Click on this photo to see it in the note cards/prints gallery. In today’s era of mass production, the hand-hewn clapboards, trim, and windows of the Narbonne House c. 1675 of Salem, Mass. are striking. It’s a slanting, bulging beauty of a building in a pleasing putty color. The soft textures of its skin and the rugged simplicity of its windows are increasingly rare. Sometimes in the bustle of everyday commitments, I start to breeze by it without much attention; then I catch myself, and pause to pay it respect. I’m grateful for such a treasure. Visit an historic neighborhood near you; reconnect with time-worn handiwork.

by Katie Hutchison for the House Enthusiast