When you travel, what does it look like? Neat, organized, everything set and ready weeks or months in advance? 

I have learned that I do best without planning every detail and allowing life's natural ebbs and flows to guide me to where I need to go. For this trip, I had "planned" a week long adventure visiting many spots that would be new to me. My plans were quickly shifted when I learned my kitty needed to have a large surgery and it was going to happen just before I was scheduled to leave. On top of the surgery, he was later diagnosed with salivary gland cancer. Which is a very aggressive form of cancer in cats and has a very poor prognosis. After receiving the diagnosis and weighing my options, I decided the best thing is to keep Melvin as calm, comfortable and happy as I possibly can in his later stage of life. No matter how long this stage may be. He currently is healing well from surgery and running around like a fire-ball kitten as if nothing ever happened. :)

Melvin

Now on to the travel . . .

Even though my plans had changed, I still continued on with the two nights I had booked previously on the coast of Maine. I spent one day traveling through my favorite state, New Hampshire, and ending up in "vacationland", Maine. I decided to drive the "long" way up through the scenic roads of New Hampshire rather than sitting on the highway and traffic through Boston. 

My first quick stop was at the Old Stone Arch Bridge a piece of history . . .

I then went around the corner to the Greater Goose Pond Forest located in Keene, NH.

What a beautiful place! This is obviously a local attraction for many activities. I passed someone running, biking, kayaking and fishing. I did the full loop surrounding the pond which took me a little over an hour to complete with many photo and video stops. Shortly after starting the trek around the pond, I found a stick with a lichen like growth on it in the shape of a heart. Do you see it?! The most interesting wildlife discovery here was what I believe to be a peregrine falcon. I would say this is a stop that is worthwhile especially if you are driving through and simply need to quickly connect to nature. 

Heart Stick Heart Stick Heart Stick

After a nice session of stretching the legs, I made my way up to Lincoln, New Hampshire. Lincoln is one place I have spent a lot of time in previously and hold many memories there. This trip was simply to pass through, but I made sure to stop at as many pull-offs as I could on the Kancamagus Highway. It was pre-tourist season and still COLD as I climbed higher and higher into the mountains. 

Here are some of the views and treasures that I found at the Kancamagus highway pull-offs.  

The Rocky Gorge

Swift River and Lower Falls

There were signs of doubles everywhere I went...

Do you see the exploding hearts?!?

As I left New Hampshire and made my way into Maine . . . I ended up a little off course. I attempted to make a stop at a place I had found via Google but it led me to a slightly random location. I decided to skip this and went on my way. However, as I was leaving the area, I found ACORN LANE!

Cosmic redirection :)

Eventually arriving in Scarborough, Maine . . .

I was greeted with a beautiful sunset to be followed by an incredible sunrise and then topped by a spectacular sunset the next night!

Sunrise . . . 

Sunset . . .

There were many memories in between. So much packed in to one short weekend.

The moral of the story is: Life doesn't have to be packaged neatly and tied in that perfect little bow. In fact, it rarely ever is!

There is beauty everywhere, if you simply allow yourself to see it.

I hope you enjoyed a glimpse of what New England has to offer.

Thank you for joining me on yet another Acorn Tales journey! 

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