As a custom, Jim and I generally head to the mountains of New Hampshire for “Lupine Festival,” when Lupines are in bloom. They are a northern flower that thrives on cool mountain air. For a second year in a row, we stopped at the Sugar Hill Sampler, a combined gift shop and small local museum. I counted two old quilts, one a biscuit style, and the other, a nine patch with double pink sashings. The owner’s grandmother had made that one.

Pink Lupines

However, on this day, we did not seek more quilts, although the shop had some beautiful ones for sale, with matching, ruffled, pillow shams. The set I liked best featured rectangles of (machine-embroidered?) Lupine flowers. I did not look at it too closely, so I am not sure of the technique. Yet, my impression is that it was very charming and well-made (and machine-quilted).

Outside the shop, we were greeting by this old Sugar Hill Sampler wagon. The colors are eye-catching.

The shop sells high-end, crafted items like baskets, small pillows stuffed with balsam fir, Christmas ornaments, wooden objects such as mirrors, jellies, candy, artistically-made greeting cards, area postcards, stuffed animals, fudge, cheese, kitchen towels, Lupine seeds, and much more.

I did not linger long, just long enough to spend about $25.00 on items that I might have lived without but which called my name. An interesting crayon marker that I bought is enclosed in a large twig of birch bark. Jim asked me if the little stuffed frog was intended for a grandchild. No! It is for me! If you squeeze him, he will croak, (the frog, that is)! He will join my singing loon, for a collection of two New Hampshire wild critters who emit sound.

At the Sugar Hill Sampler, there are walking trails that go out into a field of Lupines. There a wonderful view of the mountains from there. Along the trail are white signs on which are written poems about the beauty of Spring and nature, and philosophical statements such as, “If you would change the world, you must begin with yourself.”

Orange flower by the side of the trail, in the Sugar Hill Sampler field. It reminded me of the saying, “Bloom where you are planted.”

Moving along, we took a back road and out toward Lisbon, we found more patches of Lupines, including the ones shown above. These were just along the road. I love the mixed colors, when white and pink and present, among the predominant blue/purplish blooms.

While driving along, my eye is always combing the scenery for wildlife. I spotted this turtle on a log, in a pond, sunning himself. He dived into the water, right after Jim took his picture.

Before heading home, we traveled to Littleton and had a late lunch at our favorite restaurant in that town, “The Oasis.” Their Mediterranean Chicken Wrap is to die for. That is what I ordered. Jim liked his 1/2 roast beef sandwich, and Beef and Chicken Soup.

Conveniently, there is a great cooking store on the first level of the building (as well as a knitting store). I need to buy some parchment paper. The clerk laughed when I told her it was for a quilting project (to keep fusible web from sticking to my ironing board).

I asked Jim to take the photo seen above to illustrate a poem that I have recorded, by Robert Frost, called “Mending Wall,” available on my website. .

Another wonderful, sunny day with little activity and few people mulling about, in New Hampshire’s North Country, a day slow enough for a turtle to come out of his shell … and that’s the way we like it.

Patricia Cummings