New Hampshire

August 8
Saturday

Crossed over into New Hampshire and in a short time was in Hanover, to see where my favorite travel writer Bill Bryson lived from 1995 to 2003 before defecting and moving back to England.

Surprise! Dartmouth College is there just as you come into town on the main street.

Established in 1769, the large campus green is surrounded by buildings from the era.

To see the beautiful campus I joined a walking tour of obviously new freshmen and their parents.

Was surprised to hear the student guide sounding like a Valley girl from L.A.  This is the Ivy League, after all.  Or maybe she was from LaLaLand.

Checked out the downtown a bit and sat in a coffeeshop planning my next stop. Phoned the visitor center in the town of Cornish to ask where the Maxfield Parrish gallery is located. I had an article from 1987 but no address. Good thing I checked as the owner took the paintings and moved to California. Will find it when I get home. Love Maxfield Parrish.

On to the tiny village of Nelson where my favorite older woman author, May Sarton, took up residence in her later years. Just wanted to see what attracted her here.

Clearly there are other residents in this village judging by the row of mailboxes on the square across from the church. But there were only 3 homes in town to be seen. From what I saw, solitude drew May here.

The date on the red brick building was 1836 and on the white Town Hall 1845. There was literally not one single soul to be seen anywhere so I left the way I had come in on a windy narrow road 30 minutes from the nearest highway.  

Monday August 10

Slept 10 hours last night waking at 8:30. 

                

Drove the short distance to Canterbury to tour the Shaker Museum.
The Shakers broke off from the Quakers in England in 1747 because they wanted to celebrate their religion in a more boistrous way than the staid Quakers. Their dancing around earned them the name Shakers.

At their height in 1850 there were 6,000 members in 19 communal colonies in the US. Since they were a celibate sect, their numbers declined until today there are only 3 elderly women members in the New York colony and none here at the museum.

They were very self sufficient, with 300 members at this location. They believed efficiency and order were the way to honor God, so they were the first in the area to buy a car and use electricity.
They also invented many home products like the first washing machine which they successfully produced and sold to the public.

And of course their beautifully simple furniture is much sought after today.

This tour personalized the Quaker religion for me since the Delphian lecture last spring on the sect.

Driving on thru more pretty New Hampshire countryside to Center Harbor.

Center Harbor, of course, is the home of Keepsake Quilting,
Mecca for quilters.

Everyone who quilts is familiar with their catalog and online site for beautiful fabrics.

This is only one of three rooms

There are no words........


And I didn't need to rush because Bob wasn't outside waiting on a bench for me.
I would gladly rush if I could have him back.

Even tho I have at least 4 UFO's (unfinished objects) at home I caved in when I saw an entire collection of 20 fat quarters of William Morris fabrics from the late 1800's all packaged and calling to me.

Can't wait to get home and begin this quilt project.

Squam Lake

Stopped here for my first Lobster Roll.  $15 but well worth it!

On to spend the night in Littleton.

My last night in a New Hampshire at a Walmart parking lot. A new experience but one I had to try.

Fell asleep wondering if John Steinbeck would have stayed here in his book Travels with Charley if Walmarts existed back in the day.