Saturday, August 29, 2009

Live Free or Die-NH

Two weeks ago, we took an extended weekend visit to New Hampshire to stay with my aunt and uncle. Live free or die is on their license plates and tells you something of the people who live there. We had our first outdoorsy adventures in a long time. Generally, our time outdoors is going to the playground or, more recently, the beach. Our first full day in NH we climbed Mt. Piper and picked a gallon of blueberries.

The kids got tired, but mostly they walked. Round-trip this was a two mile excursion uphill-yes, both ways:)
My aunt Janet made us a blueberry pie and then sent us home with the rest of the blueberries. Yummy.
Our second day we spent canoeing and swimming on Lake Squam. If you've seen "On Golden Pond" with Katherine Hepburn and Henry Fonda, this is the lake. It's gorgeous. Notice how you don't see any cottages? They are required to leave the trees along the shoreline and build behind them, pure genius.

Nate became a blueberry connoisseur. We picnicked on a huge rock and, while wading around, Nate found blueberry bushes and helped himself.

Fun swimming with Daddy.

Seven or seventeen?
Okay, this lake is full of huge boulders. They freak me out. Even though we were in a canoe-thus only two inches down in the water-I could imagine us tipping or getting a hole in the canoe. No wonder they chose that particular problem in the movie.

My Uncle Gary hoping to see some wildlife. Overly hopeful with my loud children in his canoe.

Loons. They had a baby with them but I couldn't get him in the photo. They have the most beautiful call.

On our final day of the visit we went to the Squam Lake Science Center where my aunt works. It's very child-friendly and has a lot of animals native to the area. I like this photo of the kids.

Let's go Cougars...let's go! I mean, We Are...Penn State! I have conflicting loyalties.

The girls in a faux bear cave. They loved this.
Nate and my aunt studying what a bear eats.

We walked through a marsh area on our way to the exit and I saw this Monarch. We had a great visit that Nate can't stop talking about.

4 comments:

  1. YUUUUMMMMMMM....BLUEBERRIES....
    I wish we could get them here. NH looks like a great place.

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  2. Looks like a great trip. That is really such a beautiful lake, and I'm sure that the blueberries were great. I love the picture of the Cougar, or Nittany Lion if you prefer. I guess that if you have conflicting loyalties, it might as well be between schools with almost identical colors and mascots. Just be vague and you can be cheering them both on!
    Lucy keeps talking about Nate, I don't know what she saying about him half the time, but he's still a part of her vocabulary.

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  3. So you guys totally live in the most idyllic looking place. I'm so jealous! Can I make requests? More pictures of the kids, please. And make Seth do a guest blogspot. It'll be good for him. Wish me luck on my Joseph performance this week. Sorry you guys can't be here. Sorry I can't be there. Sorry I'm so sorry.

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