Kathleen Cooper, Broker, SRES, REALTOR®

100 DAYS OF CENTRAL MASS FEATURES ANNIE'S COUNTRY KITCHEN

We love this place so much that it made the list again! Annie's Country Kitchen, across the street from our office, is one of our favorite hometown country restaurants. Talk about A LOT of food for the money, this place has it all! Country fried steak, banana cream pies, texas french toast & more!

Outdoors they have a nice area for children to play in the sand with toys and dump trucks. Each day they feature a ton of specials and they are usually packed with customers. The service is friendly and fast, you can't beat it in Sturbridge.

I lived much of my life in North Carolina and James is from Texas so a good country kitchen is hard to come by in New England, but this one can definitely run with the best of them. If you're ever in the area, check it out!

Zach enjoying some fun outdoors while we waited for a table one busy morning:

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
TAX CREDIT EXTENDED & EXPANDED

Exciting news for first time home buyers as well as potential move up buyers today! The first time home buyer's tax credit has been extended through April 30, 2010 and expanded to include home purchasers who are selling their current home of at least 5 years of ownership.

Rules for the extended credit:

• First-time home buyers must purchase homes between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010.
  
• Current home owners purchasing a home between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010, must have used the home being sold or vacated as a principal residence for five consecutive years within the last eight.

To qualify as a "first-time home buyer" the purchaser or his/her spouse may not have owned a residence during the three years prior to the purchase.

The maximum amount available to first time home buyers is $8,000 and the maximum available to move up buyers is $6,500. This money will not have to be repaid as long as the home is owned for 3 years or more.

For more great information about this tax credit news, visit Realtor.org.

100 DAYS OF CENTRAL MASS FEATURES E.B.FLATTS

Located in East Brookfield, E.B.Flatts is named for it's location in the town. The section of East Brookfield where the restaurant is located was known as "the flats" for years. The grounds used to be part of an old airport in East Brookfield and now are covered with corn fields and restaurants.

E.B.Flatts has a very country feel with it's log cabin structure, cathedral ceilings and lots of collectibles for decor. There's a model train that goes along the interior beams on a track throughout the restaurant that the kids love!

Open for breakfast, it's usually pretty busy - a sign of some good food. Me and a friend took our kids for lunch one afternoon and the food was great, service was pleasant and atmosphere was enjoyable. If you're looking for some good country eating around the Brookfields, definitely give E.B.Flatts a try!

100 DAYS OF CENTRAL MASS FEATURES CHRISTMAS

My absolute favorite holiday of the year is Christmas. Up here in Central Mass you will a lot of times find snow on the ground and lots of lights and festivities. It's a wonderful time of year to visit Oakwood Farm Christimas Barn. Oakwood Farm Christmas Barnis open yearround in Spencer, MA and if you visit their website they are already counting down to Christmas! Did you know we only have 51 days to go??

Christmas is a fun time of year, reminds me of hot cocoa and warm cookies, snowflakes and cozy fires. The shopping the preparations have already begun for much of the country. I have friends that are cracking out the decorations and wrapping up gifts.

Every year my family has a huge family party for Christmas Eve at either my grandparent's or cousin's house, but our family is growing so large that they have rented a hall this year. We draw names and exchange gifts so that no one gets left out. At the local malls you will find Santa, eager to greet children and listen to their wish-lists. Christmas is a magical time of year in New England, fun for all! Do you share in any Christmas traditions?

100 DAYS OF CENTRAL MASS FEATURES THANKSGIVING

Halloween has passed and just around the corner is Thanksgiving, one of my dad's favorite holidays. This is a good time to enjoy Plymouth Rock in Plymouth, MA. Plymouth Rock is the traditional site where William Bradford and the Mayflower Pilgrims founded Plymouth Colony in 1620, which became the United States of America.

Here in Central Mass, we enjoy the sites of wild turkeys out in the country and lots of colorful leaves on the ground, left over from Fall. Old Sturbridge Village is open year round and is another great place to visit during this time of the year. They offer an authentic look into the past with costumes and over 40 original buildings that resemble the 19th century.

We celebrate Thanksgiving with loved ones, eating turkey and watching Dallas Cowboys play football. I'm really looking forward to getting stuffed and relaxing in FL this Thanksgiving with James' family. What are your Thanksgiving traditions and favorites?