New Hampshire

Fair use

LOCAL ARTIST DAY: Poet, Jane Kenyon

When the BHG Milestone Team is not helping our community with real estate transactions, we are trading books and sharing stories. This week, Marilyn sent me information about a local poet – and I am thrilled to share her with you!

Meet New Hampshire’s past poet laureate (January 1995-March 1999), Jane Kenyon. She published four volumes of poetry – From Room to Room (1978), The Boat of Quiet Hours (1986), Let Evening Come (1990), and Constance (1993). She was also a talented translator, publishing Twenty Poems of Anna Akmatova (1985).

Fair use; Photograph by Stephen Blos.

Although Kenyon was born in Michigan, she called New Hampshire home in 1975 when she and her husband, poet Donald Hall, moved to his ancestral home in Wilmot. The property has been rescued and is being lovingly restored and managed by At Eagle Pond, Inc..

The film, A Life Together, celebrates the creative couple.

To truly know Jane Kenyon, one must experience her simple but emotionally resonant poetry. In the film, In Her Shoes, the character, Maggie, played by Cameron Diaz, is learning to read. To practice, she reads several poems – including Kenyon’s “Let Evening Come.”

#bhgmilestoneteam #bhgmilestone #bestteamintown #bhg #realtor #janekenyon #poetlaureate #nhpoets

NH: THE STATE OF FIRSTS

Whether you're a New Hampshire newbie or a born granite starter, you may not be aware of the number of achievements New Hampshire has come in at #1. Take a look:

• First in the nation to hold a Presidential Primary election.

• First colony to declare independence from England. Live Free or Die!

• First colony to have its own state constitution.

• First private citizen to venture into space.

• First mountain-climbing train, Mount Washington’s Cog Railway.

• First free public library (Peterborough, 1833).

• First integrated baseball team (Nashua).

• First woman editor – Sarah Josepha Buell Hall, a writer and activist from Newport, edited Godey’s Lady’s Book (1830-1878) and Ladies’ Magazine. She wrote Mary Had a Little Lamb (1830), was responsible for making Thanksgiving a national holiday, and was a founder of Vassar College.

• New Hampshire also holds the title for the highest wind speed (over land, 231 miles per hour on Mount Washington in 1934).

If you find any other New Hampshire Firsts, let us know!

#bhgmilestoneteam #bhgmilestone #bestteamintown #bhg #realtor #newhampshireliving #newhampshire #newhampshirefirsts

Did you know?

Songs of New Hampshire

New Hampshire has 9 state songs: One Official – Old New Hampshire -and 8 honorary songs. So, let’s sing-along!

• New Hampshire, My New Hampshire with words by Julius Richelson and music by Walter P. Smith.
• New Hampshire Hills with words by Paul Scott Mowrer and music by Tom Powers.
• Autumn in New Hampshire with words and music by Leo Austin.
• New Hampshire’s Granite State with words and music by Anne B. Currier.
• Oh, New Hampshire (you’re my home) with words and music by Brownie McIntosh.
• The Old Man of the Mountain with words and music by Paul Belanger.
• The New Hampshire State March with words and music by Rene Richards.
• New Hampshire Naturally with words and music by Rick Shaw and Ron Shaw.
• Live Free or Die with words and music by Barry Palmer.

We can also add songs that have not been granted an honorary title, but that capture all that is New Hampshire in a modern way: 

• Okay, Alright with words and music by moe.
• Granite State of Mind with words and music by the Super Secret Project.
• White Mountain Fever by Jimmy Lehoux.
• New Hampshire by John Linnell.

And probably the most popular and known New Hampshire tribute: New Hampshire by Sonic Youth!

• Follow us on Facebook 
• Follow us on Instagram

Photo by Greg Rosenke on Unsplash

Out & About in New Hampshire - Quirky New Hampshire

• The center of New Hampshire is almost entirely under water! And while New Hampshire has a mere 13 miles of coastline, its over 800 lakes and ponds and 19,000 miles of rivers and streams provide plenty of swimming and fishing spots!

• The state insect is the Ladybug since 1977.

• In Portsmouth in 1961, Betty and Barney Hill claimed to have been abducted by aliens.

• In 2005, Killington, Vermont proposed succession to become part of New Hampshire for the tax savings! (We can note that Killington is in the middle of Vermont, 25 miles east of New Hampshire...)

• New Hampshire has four nicknames: Mother of Rivers, White Mountain State, Switzerland of America, and The Granite State (the most popular).

Follow us on Facebook. Follow us on Instagram.

#Realtor, #TheMilestoneTeam, #TheBestTeamInTown, #shouldIsell, #realestateagent, #homesale, #NewHampshire, #newhampshirelife #nature #newhampshireoutdoors #visitnh #granitestate #livefreeordie

To Celebrate 2023 Women's History Month and International Women’s Day (March 8^th), The Milestone Team honors the following amazing Granite State natives. Here's a partial list of accomplished and influential New Hampshire women:

Christa McAuliffe:  NASA selected Concord native, Christa McAuliffe, was to be the first teacher in space! As you know, Christa was one of the victims of the Challenger tragedy. To honor her, in Concord we have The Christa McAuliffe Planetarium at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center.

Jeanne Shaheen: New Hampshire’s senior US Senator was the state’s first female senator – and New Hampshire’s first female governor! 

Valerie Cunningham: Civil rights activist Valerie Cunningham is a writer, researcher, teacher, and founder of the Black Heritage Trail in Portsmouth. She served as the NAACP secretary and marched in Boston with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

And...

Actors: Multi-talented, Mandy Moore & comic, Sarah Silverman

Authors and Journalists: Hanover resident, Jodi Picoult, NPR’s Heather King, and Miss New Hampshire 1994 Trish Regan

Artists: Missing Person’s Dale Bozzio 

Athletes: Paralympic Swimmer, Victoria Arien  & Olympic Medalist in Hockey, Kathryn King-Crowley 

The all-women Milestone Team supports the missions of International Women’s Day: empowering women and building workplaces where women thrive! 

• Follow us on Facebook. Follow us on Instagram.

• See more on our Community Calendar page!

• #Realtor, #TheMilestoneTeam, #TheBestTeamInTown, #InternationalWomensDay, #Women'sHistoryMonth

Photo Credit: Mount Washington Observatory

Saturday, February 4^th, New Hampshire’s Mount Washington, the highest peak in the Northeast, set the bar for the coldest windchill every recorded: -108 degrees Fahrenheit. While the actual temperature was a balmy -47 degrees Fahrenheit, the 127 mph winds created the record-breaking frigid experience. Miles away in our own New London, Saturday’s temperature was a chilly 5 degrees Fahrenheit. (Which still may chill the bones of those who prefer warmer climates!) But like any person or place, we can’t label based on one moment or incident. From the end of May through mid-September, New London and its neighbors enjoy the gorgeous average temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit - and the humidity is only muggy or uncomfortable 5.6 days out of the year! Take that, Florida! Sure, in our part of the hemisphere, it gets chilly – but only January during the “deep winter” with temperatures averaging 11 degrees Fahrenheit.  Since it’s not humid, the colder months are never bitter, so jeans and a sweater keep even the most sensitive of us comfy! When you are ready to relocate to our paradise, contact The Milestone Team. We’d love to show you around – and take you to Mount Washington!

In the meanwhile, enjoy this video of that chilly Sunday morning atop the White Mountains of Our New Hampshire.

• Follow us on Facebook. Follow us on Instagram
• TAGS: #whitemountains#newhampshire #weather #winter #MountWashington, #Realtor, #TheMilestoneTeam, #TheBestTeamInTown

Jim Martin from the Department of Environmental Services and Amy Bassett from NH Parks and Recreation released the following recent press release:

New Hampshire Coastal Beaches Named 1st in the Nation in Water Quality by NRDC Hampton Beach State Park Beach is a Superstar Beach; Rated the Cleanest Beach in Nation

Concord, NH - The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has named New Hampshire coastal beaches first in beach water quality. The NRDC has published its 21st Annual "Testing the Waters" report analyzing beach data reported to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by coastal and Great Lakes states. The NRDC report gave a new "Superstar Beach" rating to Hampton Beach State Park in New Hampshire and to two beaches in Delaware and to one in Minnesota. These beaches not only received the highest (5-star) rating, but had perfect testing results for the past three years, indicating a history of very good water quality.

Only 1 percent of 1,138 samples collected at coastal New Hampshire beaches during 2010 exceeded the state standard of 104 counts of Enterococci/100 ml of water. New Hampshire again ranked first among the 30 states that are part of the EPA's beach monitoring program.

"The NRDC's high marks for New Hampshire's coastal beaches are testament to the collaborative efforts of DES, NH Parks and Recreation and the local communities that host the beaches," said DES Commissioner Tom Burack. "It is not by accident that New Hampshire has excellent water quality and a high quality of life. It takes a combination of dedication, good public policy, and resources on the state and local levels to achieve these outstanding results."

Other beaches in the report that scored high marks were a 5 star rating for Wallis Sands Beach at Wallis Road and a 4 star rating for Wallis Sands Beach State Park.

"Certainly, this designation reconfirms the cooperation that is taken to provide a clean beach experience. We appreciated the Department of Environmental Service's efforts in helping to keep our waters clean," stated Commissioner George Bald, Department of Resources and Economic Development (DRED). Part of Bald's agency, the Division of Parks and Recreation is responsible for the management of this area. "Hampton Beach State Park hosts hundreds of thousa

nds visitors a year, we are proud to offer them a Superstar Beach."

New Hampshire residents should be proud of our coastal water quality and strive to maintain these levels. Simple steps everyone can take throughout the coastal watershed will prevent beach pollution. Everyone can help by picking up pet waste, maintaining septic systems, putting swim diapers with plastic covers on babies, and keeping trash off the beach. Together, everyone can work to maintain New Hampshire's top rated beaches.

The NHDES Beach Inspection Program monitors the water at New Hampshire public swimming beaches from late May until early September. Personnel collect water for analysis at coastal and freshwater beaches. The water samples are analyzed for fecal bacteria to protect public health. For more information visit the programs website:

Also updates on current beach advisories and warnings can be found on the DES website, www.des.nh.gov under the Alerts button. Residents can also sign up to receive notifications about beach advisories at the DES ENews subscription service or by following the NHDES Beaches Twitter feed at:

The Division of Parks and Recreation is comprised of the Bureau of Park Operations, Bureau of Historic Sites, Bureau of Trails, and Cannon Mountain.

The Division manages 92 properties, including state parks, beaches, campgrounds, historic sites, trails, waysides, and natural areas. The Division of Parks and Recreation is one of four divisions of the Department of Resources and Economic Development. To learn more, visit www.nhstateparks.org or call 603 271-3556.

To review the NRDC report, visit:

http://m1e.net/c?82384231-iUdniaewvMZsM%406591736-vRrcLbqkIXilA

This was the gist of the headline in “Closing the Deal”, a weekly feature column by Christopher Thompson, which appeared in the New Hampshire Sunday News of December 26, 2010. Here are some highlights of his article.

In looking at the tax challenges of our neighboring states, Thompson found that Maine has an 8.5% income tax (the 7^th highest in the country). Massachusetts has a 5.3% income tax and Vermont, one of 8.95%.

The 2010 Census results show that New Hampshire is the fastest growing state in New England at 6.5%, with the next closest being Connecticut, at 4.9%. He queries if the lack

of an income tax is driving people to New Hampshire over the other New England states. While that may or may not be so, his primary point was how lucky we are to live in New Hampshire…particularly if we “work, sell or have businesses” here. Among other pluses: we have the 9^th highest per-capita personal income in the country, and we are one of only 5 states in the country to have no sales tax. As Thompson concludes, “…we live in a state which provides one of the best climates for businesses and their employees,” and that’s something to be thankful for!

You can find this tag line on the NH Department of Resources and Economic Development’s web site at Welcome to New Hampshire.  If you’re planning a visit to NH for a vacation or house-hunting, it’s the perfect place to start.  You can make your reservations right on line.  The site is designed around the current season and, there is an absolute wealth of information to be found.  Some of the many subjects covered are Arts & Entertainment, Shopping and Antiquing, Family Attractions, What to do, Where to Eat…etc.  For example, in the Arts & Entertainment section, you’ll find a brief description of NH’s music and arts scene, but there are also separate links to “Music”, “Galleries”, “Museums”, “Theatre”, “Film”, and “NH Made”.  There’s even a NH Brewery Location Map!  There are plenty of pictures and even some suggested itineraries suited for the season, and what could be more appropriate than “Yankee Dollar Stretchers”?  You’ll find yourself going back many times.  Come visit us in the New London-Lake Sunapee Area when you get here!  

The following information was released November 9, 2010, by the Department of Environmental Services (DES), Concord, NH –

The NH Carbon Monoxide Work Group announced November, 2010, as the state’s first Carbon Monoxide Awareness Month, as proclaimed by Governor John Lynch.

Carbon monoxide is a serious public safety concern, and poses the greatest risk to people in their homes. Nationally, CO is one of the leading causes of accidental poisoning deaths, and accounts for more than 50,000 emergency department visits each year in the US.

Carbon monoxide poisoning becomes a greater risk as we enter the heating season as people spend more time indoors. Protect your home and family by following these simple do’s and dont's:

DO have your fuel-burning appliances – including oil and gas furnaces, gas water heaters, gas ranges and ovens, gas dryers, gas or kerosene space heaters, fireplaces, and wood stoves – inspected by a trained professional, and make certain that flues and chimneys are connected, in good condition, and not blocked.

DO read and follow all of the instructions that accompany any fuel- burning device. If you cannot avoid using an unvented gas or kerosene space heater, carefully follow the cautions that come with the device. Use the proper fuel and keep doors to the rest of the house open. Crack a window to ensure enough air for ventilation and proper fuel-burning.

DO install at least one CO detector in the living areas of your home, preferably one on each floor.

DO know the symptoms of CO poisoning, which even at moderate levels, includes severe headaches, dizziness, confusion, nausea or faintness.

If you experience symptoms that you think could be from CO poisoning: get fresh air immediately. Open doors and windows, turn off combustion appliances and leave the house. Call 9-1-1 or get to an emergency room immediately.

DON’T idle the car in a garage -- even if the garage door to the outside is open. Fumes can build up very quickly in the garage and living area of your home.

DON’T use a gas oven to heat your home, even for a short time, and DON’T ever use a charcoal grill indoors – even in a fireplace.

DON'T sleep in any room with an unvented gas or kerosene space heater.

DON’T use any gasoline-powered engines (mowers, weed trimmers, snow blowers, chain saws, small engines or generators) in enclosed spaces, including the garage.

DON’T ignore symptoms, particularly if more than one person is feeling them. You could lose consciousness and die if you do nothing.

For a comprehensive source of information on carbon monoxide safety tips, emergency generator usage, health risks, and more, please see www.nh.gov/co.

The New Hampshire Carbon Monoxide Work Group is an interagency task force dedicated to keeping the public informed of the many safety and health issues related to carbon monoxide. The group includes representatives from the state’s departments of Environmental Services, Health and Human Services, and Safety, the Poison Center, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, the City of Concord, Concord Regional Health Care, and Powers Generator Service.