Over the river and through the woods...

I even love the drive to and from the cottage.  It's just shy of 2 1/2 hours but the rolling hills, beautiful streams that amble next to the road, white steepled churches, and wooded dirt roads are each milestones as we get closer to the cottage.  There is a little mix of highways and one lane routes that are faster.  However it is not the monotony of highway driving.  Lights and signs passing by with nothing to look at.  I look forward to it each time.

Are the windmills on the hill turning today?  What does the farm stand have in stock today?  What flowers are in bloom at the garden shops we pass?  What is for sale today at the antique shops in town?  How many people are enjoying the sunset tonight from the sunset ice-cream shop on the hill?  Just how many white steepled churches do we pass?  I'll have to count next time.  Or for that matter how many Moose Crossing signs do we see?  (We tried to take a picture but somehow the girls and I kept missing them.)  I even notice something new each time like the historic buildings we pass decorated for the 4th of July.  Last time it was beautiful stone bridges that arched over the river.  Who knows what it will be next time.

These pictures can't possibly capture the beauty of the journey.  You'll have to come some day and take the route we do.  Only then can you see how remote the cottage is and all the beauty that takes you away from the rush rush rush of daily life and into the calm of a NH cottage where really nothing matters but when you're going to jump in the lake or go for a paddle.   I'm much more relaxed and forgiving of schedules and to do's in NH.  We eat breakfast at 10, have lunch closer to 2 and since we are having appetizers at dinner time, we don't eat dinner till closer to 8.  Bedtimes get pushed back in the hopes that everyone sleeps in.  One morning our brother-in-law stopped by after 8:00 and was surprised to find that we were all still asleep.  Even the dogs and a four month old baby.   It'll get done eventually is my motto up there.  Who knew a cottage could do that to a person?  I like to see this different side of myself and I can feel the calm come over me even as I drive there.