Take Me Back Home To The Free State Of Jones

The last few days provided a very necessary respite from the treadmill. Yes, I know I was just on the Vineyard. Yes, I went to Hawaii a few months ago, too. Philadelphia in May? Hardly a vacation mecca. But Squam Lake in central New Hampshire is about as good a place as any to really get away from life's paces. Why? Because nothing happens there. Really. Nothing. And that, my reader(s), is an absolutely beautiful thing.

We stayed in a 100 year old-plus cottage with electricity, but little more. Situated on an island on the lake, it truly is the same place that others stayed in 80 or 100 years ago. How do I know? Because there were amazing diaries there, in spectacular condition and kept by inhabitants who stayed there at the time. The logs contained passages from, for instance, the summer of 1929 - and almost each passing year afterward. You know what? Other than loon hunting, they did pretty much the same stuff we did - relaxed, looked out at the beautiful, quiet, blue lake and complained about the mosquitos! There were drawings, records kept of things that were cooked, explanations of why certain people couldn't make it that summer. There were children's names, written in those awkward, early-learner block letters. One particular entry was about how the family, for the first time, took a motorized vehicle up to Squam from their home in Massachusetts. It took them 11.5 hours. This weekend, it took us two.

The swimming - just divine. No jet skis allowed here. Perfect water. Very quiet and serene. Just throw an inflatable raft out there and lay on it and look out at the green, rolling hills, which hover around the dark water like a protective shield from what we see on the news every night. Those hills provide an sweet, enveloping comfort. Yep, this is exactly how they did it in 1905. The picture at the top there is taken from the only shower in the cottage - outside! Just take a look at the view. From the shower! It should probably be enlarged for it to really be appreciated. I'll post a slide show soon. Real good medicine. As a nice added bonus, the bald eagle has made a return to the Squam Lake region, setting up shop with it's recently born eaglet on top of the tree in the middle of the lake.

Oh - also snapped this shot a few days ago here at home. Seems we have a new family of deer in the woods behind the house. This is one of two very young kids - no bigger than an average size dog. It's pretty neat to see them horseing around and running after each other. Good stuff, indeed.