Tuesday, July 16, 2013

~ Homeward Bound ....

♪.....and each town looks the same to me.
The movies and the factories
And every stranger's face I see
Reminds me that I long to be
Homeward bound.♫
 
If you haven't already, you need to head over to Kathy @ You'll Shoot Your Eye Out
and play along in her new link-up of Song-ography.
The first song-ography is "Homeward Bound" by Simon & Garfunkel.
 
 
I was born and raised in Manchester, New Hampshire.
My family are all still there.
This is a shot of one of the many "mills" running along the canal.
  Not only are they architecturally stunning but I also love the history they hold.
"The city of Manchester is located on the banks of the Merrimack River in Hillsborough County,
New Hampshire.
Prior to receiving its final name of Manchester, the city had other names starting with Nutfield, Tyng’s Town, then Harrytown [Old Harry's Town] and Derryfield.
Manchester was settled in the early 1700's, and was originally incorporated in 1752,
by the name of Derryfield.
In 1810 it received its present name of Manchester, and was incorporated as a city in 1846. Manchester has been called "Elm City of New England" and the "Queen City of New Hampshire."
Known by our French-Canadian ancestors as “la Main Street”, the shopping district was really on ELM Street, which runs through the city in a north-south direction, and it passes directly through the center. It was named Elm Street because of the many Elm trees that lined a great portion of the street. The American Elm trees typified both the north and south ends of the street, where families liked to build their homes. In 1938, many of the original elms were felled.
Elm Street is the longest dead end street on either end in the country!"
 
Whenever we head up to Manchester I never tire of seeing these buildings.
I remember one of my aunts working in one of the mills.
Every summer an uncle would come down from Canada
and at around 4:00 he would load us into the station wagon
and we would head to the mills to pick her up.
I still remember the sounds and the smells.
Unfortunately, some of these beautiful mill buildings were taken down.
Some remain and have been turned into businesses.
The buildings that do remain still take my breath away.
 
This is my "Homeward Bound"
 
 
 


Sunday, July 7, 2013

~ Friday's Letters ....

....on Sunday.
 
Dear Hummingbirds ...

because you aren't coming around, I've moved your feeder to a new spot.
Maybe this new spot will attract you.
There are more branches for you to sit on.
There's more shade.
There are more flowers around.
If you don't start visiting soon .... I will have no choice but to remove the feeder.
That will make me sad.
So, please?
 
Dear Finch ...
I was in the store the other day and this Finch feeder
caught my eye.
I've seen many finches flying around the neighborhood.
So I thought ... why not?
If I can't get the hummingbirds to visit
then maybe the finches will come and pose for me.
Please?
 
Dear Summer ...
....I can't take it anymore.
You're killing me with humidity.
And heat.
And haze.
The a/c is running 24/7.
It is wreaking havoc with my sinuses.
I am an open doors and windows kind of girl.
Being closed up is bringing me down.
I've tried sitting by the pool .... it's even too hot for that!!!!
I am really trying not to complain too much
because I know that in about 5 months
I will be piss, whining and moaning
about the snow!!!
Let's not even go there!!!!
So, Summer......
could you ease up on the 3 H's.
Please?
 
Dear Tom.....
...remember these days?
Seems like eons ago.
Your health was better then and you just loved our boat.
We had to give up some of these little pleasures in life because of your health problems.
I'm sorry.
I miss the way you loved heading to Pt. Judith every Thursday night
and staying until Sunday night.
I miss the way the stress just washed away from your face for the entire weekend.
It was frustrating this week when you had your quarterly visit with the cardiologist
and there were no answers to our questions.
It was frustrating to see the disappointment in your face
when you mentioned a new procedure that you had read up on
and he said it wouldn't work for you.
Nothing would.
He said their goal was to try to make your quality of life a priority.
It hurt on the ride home when we reviewed what the doctor said
and then we were both quiet
and then you said
"I'm dying."
I wish I could give you your health back ....
even if just for one day ....
and get you back on that boat ....
and watch the stress melt away from your face ...
just one more time.
Please?
 
 
 
Read more "Friday's Letters" at