Why I Love New Hampshire
by Patricia Lynne Grace Cummings
The quiet serenity of Nature is one reason to love the Granite State.
One reason I love New Hampshire is that I was born here in the Granite State. We all love the area where our families lived, and places hold special memories for us. In this essay, I hope to tell you about why New Hampshire is special, and why you should visit us. We love your tourist dollars. Please bring them and then return to wherever you live. (This is said, with half a smile). The influx of people is making New Hampshire more and more like one big housing development. Ah, but I do not mean to aggravate you with my complaints.
Canadian Geese - The Other Invaders
In New Hampshire, we love wildlife. We even love Canadian Geese ... when they are flying overhead in their wonderful V-formations, honking loudly. We do not love them when they deposit their natural by-products on golf courses. Those who wished to see more geese, have had their prayers answered. Those who like to golf, but don't like to slide on the golf course, could always take up winter sliding, or skiing, for that matter. Ah, but again, I do digress.
Bement Covered Bridge in Bradford, NH
Those of us who love New Hampshire are enchanted by the landscape views such as the covered bridges. Believe it or not, they were not built to be quaint items for tourists to take photos. They were meant for more practical purposes.
Lilacs: If you visit us in the spring, in May, you will be treated to the most delicious smell on earth: blooming Lilac bushes in white, lavender, and deep purple.
Names of Places
In New Hampshire, a person might travel to "Bosquine," "Boscowen," or "Bóskawin," at the same time. The town's name is spelled, "Boscawen."
In the same vein of regional pronunciations, Lancaster, NH is not pronounced like Lan-cas-ter, Pennsylvania. The syllables are run together fast, and so like "Lane-kest-a."
In fact, there are a lot of regionalisms in language. In my childhood, I hear a number of old farmers speak and could barely make out what they were saying.
Moose Locking Horns for Eternity
Moose Matches
Male moose will fight over territory and to gain the affection of would-be mates. They sometimes entangle their antlers so badly that the two animals are locked together for eternity, such as demonstrated in the photo above. The Annual Moose Festival in Colebrook, NH is a major area attraction. The traveling moose exhibit, just proves that when any New Hampshirite thinks he is "right," he will prove it by fighting to the death!
Barberry Bush
Nature walks through the woods are a major fascination and point of recreation. The Barberry Bush, seen above, is food for a number of animals, including deer.
Deer in our backyard - Winter 2008
Ellen E. Webster - (1867-1950)
I love New Hampshire because of all of its historical figures who provide so much inspiration such as the beautiful Ellen Webster, about whom I wrote a 355 page book. In so doing, I learned some really neat stories that she had written about her childhood, and what it was like to grow up in the nineteenth century, what various types of cloth were available, and how she first learned to quilt. Her work and her life mostly went unnoticed until I spent months researching her life and uncovered all kinds of new information. (The e-book is available only on our Products Available page, nowhere else).
Prominent Figures in New Hampshire
If I were to make a list of New Hampshire figures who were prominent in the past two centuries, the names would include:
Ellen Ahlgren, founder of A.B.C. Quilts for babies "at risk"
Newspaper tribute to the late Ellen Ahlgren, 6/05/09.
John Bailey Aldrich, author of Story of A Bad Boy. The Aldrich home is located within Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth.
Ken Burns, renowned NH filmmaker
Ellen Emeline Hardy Webster, quilt historian (no relation to Marie Webster, quilt designer and book writer, or Daniel Webster)
Robert Frost, poet - Hear the poem he wrote, "Mending Wall, as recited by Patricia Cummings, for educational purposes."
Alan Shepard, astronaut
John E. Grace, founder of 17 NH credit unions, including Granite State C.U.
Sarah Josepha Buell Hale, editor of Godey's Lady's Book, and author of Mary's Lamb
William Loeb, of Manchester Union Leader fame
Julia Louisa Lovejoy, Ellen Webster's aunt, and avid abolitionist in Kansas
Christa MacAuliffe, teacher and astronaut
John Perrault, songwriter and past poet laureate of Portsmouth, NH
Franklin Pierce - 14th U.S. President (1853-1857)
Rebecca Rule, humorist and writer
Tom Rush, musical performer
The Shaw Brothers - musicians who write songs about New Hampshire
Bill Staines, singer, songwriter
Steve Blunt, songwriter and musician
John Sununu, Governor of NH who served in Washington, D.C.
Celia Thaxter - a writer and woman of many talents mostly associated with the Isles of Shoals.
Daniel Webster, statesman - See a profile of him within my 355 page CD
e-book for sale from this website: Ellen Emeline Hardy Webster (1867-1950)
The hour is late, but surely I could add many other names to this list.
Congregational Church in Chatham, pronouced "Chat-ham," if you please!
I love New Hampshire because of its old buildings that have stood long before I was born, and whose steeples dot the countryside. Freedom of religion abounds, and if one has no religion, that is fine, too. We have a "don't ask, don't tell" policy, in which neighbors generally tend to their own 'knittin'."
Enfield, NH and the LaSalette Shrine which is lit up every December, one of the joys of the Christmas season for many folks
We enjoy visiting the LaSalette Shrine. For me, it always brings to mind the fact that my oldest brother, Jack, was chosen to serve Mass as one of the altar boys when the shrine was first dedicated in the 1950s. There is a gift shop that contains items such as Nativity scenes, ornaments, music CDs, and books; and there is also a number of other buildings including the chapel, and a place to buy some light refreshments. The lights look so beautiful against the white snow.
Lupines in the north country of NH
Every year, there is a Lupine Festival. Our favorite destination is the Sugar Hill Sampler, part shop, part museum. One can walk around the fields of Lupines and enjoy the fresh mountain air. Polly's Pancakes is a popular restaurant nearby.
My parents, when they were dating.
Check out the argyle socks, and the beret. Dad was a dapper fellow. I love this old photo of one of their dates. Seeing this photo, taken along the New Boston River, gives me a sense of "place."
Fresh air, opportunities to encounter Nature, and a feeling that I belong here are just a few reasons why I love New Hampshire. I could add more. Looks like I am here to stay for the duration. There are more and more reasons to stay put, sit and quilt or read, and barely venture out the door.
This quilt that depicts Alaska was made in 2003 by Patricia Cummings, inspired by New Hampshire songwriter Bill Staines' song, "Redbird's Wing." With his permission, the lyrics were placed on the back of the quilt which was displayed at the Appliqué Society convention, 2003.
I love Yankee humor, ingenuity, and a willingness to make do. I value the emphasis on Education in New Hampshire, and the high quality of instruction in our schools. The fact that New Hampshire residents are creative and hard-working sets them as a breed apart. We are individualists in the best sense. I hope you have enjoyed this bird's-eye view of New Hampshire!
Copyright 2009. Quilter's Muse Publications, Concord, NH. All Rights Reserved. All photos in this file were taken by James Cummings, or are family heirloom photos. pat@quiltersmuse.com