"The road not taken.................."

..............a snippet from that wonderful poem.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost - Pub. 1916

Robert Frost, pub. 1916

After spending a few lovely days in Vermont, western and northern New Hampshire, 

and the seacoast, we returned to Manchester, Bob's hometown.

Having lived there for a few years long ago, I've seen a lot of places of interest 

in and around the city, but one I really enjoyed going back to, just short ride

 from the city, was the farm home of renowned and much-loved American poet,

 Robert Frost.

Though very hot, it was a perfect afternoon to stroll here for a little while

 taking in the country views, fruiting trees, birds chirping. . . . . . and only a

 few other tourists.

I'm home now and have lots to catch up with including comments - I'll 

stop by soon!

These August days of overwhelming heat are uncomfortable and tiring. 

Our travel back to Raleigh was exhausting with delayed, then canceled, flights

 due to storms . . . . . . . . and arriving home at an ungodly hour! I need to catch

 up with sleep and chores.  Laundry is done, ironing awaits. 

Garden is parched and sad looking, must water deeply today with no rain due. 

Bird feeders need washing and refilling. I'm now kitty sitting for my neighbor

 for the next two weeks. 

So lots to keep me busy - but I'll be back here soon with more of the 

great New England trip, including a fabulous visit to a favorite blogging friend,

discovering some lovely places to eat, a little shopping. . . . . . and a wild ride!

Lovely New England. . . . . . . . .

Flying into New Hampshire. 

The heavy clouds parted as we landed in Manchester yesterday.
 Hometown for Bob. Full of memories.

The sun came out. No humidity. It's green and fresh. Cooler.

I can breathe again!

We lived here in another time. Long ago. Perhaps we will move back.

New England, old England. . . . . . .how would I choose?

Heading to bucolic Vermont - another day of sunshine.

Lakeside Independence Day. . . . . . . . .

Part of our afternoon was spent at lovely Lake Massabesic in Bob's hometown of Manchester, New Hampshire.
It was HOT - reaching 96F - with brilliant sunshine.
Because this is the drinking water for the city, there is no swimming, and 
only small boats are permitted on the water. 

Mommy duck with her babies - all were enjoying a swim along the

 shoreline where we were sitting enjoying an ice cream under a shady tree.

Flying home later today - from one hot spot to another. Actually, the heat has been even 

more intense here in New England and Eastern Canada than back in North Carolina

 these past 10 days!!!

Independence Day 2018. . . . . . . . .

The Lady of the Sea - New Hampshire Marine Memorial

Designed by Alice E. Cosgrove : 1909-1971

A memorial dedicated to all New Hampshire servicepersons
lost at sea due to warfare.

Hampton Beach, New Hampshire 
4th of July, 2018

Have a fabulous time today!

A man of words………

The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises 

to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.

. . . . . Robert Frost

The Road Not Taken

BY ROBERT FROST

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

It's been many years since I stopped to view Robert Frost's lovely small farm in New Hampshire.

Pristine in the late afternoon sunshine, the farm buildings sit right on the side of the two lane road. 

There are no fences, just rows of native granite, solid and natural, making the property simple and inviting. 

I suggest you stop by if taking the back road as we did on Saturday. . . .the "one less traveled". 

It might just make all the difference for you also.

******

The 'road' home yesterday was definitely not an easy one.

Mechanical problems caused the plane coming to get us to 

return to Philadelphia. Next one came much later and then 

we were stacked up above 'the city of brotherly love', 

buffeted by wind and rain for a long time prior to 

landing - I always dislike that part. 

Then an even later flight out of Philly, where the bad 

weather caused another take-off delay as there were 30 planes 

in line ahead of us trying to get off the ground. I 

could have flown to Europe in that time!

Once up, a smooth run to North Carolina and, right 

at the stroke of midnight, a great feeling turning the

key in the cottage door - safely home again.

Hope you enjoy your Labor Day celebrations - mine will 

definitely be quiet and spent here at home.

Making a home……

If you're married, or living with a partner, have you 

moved since you first put down roots in a home together?

I was living in a tiny apartment in Washington, D.C. when 

Bob and I married almost fifty years ago! Within a 

couple of weeks we moved to Bob's home town of Manchester, 

New Hampshire . . .  

 . . . and set up house in this lovely home, renting the 

second floor from the elderly French Canadian owners who 

lived downstairs. We had to scrimp to pay the rent - times 

were really tough for us in those days. I would often sit 

on the back steps looking out across the city to 

Mt. Uncanoonuc in the distance - wondering how on earth 

I had ended up so far from my home and family in England.

I was so happy when we drove by the house today and saw 

how well it has been kept up and is obviously loved by its 

current owners. Those simple wooden steps where I sat,

planning my future, knowing I would probably never live 

in England again, have been replaced by lovely decks 

and stairs. 

The garden was neat and attractive and the red front door 

most welcoming. Some windows were open allowing the fresh 

air in. Notice the beautiful front porch, sadly it was a 

part of the house we were not permitted to use. 

My dear in-laws lived a few hundred yards up the street 

and were very kind to me during my New Hampshire years. 

Burying my mother-in-law next to Bob's father this week 

brought back so many memories. We've spent a lot of time 

driving around town and chatting about those early years.

Today we returned to the cemetery to make sure all was well.

It was, and we feel comfortable leaving for home tomorrow 

knowing our loved ones are together again.

Lake Champlain. . . . . . .

Last night we took an unplanned ferry ride across 

Lake Champlain from Vermont to Plattsburgh, New York.

Old style lakefront vacation lodgings - still very attractive when kept up so well.

Returning to Vermont today we drove down through the sunlit 

lake islands to Burlington, arriving back in Manchester, 

New Hampshire - our starting point last Tuesday. 

Our unplanned road trip turn into a lovely vacation - 

the countryside and coastal regions were all so scenic, 

the kindness of the near perfect late Summer weather was 

a most generous extra.

Always an interesting journey………..

No time to write much as we head even further north this morning toward the Canadian border. We didn't expect to get this far and don't have passports with us so will not be venturing into that lovely land, unfortunately!

More of New Hampshire included the Bretton Woods resort, Bethlehem with historic theatre and quaint shops, and a sudden drop in temps. which had me digging out a jacket to ward off the bracing mountain air.

Vermont was awesome and included a tour of the Cabot cheese factory, with nibbles - dinner at the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier - and scenery to behold!

Looking out at Lake Champlain now and will be on the road after breakfast.

More later.

Continuing the New England road trip………………

We're snuggled into our hotel room in the mountains tonight.  

 This was the view as we drove into North Conway, NH this 
evening, the air cooling comfortably following another

very warm and sunny day.

Evening falls over Mt. Washington, New Hampshire - 6,288 feet, highest mountain in the 

Northeastern United States.

New England countryside.

White Mountains of New Hampshire.

New Hampshire Summers . . . . . . .

I'd almost forgotten how perfect the late Summer days can be

 'up North'. Yesterday we took a drive through New Hampshire 

back roads, stopping at a couple of small country towns, 

once for a coffee, and then to buy yarn from a truly

old-fashioned yarn shop. I thought of how some of my 

blog friends who knit, crochet etc., - including 

Claudia in NY, Tammy far away in Kuwait - would 

have enjoyed being there with me.

It was the most amazing selection of yarns I've ever seen. 

Yes, I did buy some French yarn to knit a scarf while 

TV watching come Winter. Nothing complicated as were 

some of the knitted beauties on display in the shop, 

because I don't need complications at this time of life.

Domed building is the State House in New Hampshire's 

capital city of Concord.

The red house and barns were a gracious complex of 

buildings, and FOR SALE, set back from a country road rolling 

through the small town of Weare. I can imagine it soon 

dressed in even more color as Autumn foliage appears.

I'd enjoy living there, just far enough removed from the 

madding crowd such as we now have in greater Raleigh, which 

by the way, welcomed its one millionth resident last Friday!

I lived up here in New England for 12 years - I think I 

could return quite easily.