life in the Kearsarge area
what's happening in the Kearsarge/Lake Sunapee area of NHArchive for New Hampshire
So much to do at Family FunFest on Saturday, Sept. 24
Kid Stuff magazine, part of Kearsarge Magazine LLC, is hosting its first event on Saturday, September 24: Family FunFest. Come join us (between 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) for all sorts of fun. All we ask is that you bring a donation of toiletries (toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo) or $5/car so we can help the homeless this winter! Here’s what is in store; more being added daily! Watch our website http://familyfest.events/index.html for details!
SCHEDULE
Yoga hourly with Crescent Moon Yoga
12 noon: Magician Andrew Pinard will put on a show!
SPONSORS
White River Toyota – get a look at the new models
Skyline Designs – coloring contest
Eastern Propane – touch a truck
Stern Center – free art project
Purple Crayon Production – free craft project
Clear Choice MD – giveaways and hand washing demos
Fit Kids Childcare – bubble making
Northern Lights Gymnastics – jumping and handstand demos
Kid Stuff magazine – free face painting
THINGS TO DO
Vertical Dreams – Climbing walls, free!
Upper Valley Bounce House – free with adult supervision!
Lightning Soccer – Soccer competitions/prizes, promotional giveaways
LL Bean – Outdoor equipment demos
Dance Arts Academy – All day demos and instruction
Bluewave Taekwondo – paddle kicking and board breaking demo
Catch a Glimpse Photography – free photo booth for kids of all ages
Alice Peck Day- health testing and giveaways
Upper Valley Food Coop – recycled art activity and free food samples
Upper Valley Humane Society
Greater Sullivan County Public Health Network – games and giveaways
Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital – wellness check ins and giveaways
SHOPPING
Nantucket Jewels & Accessories
Usborne books
Z’s Toys and Gifts
Pixiestix Handcrafts
Lula Roe clothing and leggings
Silly Bee handcrafted items for kids
Platinum Puzzles
Huggable Snugglies – build your own stuffed animal!
Dragon West herb blend/dip mixes, paper earrings, trellis yarn necklaces, bracelets, paper barrettes
Lego, Angry Bird, Shopkins necklaces – all $5
FOOD TRUCKS & FOOD VENDORS
Somerset Grill
Phnom Penh
Sanctuary Farm Ice Cream
Advernuts fresh roasted peanuts
King Arthur Flour treats
Marshall Hill Farm cookies and jams
KJ’s Café sandwiches and salads
More summer in NH
Still doodling around town with my camera/phone. Here’s a big ole tree in Sutton Mills.
Here’s a view of Sutton Mills. Just beyond the trees there’s an old dam that used to power the mills. I scared away a big heron (it scared me, too, so no photo this time).
The dock photo is of Pleasant Lake from Elkins, NH. And the kayaking photo was taken on Lake Sunapee from the state park beach.
Make sure you get outside and enjoy all that summer has to offer!
Summer in NH
Here I am, walking lakeside in North Sutton. Cell phone in hand, I snap a few photos of Kezar Lake, the dam and Wadleigh State Park.
It’s what I do most summers. I have time after dropping the kids off at their respective camps. I don’t particularly want to haul my laptop with me, so I take photos for Facebook, Pinterest and my enjoyment. I’ll include a few here to get you in the summer mood.
Hanging out in Newbury
Why, oh, why, didn’t I bring a book? Then I would have stayed all day (well, I would have stayed for the two hours the parking lot allows me) at the public dock in Newbury, N.H. A gorgeous place to take a walk, catch some rays, gaze at the lake and enjoy a few moments of New Hampshire gorgeousness.
Sunapee Wheels this Saturday
Antique cars are pieces of history, and art objects. Whether you are a fan of engineering (look at how engines have changed!) or a lover of design (consider the sleek, elegant lines of a 1940s Packard), people of all ages love to see vintage vehicles. And in June, the Sunapee Lions Club gathers enthusiasts from across New England at the annual Sunapee Wheels Antique & Collectible Motor Vehicle Show.
“It is the one of our major fund raising events,” says Jim Currier, chairman of the show and 30-year club member. “The Sunapee Lions usually raise between $6,000 and $8,000. This money is used to fund our many charitable causes.” Locally, the Sunapee Lions Club is well known for ensuring that no one goes without eye care because of costs. The club also donates to dogs for the blind, a horse riding program for disabled children, the Sunapee Food Pantry, college and technical school scholarships, and Student of the Quarter awards for deserving students in Sunapee elementary, middle and high school.
Anyone can enter a vehicle in the show for $20. “The show is popular with local people because it gives an opportunity for them to show their vehicles in a great setting. Anyone can show their vehicle, no matter what shape it is in, and the vehicles are judged by a group of enthusiasts but are not professional judges,” says Currier, who lives in Georges Mills. “There are car clubs that come to the show every year, and some use the event to hold their annual meeting.”
Anyone can attend the show, too; admission is $5. “The show is popular because, with every paid admission, people get a chairlift ride to the summit of Mount Sunapee,” says Currier. “But I like the show because it allows us to work together as Lions and make money for our causes.”
The 2016 Sunapee Wheels Antique & Collectible Motor Vehicle Show is scheduled for Saturday, June 25 (with a rain date for Sunday, June 26) from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Mount Sunapee Resort in Newbury, N.H. Learn more at sunapeelions.com
Sanctuary Dairy Farm
I grew up in New Hampshire, where it wasn’t uncommon to drive by a farm with mooing cows and the smell of manure. It’s less common today, but not impossible. In Sunapee, you can take the kids to Sanctuary Dairy Farm to see some farm animals, including goats and donkeys. (I’d suggest just looking, not touching, even though they do get nice and close in case you have a treat.)
Of course, there’s homemade ice cream (so-o-o-o good) and a play area with swings. But I love the views – sky, grass, field, orchard, stable, buildings. On a nice sunny day, you might take your favorite photo, ever. Learn more at http://www.icecreamkidbeck.com
It is easy being green
Ah, gardens. A place to sit, relax and commune with nature. Here are a few photos from a garden tour in Newport. Of course I had to throw in a picture of a barn (I love them so). Enjoy the greenery on the screen, but do try to get outside and enjoy some real green as well!
The (relative) quiet of Cascade Marsh
It’s quiet at Cascade Marsh in Sutton, NH. I’d say, “almost too quiet” – but the mosquitoes are keeping a steady buzz in my ears. Even the annoyance of flying bloodsuckers cannot deter my joy of finding this peaceful spot in Sutton, NH. You can drive your car to a tiny parking area in the woods, then canoe, fish, hike in the area surrounding the marsh (some is conservation land, some is not). There wasn’t much information on the web about this marsh, but I did learn that it was one of the best places in the state to see a pied-billed grebe, a small brown bird that is part submarine. (They are expert divers.) I did not see one, but you might! Just be sure to bring some bug spray.
Get thrifty
Thrifting is not for the faint of heart, but it is great fun. I checked out a few stores for the summer issue of Kearsarge Magazine; one of my trips is below. If you have some time this summer, grab a friend and see what you can find!
NEW LONDON
Go Lightly Consignment Boutique
255 Newport Road
golightlyconsignment.weebly.com
CODE: consignment, clothing, jewelry
The Renaissance Shoppe at the VNA
107 Newport Road
lakesunapeevna.org
CODE: thrift, art, collectibles, jewelry, antiques, nonprofit cause
Switchback Consignment
256 Main Street
CODE: consignment, clothing, toys, sports equipment
St. Andrews Thrift Shop
52 Gould Road
(603) 526-6590
CODE: thrift, clothing, housewares, nonprofit cause
Sunapee Spinach Squares
Every summer Kearsarge Magazine has a dining guide. Some years I ask local restaurants for recipes, some years I ask businesses, some years neighbors and friends. This year, we went into the historical archives – church cookbooks, town offices and historical societies – and shared a few recipes. This one, Sunapee Spinach Squares, was super good. Pick up the summer 2016 issue of Kearsarge Magazine if you’re interested in reading a few more!
Sunapee Spinach Squares 
- 4 tbsp. butter
- 1 cup flour
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 lb. cheddar cheese, grated
- 2 10 oz. packages frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 tbsp. chopped onion
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 x 13 pan and melt in oven. Remove. Beat eggs well. Blend in flour, milk, salt and baking powder. Add cheese, spinach and onion. Mix well. Spoon into prepared baking dish. Bake 35 minutes. Remove and cool 45 minutes. Cut into 1-inch squares. Freezes well.
This recipe comes from longtime resident Midge Cross, and is familiar around the Lake Sunapee region as a favorite intermission treat at Summer Music Associates concerts. It is published in Abbott Library’s A Taste of Sunapee Cookbook, a fundraiser cookbook that contains many well-loved local culinary contributions.
life in the Kearsarge area 