a late summer hiatus

on our way to the lake house that's only accessible by water

One of the perks of being my own boss is that I don't have to ask for time off to travel. Summer is the time I usually travel within the United States and this summer I was lucky enough to visit my dad and brother in Aspen, meet my boyfriend's family in NH, and get surprised with a blast from the past on a camping trip to Idaho.

I've only been to New Hampshire once before, during the frigid winter. I must say, I prefer a NH summer. After flying into Boston and meeting Alex's parents, who were wonderful, we drove to Lake Winnipesaukee, where we stayed with his aunt and uncle at their lake house. The lake is beautiful, calm, and relaxing. We spent the week playing games, cards, and dice with Alex's extended family- aunts, uncles, cousins- it was so much fun.

Alex and I are really into hiking at the moment and New Hampshire didn't disappoint. On our first hike, we went to a trail near the lake. After an hour or so hiking up we reached the top to see a full view of Winnipesaukee.

the view from the top

One of my favorite parts of this hike were the wild blueberries that grew along the trail. We stopped and snacked on the way up. Next year if we get up there earlier, when the blueberries are at their peak, we can pick some to pack home with us.

wild blueberries

Our second hike was an all day event up Mt. Jefferson in the White Mountains. Climbing 2,700 feet to the top was a challenge. Unlike trails on the west coast that have switch backs, Mt. Jefferson was pretty much straight up with plenty of exposed rock scrambles and a dramatic weather change as you reached the first ridge. We summited (total elev. 5712 feet) in thick fog, strong winds and a freezing temperature. After grabbing a quick bite we started our descent on the opposite side of the mountain down the Castle Trail. I was thankful when we reached the tree line so that the biting wind was no longer blowing right through me. When we finally reached the end of the circuit we piled into the car and stopped at a brewery on the way home to grab dinner and ice cold beers.

the foggy view from the top, wishing i had some wool with me

we didn't see this sign until the way down. the weather was indeed scary at the top

One of the other exciting things I got to do was visit the Patternworks Store. They had a lovely collection of yarn and the store was set up beautifully.

Next week I'll share about my trip to Idaho and a really nice surprise that I received while there.