Monday, March 1, 2021

T Stands for Changes of Scenery

 Hi everyone. Happy March to you! I'm excited for spring to be getting closer, although as I have written  many times before, one never knows if March will be spring or if it will still be winter here in New Hampshire. Either way, this is usually the last tough month of weather to get through, and some years it isn't very tough at all.

Last week besides a couple days of light snow,  we had some sunny weather and even some much warmer days compared to the rest of  February.  It was really nice to see blue sky, and since I was tired of the same  scenery,  I went for three little road trips.  I live in  great part of New Hampshire because, as some of you have asked, I can be at the ocean in an hour or less (30 minutes depending where I go), and I can be in the mountains in about an hour also.  It just depends which  direction I drive.

Thought I'd take you along for some views this week for T.  Be sure to stop by Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog  where we share our weekly drink related post.

A week ago Sunday we had some beautiful blue skies. The temperatures were in the high 20's (around -2 or -1 degrees C) so it was still a little chilly. It was a good day to sit in a warm car though, even better because the sun was streaming through the windows.  I dragged the hubby along for a ride, although that didn't take much arm twisting, and we headed north for a mountain drive. 


We decided to take a drive along the Kancamagus Highway, locally called the Kanc. It is a little over 56 mile drive through mostly National Forest. We drove to and started at the west end, which is further from our house. We drove east and ended up with the shorter drive home, although I completely forgot about Sunday afternoon ski traffic. I don't suppose either way I went would have lessened that, but it was still a beautiful drive.





This  photo  below didn't capture the sparkle, but these trees have some ice on them.


And how about this snowbank in one of the plowed pull offs?


I wasn't surprised but was still a bit disappointed that more of the pull off areas weren't plowed.

I don't usually go north. I guess I prefer the ocean.  My next trip was later in the week when I went down to the ocean.

 Last Wednesday temperatures were near 50 degrees (10 degrees C). That meant it was much too nice of a day to sit inside. As my yard was still snow covered, and my road (being gravel) was slushy mud, the only place to walk was the beach. This time I headed over to York, Maine for my walk. 

I am particulary fond of this beach because it is long with hard packed sand. I also love it because  back in my 20's I used to rent a condo for the off season near this beach. Back then I used to come home from a day at school and go for a beach walk. I do wish I could still beach walk without having to drive there.

I took the dogs with me last Wednesday also. I want to know why York Beach makes them more excited than other beaches or any place else they go. They were spazzing out in the car once I got about a mile away from the beach itself, and for the first few minutes of my walk they were acting as though they had never been on a leash. Smile.



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You can see we had hazy sun that day and a really low tide with the moon being so close to full. 
I thought the effect of the sand down by water in one area looked really interesting.


I also liked the shape of this seaweed also. I took this first seaweed photo because I though it would make a great carved stamp.


This next one had some cool texture.


In this last photo you can see Mr. Pete.  Maddie was there too, but she didn't want to get in the photo for some reason. When I stopped  to snap the photo, she went back besides me.


A road trip is not complete without a drink. Nor is a T day post.


I hadn't drank more than a sip since I had left the house. It usually takes me 2 days to finish a bottle this size, and most of this had been drunk the day before.  I'm weird, but I like it better when it is a little less fizzy.

I took one more road trip last week, but I think I've made my post long enough for one day. I took a lot of photos at my next destination.  I'll be back with some more photos  in my Wednesday post. and then I'll  finish those on Thursday. In case you are curious.

Wishing you all a happy T day, a happy new month and a great week too.










19 comments:

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

That fourth photo with the ice is incredible. Simply unbelievable and very cold looking.

The warmer weather you shared from York looked like you and the dogs were enjoying yourselves on the beach. I was also impressed with the seaweed and yes, it would make a good stamp carving.

I'm like you and prefer less fizz in my drink. I've been known to wait until most of the fizz is gone before I drink a soft drink. Thanks for sharing your incredible snow shots, your time at the beach, and your diet Coke with us for T this Tuesday. However, I prefer mine WITH caffeine, please (grin).

Mae Travels said...

Your close-ups of seaweed and sand are very beautiful. You are lucky to live near so many beautiful places to walk or take a ride.

be safe... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

Halle said...

Road trips are the best! Beautiful scenery either way!

Linda Kunsman said...

How nice to have some pleasant enough weather to take a road trip or two! The scenery is beautiful!! I am as you know a beach girl through and through but cannot deny the beauty of the mountains as well. Happy T day!

Iris Flavia said...

Wow, you really have it all there, how wonderful!
Beautiful pictures, especially the ocean.
Thanks for always giving Celsius, too, somehow I just fail to "get" Fahrenheit!

Ella said...

Very beautiful nature ... and the beach! Wow! I miss the sea!
Have a beautiful Spring!

J said...

Beautiful photos and scenery, funny how dogs know where they are, we used to try to fool our dog by going home a different way but he always knew when we were almost home.
I also drink things when they have lost their fizz, I've just finished a can of Fanta lemon from last friday!
Have a lovely week
Jan S

Valerie-Jael said...

I would always choose the sea rather than mountains, but you got some spectacular photos, thanks for sharing. The ice looks so pretty. The seaweed is beautiful, lovely shapes indeed. Happy T Day, take care, hugs, Valerie

Divers and Sundry said...

Wow! What a scenic drive! Between that drive and a drive to the ocean you're spoiled, I think :) Lovely choices, both. We are having rain, rain, and more rain lol but this morning it's sunny and 39°. We're expecting more rain and a high tomorrow in the 60s. From day to day you never know lol

Happy T Tuesday!

DVArtist said...

Truly wonderful photos. I am so glad I don't live in snow country anymore. LOL It's pretty from afar. Have a nice day today.

Jeanie said...

I love the diversity of your environment. It's really so beautiful, either direction. I can say that about York Beach with certainty because many moons ago, I stayed at a B&B in York on the water and visited the beach. It was off season so there weren't too many people and that sand was really good for walking. Those mountain icicles -- wow! This is so beautiful, Erika. All of it.

Lisca said...

That looks like a great drive into the mountains. You are lucky to be within an hours drive of both sea and mountains. Where we lived in Abruzzo (Italy) we lived 45 min from the ski pistes, and 40 minutes from the beach. Similar situation. Wonderful.
Curious that your dogs love that particular beach. Perhaps they sense your happiness when you go there.
Seeing the seaweed really takes me back to my childhood.
Thank you for taking me with you on your drive to the mountains and the walk on the beach.
Happy T-Day,
Lisca

Let's Art Journal said...

What a wonderful roadtrip! I have only seen the Kancamagus Highway in the Fall and it was so wonderful to see your wintery photos 😁. It all looks so different and I love the snowy trees and the frozen waterfall - amazing! Such lovely views of the ocean too. Thanks for the memories, me and hubby enjoyed looking at your post today 😊. Wishing you a very happy T Day! Hugs, Jo x

craftytrog said...

Stunning photos Erika! We had some nice weather for a couple of days, but now we have freezing fog. Brrr! At least the snow is gone!
Happy March!
Alison x

Kate Yetter said...

That is really nice that you can get to the mountains and the ocean in less than an hour. Your scenery photos are SO gorgeous! It must have been a relaxing time.
Happy Tea Day,
Kate

CJ Kennedy said...

Thank you for getting me out of the house vicariously! I prefer York Beach to the snow covered mountains. In my 20s, my girlfriend, Mary and I would stay at the Anchorage every weekend. We'd run across the street with our beach chairs for a day on Long Sands. We'd get dinner at a little clam shack on the beach. Her parents sometimes rented a cottage near Nubble Light. So we'd go and stay with them and sit on the rocks at the lighthouse. There was also a fancy restaurant by the lighthouse, too, but I can't remember the name of it. We would eat there occasionally, too. Oh, my what happy memories. Thank you. Stay warm and Happy T Day

pearshapedcrafting said...

What fabulous photos! You certainly did choose a good place to settle down - you really do get the best of both worlds, Belated Happy T Day, Chrisx

Neet said...

The drive through the snowy area was spectacular. What gorgeous photographs - was one of them a frozen waterfall? It was the 4th one down. We have had reasonably nice weather with sunshine too but unfortunately with lockdown we are not allowed to drive to beauty spots at the moment. Come the 12th April we will be able to so I cannot wait. Fingers crossed pandemic numbers still stay down or go down even further would be better.
Hopefully when we go out in April we will be able to go to our caravan which is in the countryside but not far from the beach so we can have the best of both worlds. Have so missed seeing a beach.
Loved your photos and I thought the one above the seaweed would make a fabulous background for a mixed media piece.
Hugs, Neet x

Lowcarb team member said...

A beautiful post, I enjoyed seeing your photographs.

All the best Jan