"I need to learn how to spell my Goddaughter's NAME!"
Here is the extreme southern arm of Lake Winnipesauke. Just before we got to this point, we made a wrong turn onto a private road, and we turned back, as there was no public access to the Beach. As we are turning around, this gentleman comes up in his truck and asks us in his best Maine accent,
You know, you're not going to get all that sand out of those clothes.
The fearsome Sea Creature emerges form his lair from the bottom of the lake in search of his favourite soft drink, Big Red.
One could walk out pretty far and still only be up to the knees in water.
The MS Mount Washington cruises by on the lake.
Yeah, another two cans for recycling!
The fearsome Se Creature now in search for something to eat....
Yes we got within three miles of this Arcade Game mecca.
Here is some of the gaming. I think at this point, they had just beat "Halo" on the Legendary setting.
Some delicious Barbecue.
Here is something one cannot get in California, Dunkin' Donuts!
Drinking beer wit' my Homies. OK, by myself.
The daughter is warned to keep an eye on her Father, making sure he does not 'act up' too much.
I took this book with me to New Hampshire in hopes that I would learn a little bit about being a Godfather. Let me tell you, I learned NOTHING about the role of a Godfather, and how the role only begins the life-long action of prayer and example.
Our host shows off his sweet dance moves.
You can try to imitate, but you cannot beat the original.
Eventually, you just knew I would get punished for something.
Walking around the neighbourhood after dinner.
Teaching one of the kids how to knit. Just keep it up now!
"Yes, my face is funny!"
Did we mention we went apple picking? Here, some of the kids are cooking apple sauce.
Watching some Japanese animation.
So this house comes with yard care, and the gardener comes to fertilize the lawn. Didn't know who he was, or why he was doing what he was doing.
All the way across the continent, and where is the Garlic from?!
Kids love to play street Tennis!
They also like after dinner snacks.
Why, there is even time to build shelves for the schoolbooks.
Evenings are beautiful at this time of year.
There is even time to mess around right before bedtime. Tough love.
I don't thin this little girl has her license yet, but the way she is driving.
The great lawn of the museum.
OK, the only weird thing about the place was that, this particular weekend, they were hosting this Fairy House Festival, with certain areas made to look like Fairy Houses. There were all sorts of little girls made up like Fairies, wings and all. This guy also had wings on, but he looked more like a Balrog.
Here is Nail Making Machine. I don't think the lamps are historically accurate.
There has been ship-building in Portsmouth since 1800, and they are rightly proud of this.
Detail of a Model Ship.
Not all the houses are from the Portsmouth area. they come from all over New England, and are brought here in their original condition. Once in Strawbery Banke, they are slowly renovated to look as they once did. Here is a Staircase form the 19th century in the process of being renovated.
More renovation.
One of the houses in the village has been recreated and restored complete with kitchen. they have people who dress up in period clothing, and this lady was cooling fare from the 1800's. Everything she made was done with classic methods. Even though it was a bit hot in here, it sure smelled delicious. She had just baked some bread. She had ground all the spices herself. To get Nutmeg in the amount she wanted, it took about 3 hours.
This lady looks just like one of the home schooling Moms back in Monterey. We don't know what she was doing here. Obviously following us.
This area will be kept as it is. Pretty narrow. Doesn't look like it would hold me.
Another area is a small corner grocery store that has been recreated to 1943. Somehow, they have managed to find actual foods in their packaging from this time period. The kids thought it was neat that candy only cost 10 cents.
Not Cheerios, but Cheeri-oats for 13 cents.
Original canned items.
This staircase has been rescued, and will eventually be used in a house that was used by Redcoats.
This gentleman was ostensibly doing a demonstration of Barrel-making. The bid attraction was that he was shaving planks of wood for barrels, and he was making curls of wood. Kids stood in line for these!
It looked pretty difficult to do this.
Cousin It!
A ceramic watering bucket. It has many holes in the bottom, and one on the top. You sank the bucket in water, stopped up the hole on the top to create a vacuum, and it would hold the water.
Chamber Pot in one of the houses.
A lounge chair from the 1800's.
Before the Wii, this is what you did in free time. It hoop and stick. You whack the hoop with the stick, and see how far you can make it go. It is surprisingly difficult. This should be made for the Wii. It is almost there anyways.
This man has guests from across the continent, and is having a great time!
The lady in the middle is Mrs. Goodwin, owner of one of the houses at Strawbery Banke. She was in period dress, and worked in the garden with traditional tools. She also answered questions about her era.
A fountain in the garden. The gardens were very nice, but those pictures will be in an upcoming post.
