Friday, August 30, 2013

New Hampshire Trip - Part 2

This is the continuation of my travelogue on my recent trip to southern New Hampshire.

Monday was a vacation day for son Tim (age 37), so we got to spend some "quality time" together.  Carrie was nervous about her first day as an adjunct faculty member at the University of New Hampshire, so she left early, and the grandkids were at Melody Pines Day Camp in Manchester.  The day camp is operated by Carrie's sister Erika and her husband Steve. It's been in his family for decades.

So Tim and I hopped in the pickup and headed north over hill and dale.



In the Midwest, most roads intersect at 90-degree angles, and it is easy to tell what direction you're going. As a flatlander, I am amazed how the kids navigate the winding wooded roads without getting lost.  It's also strange to see rock fences instead of barbed wire.  The rock fences remind me of Robert Frost's poem, Mending Wall, which concludes "Good fences make good neighbors."



Here is one of the scenic highlights.


I can understand Thoreau's fascination with Walden Pond.  This isn't Walden (no tourists), but it is a tranquil New England pond or small lake.

We also stopped at a wonderful orchard where we bought apples, peaches, and wild blueberries.


In mid-afternoon, we picked up Garrison to take him to his pre-kindergarten doctor's appointment.
He was very brave, but his arm hurt a little that night after four immunizations, hence the ice pack:



Monday night, Madeline and I worked on her doll quilt.  Tim and I had stopped at The Golden Gese Quilt Shop in Concord, NH, because Madeline was anxious to sew.  After she finished hand piecing her first three patches, she gave me a panicked look and said, "You won't sell this, will you?"  I assured her that her first doll quilt was hers to keep! She was very proud of her 4-patches.


When she finishes all 12 patches, she will mail them to me, and I will quilt and bind it for her and mail it back.

Tuesday, it was Tim who had a big day at work, so daughter-in-law Carrie and I headed to Goffstown to drop off paperwork at Madeline's school, Garrison's kindergarten, and Garrison's Montessori school.  We also visited the Goffstown Public Library.  I found two children's quilting books for Madeline with excellent illustrations and photos to "coach" her in my absence.

We met Tim for a picnic lunch at the beautiful Fidelity Investments campus in Manchester before heading to the airport.



I miss my kids and grandkids, the trees, the beautiful lakes and streams, and the 70-degree temperatures -- but it's also good to be home.

This weekend my stepdaughter Jenny is visiting from Colorado to help her dad celebrate his 70th birthday (a day early).  I'm also anxious to hear about granddaughter Erin's first week as a college coed at the University of Nebraska.  Go Big Red!  

Wishing my USA blogging buddies a safe and happy Labor Day weekend!  And a wonderful weekend to my blogging buddies "across the pond" and Down Under.

TTFN
LeAnn

5 comments:

  1. Beautiful! I've never spent much time in New Hampshire, but I've been in other states near by. The wild beauty is astounding! Glad you had a good trip. =)

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  2. that was a quick trip! next time you must get to the seacoast. so much to see in our state.

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    1. I've been to Portsmouth--but not this trip. Beautiful state!

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  3. What a fun visit! Looks like you had a great time.

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