New Hampshire – Page 7 – New England's Narrow Road

January Snow

The winter has not been a good one. Last year (2013-14) there was a lot of snow and truthfully I handled it much better than all the sleet and freezing rain this year. Up until today there has been only a crusty frozen few inches covering the ground. The driveway is a mass of icy ruts from the melting, rain and re-freeze.

When it rains in winter I have water issues to deal with. After the all-day rain last weekend, I had many inches of water to push out of the garage. First I had to dig trenches in the driveway to direct the water off to the side. Thankfully I had a door put in on the back wall, and it comes in handy in pushing the water out the back.
The water problem is an easy fix. The garage has a drain, but it’s clogged with sand. It’s been like that since I moved here a few years ago. So a new drain, in the back corner at the lowest point would solve the problem.
Just like all the other problems, big and small, nothing can be done about fixing them without money to hire someone to do so. So I deal with the issues as they arise, as best I can.

At least today it’s snow coming down and not rain. It should never rain in winter. In fact it should never get above freezing. That is when all the problems occur. Ice forms and makes walking treacherous and shoveling impossible. These are the things I forgot about while living in Florida for 27 years. I remembered the snow, but not the ice. Shortly after I moved north in 2005 I fell and cracked my head open on black ice. A few stitches later and lesson learned.

If we end up getting more than the 3-7 inches predicted, I will have to start up the snowblower and try to clean up the driveway. It was a bit difficult getting the thing started last time, which was the only time I’ve had to use it so far this season. Usually by now we’ve had a number of big storms here in New Hampshire – like the big one in October 2011. My daughter is disappointed as she likes to go snowboarding. The slopes have been making snow, but it doesn’t compare to nice, fresh powder.

This snowfall looks so pretty. Maybe the rest of the winter will be normal.

Rain Seems Right for This Christmas

winter Christmas snow — White Christmas?

The day before Thanksgiving this year (2014) we had 13 inches of heavy, wet snow (as seen in my photo). We had a white Thanksgiving, but it seems that dreary rain will be the visitor on Christmas day here in New Hampshire and I suppose most of the northeast.

We have to accept what comes, and I have no young children who will whine about not being able to go outdoors and try out the new sled. I do feel bad for others who have children who will whine. At the moment the left over snow, from that one and only big storm is hard and frozen. I guess most of it will be gone once the rain finishes with us. I hope the winter won’t be filled with rain and ice and mush.

Christmas will be practically nonexistent at my house anyway. It will be pretty much like every other day. I will work. Make some food and possibly build a fire – just for the ambiance. My son will spend the day up in his room playing guitar and my daughter will visit her boyfriend. My Christmas meal will be a simple turkey and stuffing bake (no big turkey – ugh), with cranberry sauce and gravy. I am planning to make a cheesecake, which the kids will enjoy.

Joy for the holidays is missing. The country is a mess, with those who are supposed to be leading us, at all levels, lacking in decency and moral beliefs. When people can march through the streets in the USA and chant that they want “dead cops”, there is something seriously and frighteningly wrong.

Christmas is the day we try to leave that behind and just enjoy family, and the reason behind the celebration. But I will be glad when all the talk of the importance of family is over with. Anyone who is alone at the holidays knows how I feel. There will be no big meal created by relatives all pitching in. No waiting for special people to show up at the door, or traveling to see family. No fabulous desserts made by Auntie, or cookies baked by grandma. No long table filled with loved ones sharing stories and laughter. Festive times are a thing of the past – the far away past.

In my own heart I celebrate the birth of Jesus every day. I depend on him always, and pray for his help throughout each day. Christmas makes me wonder how well Jesus really likes the fact that we do the holiday the way we do. I suspect it does not please him as much as many would like to believe.
This year, rain is the perfect accompaniment for the holiday.

Fall Photography 2014

Now that Fall is about over and the beautiful foliage has mostly blown away, I have time to get my Fall photography, 2014 ready to share.
These photos were taken by me and some of them were taken as I was driving. So they are not perfect, but they capture some of the nice color we were blessed with this Autumn season.
Some photos were taken along Route 202, and some were taken as I walked around a local lake. Then I drove out through Antrim and Hancock for some more rural photos.

pictures of fall 2014 — Gracie’s Grain on Rt. 202

fall road — Along Rt. 202 heading to Peterborough, NH

fall foliage by a lake — Lakeside Foliage

fall foliage, trees in a field — Seasonal Field

fall season photography — Foliage Along the Water

A Trip to The Lake to Photograph Fall

fall foliage photography — Orange Leaves at Gregg Lake

I was finally able to take a ride around the area where I live in the Monadnock region of New Hampshire, and take some fall pictures. One of my favorite places to photograph is near a lake in Antrim. It’s usually quiet, and the scenery is very pretty at any time of year, but fall can be a great time to get photos.

We’d had some nasty rainy weather just about the time I noticed that the autumn color was really nice. I hate when that happens. The foliage brightens and then leaves us all to quickly as it is, and we don’t need the weather to knock the leaves off even earlier. But what can you do?

Fortunately I had driven along Rt. 202 to the computer repair shop in Antrim and my son was riding with me. I brought the camera and asked him to take pictures of anything that looked good along the way. And he got some pretty good images.

Then I went back up to Antrim to specifically visit Gregg Lake. But by the time there was good enough weather, the leaves were looking a bit gone by. And sure enough, when I got to the lake, it wasn’t too wonderful color wise. But I did take a bunch of photos anyway, like the one of the orange leaves headlining this post. I made it into a poster and will add it to other items in my Fall Colors online store.

I had a nice and peaceful visit to my old stomping grounds, and even ran into an old friend who was walking her dogs. Fall is still looking pretty good as I write this, but shortly the season will be ending, and we know what comes next!