Paddling Winnipesaukee

Exiting August, but thinking about our final days of July,

when we traveled north to satisfy my whim

to kayak while here in New Hampshire.

This glorious waterlily and its luscious pads are from

that trip to Lake Winnipesaukee in the White Mountains.

But more about those activities later in this post.

First, I will report on momentous changes in western

Massachusetts ecclesiastic unit boundaries (stakes)

that also affected NH Manchester Mission territory.

Below is the former map of our mission, including

Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and tiniest bit of Mass.

I have drawn in the approximate additional area of

western Massachusetts that we "absorb" effective this week.

We stumbled on this information that was percolating

as "rumor" back in early spring to be effected in July,

delayed til now by COVID restrictions which prevented 

Stake Conference where reorganization 

would be ratified and finalized. A hasty ZOOM staff meeting

two weeks ago made us aware, and final plans followed.

Mass Boston Mission would vacate areas a certain distance west

of Boston suburbs, and our reassigned missionaries would

replace them in Springfield, Worcester, Pittsfield, and

communities in between. For now, we take over 12 apartments

which house paired companionships. With all others in the Office

constrained by proximity rules, or busy with on-the-ground

duties the day of transfer (when the exchange was planned)

I volunteered to be the one to make the run to Weston, MA

(and out of NHMM boundaries) to

pick up apartment keys and phone sim cards.

So here I am, above, receiving the envelopes from

the AP (assistant) there. I was concerned about being

"the bad gal" applying pressure to get it done to

hopefully fit our timeline. Couldn't have had a friendlier

reception. Below, three of us senior Sisters chat while I wait

for the final young Elders to arrive with their keys:

Sister Wilkins, Sister Gaitrell, and me.

Sister Wilkins and husband were MLS seniors given the chance

 to stay and serve if they would move into office positions.

(They had requested NO OFFICE in original application.)

Sister Gaitrell is the mission nurse (and married to

the Area physician).

I wandered to compare their transfer procedures as

I thought about what I was missing back in Manchester.

Things were a bit more relaxed, but Sister Gaitrell is

circulating to remind them about the safety rules.

 Here is a long view of the Stake Building there in

Weston, which looked to me like it could have been

transplanted out of Utah or western states.

The mission office is NOT at this location, but they

can use the large parking lot to accommodate their

transfers.

 With the final envelope in hand, I "raced" back to

Manchester where our new Mass. area Elders and Sisters

were waiting with only a little delay. As I parted from

Sister Wilkins, who was still learning her recorder duties

which she stepped into with very little training (emergency mode),

I invited her to call me if she had questions. The expert

and thorough work of Elder & Sister Johnson to get everything

organized and ready for us was a huge blessing.

And then, at my desk later in afternoon, I received a call

and a question from Sister Wilkins. Once that was addressed,

she thanked me for traveling down, said she was so happy

to meet me, and then complimented me on being

"such a lovely woman." Easy, sincere, kind words that

made a GIANT difference to me. I need to remember
how that made me feel (and spread more cheer)!

Here, below, is my "something to crow about" thank you

tag and card back to them.

There were other HUGE things that uplifted and filled my lamp

that day, too. Of special note is the outstanding help that

these three Spanish Manchester Sisters offered, when I

reached out for their help to prepare and distribute snack bags

in my absence that morning. Sisters Congelliere, Campbell,

and Stout not only bagged 7 baker's dozen bagels, but also

packed the sacks with snacks, cheese, fruit and more.

Then they stepped in to assist with photography when

circumstances didn't work out according to original plan.

Such capable, observant and quick-to-serve Sisters!

My lamp was also filled as I observed Elder Warner

wake up to an early Sunday morning call to patiently assist

three not-to-be-named Elders who gambled that

their un-permitted, borrowed mission vehicle could be

parked overnight within the apartment parking lot.

(They LOST that bet.) 

His loving care involved identifying the tow lot,

determining fees to be paid, finding a way to get

the required cash, and then helping them retrieve the truck.

Now back to the kayak trip.

We definitely are feeling the season shift.

This is my phone weather app screen shot

earlier this week. So refreshing.

On my mind now - those hot days in July - 

Pioneer Day, in fact, when I fulfilled a dream to experience

a favorite activity from back home, but this time here in

the beautiful outdoors of New Hampshire.

Here, below, is the north bay of Lake Winnepesaukee,

where our equipment rental company was based,

out of Center Harbor.

 I wanted to photo document that we REALLY were

there, so here is my Utah licensed Subaru in front

of Wild Meadow Paddlesports.

As a budget economy choice, we arranged for ONE double

kayak, and this is the boat that the two attendants

toted from roadside business to beach for us . . .

. . . walking along this gravel pathway, shown below.

The shallow sandy shore was easy to launch from,

and once we were a few dozen yards out on the water,

we pivoted to take a cell phone pic of our take-off spot,

to make sure we could "find our way home".

One of the first views from the lake was the water-edge

double garage for boats adjacent to this luxury lakeside home.

Captivating to see this clever way to allow boats to motor in

to safe shelter, just like a car would enter along a driveway.

 "The strongest paddler goes in the back", was our

instruction, so here I am in the front.

Fun (sort of) to learn to paddle in tandem - but there

was quite a learning curve. Cadence and stroke shape

are things that as a single paddler I decide for myself.

Vince's pulls might be STRONGER, but mine are FASTER

(and that difference did not help us much.)

Bleached shot, but it does demonstrate the brightness,

and suggests the heat of the day on the water.

We were prone to hug the shady shore, in a channel where we

were advised we'd be away from the motorized water craft.

Our "guide" also pointed out on the map where the wild

blueberries could be reached from the kayak, so we

ambled close in several spots. Vince has claimed

for a long time that he doesn't like blueberries. But . . .

 . . . as I suspected, he hadn't tried them.

He enjoyed the challenge of "gathering" a few for me,

and then decided to taste them.

"I like them Sam I am" was his declaration.
(Picking blueberries in New England was another
activity I had wanted to "check off" while here.)

 We paddled outbound for 2 hours and then headed back,

viewing the islands, large homes (one had a heli-pad and

a copter just leaving), and a shoreline resort to the south.

Turning north, we found again the smoother water where

Vince could easily experience his own "viewing pleasure" 

of these fish through the shallow sunny lake surface.

Here, below, is the breakwater for part of Center Harbor.

If you look closely, you can detect the difference between

the flat, calm water surface in foreground, and the choppier

texture beyond in the distance.

Cherished experiences, pleasant memories.

And scattered lessons, too. Some about learning to

paddle in unison, and some about the comfort of shade.

Some about hidden treats, and some about seeking

calmer water - with thoughts about where that is to be found.

Phil. 4:7 . . . the peace of God . . . shall guard 

your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ.

Happy paddling - hope it doesn't always feel
like it is AGAINST the current.

Of Puffins and Petals

Still catching up on our summer-of-a-lifetime experiences.

This travelogue-of-a-post will feature our "substitute" puffin

cruise adventure out of Booth Bay Harbor in Maine's Midcoast

and Islands region in the middle of July. Our memory bank was

stockpiled in sumptuous fashion. But first, there were also

many lamp-filling moments this week. I begin by sharing

a luscious sun-petal closeup photo shared on FB by our NH friend

Andrea. I was so enraptured I placed it on my laptop screen.

Next, a chance stop for a fill-up brought this advance guard maple

autumn foliage color into view. (Yikes - it's only August, honey!)

"New" apartment neighbors are raising our spirits, too.

Manchester SMT (Technology Specialists) are living

in the next building over: Elders Bigler, Persson and Knight.

We knew it would be fun having more young missionaries

close by, but within three days they were offering US food!

Here is the pre-consumption portrait of a very flavorful and

savory GF chicken pot pie - gone in a flash!

 And here they are smiling from their balcony.

[Sister] Gayla Smith, mother of Elder T. Smith filled my lamp

on Thursday, when she called (from AZ) on the sly (don't know how 

she got my cell phone number) and enlisted some minor

logistical help to surprise Elder Smith with a long-distance

celebration of his mission half-way mark. Her request: could I be

the contact for the DoorDash delivery of an ice cream cake

from Dairy Queen? Isn't this a delightful reaction!

"I've always wanted an ice cream cake," he chuckled.

And here are two other happy office Elders who don't mind

helping him celebrate.

Refreshing temps here in Manchester have raised our comfort

level, and perhaps that is why the leaves are turning already.

In contrast, our son and neighbors were dealing with this:

In mid July, we completed Mission vehicle business that included

a rendezvous with Sisters to deliver a car part-way up Maine. 

So Vince planned a stop at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens,

luckily open by appointment (partial capacity) during the virus crisis.

Such a renewing and refreshing experience.

I was personally wished "good luck" by a lepidoptera

in the butterfly garden enclosure, who alighted on

my shoulder.

 Leisurely we strolled following the directionally-restricted pathway

with our cell cameras constantly collecting our different "favorites".

I love these allium on their tall stems.

 I am drawn to this blossom-less variegated foliage of

euphorbia. (A push-over for color blends.)

 And these eye-catching red blossoms from the calla lily family.

 Vince captured this kinetic sculpture in videos as it twirled

in the gentle breeze and seemed to hang together by

magnetic cohesion as it constantly changed shapes

on its "stage" across from the [closed] restaurant pavilion.

Vince was also fascinated by this "myriad butterflies" wind

sculpture with its shiny metal facets spinning and reflecting

the sunlight. Mesmerizing.

The Gardens were "on the way" to our historic lodgings in

Booth Bay Harbor, at Fisherman's Wharf Hotel and Marina.

Immediately following our earlier washout at the Bar Harbor

puffin cruise, Vince had sought and found an equivalent here.

 We settled into our room, then walked along the harbor.

Charming vistas at every turn.

Here, once again, is Vince shooting with 

his cell camera. And . . .

. . . here is the shot he took of the opposite shore.

During almost all of our sight-seeing stops in Maine have

included enjoyment of the "Museum in the Streets" info-signs.

 Eventually, upon a recommendation, we walked down the roadway

to take a table at the Tugboat Restaurant, and once quietly inside . . .

. . . consumed an early dinner, while continuing to enjoy

the water-side venue.

Just can't stop shooting these blue water views, made

even nicer by the white picket fence and red plantings.

 Twilight saw us returning to the marina quays where the next

morning we would set off to view the puffins.

Cap'n Fish's Boat Tour kiosk posted this map on which

we could trace our puffin ride toward the cartoon graphic

on the right side of the screen. 

We were headed toward the East Egg Island colony.

Below is the Pink Lady II which would host our cruise.

From the cruiser's deck, we could pick out our corner-view

hotel room, circled with red.

We boarded before 10 (to return by 1).

Vince with his dry humor alternated sotto voce singing 

". . . for a three-hour tour . . ." and

"do you know the puffin man . . ."

My overall impressions: we can at least CHECK the box

to say we have been on a wild life cruise tour.

Very bumpy water once away from the protected bay.

Surf and wind, lots of noise. Tiny puffins at a distance

once we arrived after our hour-long journey each way to

destination island. Traveling back, we viewed from

afar the Ram's Island (small) lighthouse,  which . . .

 . . . Vince agreed to share his shot with me, because all the bumping

and tossing made me too nervous about losing my cell phone

to actually have it out to shoot with.

It was fun to see the puffins, (terns, gulls, cormorants,

gannets, geese, loons and osprey) and . . .

 . . . though a bit bleak that overcast day, the coastal views made me

think about Wysocki folk art prints. It was just before this point

in our charted journey that our Audubon narrators, 

looking behind (while we sat facing forward,)  

excitedly pointed and said "harbor porpoises at 5 o'clock".

For the briefest of moments, I believe I spied the dorsal

fins of a pair of ocean mammals peaked above the choppiness. 

Fleeting and elusive, this brought to mind those 

spiritual experiences that I seek to recall to my heart, 

while an adversarial whisper taunts that it wasn't real after all.

To remember our fun times along the Atlantic, Vince

purchased this small model three-master to ship home.

(Cory had ours assembled within a couple of days of receiving it.)

While a college student, I learned by heart a poem 

by John Masefield entitled Sea Fever

 with a cadence and rhythm that evokes for me

the rise and fall of ship prow over sea foam.

 During these months that our blessing it has been 

to visit often where the tall ships anchor in, 

it comes again into my mind:

I must go down to the seas again,

to the lonely sea and the sky,

(More stanzas beyond this, of course).

Steering stars. Guiding lights. Filled lamps.

Sending prayers that your week sails smoothly on.

(Ours will be busy with BIG changes ahead to NH Manchester Mission!)