townie

Some lady stopped me for directions the other day and asked me if I was a local. I was a bit taken aback as I've never really thought of myself as a local to Portsmouth. I wasn't born here and in the grand scheme of things, I haven't been here that long. I feel like a local though. I live in town and so I'm always running around Market Square and the Banke. I've come to love this town as if it were my own. I haunt the Riverun Bookstore and Paper Patch when nobody's looking. I get my coffee at BNG just like everyone else--but I'm starting to recognize and get to know the peeps that work there. I've eaten at just about every local restaurant except a couple of really nice ones that I'm saving for a special occasion. I have secret shortcuts to avoid the traffic when the bridge is up. I help to run a local business. And, most importantly, the friends I've made here are for life.

As I was laying out on the deck yesterday, overlooking the garden we've been trying to tame this summer I felt an overwhelming flood of gratitude for my situation. I feel so lucky to live here! It's beautiful. All those long, cold, desolate months of winter certainly do pay big with 80 degree weather, a slight sea breeze, and the intense natural beauty of the trees and plants native here. Where else on earth can you lounge on your back deck, listening to a live salsa band playing at the museum, soaking up private rays of sunshine, surrounded by flowers and friends? Nowhere but here.

Here are some pictures from the backyard...



The Garden (flowers) I forgot to upload the herbs and raspberries.


Bee's Eye View