The holidays are a distant memory at this point, but I love this image taken on the grounds of Strawbery Banke during their annual Candlelight Stroll. The subtle lighting along the pathways that navigate guests through the museum adds a nice element, especially at dusk and during the evenings.
December has arrived – though it hasn’t brought any snow with it yet. I went for my first ever Candlelight Stroll at Strawbery Banke this year and enjoyed their period presentation of the various eras of many homes on the grounds. There were musicians, cooks, tin smiths, wives, kids, all sorts of interesting things to see and people to interact with. It’s a wonderful holiday experience and nice to get out for something new, and right here in the seacoast’s own backyard.
The Gundalow Company is in the process of constructing a new gundalow on the grounds of Strawbery Banke. The original gundalow has educated thousands of people about the vessel and its role and history in moving goods on the Piscataqua River to surrounding towns. The existing gundalow, however, cannot serve as a floating classroom because it’s not up to modern safety standards because it is such a close replica to the ships of the previous era. To address this – the Gundalow Company is constructing the boat seen above, so that it can bring people out on the water and sail as it was originally intended.
The grounds of Strawbery Banke in the fall might be one of the most perfectly New England scenes you could come across. The rich colors of the grass, the homes, the trees and the sky combine for a sight worth stopping for, just as I did this morning not long after sunrise.
Don’t worry – this is an image from last winter. The snowstorm from this past weekend was a (painful) reminder of how close the cold and snowy days are on the horizon. With that in mind…I was visiting my archives and found this shot of the grounds of Strawbery Banke that I love. The rich wood textures make this shot for me. Hope you enjoy.
In this shot of Strawbery Banke, the grass finally makes its return after the snow melts away for the season. I’ll never say never, so we may see more snow before the season’s out…but it would take quite a storm to cover the ground for a prolonged period again. This little patch of grass is a welcome to spring for all those folks out there who need a bit of hope to get us through to warmer days.
I chose this spot for a few reasons, I loved the open grassy patch as well as the old clapboards on the opposing houses along with their competing windows. The chairs on the wall at left add a nice human element, but also a sense of calm to the scene.
This little trip back in time to when the general store was in its heyday in Puddle Dock is courtesy of the Strawbery Banke Museum. If you ever have the chance to visit the store during the museum’s season, be sure to stop in to admire the authenticity of all of the various elements inside. Quite a fun voyage back to what it was like when my grandparents were kids, and when you could walk a few blocks to go buy candy for a penny at the local store. Strawbery Banke can be a quiet element in town – but with the recent news that an open air market could be coming to the grounds at the old Puddle Dock neighborhood and the constant beauty of the old historic homes on the grounds, this place is definitely a treasure to Portsmouth.
And of course a very Happy Birthday to my darling fiancee!
