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This summer was one for the books – it began with a trip to England + France and (essentially) ended here, in New Hampshire at Lake Winnipesaukee. Having spent almost all of my childhood summers here, it is a sacred place for me, and introducing it to my husband and children was absolutely priceless. I’ve been waiting for the right moment to share it with them – I wrote about my feelings in this post two years ago. I’m happy to report that it was worth the wait, our time with my extended family was wonderful and warm, and my feelings for Lake Winni remain unscathed.
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My uncle designed + built that house with the help of family and friends in the early eighties. Before the house was even finished, they invited us up to enjoy the lakefront property – it was the first water I went in as a baby, and where I learned to swim. My family has a long history with Lake Winnipesaukee – my grandparents started vacationing there in the fifties, staying at a friends cabin on Bear Island (accessible only by boat). It was then that they all fell in love with the place and my uncle pursued the dream of owning property there. Over the years I’ve heard so many stories from my Mom about their treasured memories on the island, so this year I made it my mission to finally see it for myself.
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Fun fact: this is the oldest floating post office in the United States. I was so excited to experience this (yes, I’m a nerd) and made sure to get on the boat that stops at Bear Island. It’s a long cruise and the kids were so patient (we brought some card games etc. for them) but I was on cloud nine seeing parts of the lake I’ve never seen (not to mention on such a gorgeous day). I achieved maximum nerd levels when we reached the island, and the residents were waiting on the dock for their mail delivery, plus an ice cream or two from the boat. I wish we could have gotten off to explore, but I managed to get some good shots from the boat. During our cruise we also got to wave hello to the historic M/S Mount Washington!
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A trip to Lake Winni wouldn’t be complete without a stop at The Old Country Store, and I couldn’t wait to introduce Henry + Marie to yet another childhood haunt. It happens to be the oldest retail establishment in the states, circa 1781! Tourists and locals alike peruse local goods and vintage items, while children (and adults) fill up baggies with bright penny candy. Upstairs, there’s a small museum full of history, antique goods, and local treasures. If you’re in the area don’t miss it, and be sure to take home a large chunk of homemade fudge!
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A few more favorite images…we were there for a week and I stayed mostly unplugged and took minimal photos. Our days were filled with swimming and playing in the lake, time with family, and walking down memory lane with the kids. I took this photo of Marie wearing my “vintage” Lake Winni tee (which she sleeps in and calls her “gown”)…it’s so full circle, or “meta” as the cool kids say. In the evenings we walked to the ice cream parlor I frequented as a kid, among so many other special spots…the nostalgia and sentiment was heavy and I teared up more than a few times.
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I’ll never forget this evening in particular, which felt like the perfect goodbye to summer. Watching the sunset from my uncle’s beach, sitting around a bonfire with family, roasting s’mores and debating lake depth – it was summer perfection. It was very hard to leave (there were tears shed by three of us), but our hearts were filled with love and gratitude. We will forever treasure this vacation, and can’t wait to make more memories there.
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