10-4-2025 Lebanon, NH

I thought I could get away with no t-log from Lebanon, but there are a few stories to tell and I can’t help myself..  The locals say that the drought is responsible for the lack of vibrant colors of the leaves this year.  The temperature here has been 30 degrees warmer than the norm and that complicates the situation even more.  The trees are so thirsty that they have given up now that Summer is over.  They are dropping their leaves and going into hibernation mode early.  It certainly looked that way to us in some areas.  Mile after mile, the trees are barren skeletons.  In other places, the trees are fluffy and colorful.  If they aren’t as incredible as usual, you couldn’t prove it by us. 

 

In addition to the warm temperatures affecting the trees, there’s another problem.  I didn’t pack correctly.  Rob is in shorts and sandals.  I have long-sleeve shirts, warm coats, long pants and warm socks.  I keep hoping for snow!  I even brought mittens!  Even so, the big old rock fireplace in the Fireside Inn had logs burning and it was lofty, cozy and comfortable. 

Lounging by the fire.

The Fireside Inn dining room and bar

 

Fireside Inn patio

One reason I was going to pass on Lebanon is because our first day was an administrative day.  The inn has a laundry facility so yeah, what else?  It was also banking day.  Time to check in and balance the books.  But on day 2, Rob (my travel consultant) found an interesting drive around Mascoma Lake.  Any body of water is a good body of water for us.  Along this route first were Enfield, Lower Shaker Village and then Upper Shaker Village.  Curious.  The United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing was a sect that originated in Britain in the early 1700s.  A group of them immigrated to this soil and the shores of Mascoma Lake in 1761.  Besides their religious beliefs, they practiced racial and sexual equality, communal ownership of property, pacifism and celibacy.  Their doctrine said that marriage and sex were sins (which they are, of course, if you do it right).  The congregation relied upon converts and adopted orphans.  I guess that would explain why the sect died and we found nobody on the soccer field.  Oh, and one other thing.  When they had their religious meetings, if they suddenly became inspired or something, they would get catatonic and fall on the floor and flail and shake around like snakes on a hibachi.

 

There are a few buildings left behind by the Shakers but now mostly it’s big expensive lake front homes.  They like their great big houses, here!  While they are beautiful to look at, I can’t say I envy them.  All those stairs and windows (to clean and climb)?  No.  We did stay at one B & B in Boston and of course, old homes do not have elevators.  Hauling luggage up 2 flights of stairs gets old for the old.

They love their big ol' houses!

 

There was one other strange thing in Enfield.  Every few hundred feet, there is a doll that looks a bit like a scarecrow tied with ribbons or beads to a pole or tree.  Each one is dressed differently.  I thought it might have something to do with the Shakers.  Not so.  It is just a whimsy in the little town created by a local artist to add a bit of individualistic character to the ambience.  Some folks love it.  Some think it is weird and creepy and want the dolls removed.  I’m not sure what’s, “creepy,” about a pretty doll;  some people just have to have something to protest, I guess.  So far, the dolls live on and we fall down on the side of liking them and think they are unusual, cute and flavorful.

 

The drive to our next stop, Stowe, VT, was short, 70 miles on the freeway.  The back roads added 30 miles to the trip.  There has been a 2-year long drought in the northeast and for a while, the hills were covered with parched, thirsty, barren trees that had given up and dropped their leaves.  Eventually, we came upon beautiful red, golden, yellow and orange hills.  It was a deliberately slow drive:  3 ½ hours to drive 100 miles.  Absolutely perfect!

Do the mooses know
this is where they
should cross?

Another little covered bridge.