New Hampshire – Page 38 – New England's Narrow Road

Apple Picking at Norway Hill Orchards

Norway hill apple orchard — The Apple Stand at Norway Hill Orchards

I can’t believe I waited so long to pick apples this year. I would have to kick myself if I let the season pass without picking some fresh, juicy apples. A few days ago the weather was just gorgeous and my son and I drove to Hancock, New Hampshire to pick some Courtland apples at Norway Hill Orchard. It’s just off Rt. 202 and you can get there by going up Forest Rd., or Norway Hill road.

(UPDATE, 2018: This orchard is closed. So sad.)

View in the apple orchard — The homestead – Are they lucky or what?

Actually the variety available was mind-boggling and since I usually pick Macintosh (they were about gone by then), I chose the Courtlands, which turned out to be very delicious.
It was easy to see that the season was about gone, with all the rotted “drops” under the trees, but we filled our peck size bag, paid the $9.

apple orchard and view of mt. monadnock — View of Mount Monadnock from the Orchard

Traveling around these New Hampshire roads in Fall is such a treat. When I first moved here from Florida I felt like I was driving through a beautiful painting each time I took a trip. Going to the grocery store was almost enjoyable.

On the way home I snapped this photo going down the hill from the orchard. As we headed to the house, I began making notes of all the recipes I would be trying soon with my fresh picked apples.

If you are making a day of it here in New Hampshire, you could travel down through Hancock and head out Rt. 123 to Stoddard and climb Pitcher Mountain. It’s not a long climb and the views are spectacular.

Unconventional Looking Wild Mushrooms

This mushroom is growing right outside my door – almost – so I keep checking on it. With my hand next to it you can see the size and there are other blobby growths on this dead Hemlock tree as well, which are the babies I suppose.

This tree has quite a few of these smaller round mushrooms.

Although these growths are very strange looking, I found the most bizarre mushroom on a walk last year. It was so odd looking – kind of like a brain, that I purposely remembered where it was so I could go back with my camera and get a photo.
See it below. I should go back and check to see if it’s growing there again this year.
If you know what it is, I’d love to hear from you.

Little Orange Mushrooms

I don’t know what kind of mushroom these are, but I came across them as I was hiking the woods around my place. Unless you pay close attention when walking in the woods, you will miss these little bunches of fungi.One thing I’ve learned from reading about mushrooms is that they will change their look…

by Pam 10/09/201010/24/2024

Orange Mushrooms A Few Days Later

I posted a picture of these mushrooms in my previous post and they were just little, orange buttons. Now, a few days later they have “mushroomed” into flat heads as you can see in this photo. I don’t know why, all of a sudden, I am so interested in mushrooms, but I find myself on…

by Pam 10/09/201010/24/2024

The Mushrooms are Blooming

Lately there are numerous mushrooms in the yard and in the woods. Today is sunny and cool and too gorgeous to be inside working…so I took a break and took the camera out to get some mushroom pictures. I have tried to identify these by using my Field Guide to New England, but I am…

by Pam 09/24/200901/16/2021

Return of The Juncos

Each October all of a sudden I will look outside and see that the Juncos have returned for the winter. They cover the grass in search for whatever it is that they eat and I know they will be around all winter eating something off the top of the snow. It’s just another part of the changing seasons here in the northeast, but this year I am wondering if my cats will be catching any of them. I hope not, but Richie and Fontana were not living here at this time last year, and they are typical hunters – Richie especially – so I guess we’ll see.

I’ve kept sunflower seeds in my Heritage bird feeder (it’s my favorite feeder) all summer to attract birds to the yard in hopes that they will eat the bugs that can get annoying. I haven’t had any bear problems yet and hope I won’t. I really don’t want to lose my feeder, but this is the time of year that the bears fill up for the winter hibernation and my feeder is already dented from a previous attack a couple of years ago.

Make Your Own Suet For Winter Bird Feeding (newenglandsnarrowroad.wordpress.com)

The Girl Scout Camp

I APOLOGIZE if you are seeing 2 signs here…something is wonky…please pretend you only see one!

On with the post: I borrowed part of the wooden map at the local camp to make my recent blog header. Camp Chenoa is a Girl Scout camp on Gregg Lake in the town of Antrim, New Hampshire. Each summer cars come and go each week dropping off and picking up the kids who have spent time there doing all the fun things campers do. I suppose some of them worked hard to make this wooden map of the grounds.

When the camp is closed down for the off-season, it’s a place where local people walk or take their dogs for walks. At one time a family with a lot of boys lived in the ranger’s home which is on the property. It was great for my son and he made some good friends. Unfortunately they moved away.

camp chenoa dining hall — Camp Chenoa’s Dining Hall

Its a beautiful area and the camp road makes a loop so it’s possible to walk all the way around if you have the time and energy. There are trails, a fire pit, a climbing wall and little cabins scattered all over. The large dining area is also used for weddings and I suppose other events. It certainly has a great view of Gregg Lake.

tent city at the girl scout camp — Tent City

Tent City can only be seen in the nice weather. These tents come down for the winter months leaving only the wooden decks underneath. I honestly give the girls a lot of credit sleeping in these. I bet they hear a lot of wildlife during the night. But being right on the water, I also bet it’s beautiful.

The little cabin at the beginning of this post is also part of the camp property, but it’s located across the street and way out in the woods.