A visit to Beech Hill Farm

When our family comes from out West, it's an event.  They can only afford to come every few years because of how much it costs to get them all here.  When they come, there are always places they want to go and people they want to see.  Often, the places are new to all of us -- but the people are family and old friends.  We found this year that one of the best ways to visit the places and see the people we wanted to was to combine the activities.

Some of our oldest and dearest friends hoped we could get together, as their grown daughters and ours had been good friends growing up and had seldom seen one another since our youngest daughter's wedding 15 years ago.  We thought we could manage it if:
1) All of the girls were free on a Saturday during the visit:
2) They were willing to meet us somewhere in between, preferably a place where the kids could run and play while the adults visited.

In addition, my daughter hoped we could find an ice cream place serving locally or New-England made ice cream.  So, after a few phone calls (to check on availability of the people) and a bit of time online (to research possible locations), it all worked out.

We settled on Beech Hill Farm and Ice Cream Barn and were so glad we made that choice!  Not only was it a pretty place with great ice cream, it is a real working farm with animals to see, a nice walking trail and a giant sandbox which was a real hit with the kids.   There's also a very nice garden center with plants and gardening accessories -- some quite unique -- for sale.  I'm just going to share a few quick photos I snapped and add captions.  Sorry I didn't get pictures of the ice cream, but it was delicious!

A weathered red shed with flowers

I just liked the look of this barn, particularly the multi-paned window above the doors

The giant sandbox, with 8 of our grandkids (and one son-in-law) in the picture

Some of the garden accessories -- these decorative, apparently laser-cut spades were so pretty

More art, with some plants

These garden accessories, made with found bits and pieces, were so interesting.  The one at left is topped with a teapot, the one at right is a birdbath made with glass pieces.

This is such a fun place!  It worked out perfectly for our get-together with friends.  After the ice cream and visiting at picnic tables, Mr. T and I walked the nature trail with our friends, and our daughters also walked the trail together while our two sons-in-law watched all of the kiddos at the sand pile.  A lovely afternoon!

An evening picnic in Crawford Notch

Yesterday I posted about our visit to Story Land.  When we left there, we decided that rather than stopping for fast food on the way home as we might have done, we had plenty of picnic food left and it would be fun to find a picnic spot.  Crawford Notch State Park abounds with likely spots.  We bypassed several picnic tables as we didn't see them in time to stop.  Then we found this gorgeous spot across the road from the Willey House.  You can read the history here: Willey House History.

It was early evening by the time we got there and the Willey House was closed for the day.  But this beautiful picnic spot was available, with nearly every table free.  We stopped!

These ducks were a big attraction for the kids -- as you can see, four of them are still ducklings!

Bridge across the water

A rocky cliff

The parking lot was empty when we arrived but quickly filled up with evening fishermen.

So tranquil

Four grandchildren watching the fishermen

Micah runs across the grass

Isn't this a pretty spot?  We were blessed to enjoy our picnic here!

Story Land

One of the day trips we've taken with our visiting family was to Story Land, a fabulous family attraction located in the White Mountains of northern New Hampshire.  This is a beautifully landscaped, well designed place where a family could very easily spend an entire day having nonstop fun.  In fact, we did just that, arriving before they opened and leaving after the park had closed for the day!  I will try and post a few pictures and add some quick captions just to give you a flavor of our trip.  If you would like to see more, there are some great photos on the Story Land site here: Story Land.  Check it out -- it will make you smile!

Just a shot of one of the areas.  The building at right is a restaurant; the one at left is a shop.

A Polar Coaster car heads up the incline.

Around the bend they fly!  The roller coaster cars on this little coaster look like walruses!

The tractor ride winds its way through a pumpkin patch.

Mr. T and a grandson in one of the tractors at the tractor ride

Digging with heavy equipment at the digging area

And another heavy equipment operator

This area was a favorite while adults were at the big roller coaster.

Heading up the log flume ride called Bamboo Chutes

Geyser water ride in the distance

Geyser ride -- a favorite

Riders go in the dark tunnel on the right and come out on the left

Along the train tracks

Cinderella's castle is in the distance.  Just cross the flower-bedecked bridge, go up the hill (travel by pumpkin coach if you prefer) and you are there!

On the antique car ride

The Dutch shoe ride, plus a colorful village street.  Love the reflections on this one!

The Crazy Barn rises into the air!

The Whirling Whales ride

The carousel at left, pirate ship ride in the middle and swan boats/Story Land Queen riverboat at the right.

Hope you have enjoyed this peek at our visit to Story Land! There is much, much more to it than this, but I thought I would share just a few of the simple pictures I took.  If you ever get the chance to visit here with your family, why not plan to do so?   It is well worth the trip and, in our experience anyway, is enjoyed by adults and teens just as much as by children!

Just in case you missed it ...

For those who are interested, Christmas in July is ongoing right now over at my Christmas blog, Mrs. T's Christmas Kitchen!  For several months, I've been writing and scheduling posts, knowing that when July rolled around I would have a house full of visiting family.

If you enjoy getting ideas and inspiration for Christmas even in summer, head on over to my Christmas blog and join the fun.  You will find poems, recipe and craft ideas, decorating inspiration and more.  Happy Christmas in July!

Quintessential summer place

Binoculars on the porch window sill -- at the ready to look for wildlife across the pond.

We are so blessed to have a summer cottage our extended family can enjoy.  Built by grandparents on land they owned at a remote pond as a place for their loved ones to get away, it is still in the family today.  For a modest fee, one may reserve time at the camp -- and so, when my youngest daughter and her family came for a visit from Nevada, they did just that.  Her hubby and five little ones had never been there, and what fun they had!

Not much ever changes at the camp.  It had probably been 15 years since we had been there, and so much is still the same.  There's a sense of continuity as the years pass and many other things change.

The front doorstep is a millstone.

After a rainstorm

Idyllic

Back stairs lead down to the shore

So relaxing

Nearing the shore in a kayak

We were blessed to borrow kayaks from friends in addition to the watercraft already there.

Could it be any more peaceful?

"Come again".  We certainly hope to!

 And there are just a few pictures of our stay at a wonderfully relaxing spot!

July 1953

Here is another page from the vintage Woman's Day calendar for 1953.  For many years, these calendars came bound as pages in the middle of the January issue of Woman's Day.  Each one features a Scripture verse.  It's interesting to me that in more recent years, the verses had gotten smaller (though still very readable) -- but in this 1953 calendar the Scripture is the focus.

This July scene by Warren Chappell features a peaceful harbor.  In the distance a lighthouse stands sentinel on a cliff.  How beautiful!

July goals

Graphic from Little Birdie Blessings

Wow, July already!  How can that be?  I am taking just a few minutes to share my tentative goals for this month:
*Meditate on a passage from God's Word each day.
* Memorize at least 4 Bible verses and review some older ones.
* Add 4 pages to my "What Do I Know About My God?" Scripture notebook
* Continue study for Sunday School -- Following God With All Your Heart
* Continue to re-read Say Goodbye to Survival Mode; continue to journal and implement what I learn
* Exercise or walk at least 20 times.
* Get to bed by 10 pm each night.  (I am upping this time because we have family visiting.)
* Limit sugar.
* Drink enough water each day.
* Keep up with Kelly's missions in homemaking zones of the week.
* Spend some serious time decluttering closets
* Post in both of my blogs as often as possible
* Continue working on several UFO craft projects
* Apply wall decals to our freshly painted bathroom wall
* Continue planning activities for visit from our Nevada family
* Enjoy 4th of July activities with friends
* Enjoy our visit with our Nevada family, which continues until July 11
* Reduce grocery bill by $5 per week consistently
* Spend several hours updating my A-store.
* Write at least 4 encouraging notes to friends and family
* Help and encourage my local daughter as I'm able
* Clean church and set up for potluck meal
*  Continue trying to help and encourage my elderly dad
* Sort out and declutter my dad's basement
* Transfer important items to new computer
* Plan meals with a greater emphasis on healthy eating

JUNE'S HEALTHY HABITS:  Drink enough water/exercise

WORD FOR 2015: RENEWAL

And here's how June went:
*Meditate on a passage from God's Word each day -- DONE!
* Memorize at least 4 Bible verses and review some older ones -- DONE!
* Add 4 pages to my "What Do I Know About My God?" Scripture notebook -- DONE!
* Continue study for Sunday School -- Following God With All Your Heart -- DONE!
* Continue to re-read Say Goodbye to Survival Mode; continue to journal and implement what I learn -- working on this ever so slowly
* Exercise or walk at least 20 times -- DONE!
* Get to bed by 10 pm each night.  (I am upping this time because we'll have family visiting.) -- have done well with this except for a couple of nights
* Limit sugar -- did fairly well with this
* Drink enough water each day -- did well with this, but need to improve
* Keep up with Kelly's missions in homemaking zones of the week -- not done
* Spend some serious time decluttering closets -- not done
* Post in both of my blogs as often as possible -- DONE!
* Continue writing blog posts for Christmas in July -- DONE!
* Make some handmade gifts for a June birthday -- DONE!
* Continue working on several UFO craft projects -- ever so slowly ...
* Decide on wall decals for our freshly painted bathroom wall -- DONE!
* Continue planning for visit from our Nevada family -- DONE!
* Enjoy our visit with loved ones, which will continue into July -- DONE!
* Reduce grocery bill by $5 per week consistently -- not done
* Spend several hours updating my A-store -- not done
* Write at least 4 encouraging notes to friends and family -- DONE!
* Help and encourage my local daughter as I'm able -- not as much as I'd have liked
* Clean church and set up for potluck meal -- DONE!
*  Continue trying to help and encourage my elderly dad -- DONE!
* Sort out and declutter my dad's basement -- not done
* Transfer important items to new computer -- not done
* Plan meals with a greater emphasis on healthy eating -- DONE!

JUNE'S HEALTHY HABITS:  Nurture creativity/drink enough water/exercise -- did pretty well with these this month!

WORD FOR 2015: RENEWAL-- not feeling too renewed at the moment.  I am hoping for July to bring more renewal and to be a productive, encouraging month.