Sisters

 

We met Carol in Manchester today and had lunch at the Red Arrow Diner. Carol got her sticker saying she was de-virginized as a first timer and they rang the bell and embarrassed  her to our delight. The food was good and the place was packed and just as crazy as on our first visit. It is midway between us and a good place to meet.

Sand Castles

Who knew that New Hampshire had beautiful beaches? Today we went "down the shore" as we say in New Jersey. Just over an hour south of us is the Atlantic Ocean and Hampton Beach. I almost thought I was back at the Jersey shore. The sky was so blue with puffy and wispy clouds that made me glad to enjoy the outdoors.

The beach was pretty full with sun bathers and lots of folks were in the water. We walked and stopped for beach food and what fun would that be if the gulls didn't beg for your food? This herring gull was very brave and posed nicely for pictures.

Our main purpose in coming was to see the annual sand sculpting competition. Today they were still carving and the judging is this weekend, but we will be working. We were very impressed by the artists and their works. In the center was a large sculpture with all the advertisers. 250 tons of sand were brought in for the competition and it will be lit for night viewing.

This gal seemed to be conversing with Gandalf and contemplating how to finish him.

We really enjoyed this beach town and hope to return when it is warmer so we can enjoy the ocean.

9 to 5

We've been working and playing since I last wrote. More chilly weather and some rain. Hoping it will finally get warm and stay dry for a while. School gets out this week and we should get busier during the week and on the weekends. I have been in the reservations office all week and I like it when it is busy with calls and emails. Jeff had a few days in the store and we had lots of time off. We sleep late and take walks with Sirius. We try to take him to the dog park where he chases a ball and gets plenty of exercise. So far he has been the only dog there so he plays with us. One day I stopped at a dumpster to throw in our trash. As I opened the side door a terrified squirrel flew (yes flew) past my head and onto the road. Poor thing was screeching and who knows how long it had been in there. Well, I was terrified too and thankful that it didn't land on me.

Today we headed south on Route 16 and then west to the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee. We arrived at Wolfeboro with a population of 6000+ and an adorable downtown area. Lots of shops and restaurants along the main street and waterfront. There is a fancy prep school there called Brewster Academy with the beautiful Pinckney Boathouse. Wonder if it is related to our South Carolina Pinckneys?

We found a place with outdoor seating for lunch and enjoyed the views. Sirius was a very good boy and everyone stopped to pet him. While we were there the Winnipesaukee Belle pulled out with a sightseeing tour. We will try to do that this summer or one of the larger boats from Weir's Beach.

After lunch we visited the tourist office in the old train station and window shopped. There was a lovely park where we sat in the sunshine enjoying the views and a whimsical sculpture that was not J. Seward Johnson.

On the way to the car we stopped off for ice cream. Jeff shared a few licks with Sirius who thinks human treats are better than his own.

A fun day and now we are home, had dinner and went to the dog park.We'll watch some TV and make plans for tomorrow. This is a tough job, but someone has to do it!

A Room With A View

The end of another week and we are off today - yea! We did our laundry and grocery shopping and then time for a nap. Tonight we had dinner at a lovely inn with magnificent mountain views. First we had drinks on their deck and then a window table with great scenery and delicious food and terrific service.

The little chipmunk put on quite a show for us.

When we got back to camp Jeff posed with our new mascot, Chocolate Moose.

Jumpin' at the Woodside

Monday is a perfect day to stroll in the woods. We are off again and so we slept late and then took a ride over the state border into Maine. We arrived in Wells, which is a cute seaside town, just before lunch and in time to have some "chowdah" at Billy's Chowder House right on the harbor.

We had camped in Wells many years ago and places looked familiar. Today we drove north to the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge. We walked their one mile trail through the woods and enjoyed the scenery and peacefulness. Lots of trees and the ground was covered with ferns and other shrubs.

We only saw one bird the entire day and I believe it is an Eastern Phoebe.

Afterwards we drove home through the town of Cornish and stopped at a fabulous butcher shop. Jeff got some steaks and pork chops. Now we had dinner and are watching "Silver Linings Playbook" on TV.

I'll Fly Away

Jeff noticed these beautiful moths on a lamp post in our campground. The top one has a fuzzy yellow body and white wings. The lower moth also has a yellow body with purple wings with a white stripe. Both have fuzzy purple antennae. Found out it is a rosy maple moth and lives in all types of maple trees.

The Wall

We got off to a late start today to see Jan and Ray and have another adventure. Weather was good with sun and cool temps so we decided on another hike. We drove to Diana's Bath in North Conway and walked in 6/10 of a mile. The wide path was heavily wooded and at the end we found water cascading down levels of rocks. One area had concrete walls and was probably the bath. We will definitely come back in warmer weather to swim here.

Next stop was Cathedral Ledge which is in Echo Park. I have seen a photo of the ledge in a huge wall of granite and it is a popular place for rock climbers. We drove up to the top of the rock wall and ventured out to the edge where there is a fenced viewing area. Across the way we saw a lone soul who was climbing or rappelling and without a helmet!

After all that fun we decided it was too early for dinner so we stopped off for some wine and appetizers. It is good to sit and visit with friends and tell stories and laugh. Tomorrow our pals leave for parts south and we have another day off to enjoy.

What a Day for a Daydream...

It's Wednesday our day off and the weather is gorgeous. In the morning we worked on our campsite and the Mintzes came over around noon. I took them for a tour and they played with Sirius who loved the attention. We piled into the car and took off for an adventure. Our first stop was the Albany Covered Bridge on the Kancamagus Highway. Next stop was the Lower Falls where we climbed down to the river and sat on the rocks. Jeff set our camera on a rock and set the timer. Then he ran and sat down in time to be in the photo. Lots of laughs.

Back in the car we continued west admiring the scenery. Next stop was Sabbaday Falls where we walked the path and stairs to the top of the falls.

We finally got to the end of the road in Lincoln and then drove on to N. Woodstock. Time for dinner at the Woodstock Inn. The food and ambience were great and we enjoyed ourselves. On the way out I met their moose mascot.

We drove north through the "flume" area and out past the south side of Mt. Washington. Passed more beautiful scenery and finally got back to N. Conway in time to get ice cream cones. A great day!

Put on a Happy Face

It is so great to see a familiar face when you are away from home. Our pals Jan and Ray are visiting us as they take a whirlwind tour of the northeast. They arrived this afternoon and we met for dinner and some laughs. Here we are posing after dessert. Tomorrow and Friday we plan to show them the beauty of the White Mountains region and hope the weather cooperates.

Baby Face

After torrential rain the sun is out and Sirius got to play at the dog park. He is such a good boy and a great companion in the RV. He patiently waits for us to return from work and always looks happy to see us. Never barks or complains.
This luna moth hung on the office window screen all day today. It is so beautiful and colorful. I posted a photo of the caterpillar stage last year and it was an amazing shade of green also.