthur and Mae Buxton for several summers.  The Buxtons were brother and sister who owned Woodman’s Florist in Peterborough.  We contacted them, and they said no one had ever lived there through the winter before but they were willing to let us try.

Our daughter Amy was born in the spring of 1968,  and we were very happy there.  It was quiet and peaceful through the fall and winter.  The winter of 68-69 brought heavy snowstorms — several in a row, which buried our car.  We couldn’t have driven it out anyway since we were last on the list of town roads to be plowed so we had to pack up what we needed for a week and leave with the baby by snowmobile.  Fortunately Bruce’s parents lived downtown so we had a place to stay!

When our second daughter, Kerry, was born in April of 1971, we decided we needed more room and bid a sad farewell to Sunset Lake Road.