T Stands for Second on the Second

 Hi everyone.  Happy first T day of May. 

It's basically been  wet  outside at my house for a few days now, although we did get a bit of brightening this afternoon. I think the April showers have forgotten it's now May.  I'm happy I finished the gardening I did before the wet weather moved in last week though. You might remember that last week I did a whole garden post, but I'll spare you more garden photos today.

Last week I did show you this photo. 

I am always excited when 'summer' places start opening up. I live in a tourist area. We have lots of lakes and the foothills of the White Mountains  in the area. The higher mountains are just over an hour or so away, as are the ocean with beaches and boating. It's a definite perk to where I live.

Of course, these same attractions  also draw tourists. But the good news about tourists and summer is that when they're both around, places like Pop's are open.👍

This month lots of new blog challenges start on the first and the second. Since Tuesday is the second of May, my T day post will also be for Second on the Second this time around.  Pop's  is opening this upcoming weekend, and I'm excited about that.  For T this week let me share some photos from May of 2021 when I took my first trip to Pop's that year.

Of course the hubby and I weren't the only ones ready for some of Pop's food. It was a long line, but it was 2021 and so people were still socially distancing.

You can tell it had been busy long before we reached the window.

We ordered our food to go and ate in the car.

We didn't buy drinks but brought them from home. Here's my Diet Coke. This is my ticket to T this week over at Bleubeard's and Elizabeth's blog.

And that year on my first trip  to Pop's I had a lobster roll. The hubby and I also shared some onion rings. Here's just a few onion rings in my lobster roll tray.

I don't know what price lobster rolls are going to be this year. I have already had one at another restaurant when my friend who winters out in New Mexico came home. She and I have a fun tradition where we go to a  restaurant (one that stays open all year) and  start the nice weather season with a lobster roll. We also end the nice weather season with a lobster roll for lunch in the fall. When we had our lobster rolls a few weeks back the prices were still a bit  high (but this restaurant also gives you fries and coleslaw with your sandwich), but definitely not nearly as expensive as they had been last year.  👍

Lobsters are locally sourced food here in New Hampshire, so I do feel like I am helping out the local economy when I have one. Smile. At one time they were spurned by almost everyone, and because they were so common, they practically became everyday food for the coastal population, including those who didn't have a lot of money. It's only been in the past years when air flight has been able to transport them to far away places  that lobsters have taken on a different reputation.  When they say times changes things, it is certainly true for lobsters.

And as the oceans warm, lobsters, who like cold water, are moving further north. There will most likely be a time when the Maine lobster (which is also found here in New Hampshire) might have to be renamed the Newfoundland Lobster .

And last week I showed you an older bear photo, and lots of you had comments about bears. 

To answer your questions:

-yes, the black bears we have in New Hampshire are big, but nowhere near as big as a Grizzley, Brown or Polar bear

-bears can be found just about everywhere in New Hampshire because we are a fairly wooded and rural state

-black bears tend to run off when they come around people BUT don't corner them; don't get  too close to one, and definitely DON'T separate a mother and her cub(s)

-and if you have a dog, try not to let them chase the bear as those bear claws can do damage (try telling that to Mr.  Pete though)

-there is a bear hunting season in NH as the bear population is managed by the state fish and game department

-I'm happy I live someplace where wildlife can still roam.  I respect their size, but I'm not happy they like to eat bird food though. 

-there has only been a couple of times in my life that wildlife and I have come too close for comfort, and neither time it was with a bear. I am just aware that they can be any place any time, and it is nice to have dogs to scent them out. (I also have bear spray, but I don't always carry with me although I probably should.)

OK, this post has once again gotten out of hand. 😩

Unless it rains all weekend, I hope to make a trip to Pop's this coming weekend. I'm not sure if I'll have a lobster roll or not, but I will report back if I do-smile.   Have a great T day and week ahead.

Thanks for visiting.