Category: history

a second look, finding my way, Heros, history, honor, memories, perseverance, photography, road trip, travel, Uncategorized

More stops along the way…

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Yesterday I stopped for photos at the Veteran’s Cemetery that I’ve been passing in my travels here in New Hampshire.  The row upon row of headstones are so moving, so many lives cut short, so many sacrifices made.  But when I noticed an elderly woman struggling up the curb with her walker, on her way to honor her husband, or father, or son, I felt ashamed to be thinking in terms of the nice pictures I hoped to take, so I cut that visit short…05-24-19NHVetscemeteryThen I decided to stop at Daniel Webster’s birthplace, having passed the turn-off several times without stopping.  He is a favorite son of New Hampshire, for good reason.05-24-19DanielWebster05-24-19DanielWebsterhouse205-24-19DanielWebsterhouse105-24-19DanielWebsterhouse305-24-19DanielWebsterbeeThere was no sign announcing a turn-off for the last place I stopped yesterday.  I had glimpsed this little structure soon after I arrived here but had no idea where it was that I’d seen it.  I was mad at myself for not stopping that day, so of course I had to stop when I spotted it this time.  I feel as if I’m intruding when I stop for pictures sometimes.  But when you put a sweet little structure like this one out by the side of the road I have to assume that you intended for it to be noticed and appreciated.  And I did both!05-24-19glasshouses305-24-19glasshouses05-24-19glasshouses2

a second look, finding my way, healing, history, memories, moments, perseverance, photography, unintended consequences

Hokey Pokey…

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“You put your right foot in, you take your right foot out”…  The song came to mind this morning as I sat in the dark and quiet with my coffee.  At about a month since I actually moved myself into my new place, as opposed to just moving my stuff into my new place, I think I’ve got it settled.  Maybe.  But all this arranging and rearranging in here started because of how dark it was out in the Florida room.  And the fact that I realized that the windows would take tension rods so I wasn’t going to have to actually install anything.  That’s what got me started.  I made a cat quilt wall hanging for my mother years ago, and it found a home hanging over the ugly, metal trimmed window out there,  It looked cute, I thought.  But the unintended consequence was that it made the kitchen work space darker.  So take it down or figure out how to ‘dress’ that kitchen window? 04-08-19catquilt04-08-19HLshelvesI wasn’t sure I’d stick with this peg board until I came across two of my all time favorite pictures, one of Charley with a 4 pound lobster he ordered in Provincetown years ago, and the one of me making a very rude, and might I add out-of-character, gesture.  I believe they both were taken on the same trip home years ago.  I didn’t realize that I had copies of those pictures, and the bird photo holder that’s never held a photo must have been waiting for this moment.  We look so young.  So it’s still a little dark in that kitchen corner, but for now I’ll just turn the light on and enjoy the memory.  Charley in the kitchen is so appropriate, he was a great cook.  The puzzle pieces are still falling into place.  It may not be time to do the Hokey Pokey and turn myself around quite yet, but it’s getting there…04-08-19Docandme

Chinsegut Conservation Center, Florida landmarks, Florida wildlife, history, learning, live and learn, nature, perseverance, photography, technology, unintended consequences

History come to life…

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I wasn’t expecting a history lesson when I went to join my photographer friends yesterday.  It was to be a hike, and I was welcome to join them.  They hike a LOT, and volunteer at the Chinsegut Conservation Center, and are currently editing/updating a history of the Chinsegut Hill property itself.  So our hike was on property that is not open to the public, but of course we were conscientious and didn’t leave anything behind us, or remove a thing, unless it was ticks.  After a hike they usually remark about how many ticks they have found on themselves afterwards, which is a big reason that I don’t join them often.  “Stay on the paths and you should be all right,” they said, and then the paths disappeared, and on we trudged.

The history lesson concerned the CCC, Civilian Conservation Corps, which I’d heard of but honestly knew nothing about, but I looked it up this morning.  This turned out to be the most popular New Deal program of the time, 1933-1942, and it provided unskilled manual labor for unmarried young men ages 17-28 during those difficult depression years.  They were provided with shelter, clothing, and food, plus a wage of $30/month, $25 of which was required to be sent back to their families.  They labored on lands owned by local, state, and federal governments, and this program was not only a boon to the men and their families, but also led to an appreciation of the outdoors, and the need to protect our national resources.  Chinsegut Hill benefitted from the labors of these men, who built the buildings on the property plus improved the wonderful acres of natural environment, preserving it to this day.  When Betty and Linda first saw this property it was old and worn, but in pristine condition, buildings intact, dishes on the table, a bible beside the toilet, and equipment in the fields.  As if people had just walked away.  But it was recently vandalized, windows broken, and the buildings are now locked.  As Betty said, nature is reclaiming what was hers in the beginning.

So now you know what you are looking at, if you have stuck with me this long.  And as I have written this it has occurred to me that I forgot to check myself for ticks.  Excuse me…03-26=2019CHINSEGUTHILLBROKENWINDOW03-26=2019ChinsegutHill503-26=2019ChinsegutHill403-26=2019CHINSEGUTHILL303-26=2019CHINSEGUTHILL203-26=2019CHINSEGUTHILL03-26=2019ChinsegutHilltruck

There were a lot more photos I still needed to go through, but I’ve just started saving them to my external hard drive.  It’s getting back to them that’s the problem.  But you get the point.

'scene' along the way, a second look, finding my way, friends, history, home, life, life goes on, live and learn, perseverance, photography, progress, road trip, the big picture, travel

Wayside…

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My navigator was using a Massachusetts topographical map to plot a route through the countryside.  Not to hike, thankfully, since it was incredibly cold, but to drive.  It was sunny, and the sky was lovely and blue.  That a photo op might present itself was always a possibility.  My friend worked construction, and from time to time he’d point out an area where he’d worked on a lot of houses, and it seemed that those newer houses in that area had the suburban neighborhood look that I’ve commonly seen, and lived in actually, all over the country.  Those aren’t what appeals to me or what I picture when I think of New England.  I like the random neighborhoods where the houses look very different from each other, random like the stone walls that look as if they weren’t built but that they just appeared along side the road.  He remarked more than once about how built up the countryside has become.  Progress I suppose, people do have to live somewhere.  But I’m happier to drive through the old neighborhoods that look exactly as they did when I grew up here.  And to stop, as we did, for me to take advantage of scenery that I couldn’t resist.  Maybe it’s just this time of life.  I once read that no one thinks harder than a 2-year-old does, because they are constantly confronted with new things that they have to fit into their understanding of their world.  Maybe being retired and having time to think about all the places and experiences of a lifetime is pretty much the same thing.  Just trying to make it all make sense… 02-01-19wayside102-01-19wayside202-01-19wayside3

blessings, connections, friends, fun, history, photography

Anytown, USA…

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Over the years I have enjoyed my friend’s photos of the 4th of July celebrations in her small New Hampshire town, but yesterday I got to enjoy the day in person.  It was as charming as I had expected, with the vendors and town barbecue on the grounds of Proctor Academy, where two of her grandchildren are students, and, of course, the parade.  To know that this sort of celebration was taking place in small towns across America was heartwarming.  Lots of smiles and red, white, and blue…

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'scene' along the way, adventure, bucket list, history, perseverance, photography

Land O Goshen…

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I looked up that phrase to make sure it’s a real thing, and it is.  A Southern expression of amazement.  But I’m no longer down south, where I hear it’s extra toasty weather, and the last five miles of my pilgrimage up north had me driving down Main Street, Goshen, NY.  I didn’t stop right then for photo ops, I was too close to my goal.  But after visiting with my son and his family all afternoon I did run out to see if I could get some pictures of that charming town.  6-16goshenchurchHDR26-16mainstreetHDR26-16pianoHDR26-16catherinesHDR26-16redchurchHDR26-16steepleHDR26-16stevesdeliHDR26-16sweettymesHDR26-16yellowHDR2The piano is an example of what you might find around town.  Old pianos, painted whimsically, and sitting out available for playing, or just admiring.  And the Goshen Town Hall used to house a two room school where Noah Webster once taught.  Where would we be with out Webster’s dictionary?  I might have to head back to Sweet Tymes for an ice cream cone before I leave.  Coffee preferably, but I wouldn’t object to some chocolate chips in it…