I went to our family compound on Squam Lake for a week with the my sisters and their families.
Nabil, Gene, Ruthe, Scott, and Jain on the porchJain Archie, Ruthe’s friend.On the porch with the Lymans and friendsNabil and Lisa looking for Ruthe’s glasses.Nabil Uri on the dock Lisa Scott working on the TreacleSunset
On Saturday, the Dave Himot family and Jen Bellows, Wyatt and Aysha arrived.
The younger generation playing cards ToesFloating on noodles Dave with beerDagwood in his carrierClouds building into thunder stormGeneJenn BellowsPhil and LisaDinner is served
The next day our cousin, Kate Bowden and family, and Jared Lenz and family came. The Lenz family hadn’t been to Squam for more than 10 years.
Jenna, Kate, RutheJennaSage, formerly known as LydiaDaveBodieAysiaSamSophieBodieEileeUriTaco nightNancy at the campfireSleeping in the dining room
When Uri flew east on Wednesday , he sat next to a person who coughed the entire flight. By Saturday evening he wasn’t feeling well, tested positive on a Covid test and went to bed. The boys who were supposed to sleep in his room, ended up sleeping on blow-up mattresses in the dining room. Bil took Uri back to White River Junction on Sunday
Starting the swim to Great IslandOn the way to Great IslandWe made itOn the way backJenn and Dagwood paddle a rescue canoeDave and JaredDave made it round trip!Hawk inspecting the swimmers
Each morning Kate lead a yoga session.
Yoga on the dockJennaJaredLoonBodie on the blow up loon.GenePhilRutheSimone, Nabil’s partnerSophieShoes by the door
We climbed Mt Rattlesnake one morning.
Sam and BodieOn the way upBodie and SamRuthe making it to the topNabil and SimoneBarb’s family: Jenn, Dagwood, Wyatt and AysiaBarb points out our house to Jenn HimotThe David Himot familyThe Lenz familyThe MaynardsWaiting for the last of our family.Ruthe made it!
Another fun activity was a “treasure hunt”. Teams competed against each other, solving clues that lead to the next clue.
Aysia, Wyatt and Kate work on a clueGo girls, one of the teamsAnother team: Dave, Sophia, Russ and TateOne of the cluesThe winners: Sage, Sam, Lisa, Phil and Bodie
Renny celebrated his 80th birthday.
Singing “Happy Birthday”The birthday cardRenny with his new sweatshirt
We made tie dye shirts and wore them for a group picture the next day.
Working on the shirtsOne technique was to crumple the shirt in a plastic bag and squirt dye on it.Sadie rinsing out the excess dyeThe group in their shirts.
Jane and I have been out a few times together. On Sunday 6/30 we went to the Pompy.
Mallards on a log. Almost adult Canada geese Common merganser family. Grackles. Great blue heron. Canada lily. Virginia raspberry. Basswood flowersPurple loosestrife. Joe Pye weed. Ompompanoosuc River 6/30/2024
After some family obligations, we returned to the Pompy on 7/5. Apparently the merganser family got separated. We saw the mama upriver from the youngsters. Like the wood ducks, merganser mama will often leave the young to hide while she tries to lead the predator away from them. The merganser duckling was keeping fairly close to a female mallard. We also found a doe and fawn in a setback.
Common merganser mama.Merganser duckling. Doe in the setback. Fawn. Ompompanoosuc River 7/5/2024
Yesterday, we returned to the Connecticut River. When we got to the launch, we saw an eagle flying toward the dam and then heard many loon calls. We followed the eagle and found 4 loon adults. We went south by Kilowatt South, then followed the New Hampshire shore, paralleling the loons, seeing other things as we went along. The highlight was when we saw a loon swallow a fish about 10 inches long.
4 loonsEagleBlack-eyed Susans.Mallard familyKingfisherLoon with a fishGetting it in right position Swallow itStretch to settle itToo stuffed to dive. Connecticut River 7/7/2024
We have been out in our kayaks several times this week. Saturday we started out in a heavy mist, paddling out of Wilder.
Ducklings. Connecticut River 6/22/23Mostly butts. Ducklings on a log. Connecticut River 6/22/23Loon. Connecticut River 6/22/23Loon. Connecticut River 6/22/24Bald eagle. Connecticut River 6/22/23
On Tuesday we headed to Grafton pond. There were plenty of dragonflies and damsel flies. The goose family was near the boat launch. We only saw three loons: a single adult in the middle of the lake and a pair near the boat launch as we were taking out. We also found a turtle and some laurel and sundew.
After a long winter and a short spring photographing the dogs at Kilowatt, Jane and I put our kayaks in the water. We have been to our usual spots (the Connecticut River out of Wilder, and the Pompy) as well as trips to Upper Baker Pond and MacDaniel’s Marsh. Unfortunately, the North Hartland Lake is still closed from the flooding last July.
Ompompanousuc River 6/12/24
The ducks and geese have little ones.
Canada goose family. McDaniels Marsh, 5/23/24
Canada geese families. Ompompanousuc River 6/1/24
The heron is coming! Mallard family. Connecticut River 6/11/24
People are coming! Wood duck family. Ompompanousuc River 6/5/24
Common merganser family. Ompompanousuc River 6/12/24
We have seen other birds:
Common loon. McDaniel’s Marsh 5/23/24 Double crested cormorant McDaniel’s Marsh 5/23/24Spotted sand piper. Connecticut River 5/26/24Great blue heron. Ompompanousuc River 6/12/24Great blue heron Connecticut River 6/11/24Green heron. Ompompanousuc River 6/5/24Osprey. Upper Baker Pond 6/2/24
