It sure looks like summer! The past few days have been beautiful – low humidity and temperatures in the 70s and low 80s. Perfect. The pollen count is horrid; but you can’t have everything. The above photo is of the Contoocook River as seen from Runnells Road. It is very peaceful. There was a group of kayakers downstream. It is the perfect river for paddling. We have already had our first campfire of the year at my mother’s house. It is always so nice to sit by the fire with friends and family.
S’more Man – one of my favorite photo creations 🙂 We didn’t have any s’mores yet – but we most likely will at our next campfire. I hope all is well with everyone. Keep smiling and have a great June!
A large part of the globe was treated to a great show of the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) recently! It was such a treat. I hadn’t seen them in decades. Of course, due to the light pollution around where I live, I could not see much color at all with my naked eyes. I drove down a country road and made out some pink between the clouds around 10:00 pm. Just before 11:00 pm, I drove to my mother’s house and took some photos from behind her house with my iPhone (dark mode at 10 seconds). The pink was popping!
If you click on my Flickr photostream, you can see some of the better shots that I took. They are not wonderful, but the best that I have ever taken. I wish I could have seen more with my naked eyes – but I will take that my photos caught the color. The photo above was taken about 1:20 am or so. There was finally a break in the cloud cover.
By the way – Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers – especially my mom. I spent most of the day with her today. We ended the day with a Dominoes match. We hadn’t played in years. She won.
It seems as if we have had more rainy days than sunny days here in New Hampshire for the past month and a half. Today, I put on my yellow raincoat and headed out to see what I could see. Sometimes, you have to make your own sunshine! 🙂 I brought only my iPhone, since the volume of rain changed from heavy to a sprinkle. I didn’t have any crowds to fight and could quietly enjoy the nature around me. The birds were singing along! In the photo above, I was at the boat launch at near Welch Field in Boscawen (off Depot Street).
I enjoyed the geometric path filled with bright green moss and other plant matter as I walked to the river’s edge. The Merrimack River was high! It is such a beautiful river. I am blessed to live so close to both the Merrimack and Contoocook rivers.
I then headed home and snapped a shot of water droplets on the day lily leaves near my steps. I hope everyone is having a great day! Don’t forget the little things that make you happy! They add up 🙂
Totality was only about an hour and a half away north of me – of course not today. The highway was bumper-to-bumper and it would have taken hours to drive north. In the Concord, NH area the eclipse was at about 96+%, which was not bad at all. There was only a tiny sliver of the sun not covered. I did not get any decent shots of the eclipse, since I did not purchase a solar lens for my camera. I tried to use my iPhone with an eclipse glasses lens – but I was not successful at getting any decent shots. I was able to enjoy the view with my eclipse glasses. I was at my mom’s in Penacook and shared my glasses with her. My sister Jackie surprised us with a visit too just before 3:00 pm. The eclipse was under way but we didn’t reach 96+% until 3:29 pm so she made the best part of the show.
It became a bit darker, and my transitional glasses did not turn dark. My mother’s crocuses closed up, and we were able to see cool shadows made by the eclipse through the trees. I included a few photos of the shadows below. It also became cooler during this time. It was great seeing kids in the neighborhood with adults all wearing eclipse glasses etc., and enjoying the event outdoors. It was also in the high 60s today! So much better than the snowstorm that dropped about 10 inches of snow last week. Snow doesn’t last long this time of year, thank goodness!
This eclipse was much more exciting than the partial eclipse seen in New Hampshire in 2017. The best that I have ever seen was the annular eclipse seen in Concord on 5/10/1994. They all are very interesting and worth taking the time to check them out. I especially like the neat shadows caused by them.
Spring is only a few days away. We have been having a very mild winter here in New Hampshire. It is one of the wettest we have had. I think we are currently #4. We have had more rain than snow. I know that it greatly affects the ski industry and snow mobile riders; but I have to admit that I don’t miss shoveling, etc. The rivers are very high right now after about 2 inches of rain fell the other day. The mountains received a good dose of snow so that made the skiers happy. I am looking forward to seeing a bit of green! It has been a very brown winter. Enjoy your spring!
(Re Photo: I took this photo many years ago. It is of a reflection in a puddle.)
Recently, I brought my mom to one of her appointments and there was a large aquarium in the office. My parents bought an aquarium in the early 1970s and had it in our living room behind the top of the couch (it was on a table). My mom was pregnant with my brother Ken. She said it was very relaxing to watch the fish. We enjoyed the aquarium for many years. One memory that came to mind was when my brother Ken (when he was just a toddler) was standing on the couch. My dad was reclined on the couch. Ken reached up and pulled on the side of the aquarium – needless to say there was water and flopping fish everywhere! Another memory was when a very pregnant black molly passed away. My mom was watching the tank when the molly passed. Mom quickly netted the fish and performed a cesarean section on the molly. The babies lived and were placed in a special nursery area of the tank.  I also remember my mom taking a popsicle stick and wrangling a mean angel fish away from the fish it was bullying. The angle fish in the office’s tank seemed to be behaving itself. The tank was always filled with different colorful species (some of my favorites were neon tetras, red-tailed sharks, coolie (aka Kuhli) loaches, and of course the prehistoric looking plecostomus that helped keep the tank clean. After I moved out and had my own apartment, I had my own aquarium for close to 20 years. They really are very relaxing to watch. Fun memories that I have not thought of for a long time. 
Our first winter storm of 2024 happened over the weekend. Our area had about 9 inches of fluffy snow! It looks pretty, but I wouldn’t be sad if we didn’t have any more :) I know that won’t happen. I spent Saturday night at my mother’s since it was predicted to be a bit storm. I did a little snowblowing before I came home last night. I placed my snow boots, gloves, and scarf in front of my heater. Maisey looked quite content curled up on my boots. She is such a cutie. 
I know it is Christmas Eve that I am posting this – but tomorrow will be a busy day, and I wanted to be sure to post. 
Above is my new Nativity scene made in Bethlehem and carved out of olive wood from the Holy Land. It is small, but I think it is lovely. It is also safe from a certain cat. 
I decided it would be fitting to end this post with St. Luke Chapter 2 verses 11-14 as written in the Grant family Bible given to me many years ago from my Great Aunt Marguerite (aka Aunt Peg). It appears to have been published in 1888.
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
I bought myself an Elf on a Shelf and have been enjoying creating daily photos with “Max” the Elf. Above he has been levitated above my little Christmas tree by Grogu (aka Baby Yoda, The Child). My tree only has lights. I did not dare put ornaments on the tree because Maisey is too curious with the lights. So far, the tree has stayed upright!
December has been mild, and I am not complaining. Today is raining, and it is currently 61 degrees! I am ok with no snow. We have had an inch here and 2 inches there but it has melted quickly which is fine with me. 
I will be posting again in a few days. Have a great pre-Christmas week! Enjoy!
Maisey looking out upon the first snow of the season here in Boscawen. Everything was very brown and dreary and the blanket of snow brightened up things a bit. It is now raining so the snow will not stay long. It is getting dark way too early now that the clocks have been turned back!
Debra LaValley's Blog 