Ice Cream Heaven

I finally found it. The perfect ice cream. Imagine this. Premium vanilla ice cream laced with chunks of brownies and chocolate chips, and threads of smooth, creamy fudge. It's worth eating salads all day in penance in order to savor a guiltless cup of Moose Tracks at Bailey's Bubble, my new mecca. It's in Wolfsboro, New Hampshire on the north-eastern rim of Lake Winnepesaukee. I think it's the prettiest town on the lake and the most real--meaning there's more to do there than buy souvenir kitsch. If you try Bailey's, let me know your thoughts.

The Pink House

Faded,paint crumbling. We pass it season by season on our morning walks. We wonder who the house belonged to and why it was abandoned years ago. Curtains still hang from the windows. Boxes on tables are barely visible from the street as if the occupant decided in mid-move just to stop packing. A mystery. What do you think happened?

What They Take With Them

I don't understand the allure of the RV. Aficionados claim it's the perfect getaway vehicle, but unless you're willing to tow a car behind you, you're limited to going to state parks and other rural places. It's not economical anymore either, given the price of gas. And if you lug a car, trailer, boat, bicycles, and hundreds of other things from home with you, then you're faced with the drudgery of unloading, setting up and packing up. RVs also come with a hefty price tag, and with that money you could go on a dozen very nice trips just about anywhere in the world.

We've been making a list this summer on our daily walks to Ellacoya State Park of the things people take with them in their RVs. Here's a partial list:

plastic lanterns
5-foot high plastic palm trees with mini lights
lawn chairs and rugs for the "front porch"
lawn ornaments
wooden signs with the family name inscribed on it
flags
tablecloths for the picnic table
dining tents
outdoor lawn games
inflatable kiddie pools
bicycles
motorcycles
barbecues (even though the park supplies them)

Can you help me understand the allure?

Blame It On The Mexicans

Pyramid of Kukulcán, Chichén-Itzá, Yucatán, Mexico, originally uploaded by jmhdezhdez.

Conversation #1 at the only local Mexican restaurant in this area:

Me: What's the Mexican population here?
Restaurant Owner: Well...there's me, my wife, my daughter...


Conversation #2 at the local gym:

A man is complaining to me about a wallet being stolen from a locker at the local gym.

Man: I think it's the Mexicans.
Me: What Mexicans? There aren't any Mexicans around here.
Man: They drive up from Manchester.
Me: Manchester?

P.S. It's over an hour away.

Two Dogs Out For a Stroll

...in a stroller. Why? Their owner explained that the one on the right has a hip problem and needs surgery and the one on the left tagged along for the ride.

This is my favorite shot of the week, taken with my Canon Rebel XT.

An Unexpected Find on the Hiking Trail Today

Our friend Dean, who is a naturalist, tells us that this is a carnivorous flower, beautiful but deadly for insects, which are lured by the lovely scent and then are trapped inside the petals.

Monday's Conversation At the Dentist

dentistes, originally uploaded by thomaseagle.

Receptionist: "How's your son?"
Me" "Great."
Receptionist: "Where's he studying?"
Me: "Savannah."
Receptionist: "Oh that's right. He's such a nice young man."
Me: "Thanks."
Receptionist: "Does he like it down there?"
Me: "Yes, but he's going to end up in a big city--New York or L.A. That's where the jobs are in his field."
Receptionist: "I'd hate to see him end up in a big city. He's too nice."

Spring?

Springs happens slowly and almost imperceptibly up north. First, the foot-thick sheath of ice on Lake Winnipesaukee starts to crack. Wider and wider patches of free flowing water start to appear near land at first and then in wider and wider arcs. As you can see from my photo shot this morning, the crack is widening. In about 2 weeks (mid-April I'd guess), we'll have "ice out"--the day when the SS Mount Washington, the pleasure cruise ship, can leave its mooring and head out for its first run of the season. By then, all the snow will be gone too--it's a lumpy mass at the end of our condo's parking lot and lingers in mounds in front of our decks. But there are less obvious signs too--like the budding of the evergreens and the first trill of the tree frogs. But slowly, slowly, we inch towards the warmth.