New Hampshire is fortunate to be home to many great historic sites. One of these is the Franklin Pierce Homestead. Built in 1804 by Benjamin Pierce, the house sits on a beautiful piece of property in Hillsborough New Hampshire. Today it serves as a museum for Franklin Pierce and his family. During my visit I […]
Rhododendron Bloom Report: July 31, 2015
As I walked around the Rhododendron Loop yesterday (Thursday July 30), I did not see any blooms that were not past their prime. I was not correct in saying that there would be flowers to see in early August. Oh well. Thus is demonstrated the unpredictable nature of the natural world. Even with all the […]
A Magical Time of Year for the Loon Fanatics
“Have you heard the loons yet?” This was a question that I had been asked by so many people after moving to New Hampshire. I thought maybe it was just coincidence, or a topic of small talk familiar among the northerners in the spring. It wasn’t until I experienced the Common Loon for the first […]
Monadnock Walks: Alternatives to Summiting
Mount Monadnock is known for its summit: the bare schist boulders and breathtaking 360 views that reach to Boston. To get to the summit, however, can be a daunting task. A minimum four-mile trek with boulders, smoothed rock, and steep scrambles might be too challenging of a hike for some visitors – especially on rainy […]
Rhododendron Bloom Report: July 23, 2015
Although a few blooms here and there can be seen in the grove, the main “event” of flowers blooming has slipped by us once again. There are several places along the trail where a bush has numerous blooms that are just now reaching fullness, but most of the flower petals from the past week’s blooms […]
A Feast in our Forest
As the Interpretive Ranger at Pawtuckaway State Park, I have the pleasure of living in the woods all season. My cozy campsite offers many appealing features; nighttime calls from my Barred Owl neighbor, a view of a misty wetland, sights and sounds from Pileated Woodpeckers, and the simple pleasures of cooking over a propane burner. […]
Curiosity and Imagination leads to discoveries
When I first drove through Franconia Notch State Park, my first thought was how stunningly beautiful this place was. My second thought was how cool it would be to ride a dragon through the Notch! You see, when I’m hiking alone in the park, I let my imagination and curiosity run wild. Many of the […]
Rhododendron Bloom Report: July 16, 2015
It’s really quite pretty in the grove this week. Lots of fully developed blooms can be seen for the next few days throughout the Rhododendron area. As usual, some places will be almost devoid of blooms, and other places will be almost profuse (if one could say that about this year’s show-it is a bit […]
Wondrous White Lake Walk
They take a deep breath in. It’s controlled and elated, with each inhale they bring themselves further away from the distant memory of stress, and soothed into a nubile state of complacency. As the air leaves their lungs, consumed of its oxygen it becomes a carbon slurry. The breath lofts up, bounding straight for the […]
The Spirit of The Notch
As I drove into Franconia Notch State Park, bright eyed and bushy tailed, I was experiencing everything for the first time. Yet, in a way, every visitor, whether a veteran or a first time explorer, is gazing at new scenery every minute, hour, or day. For, The Notch is forever changing. As a Floridian, I […]