By Popular Demand

I've told myself this blog wouldn't be about photos of the kids, but a quick look at the Boy's Life labels and you'll see eight posts. It's a force that just can't be controlled. If you have kids... and I mean cute kids like mine... you just can't help but taking pictures of them and passing them off as art. And of course everyone says, "I looked at your blog. Where are the new pictures of your boys?" So... here you go.

FOHW

Thats Freedom Old Home Week for the uninitiated masses. More classic Americana from a small town in New Hampshire.

Profit motive at Freedom Old Home Week.


Brisk traffic in the cool, refreshing drink and chocolate chip cookie business


On a bike like this, this guy is getting all the girls.

Flying the Flag and Expressing an Opinion

During my adopted hometown's yearly Old Home Week celebration, nearly every home owner in the village lines the road by placing small American flags along the edge of their lawn. A classic New England village named Freedom (no kidding) decked out in red, white and blue and the scene could be viewed as quaint to a fault. The Old Home Week parade passes, veterans march, bands play, flags wave and fire truck sirens wail.

Blind nationalism always sort of rubs me the wrong way. When I hear the Lee Greenwood song "God Bless the USA" I find myself tuning in to my French Canadian roots and beating down an impulse to belt out "O' Canada". And while Toby Keith writes catchy tunes, I disagree with him that "putting a boot in their ass" is the American way. As the Olympics heat up this week, I know at least once or twice the USA chest thumping will get too loud and I'll change the channel. I'm not anti-my country. I guess I just don't see strength and wisdom in arbitrary bravado.

But, I'm annually surprised when I don't feel cynicism for the flourish in my little village. Instead, I feel pride for a small town coming together and carrying on a tradition with generational roots. I love seeing my son's reaction as we walk through town and take it all in. I involuntarily find myself humming John Cougar's song "Aint That America". On our way back home, we walk by my favorite row of flags at the Rhymer's house. What is more American than expressing an opinion. Even when it means you are slightly different from the rest of the crowd.

Why Don't We Have a Root Cellar?

The National Weather Service confirmed that on July 24th a tornado moved through New Hampshire from Deerfield to Epsom, Barnstead, Alton and through New Durham, Wolfeboro, Ossipee, Effingham and Freedom.



Winds in excess of 130 mph shredded a line of damage almost 60 miles up the State. These pictures were taken a mile from my house where the twister ended... Freedom, NH. Who knew this could happen in NH? We don't even have a storm cellar.

Physics Lessons in a Hay Maze

This picture was made seconds before the tragedy occurred.



Last weekend was the social event of the season for three year olds in our neck of the woods... A Day out with Thomas the Tank Engine. They had this swell hay maze as an added attraction. It was a whole lot of fun but there was an incident. I could see it unfolding as Thomas-crazed toddlers screamed down the raceways of the maze. There was nothing I could do but watch and then it was done. The head-on collision illustrated the pure kinetic energy of hyped-up youngsters running like the story book trains they adore. Both boys bounced off each other, flew backwards and landed on their backs. The oil crisis could be solved if we could harness this power.

But I believe there is good in all life experience and for my young lad, this spectacular crash is no exception. First, it is now imminently clear to him that an object in motion tends to stay in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. So... Pretty good for a three year old. He understands Newton's First Law of Motion. Second, Bridger now knows the secret remedy of tough guys everywhere... Walk it off. He was right back at it seconds later. They grow up so fast.

There Aint No Cure For The Summertime Blues

... but there does seem to be a solution to the summertime greens.
No matter how hard one might try, mid-day light still sucks for making pictures.

In Your Own Backyard

Check out the link to Nor'easter on the West Coast for some cool street photography by Justin Raden. It makes these flowers seem like a pretty wimpy subject. But, he lives in the Bay area and thats what he sees in his backyard. Here in Northern New Hampshire, Summer wildflowers are blooming all around our house. So... shoot what you got.



Black Eyed Susan Constellation