The weekend after my marathon, and thankfully my body has mostly recovered (sans a few toenails - what are toenails even for, really?). I head out on my second foliage run of the month, northward-bound again. This time, I’m heading to a beautiful but oft-bypassed part of New Hampshire - the Merrimack Valley wedged between the Seacoast to the east, the Lakes and White Mountains to the north, and Monadnock to the west. Five years here in New England, and I feel like I’m just beginning to see all that the region has to offer. Returning to old familiar, cherished landscapes is always deeply inspiring and meaningful, but there’s something to be said for exploring new places as well. Although its been more than two weeks since my birthday-week jaunt to the Monadnock region (where the foliage was beautiful but decidedly post-peak), I find that the autumn colours here in the valley - perhaps owing to the lower elevation and closer proximity to the coast - are popping off. With the exception of some barren swaths of swamp maples in boggy ground, the region’s hardwoods are a panoply of bright and beautiful hues. Solo again, I carve a winding path through the rural part of the valley: walking the rail trail east of Candia, hiking a section of the Great Brook Trail in Deerfield, exploring the periphery of Freeses Pond, and scouting out my sunrise spot (Stonehouse Pond) before taking a long stroll around the lake at Northwood Meadows State Park.
Northwood (finally, the namesake of this page of the blog - though I imagine I might eventually visit other Northwoods here on Turtle Island) is little less sleepy than your prototypic New England village, but no less quirky and quaint. Whereas my time in Jaffrey two weeks ago felt melancholic and wistful (perhaps owing to the stormy weather) today’s travels feel rambunctious and unbridled. I spend the day carefully exploring small byways, finding places to pull off the road and explore on foot. Some of my favorite moments, none of which were pre-planned: strolling the quiet neighborhood of Deerfield Parade to photograph the nearby brook and cemetery. Spotting a pair of wild otters, swimming carefree in Freeses Pond. Getting location pointers from a fellow walker in Candia - and being mistaken more than once for a birder (woman watching me peer through my viewfinder: “So what should I be looking for?” Me: “Uh, trees?”). Stumbling upon some of the most astounding autumn scenes I’ve ever photographed, beside the area’s many ponds and meadows (proof that even in a drought-affected “off” year, New England’s fall beauty still reveals itself in ample measure). Toward sunset, I grab dinner at Northwoods Brewing Company, a lively family spot with good food, a dairy bar, and a nice selection of mocktails. A few minutes away is my home for the night, Lake Shore Farm Inn beside Jenness Pond. I take my last shots of the evening at the little boat launch and private beach behind the inn: a perfectly calm, perfectly reflected scene of maples and sunset clouds across the water. Upon checking in, I find that I’ve accidentally booked a two-bedroom family suite - no doubt when I thought (earlier in planning) that someone, anyone, would be riding shotgun with me this weekend. I’m usually good about fixing and adjusting these travel bookings, but life has admittedly been a little busy recently. I have a quiet night writing, reading, and reviewing photos - just me, myself, and I.
In the morning, I rise early to photograph sunrise. Well, it’s not any earlier than Jordan normally has us up, I suppose. This is the nice part about mid- and late-fall photography. The days are short, and the nights are restful. Winding my way back eastward through Northwood, I make my way down to the shore of Stonehouse Pond, where pale dawn light is just beginning to hit the granite cliff at Stonehouse Pond. In some sense, this sunrise shoot is the entire purpose of my overnight trip - this pond being one that I spotted years ago while scouting for autumn photography locations. After watching the sun rise against the trees on the opposite shore, it’s southward-bound to Boston, back to the highway along winding country roads.
