Vermont & New Hampshire

A new day and two new states I’ve never seen. Vermont first. Kurt and I crossed over Lake Champlain near the Canadian border into Vermont. Greeting us were more of the same small farms we’d been seeing for awhile in New York. We didn’t spend long in Vermont, finding little in the way of dispersed camping or state/national forests on our path. I observed that the roadside farm stands were mostly replaced with curbside boxes of “free” items. Gun and Ammo stores jarringly sprung up (and then disappeared again when we entered New Hampshire).

It was a long day of driving before we made it to the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire. Kurt tried to find us a spot in one of the dispersed camping areas. I was reminded, again, of the camping games people play…

You may find yourself exhausted, in the dark, trying to find a site to set up, any site. It’s first come, first serve. Or it’s an online reservation weeks or months in advance. People hold their weekend roosts by any means. A tablecloth here. An empty tent there. Unused reservations posted everywhere.
We ended up in one of the fee campgrounds, surrounded by reserved and vacant sites. Two men from the campsite across from us came over to help Kurt back up in the dark.

After soaking up the autumn woods Kurt wanted to check out Shilling Beer Co. in Littleton, New Hampshire on a recommendation from a brewmaster near Niagara Falls. Littleton a small town, much like all the other small towns we’d seen. An Italianate fronted Main St. several white churches (some repurposed) with their soaring steeples all near a lively river.

I looked at a few galleries while there:

• Bad Art: Truth in advertising. It is, in fact bad. Some delightfully. I was charmed by the vintage photographs with 2020’s captions. Also, they sell records.
• Shaun Terhune Photography: Very cabin rustic feel with wildlife photographs. A lot of owls. The owner/artist obliged me by letting me take photos of a moose skull with a full rack he had hanging in his shop. I’m adding that to my collection of to-paint.
• League of N.H. Craftsmen: A likely set-up in a small town. Stuffed with as many artists as they can fit. An assortment of media. I fell for a tree etching by Victoria Elbroch. I fell hard… It’s wrapped up in the drawer▪️

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