The Granite State, New Hampshire, holds colorful and varied adventures for the travel enthusiast. Four full seasons add color and excitement to activities for each climate and holiday. Hike the White Mountains in the touristy north or explore Hampton and Rye Beaches along the Atlantic coastline.

Hillsborough NH holds a Living History event in August honoring our fourteenth President Franklin Pierce. Celebrate July Fourth at Atlas Fireworks retailer/wholesaler, Jaffrey NH, with its unique display. October showcases a pumpkin festival in Milford NH. Visit Story Land, Glen NH. Savor real maple syrup and much more.

Light illuminates our world with warmth,
Adds bright cheer to each of our days,
Causes sweet greenery growth,
Living water refresh,
Rainbows color bright,
Enhances our
Atmosphere,
Spirit,
Now.

Is it astronomical to wonder how a large ancient breed dog could be perpetuated through the centuries to remain today? The Old English mastiff, from which other breeds derived, such as the Saint Bernard, Great Dane, and others have been used as guards and protectors since medieval times. Their size, bulk and lose skin make them perfect protectors. They are alert, smart and quick to warn when strangers approach, yet they are dosile by nature, loving and eager to please their family members. They are truly gentle giants.

moment and find new Squash varieties to try.

Hubbard and kabocha lift my spirit after a difficult week.

Spaghetti squash is a Scally wag with each strand when it doesn’t form long noodles.

their love for life. My heart opens in astronomical

portions as I watch from my front yard.

The adage that opposites attract is supported by the phenomenon of the black and white cookie. The smooth creamy flavor of vanilla could be symbolized by airy white angel food, while the heavier black chocolate represented by devil’s fool. Together they complement each other perfectly like peanut butter and jelly.

In my childhood neighborhood there was a black and white sidewalk. The sidewalk was the rougher white cement, while the driveways and area next to the street which would have been grass or dirt was the smoother black tar, a complementary contrast taking opposite roles.

Now clean, fluffy and white new snow,
pristine, perfect, blanket, brilliant,
soon to become dirty as coal,
with the drudgery of winter.
Yet snow glistens, cheery, festive,
brightening festive holidays.

Helping others keeps us festive.
No one wants dirty lump of coal.
Present yourself kindly, brilliant,
in the spirit of holidays.
Remember the blanket of snow,
falls on friend and foe in winter.

Season’s shortest days in winter,
will not dampen spirits festive,
even though cold, heavy with snow.
Persevere like hard lumps of coal.
Every day some holidays.
Keep alive your spirits brilliant.

Memorable holidays snow.

The Captain ordered everyone to go below deck. We heard a crash, the lights went out, and the darkness encompassed us.

He can be steel gray as a ship’s hull,
Or black as a shadow at night.
Mister Purry can be any creature of imagination,
Hiding from the truth of light.

He remains steadily,
In the solitary solace of your soul
Which is where he chooses to be.
He can comfort and console.

But Mr. Purry can be wayward,
Choosing to egg on the villain.
Encouraging you toward evil deeds,
If only you are willin’.

Is Mister Purry friend or foe?
You may start to wonder.
Good or evil is your choice,
As toward consequences you plunder.

As they walked through the leaves on the earthy sidewalk, kicking them up showering bright autumn colors around, the twins suddenly stopped as a dark area was revealed up ahead.

Brother Jim exclaimed, “Careful.”

Sister Jeffie blinked and stared.

Jim stooped to brush away debris to reveal a fallen limb across their path. Bent forward with his ear near the bark Jim looked up. “Hear that…hissing?”

Jeffie shook her head.

In a flurry of motion leaves rustled and flew as a small dark blur scurried out from under darting off.

They ran after the small dark streak.

The icy cold windy winter bite
Pervades outside the house wintery nights,
But fireplace holds the warmth inside bright
Snuggly warm, cozy, with no fright.

Keep comfort and joy in your heart near
As you ponder life’s choices so dear.
Hold onto your thoughts and keep them clear.
Bad like ice, good like toasty. Let’s cheer.

Let that ice melt now from your old soul.
Better than barb, biting, break that mold.

Behind the shower curtain, appears to be,
A phenomenon shrouded in mystery.
Hear hollow thunks like horse hoof beats,
Sometimes even little squeaks.

Undefinable shapes sprout and disappear, swish, thud.
Are ghosts lurking in the tall hot tub?
No sound of splish-splash–
Glimpse plenty of dash,

As flashes of different colored fur streak by,
Curious, ambitious, rambunction high.
Nay, look, catch a peak,
Of kittens jumping at play not unique.

Coffee or tea
And fine mystery,
What a wonderful combination.

Nurse your strong brew
As you ferret out clues,
To appease your machinations.

Settle at last
With your book to repass,
While you ponder the story’s fascination.

Take a warm sip,
While paging your trip,
Through wonder and imagination,

Elbow to bend,
Till satisfying end,
Feed to anticipation.

Another cup will do
For book number two,
To increase your satisfaction.

Take warm refreshing sips,
Toast with your drink to your lips,
And begin the pagination.

Whether mystery or thriller,
Definitely a chiller,
There’s no other substitution.

Sunlight warms by day,
Shining heat and light,
Its rays reach across,
To help planet earth.

Air feels light and free,
Filtering our breath,
Unseen comfort felt,
Balancing fresh life.

Moonlight evening pale,
Does not light the path,
No warmth does it send,
As it guards the night.

Faith flows like the wind,
Subtle unseen trust,
Stepping to unknown,
Learning as it grows.

Cornerstone of life,
Light of all the world,
Spirit wind foretells,
If we seek the Son.

Not all views the same.
Difference abounds.
Existence is here.
Will the sun burn out?

My phone rings. “Mom, I had an accident on my ATV.
I’m OK, but they want to keep me overnight in the trauma unit.”
My sister was also in the trauma unit, recovering from a brain aneurysm.

After we hung up, he asked the nurse if he could see his aunt before he settled in bed.
“Who’s your aunt?”
He said her name, and the staff looked at him strangely.
Heads turned when they heard,
“That’s me. Zack I’m over here.”
A few steps across the hall from his room, and there she was.
He leaned down to hug her gently With great big smiles on both their faces.
They laughed and joked and shed some tears.
The room glowed with love and memories.
It was the last time they would visit on this earthly plane
That is Serendipity.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

According to this quote, is God a scallywag who manipulates serendipity to His advantage? Certainly not. Does He squash hopes and kill the spirit by controlling destiny? Never.

In Romans 12:2 we are told: And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Cindy pulled an oversized shoe box from under the bed. To her surprise, she found the VHS camcorder that captured so many precious memories.

She plugged it in, sat crossed-legged on the floor, and hit play. Tears welled up in her eyes. It was a video of Kari, wearing a fun hat and sunglasses, doing a selfie before selfies were even a thing.

With the camera pointed at the mirror, she said, “This is for you, Mom.” The song “Butterfly Kisses” filled the room.

And with a radiant smile, Kari’s voice blended perfectly, surrounding Cindy with love.

She noted the date at the bottom of the video, three days before the tragic accident that took Kari from us.

The music ended. Kari removed her sunglasses and came closer to say, “I love you, Mom.”

The sound of a boom shouldn’t have surprised me because I was driving with headlights on during early afternoon due to the blanket of gray overhead, growing darker by the minute. Glancing around this narrow road, the Kancamagus Highway, twisting through the White Mountains, home territory, but nothing seemed familiar.

I sent a worried glance toward my wife in the passenger seat, who was dozing peacefully. I sighed heavily as the inevitable rain began to chatter on the SUV’s roof. Anxiety rose.

As lightning flashed, scenery began to take on a clarity of focus. Relief lightened my burden.

#1 I Am a Part of You
(Quatrain)
07/21/2023

I am your silhouette facing you atop the water,
Rippling out in no particular order.
I abide in the decisions you make,
Affecting your life, good or bad course it will take.

I am your shadow to be found,
Always with you atop the ground.
When sun is high, but spirits are not, I become small.
When confidence grows I become tall.

I am in the mirror your reflection,
Your conscience inside for introspection.
I know your thoughts, your joys, your doubts,
But I know not how your life will turn out.

#2 I Wish
(Couplet)
07/21/2023

I wish to avoid stress at all cost,
But sometimes we must accept loss.

I wish family and friends never went away,
That our animals with us could always stay.

I wish we could have snow all year round.
And to preserve out planet’s ground.

I wish fall foliage would always be there,
And I’d like to see myriads of colors everywhere.

I wish I knew for what to wish,
For life is more than food in a dish.

I wish all humans could together get along,
And I wish we all believed in our Creator’s song.

It was a beautiful sunny day. Suddenly the wind picked up. I could no longer see or feel the sun. Then I heard the loud cracks of thunder. Soon the wind died down and there was an unusual stillness in the air and a strange yellowish tint to the atmosphere. I looked out our kitchen window and saw wispy dark clouds pull together to form a funnel. I then moved from window to window watching as the tornado moved in a wide sweeping arc around our house.

After a picnic lunch in the park, Phil and I were lying side by side on the grass, enjoying the sunny summer afternoon. Suddenly, the wind picked up, and the sun disappeared behind ominous, dark clouds.
Sitting up, I said, “Honey, I think it’s going to…”
A bright streak of lightning illuminated the sky, followed by a loud clap of thunder.
Phil lay motionless on the ground. “No!” I cried, holding his inert body.
His arms suddenly came around me, and I found myself snuggled against him in bed, his hand stroking my hair.

There is no sun to provide direction.
Hurtling winds defy inspection.
Undulating vibrations of unease,
Nervously fluctuate within the breeze.
Dense with moisture thickening air,
Evokes ominous emotions everywhere.
Rolling, rumbling, jolting noise,
Strikes along with silent flashes in the void.
Task yourself with careful steps.
Or you may fall into murky depths.
Return to where no torrent forms.
Master your surroundings to escape the storms.

Mt. Washington in my home state of New Hampshire boasted of having the world’s worst weather.
I was around nine years old on that first visit on a hot sunny summer day when our family went there to ride the Cog Railway up and back down the mile high mountain.
Stopping at a roadside stand on the way, uncle persuaded this finicky eater to try fried clams, which I was sure I wouldn’t like.
Once we reached the summit of Mt. Washington, visibility was reported as double zero, because the fog was so thick you couldn’t see very far in front of you while the air was cold and heavy with misty rain.
On the way back to their camp where we stayed a lot of the summer, we had to stop for more fried clams.
My family never let me forget that replay.