(Undisclosed Address), Montague, MA 01351

Wouldn't you love to live in Montague? Walk to the Bookmill or around town every day, surrounded by the peace and quiet of the countryside, yet in a lively, active community of people who care about where they live? Well, I may be able to help. This is my home, available for one year rental while I'm traveling. The house is sunny, spacious, and open, and includes a garage space. You pay utilities (gas for cooking and hot water, electric heat, shared wifi, and trash); I take care of the lawn (it's on an acre of land). It is an open-plan, sunny, country home with big closets for storage, wood floors in the bedrooms, and across the open living/dining room, carpets in the entryway and on the stairs, linoleum flooring in the kitchen and bathroom, a gas stove in the kitchen, and a deck out back. You'll find peace and quiet here. Montague Center is one of the hidden gems of western Massachusetts. It is an active, involved community where people get to know each other through a wide variety of cultural and social events, yet there is plenty of space and privacy as well. And it is close enough to highways as well as local colleges and universities, not to mention Boston and New York City to offer easy access to a rich diversity of cultural, social, and business activities. It sits in the midst of some of the best biking, hiking, and cross-country skiing in the area. House features: 1. Comfortably furnished (there's currently a king-size bed in the front bedroom that can stay or go, your choice; ditto the back bedroom) 2. Rural, retreat-like setting 3. Cool and shady in summer, warm and sunny in winter 4. So wonderfully quiet all you hear is birds and peepers when you leave your windows open at night. 5. One of two detached, private units with beautiful views of the surrounding hills, woods, and fields. (the second separate unit is a studio over the garage in which there will be one quiet person.) 6. Wide-board pine floors in the living and dining areas, and both bedrooms upstairs 7. Two large second-floor, corner bedrooms with large closets 8. Spacious kitchen with pantry and appliances (refrigerator, microwave, gas stove, dishwasher) 9. Washing machine in the basement, with hookup for dryer if you want one. 10. Garage space for parking one car with a garage-door opener (nice on those snowy days). Utilities: 1. Heat is electric and passive solar, estimated at $250/mo average over the year (highly dependent on your usage, of course, along with fluctuating energy prices at the moment). 2. Newer, efficient wood stove in the living room (if you use it, you have the chimney cleaned). 3. Gas range and gas-heated hot water (est $99/mo, again dependent on your usage and current fluctuating energy prices) 4. You pay all utilities and take care of your own snow removal (shovel or snow-blowing; I do not allow plowing) 5. I take care of lawn care; recycling is free, you pay for trash collection with a $3 sticker for each barrel. 6. There is a washing machine on-site; I do not have an electric dryer but there is a clothesline available for your use. Getting Around: Nearby are hiking and cross-country skiing trails, streams for fishing, rivers for boating, and low-traffic biking roads. Within walking distance of the Valley's popular local cafe, the Montague Bookmill. Also located 10 minutes from Route 2; 15 minutes from Route 91, UMass, and Old Deerfield, and 20 minutes from Amherst College, as well as schools such as Northfield Mount Herman. Twenty-five minutes from Smith College, Northampton, and Hampshire College. Less than two hours from Boston across scenic Route 2, and 3 to 4 hours from New York City depending on traffic. And there are free tennis courts within 15 minutes! Ideal for quiet, non-smoking, no-fragrance/low-chemical-use people looking for a peaceful, homey oasis in a hectic schedule. Please note, there is no smoking -- of anything by anyone anywhere on the property. If you smoke, please pass this one by. Nor do I allow plug-ins, scented candles, or other toxic fragrances, and I do not accept pets. This is a one-year furnished rental. I accept first, last, and security. Also note that this is fully-furnished -- that is non-negotiable, as are my policies on no smoking, no pets, and minimal fragrances/chemicals.