2016 - East Coast - New Hampshire

More lovely stone walls, more charming New England towns, now nestled in valleys or perched on hillsides, more church steeples piercing the sky, the mountains blue in the distance, trees beginning to display their autumn coats, rivers and streams running clear over slate and granite.  BEAUTIFUL!

We have been fortunate to have spent our stay in NH at a campground situated between Littleton and Lisbon, where we have had a remarkable campsite right on the Ammonoosuc River, a tributary of the Connecticut River. Every morning we've watched mist rising over this fast-flowing, shallow river until it was burned off by the sun, and one morning watched a fly-fisherman at play in front of our campsite. 

The city of Littleton flies in the face of the current negativism as reflected in the daily news by focusing on happiness - seriously focusing on happiness through things that universally bring us joy.  There are painted pianos in little kiosks scattered every few blocks on the main street inviting people to play, some stores have painted guitars on stands outside their doors encouraging passersby to play a few chords, and an installation of various xylophones on the bank of the river running through town, with a sign saying they are for those with all levels of musical skill, or lack of it. One day we visited a quilt show sponsored by a local quilt guild. The quilts were lovingly displayed in the Opera House, a beautifully restored town hall.  That same day - a Sunday - the town was hosting a farmers market by the river and an arts and crafts show all up and down the main street.  

We came to this city, this campground, so that we would have TV and/or Wi-Fi signal for Monday's Presidential Debate, and stayed because of it's charm and the perfect location from which to explore the White Mountains on driving tours and walking tours. 

One day we visited The Frost Place in Franconia, NH. This museum is the charming old farmhouse perched on a hillside where Frost farmed and wrote for four years, and where he returned for summers for years afterward. The Frost House now sponsors one poet a year to live on the property and concentrate on their art during the months of July and August. There is a lovely nature trail with scattered placards that display poems that Frost wrote during his time in Franconia. This was a relaxing way to spend part of a day in this area.