Every restaurant, park, tourist attraction, store, and any other place people walk into has a 'rack'. In the rack are all the places you can spend money, look at, ride on, canoe down, hike over, eat at, attend, or stay. Examples are: the mall outlets at Conway, Franconia Notch State Park, Six Gun City, Whale Tail Water Park, The Cheese Store, The Saco River, and "Bob and Betty's B & B". (Those poor souls who thought it would be 'fun' to own a B & B. Can you imagine anything worse than having to clean up after and put up with whining people on vacation? I always imagine that Bob and Betty tipple quite a bit in the evening.) Anyway, back to the 'rack'. It's filled with brochures and pamphlets as well as glossy magazines and newspapers. Well, a few days ago, I spotted a brochure entitled "Ruggles Mine - Pick up and KEEP any rocks you find!"
Everyone knows I like rocks. I take a lot of behind my back snickering because of this hobby. How many people have been to my house and seen the pile of rocks on the teak board next to the fireplace? Only about 500 of you. And at least 50 of you have dabbled with rearranging those rocks into patterns or sculptures. If there's one thing I learned yesterday at the obsessive collection known as the Fairbanks Museum, it's that collections need additions. I always pick up rocks wherever we go, and you know, that makes Drake so very, very HAPPY. He just loves lugging them around. Can you believe he actually rolls his eyes when he sees another rock in my hand?
When I saw there was a place where you could actually go pick up interesting rocks and keep them, I just had to go. I didn't expect we would have to drive 150 miles (as least that was round trip), or that the last 5 miles would be straight up a mountain at 15 mph (at least it was a short mountain), or that it would cost a lot of money for both of us to get into the mine to get the rocks (at least they were free), or that I would fall off a rock while trying to sit down on it and scrape my hand so it was bleeding for the last 15 minutes of the rock collection time.
It was just WONDERFUL. When we arrived and started walking into the mine, the ground was glittering. It was so bright when you looked down, you needed sunglasses. The reason for all this shining is this was primarily a mica mine. The deposits were discovered by the farmer whose land it was on in 1803. He started mining it secretly, consigning it to English agents and sending it to England to sell. He kept the mine a secret for several years because he didn't want to have to fight off his neighbors. Apparently in the 19th century mica was a prized mineral - it was used in whale oil lamps and stove windows. In addition to mica, there is beryl, quartz, and a bunch of other minerals including garnets and tourmaline. The mine was in continuous operation from 1803 until 1959.
Now it's this terrific attraction. You can even get mineral hammers and bang around on the walls and on any rock lying around. You get to keep anything you find. I was very modest. I only brought out about 25 very small rocks. According to Drake, I brought out 25 huge boulders. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG - he's just exaggerating.
I guess some people would have found me funny walking around with my nose to the ground and butt in the air, but how else are you going to spot the good ones? I really did fall off a rock when I tried to sit on it next to a little stream. It was a really small rock - only about 10 inches high, and I just missed it when I tried to sit down on it. Of course, I managed to fall into one of the few wet and muddy spots in the whole mine. My hand only bled a little bit for the last part of my collection time, and at least I only got my shorts dirty and didn't tear them. This is a real happy outcome - since I'm usually really clutzy and wind up with small disasters worse than this one routinely happening to me. Even this little hiccup couldn't dim my happiness during this outing.
This was so much fun. You couldn't believe how many interesting rocks there were. So many of them have been compressed together into interesting forms - mica sprouting out of white quartz, or two toned quartz, and slabs of shiny mica - pure and mixed together with other stones everywhere. The gift shop was fun too. I got a new necklace - a piece of rose quartz polished, cut and faceted. This came out of the mine. Isn't that great! To top it off, the weather was perfect - warm and sunny without being hot.
Drake's perspective is somewhat different: $100 to get in. 150 miles of driving. $40 worth of gas. $15 for another piece of jewelry. An afternoon sitting around looking at my butt as I picked up rocks. He calculates that my free rocks only cost $8.20 each. My answer: What a bargain. I got a refreshed collection, and everyone knows that's PRICELESS.
Look at the pix and see if you agree: https://picasaweb.google.com/jalyss1/2011NewHampshireTour4RugglesMine?authkey=Gv1sRgCOjz95KBxavKqAE#
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Stepping Back into the Nineteenth Century
Today we took a trip to St. Johnsbury, Vermont. It was a time warp. The entire town is pretty much frozen in the 19th century. There is Edwardian and Victorian architecture everywhere from commercial buildings, to churches to private homes.
Thadeus Fairbanks invented the platform scale, and those scales are still manufactured here. (Those scales at the exercise club or the old ones in the doctor's office are examples of platform scales.) His family made tons of $$$$ which they used to improve St. Johnsbury. His grandson, Erastus, expanded the company, and was also governor of Vermont during the Civil War. Erastus' son was an Edwardian collector - an amateur natural scientist. he built a museum, endowed it, and donated his collection to fill it. Today, it houses not only his collection, but also a weather forecasting center, a planetarium, a photographic art gallery for nature pictures, and a science center for kids. The pictures tell the story today:
https://picasaweb.google.com/jalyss1/2011VermontTour1StJohnsbury?authkey=Gv1sRgCJSI2fenpqCypQE#
Thadeus Fairbanks invented the platform scale, and those scales are still manufactured here. (Those scales at the exercise club or the old ones in the doctor's office are examples of platform scales.) His family made tons of $$$$ which they used to improve St. Johnsbury. His grandson, Erastus, expanded the company, and was also governor of Vermont during the Civil War. Erastus' son was an Edwardian collector - an amateur natural scientist. he built a museum, endowed it, and donated his collection to fill it. Today, it houses not only his collection, but also a weather forecasting center, a planetarium, a photographic art gallery for nature pictures, and a science center for kids. The pictures tell the story today:
https://picasaweb.google.com/jalyss1/2011VermontTour1StJohnsbury?authkey=Gv1sRgCJSI2fenpqCypQE#
Monday, July 25, 2011
Music and Scenery
We have had two wonderful experiences up here. One is cultural and the other scenic. New Hampshire has taken advantage of it's proximity to some of the greatest musicians in the world. The organization called the North Country Chambers Players created the White Mountain Music Festival about twenty years ago. The nucleus of the musicians who perform during the festival include musicians from the New York Philharmonic, faculty members of Columbia University, and Wesleyan University as well as several other major universities. They record music on their own and with others. They have film and television credits, and they compose. Let's just say, these folks know their stuff, and when you hear them play, it's obvious. They come to New Hampshire each summer, and have organized this festival. This event is supported by corporate sponsors as well as regular people. You can get your name in the program for as little as a $25 contribution. Everyone we talked to is very proud of this festival.
Even if you aren't a giant classical music fan, you get to appreciate the amount of effort it takes to play an instrument at the highest level. These concerts are held in community buildings, on slightly raised stages. The chairs are folding chairs (padded, thank heaven!), and they are set up about 20 feet from the musicians. In addition to the regular group of musicians, special guests are invited. Last Saturday night we heard an up and coming young celloist, Michael Nicolas. He was about 25, and when he played, it was electrifying.
These types of festivals allow people who don't have $200 to buy a ticket to a major concert venue, or the resources to travel to one access to amazing music. You can't even use the excuse "I don't have anything to wear". You can wear anything from your Bermuda shorts and flip flops to your cool summer dress and sandals. I didn't see a single tie or pair of hose anywhere. Good thing - we were in the last day of the 'heat wave', and there's no air conditioning in these venues. It takes about 10 minutes to get to the Sugar Hill Community Meeting Room from anywhere in the area. The tickets are $20 unless you are college age or younger - then you get in for free. They toss in the cookies and punch on the lawn after the concert as a lagniappe. (For you non-New Orleanians, that's a little something for free.) It's obvious that these musicians have become friends and neighbors to many in this community.
Each Saturday night, there is a musical theme. The concert we attended was called "Dinner in Paris" and the music was from all French composers: Debussy, Milhaud, Francaix and Ravel. Next week the theme is "Summer Romance" and includes Schubert. We have reservations at the Sugar Hill Inn (supposed to be an amazing restaurant) prior to the next concert. I've discovered there is entertainment up here, but you have to look for it. Bethlehem is giving free concerts at their gazebo each Sunday night. There's a small theater that shows interesting independent films. Wednesday is 2 for 1 day! We have just started to scratch the surface as to what is available here.
One of the reasons we have been so slow off the mark here is my fault. I'm finding it very difficult to walk for any time at all without pain zooming up to a level I can't handle. I just trashed my foot in New York City. I spent 30 days walking almost non-stop on concrete for several hours a day. When I finallly got to the chalet in New Hampshire, it just all caught up with me. I've been resting my foot until yesterday when we decided to go look at some famous scenery.
We went to the Franconia Notch State Park to their premiere attraction: The Flume Gorge. This is a granite canyon formed during the age of the glaciers. It was filled millions of years ago with basalt which gradually over the eons wore away leaving the granite gorge. The walls are 80 feet high of solid granite. The Pemigawasset River (stream, really) runs through it, and in places the gorge is only about 10 feet wide. Small sparkling waterfalls spill over granite in 20 foot to 2 inch drops over the length of the gorge. It was impressive and beautiful. It's about a 2 mile scenic walk from the visitor's center to the Flume Gorge.
It was certainly worth the effort, but this simple walk took a toll on my idiot foot. Today, I made an appointment with an orthopedist because I want an x-ray to make sure that the necrosis that melted a joint isn't back. Prayers would be appreciated.
As always, here are the pictures: https://picasaweb.google.com/jalyss1/2011NewHampshireTour3FranconiaNotch?authkey=Gv1sRgCKCovp3Yq6S3MA#
Even if you aren't a giant classical music fan, you get to appreciate the amount of effort it takes to play an instrument at the highest level. These concerts are held in community buildings, on slightly raised stages. The chairs are folding chairs (padded, thank heaven!), and they are set up about 20 feet from the musicians. In addition to the regular group of musicians, special guests are invited. Last Saturday night we heard an up and coming young celloist, Michael Nicolas. He was about 25, and when he played, it was electrifying.
These types of festivals allow people who don't have $200 to buy a ticket to a major concert venue, or the resources to travel to one access to amazing music. You can't even use the excuse "I don't have anything to wear". You can wear anything from your Bermuda shorts and flip flops to your cool summer dress and sandals. I didn't see a single tie or pair of hose anywhere. Good thing - we were in the last day of the 'heat wave', and there's no air conditioning in these venues. It takes about 10 minutes to get to the Sugar Hill Community Meeting Room from anywhere in the area. The tickets are $20 unless you are college age or younger - then you get in for free. They toss in the cookies and punch on the lawn after the concert as a lagniappe. (For you non-New Orleanians, that's a little something for free.) It's obvious that these musicians have become friends and neighbors to many in this community.
Each Saturday night, there is a musical theme. The concert we attended was called "Dinner in Paris" and the music was from all French composers: Debussy, Milhaud, Francaix and Ravel. Next week the theme is "Summer Romance" and includes Schubert. We have reservations at the Sugar Hill Inn (supposed to be an amazing restaurant) prior to the next concert. I've discovered there is entertainment up here, but you have to look for it. Bethlehem is giving free concerts at their gazebo each Sunday night. There's a small theater that shows interesting independent films. Wednesday is 2 for 1 day! We have just started to scratch the surface as to what is available here.
One of the reasons we have been so slow off the mark here is my fault. I'm finding it very difficult to walk for any time at all without pain zooming up to a level I can't handle. I just trashed my foot in New York City. I spent 30 days walking almost non-stop on concrete for several hours a day. When I finallly got to the chalet in New Hampshire, it just all caught up with me. I've been resting my foot until yesterday when we decided to go look at some famous scenery.
It was certainly worth the effort, but this simple walk took a toll on my idiot foot. Today, I made an appointment with an orthopedist because I want an x-ray to make sure that the necrosis that melted a joint isn't back. Prayers would be appreciated.
As always, here are the pictures: https://picasaweb.google.com/jalyss1/2011NewHampshireTour3FranconiaNotch?authkey=Gv1sRgCKCovp3Yq6S3MA#
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)