Page 10 - APR2026

though, and think about the road we’ve traveled to get to April.
There were early snows, days when even if only inches accu- mulated, flakes often fell gently through the air. It all kept us on our toes with shovels and snow brooms in hand, just in case. At least those days made dirty snow banks pretty again.
Looking further back, it was a beautiful, classic New England Christmas, and the New Year came in with fresh snow yet tol- erable temperatures, so we could get outside and welcome the Year 2026.
Then the bottom dropped out, so to speak. Below freezing tem- peratures, snow banks rising, and cabin fever setting in full force. That was followed by potholes from the plows (great job by all the local highway departments though!) and yes- the dreaded frost heaves began to push up in Febru- ary. I don't know about any of you, but I rolled over a few of them that were worthy of a U.S. Geological Survey marker.
roads, too.
In one small local town, I
found a bridge over an inlet to a nearby lake lined with more than a dozen tiny snowmen. Someone, or a group of “someones,” took a lot of time to make me smile. Then, another fun memory that will stick with me for a while was of a small skeleton sitting on the
seat of a snowmobile. I couldn’t help but think that perhaps that rider should have listened to their mother and ignored this year’s TikTok Naked Snowmobiler Challenge!
Of course, we know what eventually arrived, though, as the temperatures teased us in mid- March, bringing on an early and even more dreaded Mud Season. That has to be my least favorite of our many “seasons” here in New
Hampshire. With a good batch of bug spray in my car, I can handle the black flies and mosquitoes. I have learned to be more tolerant of the summer, fall, and winter Tourist Seasons. Even Construc- tion Season has made me realize that while the flaggers and heavy equipment might hold up traffic a little longer than my schedule would like, I just need to leave ear- lier and be patient while they do their job of improving our roads. They are our Asphalt Heroes!
There’s really not much one can do about Mud Season, though, ex- cept to avoid it whenever possible (think southern vacation!). Anyone who has ever gotten bogged down in that mess can understand. Hav- ing lived on dirt roads for much of my life, I once considered sending horror story writer Stephen King a book idea- “The Mud.” I re- spect those who still live on those backroads, though, and try to just stay on the potholed, heaved, and cracked pavement until it all dries up. Not my idea of a good day’s back road adventure, but there is no need to tear up a road others
day. Besides that, tow trucks aren’t cheap! Trust me. I know.
But yay- we made it through it all, and now it’s time to watch for flowers and birds, and start plan- ning this year’s vegetable garden. Soon, baby cows, goats, sheep, and chickens will fill the pastures, fish will be jumping in the lake, and all will be well again. That is, until June arrives and I-93 gets backed up for miles with campers, boats, hikers, and other summer guests who love our gorgeous state as well. Just kidding, but I believe many of us consider the traffic a nuisance.
That’s also the time when the mud dries, the dirt roads are graded, potholes are filled, and the fields and mountains return to the colorful beauty we all love. Not only that, it’s the time when I can freely enjoy the peaceful, quiet back roads that get me from town to town.
I look forward to taking in the sights of rural New Hampshire, but more importantly, I look for- ward to your friendly waves as you pass me on the back roads.
NEWFOUNDLAKELIFE.COM
Page 10
Community
By doNNa rhodes
Well, hello Spring- don’t be shy. Come on in and make yourself at home here in New Hampshire once again!
Whew- It’s April, but is winter weather really gone? I, along with most of you, hope so, but hang on. I remember snow on April Fool’s Day, Easter, and even Moth- er’s Day in May 2017 (see photo above). Heck, in July of 2007, I had nearly an inch of hail cover- ing my yard on Mount Cardigan, so I guess we really aren’t quite out of the woods (or should I say snowdrifts?) yet. Still, we’re getting closer every day.
I absolutely cannot wait until the fresh spring leaves start to burst from the trees; until the snow cro- cuses, daffodils, and lilacs begin to pop out of the ground and show off all the colors in Mother Na- ture’s paint palette.
I firmly believe that we who live in New England, and all points north for that matter, probably ap- preciate Spring more than folks in most other parts of the country.
Let’s pause for a minute,
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April 2026