Grey winters day

I was feeling inspired by the snowstorm we had yesterday so I thought I'd go for a drive and take a few pictures. All images were taken in Seabrook, NH or Salisbury, MA. 

It appears we are in for a big storm in the next couple days! Not sure if I'm happy about that or not. 

Hope you enjoy : )

SPRING IS COMING!!!

Welcoming back the colors of spring!

No Easter eggs here today. Instead I bring you color of a different sort.

All these images were shot this week during a walk in, and around, Strawbery Banke, Portsmouth, NH

Today we'll be having dinner with my in-laws. I'm sure there will be plenty of good food and good conversation. 

The weather is expected to be nice for the next several days but we sure could use the rain! Yesterday I actually went out and watered the garden. In April that's unheard of! After a winter of almost no snow, and a spring with little precipitation, we are under a high fire warning. When I noticed the buds and flowers falling off the double-flowering Cherry tree I knew something wasn't right. Sure enough the ground sucked the water up like a sponge.

Tuesday morning I'm going in for an MRI for my lower back and possible bulging disc. It's been bothering me since the beginning of last September. Twice now I've had physical therapy but so far it hasn't helped much. Has anyone else every had a semi-open MRI? I just wasn't up for being put in a tube! 

Because of my back I can only sit at the computer for so long, so I aplogize for not responding to your comments or visiting your blogs more often. The more I sit the worse my back feels. 

I hope your Easter is filled with springtime joy and color! 

Mount Washington Hotel

Well, almost. First I just wanted to throw in this one final image of Willey Pond that I left out of my Willey Pond post.

It was such a beautiful stop over. I do hope to get back again someday in the not to distant future. I'd especially love to go in the winter!

Now, onto the Mount Washington Hotel.

Because the Hotel is so historic (constructed from 1900-1902), and so beautiful, it has it's own scenic pull-off on the side of the road. The view is spectacular and while we were there a constant flow of visitors kept coming and going. It's also the place my niece's boyfriend proposed to her earlier this year. So sweet. The wedding is coming up soon, on September 4th!

It would have been nice to drive up the long winding driveway to see the hotel up close but judging by the gatehouse I doubt they let us in without a purpose.

Of course the Mount Washington Hotel is named after the mountain that shadows it. In the above photo you can see where the Cog Railway goes all the way up to the summit. Have you ever been? I'd love to hear about it! As for us, no we didn't go. We didn't have much time left and you need to plan at least 3 hours round trip, plus being there a half an hour early.

Seeing as how I'm terrified of heights, and a big wimp ... lol ... somehow I doubt I'll ever make the trip. But I'll never say never!

Here you can see a shot of the Mount Washington Observatory, which at 6,288 feet above sea level is the highest peak in the northeast. It's also where the Cog Railway takes you. The Cog's website has some wonderful scenic photo's if you're interested. They almost make you feel like you're right there on the train!
I feel very safe looking at the photos on their website ; )

Cog Railway

Mount Washington Observatory

Maybe next time I come back it will be to stay a night, or two.

Mount Washington Hotel

So I finished taking my photo's, got back in the car, turned the key .... and nothing. Absolutely nothing. The battery was as dead as can be. Although we told the girls we'd stop at a couple other places on the way back to North Conway, we couldn't. My husband was a little grumpy at this point (he hates asking someone for help or a jump start) and he just wanted to get someplace where we could buy a new battery. I knew there was a problem with it for a while but wasn't sure if it was the battery or the alternator. Luckily we weren't out in the middle of nowhere!

This week I'm joining Scenic Sunday for the first time. There's plenty of other links already posted if you'd like to pop on over!

Cathedral Ledge

Our family just returned from a brief getaway in Jackson, NH. We had a great time with lots of laughs and memories so I thought I’d share some of those memories in the next few posts. The first being Cathedral Ledge/Echo Lake State Park located in Conway NH.

Climbing 700 ft, Cathedral Ledge is popular with those who enjoy rock and ice climbing. My husband had always heard there was a road to the top of the Ledge but we’d never really looked for it. Um, it’s not to difficult to find! Just go to the Echo Lake State Park entrance on West Side Road and follow the signs! At the time we arrived the sun was setting and storms were in the distance. The gate was still open and there was no fee for the (rather short but steep) drive.

  The view above is looking north towards Jackson. If you look closely you’ll notice a cloud drifting by in the middle of the photo. It was a humid evening with plenty of haze.

The drop is severe. Being I’m quite afraid of heights, I kept my distance from the edge, which is guarded by a chain link fence.

Clouds laying across the valley. The weather was ever changing with clouds racing by.

 

View of West Side Road, a wonderful old farm (which I didn’t get to photograph), and North Conway off in the distance

 

  Andria, enjoying the view

Just a hint of a moon and colored clouds off to the west

The most amazing pink and purple sky. Below the clouds we kept seeing flashes of lightening hitting the ground. At this point things were starting to look a little ominous, plus it was getting dark, so we decided to head back to the room. What a way to end our first day!   

If you’re visiting Conway, North Conway or the surrounding area anytime soon and would like more information about the park you can click HERE

The Laughing Crow Farm

Isn't that a great name for a Farm Stand? And this one is a gem!

What an incredible handmade sign! The man who owns the Farm Stand told Brent and I his girlfriend made it with old pieces of metal and then painted the letters different colors. We just thought the sign and work that went into it was incredible!

Another unusual piece of artwork though I'm not sure who made it. I'm suspecting the girlfriend again though.

There were certainly plenty of items to choose from! After we left and I looked back at this picture, I wondered why we hadn't bought some apples at $1.30 a pound.

The Farm Stand mascot. He's not real ya know ; )

Everywhere you look there's more handmade art. My younger daughter would have loved this Penguin! She is a big fan of the black and white cuties.

I noticed the red water bowl sitting there with fresh water still in it but never did see a dog.

Just look at this old scale! Wonder what it was ever used for? Meat would be my guess.

I loved this center piece. See how the iron forms a pumpkin shape? Everywhere you look in this little stand is more 'stuff'!

Check out this Crows sign. It has a price of $85 for the handmade Birdhouses, coming up next!

You're thinking, "$85 for a Bird House?" All of the house's were made from recycled materials and hand painted. And that takes a lot of time! This one with the Crow was my favorite!

I think my husband liked the one with the Sheep and that's why I took a picture of it. There were plenty of other with different designs. All of them hung well out of reach so that no one could steal them. Especially since they sometimes have to rely on the Honor System.

Oh my gosh . . . these Coconut Macaroons were to die for! The woman who waited on us had made them and said they were quite good. Believe me, she wasn't lying. They were outstanding! Far better than I had anticipated! Oh just the thought of them . . .

The Laughing Crow Farm is located in Newfields, NH, and the Newfields General Store, about 1/2 mile away, is basically downtown. Don't blink or you might miss it. If there's something you want, including excellent homemade food, they probably have it! My daughter and her girl friends used to go there all the time.

Last but not least, another gorgeous yellow Colonial. I'm searching them out and everytime I find one I'm going to take a picture and post it.