Lyme, New Hampshire

I got back last night from a delightful Fourth of July weekend in New Hampshire. Yes, it rained on and off throughout the Fourth, but that didn't stop us from enjoying a little rain kayaking and the sound of fireworks (not the sight of them, though; the woods are pretty dense in those parts). Furthermore, it didn't stop me from FINALLY TAKING MY VERY OWN PICTURES OF COOL OLD BUILDINGS!

We stayed in a log cabin that's part of an inn called Loch Lyme Lodge in the town of Lyme. Above is a picture of the lodge itself, a beautiful farm house built in 1784, which is where we had breakfast every morning and where you can order sandwiches to be served to you by the lake at lunchtime. I can't get over the way those two big pine trees curl around the front porch like that. It looks so precarious to me, but clearly those trees have stood right there about as long as the house itself. To me this image is about trusting in nature.

The church on the left is the Lyme Congregational Church. It's located on the town green in the center of Lyme. It looks to me like the quintessential New England church: white, simple, old, beautiful. The sign on the front says it was built in 1812 but according to the LCC's website the congregation has existed since 1771. The night I took this picture (actually I think my boyfriend Jay might have taken this particular one -- thanks, Jay!) was so lovely. It had been raining for about six weeks straight (just like in New York) and everyone in the neighborhood was out taking in the beautiful evening. We went to a great barbecue at the home of my family friends who live on the other side of the town green from the church. Jay and I agreed that we love the city while we're there but as soon as we go out into the country we don't want to leave.

There are a lot of other cool old buildings in Lyme. Like any small town in New England, there are ancient houses and barns everywhere you look. I also highly recommend Loch Lyme Lodge as a place to go for a low-key outdoorsy inexpensive vacation.

The next post will expand upon my trip to New Hampshire with the cool old buildings of Dartmouth College. Stay tuned!