Happy New Year!

Everyone who loves snow is happy today!  A very Happy and Healthy New Year to everyone!
(And thanks to Michele for this great photo!!)

November's first snow!

What a lovely surprise, the first snow of the season!  But I am getting ahead of myself....

We started the weekend at the Shaker Village in Canterbury.  Delightful setting, a wonderful gift shop, a very peaceful way of life. We got a bit of holiday shopping done, and it was nice to buy gifts that were hand made, by people who care about what they make, and have complete artistic control over what they sell.  Nice to not have to always accept mass production.

Then, after sitting in the car for a while, activity seemed to be the order of the day, so we went for the next mountain in the Belknap chain....this time, Gunstock.  ( I think there are seven more..?) So up we went.  Very different, seeing the mountain without snow.  But the views were just as beautiful.  And the girls enjoyed it, as always.

And then, this morning......

Welcome to winter.  The Farmer's Almanac says there is plenty more where this came from!! Hope you have your shovels and skis ready.

It's Halloween! It's Halloween!

And what better way to spend it than going through Morbid Mountain with a bunch a scaredy-cats.  And I speak of the other customers, not MY family.  You see, we come from a well established line of haunted house staff members.  So it takes a lot to scare us.
But is was cold.
And it was dark.
And there were a lot of creepy things in the woods.

Lots.

But we made it out, and will return next year.  Good job Gunstock Mountain!
BOO!

Take a look at these faces...wouldn't you feel safe walking with them in a haunted house?

Columbus Day goes out with a ...peel out?

It is not the size of the wheels, it is the technique and determination of the driver.  At least that is the story I will stick to when asked. 

A birthday outing for our friends turned into one of the best afternoons I have had so far in Winnipesaukee!  After a rideabout with the Motivator (who was relaxing this afternoon - it was, after all, a holiday), we were searching for a place to eat lunch.  After searching thru three towns, one Harley Davidson dealer, and a few stores along the way, we saw it....  The Broken Spoke!
Now, I have seen the Broken Spoke many times.  I thought it was a summer attraction, and it never entered my line of sight that it served food and beverages.  So, when our friends said, "The Broken Spoke looks like our kind of place", I thought that had given up the intent of eating. 
We entered the parking lot to be greeted by a handful of folks who told us that "you girls need an escort to enter today!"  Yeah, no.  In we went, unescorted.
What ensued was a fabulously fun afternoon of being entertained by a staff that knew they were closing up for the season, and a manager I can not wait to meet again! Professional in every way, and I just want to tell those owners, Keep that guy!!  He is good for your business!
Now comes time to leave.  Just before we exit, a Harley leaves in the way Harleys are wont to leave. Of course, everyone on the back porch (including our wannabe escort) is cheering and clapping the dust and rubber smoke.  We are walking out, and....yes, before I know it, my friends are telling me that a Hyundai can indeed burn rubber, and I am receiving instruction from a girl who really does own a Harley.  She has done this many times before, I can guess, but I am equally sure this will be a disappointment to her Harley sensibilities.  But I will give it a try. And I do.  In front of a lot of people I am grateful I will not see again until May.  Except the Motivator.  And my friends.  Who, I hear, had a fabulous birthday.  Come on back girls.
  Let's make Columbus Day weekend the "We are here to close down the Spoke" weekend!

Oh, and I built a firepit too.  Before the whole Spoke thing.

 And we went to the Barrel Tasting Weekend before that!  I love autumn!!

Signs of summer..holding on.

 

The summer is drawing to a close, but we cling to every little bit of sunshine and warmth, even as fall approaches.  Great weekend, with a little nip of fall in the air!  Everyone has their own way of getting in the last little bit of fun!

The "invigorating" hike....

Now, the guide book information tells you that Mt. Belknap is a relatively easy mountain to climb.  Somewhere it said it was a 700 ft. elevation.  I think they meant if you put a ruler on the ground through the middle of it..... AFTER you climbed half way from the parking lot! 

Lesson here:  Don't believe the guidebooks.

But it was a good day, starting with a ride to the top of the Gunstock Mountain to watch my 70+ aunt head off down the Zipline (her grandchildren did not believe she did it...Oh, but yes she did!).  Lest you think me a coward, I want to state that I took that same "Zip Trip" several weeks ago.  And it was a blast!

 The trip up Belknap wasn't so bad really.  It was a beautiful day, and the girls had a good time. 

How could you not love the view?! In just a short time, all this green will be replaced

with brilliant reds and vibrant golds.  Don't you want to be here too?

Labor Day fun in the (mostly) sun

What a lovely weekend it was to be on Lake Winnipesaukee!  I must say I was a bit nervous taking the NH Safe Boating test, but I managed to pass.  Good thing, or the Motivator would have been very unhappy!

 

The pontoon boat was great fun, and I have to say that Fay's Boat Yard was fabulous to us.  We spent the day tooling around the Lake, swimming, and watching out for the other boats.  Except for a few missed markers here and there (and one slightly hysterical homeowner trying to waive us off the rocks), it was a good day.  Perfect way to end the summer........


Mt Washington