Readers, Welcome to my blog (formerly Birds, Blooms, Books, etc). I'm entering a new decade taking on the challenge of moving from Maryland after living there 46 years and learning about my new home here in New England in the Live Free or Die state - New Hampshire. Join me as a write this new chapter of my life.

Tuesday, August 11, 2020

On Vacation

Though it really seems like in moving to New Hampshire we are on vacation all the time, that's not really true.  

But this week we are on vacation at Oneida Lake in NY State with both daughters and their families. None of us has Covid though we will avoid too much extra close contact just in case.

I don't recall if there's a hammock there, but Dan will find spots to take his nap.

This hammock is in daughter Emily's yard and was her birthday gift in June.

Thursday, August 6, 2020

Lebanon - Our New Home Town

Today marks three weeks since we arrived in New Hampshire.  It seems longer than that I guess because we have done so much already to become residents.

Here's a brief tour.

The center of town is formed around this green called Colburn Park.  A very large rectangle of grass, trees, pathways, benches, tables, a bandstand and playground.  This is where the Farmer's Market is on Thursday afternoons.


Here's Dan buying us spring rolls at the farmer's market.


On the north side of the park is this Civil war statue.  Made of wood surprisingly and just coated to look bronze.


It stands in front of this building, the Soldiers Memorial Building.  


Next door is the Opera House and Town offices currently under renovation.


The Lebanon Mall is next on the west side.  Three Tomatoes is a good restaurant there.


On the southside of the park is the Congregational Church.


On the east side is the library (below) and post office (no photo).


A lovely cemetery is behind the church and comes out on School Street which is one of the spokes of streets exiting the center of town.




In one section all the memorials were these obelisks.  Must have been popular then.


Lebanon has the start of the Northern Rail Trail.




The trail is very popular on weekends.  We see the cars parked at the Recreation Center lot with the bike racks.

On the other side of the Lebanon Mall is the Mascoma River Greenway.  This will soon be connected with the rail trail once the tunnel under the mall parking is completed.

The Mascoma River at the start of the Greenway.

We used it to walk to the auto repair shop where our car was inspected.  We needed a new muffler.

Looking back the way we came.


That's a brief intro to our new home town.  Much more to come.


Wednesday, August 5, 2020

Day Lilies

I must share these photos as the day lily season is almost over.

Our apartment complex has lovely landscaping.  Day lilies are planted all over and not just one variety.

See what I mean.









Reminds me of the garden I once had.  

In other news both Dan and I got weather alerts on our phones yesterday at 3:00 pm.  Tornado warnings.  At first we thought it was because our numbers are from Maryland though we knew the hurricane had already passed through Maryland.  We turned on the Weather Channel and sure enough it was here in New Hampshire.  As we watched the chyron announcing the warning it showed our daughter's town as being in the path.  No tornado happened thankfully but last night they lost electricity.  Was still off this morning.

Here we had lots of wind and rain.  Lights flickered only once.




Monday, August 3, 2020

Sunflower Season

The sunflowers are in their glory period around here.

My daughter's garden has lots of sunflowers, some they planted and some that volunteered.




Friday evening they came for dinner and brought me two bouquets.  I think some of these sunflowers in the arrangement are ones I photographed the week before.




They also brought these zinnias.


Next door to our apartment complex is this organic garden area.


The sunflowers are in bloom there too.