An old song runs through my mind to describe this spring. One line was “should I stay or should I go?” In normal times, we’re eager to head north for months of cooler days among the tall trees of New Hampshire. Our thoughts turn to Shaw’s Ridge ice cream and lobster rolls at Lone Oak. We remember walks in the woods soaking up the silence or times sitting on the dock chatting with friends.

Welcome to the lake!

This year is different, so instead of blithely packing the car or the RV, we check the daily statistics for increases in the number of coronavirus cases. A search also turns up the NH guidelines for out-of-state visitors. It recommended that you bring enough food for two weeks and self-quarantine for that time period.

We checked with friends who already trekked north and ask them for local feedback. What were they hearing? Were things open? Were locals receptive to summer visitors?

Early on, I noticed on social media that some residents were apprehensive about an influx of summer visitors. Their concern was that arrivals might bring the virus with them or get very sick and overload the local hospitals. The area has adequate hospitals for year-round residents but the population surges over the summer as people flock to the lakes and the woods.

You can understand their worries. As of June 9, there were 78 people hospitalized for Covid-19 in the state. Since I have a friend in Florida who was on a ventilator for 30 days, I’m aware that those hospital beds may stay occupied for some time.

So, the question remains, “should I stay or should I go” to New Hampshire? For now, we are staying safe at home in Florida.

Sources for Information:

• NH Division of Public Health – Covid-19 
• NH Guidelines and Restrictions for Covid-19 (check for most recent update)

It’s rare for a hurricane or even a tropical storm to turn inland and affect New Hampshire. Today, I saw the photos of the damage from Hurricane Dorian in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, two places that we recently visited. Large trees blocked roads in Annapolis Royal, a town we’d toured just two weeks ago. Winds were around 85 mph, so able to do considerable damage.

Hurricane Dorian attacking New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island in Canada.

Here in New Hampshire, there may have been a few outer bands of wind and rain from Dorian, but nothing remarkable. I do remember back in 2011, that tropical storm level wind and rains did reach us in the Lake Region of NH.

It was three days before we regained power and cable television. We had a house guest who was trapped here with us as the Manchester airpost had canceled flights affected by the storm’s impact in Boston and other cities.

During that August 2011 storm, the swaying of the tall pine trees amazed and frightened us. I had no idea that a pine tree could bend that much.

Down the street from us, a big maple tree lost its grip on the sandy soil and started leaning. It threatened a cottage and the occupants had to evacuate and go to a motel. After the storm, a tree service came to the rescue and saved their house from being crushed.

Quite a few people who summer in New England spend their winters in Florida or the Carolinas. With Hurricane Dorian, they worried about their winter home and then their summer place. A tense time.

We visited an old Air Force buddy of my husband’s who lives in Kittery Point, Maine. There’s plenty to see there and it’s not far away if you are in the New Hampshire Lake Region. They showed us around after we lunched at the Weathervane on some tasty seafood. How does scallops baked in lobster dressing sound?

Weathervane restaurant in Kittery, Maine. It’s right across from the Kittery Trading Post.

Our sightseeing started with at the Kittery Historical and Naval Museum. I found it fascinating as it’s packed with coastal history, a Civil War exhibit, notable bits of local history, and even the walls from an early frontier fortified house dating back to the 1600s.

An old snow roller from early days in Kittery, Maine.

Sea captain figure

Civil War items at Kittery Museum.

Civil War soldiers from Kittery.

Street car model – Kittery Museum

From there, we headed to Fort McClary, a state park with the remnants of an old fort and some good views of two lighthouses in the bay. There are picnic tables and a rocky beach to walk along.

lighthouse in Portsmouth Harbor.

View from state park at Fort McClary.

Fort McClary – Kittery, Maine

Stop by Frisbee’s Wharf for an ice cream cone and more good views of the harbor, the boats (dories, yachts, sailboats, etc., and you can even take a cruise if you have the time.

Ready for a harbor cruise.

Dories at the dock.

 
There’s more to see in Kittery and Kittery Point, but that was all we had time for in one day.

Since I love to putter with plants, I take pride in my garden and enjoy hearing people say they like walking by and seeing our flowers. Unfortunately, a late start this summer meant the plants didn’t achieve much of a full look. Apparently, June was a chill, rainy month, so I’ve been told that I didn’t miss much good planting time this spring.

I look around with envy at neighbors while I saunter around our little community. Their blooms fill me with determination to get an earlier start next year.

Judy’s Flowers

I’ve captured some to share with you here. This first batch is from Judy’s garden and she has faithful perennials that come back year after year. The bees love them and the butterflies too. This inspires me to put in a black-eyed Susan that will return each year.

Jackie’s Flowers

I see that Jackie makes good use of annuals for color that lasts all summer. They even have inpatients hanging on the trees. The other plantings are petunias which you need some sun for.

They have daylilies too and some herbs in planters. This gets away from the tree roots invading the planting beds.