New Hampshire

New Hampshire is no doubt a beautiful state, some would argue the prettiest, I’m biased but each state has its own natural beauty, but I believe New Hampshire has to be in the top ten. New Hampshire is not a tremendously big state so it’s easy to drive the length and breadth of it but if you take time to take in all the areas of beauty it could take you weeks.

The coastal areas with the great waves crashing sometimes with a thunderous roar, the birds, the beaches. How beautiful it is to go to the beach with friends and just kick back, poor on the suntan lotion, get a tan and enjoy the water. I always come away with a bad sunburn, I guess I never learn.

Driving up the country roads takes you past lakes, rivers and brooks to numerous to mention, each with its own significance, its own beauty and history. What a wonder it is for those who love to fish, there’s nothing like it. I remember stopping at brooks going after a trout; I don’t know who fared better, me or the mosquitoes? I remember taking a breath and choked because of all the mosquitoes I inhaled, sounds ghastly doesn‘t it; but I had fun.

The natural wonders that take your breath away, the unique areas that capture your attention are what makes New Hampshire what it is. The covered bridges, so very rare, so hard to find. My family and I stopped at one covered bridge and had a picnic lunch, we wanted our sons to have time to take it all in, to have something to remember.

The beautiful lakes, the taste of the water, the very feel of it against your skin. I use to love going to Milton Three Ponds, get there early and spend the whole day just having fun. There was another lake in the Milton area, I can’t think of the name of it but people would park their cars along the side of the road, get into their swim trunks and dive in, there was also a Tarzan rope hanging from a limb to swing yourself out into the lake. Afterwards people would get changed and hang their swimming trunks over the cars antenna to dry on the way home. For some the antenna was the only place they kept their trunks, they were always ready for that next opportunity.

The New Hampshire mountains are truly splendiferous, the clouds that cover their peaks, the beautiful trees that cover them. Have any of you ever went into a forested area of White Birch and just laid down on the forest floor and listened to the silence? I have, it will stay with you a lifetime. The drive up the Mount Washington Highway to the top and beholding the wonder of all you see is to incredible to put into words. A link to some of it is: http://www.mountwashington.org/weather/cam/
From summer to winter it is a wonderland.

The leaves that turn in the fall are a wonder that enthralls people from all over and compels them to come, their senses try to take it all in, but how is that possible? Some just stand in awe, others take pictures, while others try to capture it on canvas, but no matter how you try it is impossible, the wonder of it all is constantly changing.

The seasons are full of fascination, each leading into the other, the spring with the budding of the leaves, the March winds, April showers. I love the winter and look forward to waking up to the first snow of the year, a pure white blanket, untouched, unspoiled. I grew up in the country, on the boarder between Union and Milton. As a boy my brothers and sisters and I would walk out onto the porch and brake off the icicles and eat them like a treat, of course now that wouldn‘t be recommended but back then it was fun and part of winter. I use to have loads of fun on my sled running and jumping on it going down a hill. As I was growing up we lived at 14 Pine St., Portsmouth, just down the road from New Franklin School which I attended. The hill on the next street, I believe Start St. was a source of great entertainment for many of us. We would each take turns playing traffic cop at the bottom of the hill at Clinton and Stark Sts. while the rest of us came sliding down and across the street at the bottom into the thick snow to bring us to a stop, what a wonderful and exhilarating way to spend the day, no television just pure unadulterated fun.

I don’t think there is a better sound then walking through the snow in boots with a deep tread, I use to were the ones that are sort of olive colored and tied at the top; what a sound they made, crunch, crunch, beautiful.

Lets not forget the people, I don’t mean those who have migrated to New Hampshire, I mean those with years here, those whose families have a history here, the way they speak, so unique, so genuine, so unmistakable, a way of speaking that shouts where your home is, where your heart is. In the north country they refer to everyone else as flatlanders, a unique term that speaks volumes. It tells of different life styles, different interest, a different pace of life. Regardless, whether flatlander or not, this is our state, New Hampshire. The danger comes from listening to and allowing those who aren’t native to influence the rest of us, if we continue to allow this then everything that makes New Hampshire what it is will be lost to the dustbin of history.

A side note. How many of you have stopped at Gilleys in Portsmouth? How many remember how he use to park the trailer at the corner in Market Square and the police give him a ticket every night before placing their order? http://www.gilleyspmlunch.com/
He was the best, and the place, although moved to a stationary spot, is still going strong, this along with so much else makes us who we are.

After careful thought and consideration I must change my mind, New Hampshire must be placed at the top of the list.