Recently I read a story on Love What Matters about backdrop, your backdrop to be specific.  You know it well. It is that beautiful view we drive by, or drive into everyday, and never visit.  Personally, I am reminded of the view of Mt. Rainier during my commute in Washington, the Manhattan skyline on my way to school, and coastal roads, anywhere. 

We all have schedules, priorities, obligations, and life that gets in the way.

The scenery, that view, just becomes the backdrop. 

Doesn’t it?

To be honest, I think my husband and I are good at soaking in the goodness of Arizona.  But the last few years, returning home to New England looked different.  It was more about checking in, and making sure those unconditional priorities took precedence. New Hampshire and Maine have some of the most beautiful coastlines in the country, and while I admit to sticking my feet in the ocean each year, it felt, more like a Starbucks drive-through.    

In June, with grateful hearts and more time, we morphed ourselves into the backdrop of home and some needed New England culture. And on this day, tugboats, lobster pots, and a church steeple set the stage on a sunset, harbor cruise.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

And some of the simple pleasures were a stones throw away, in the beach town of York Maine.

Pleasures? Treasures? All the same to me on this trip. They are the silly things you find that no one else cares about, moments you love for no other reason then you can, and peppermint stick Ice cream for lunch on the seawall.

Maine’s slogan is: The Way Life Should Be.

What do you think?

The Beach:

We talked of sand fortresses we used to make in an effort to hold back the tide, knowing too well we would return to a blank canvas the next day.  On this day, what a treasure to see the dripping-sand technique, generators later.

The Ocean:

To watch the ebb and flow of the tide with its freedom to meander and crash on the cliffs is contemplative and a breath of fresh air. Nubble Light is one of the most visited lighthouses in the country, so certainly not a hidden treasure. To walk here daily, and watch the day pass by, was a promise I had made myself on that someday list. Treasured moments and heartfelt promises are now memories.

Cliff Walks: The Fishermans Walk and the York Cliff Walk give one a taste of what it is like to live here. They take you through neighborhoods, marinas, beaches, a dam, a wiggly bridge and an island.

The Neighborhoods:

The Boats:

The Lighthouses:

The Icons:

The People:

I wonder if others ponder life while leaving the first footprints on the outgoing tides. Or if the last footprints on the incoming tide take the thoughts that need to be carried away, and with it a promise to hold our memories?

I don’t know. What I do know is our greatest treasures are within our reach because they come from within our heart.

We can only be said to be alive in those moments where our hearts are conscious of our treasures.-Thornton Wilder

Wind Kisses, Donna

Thank you Aletta, for your inspirational post about Treasures.

Inspired by: Lens Artists: Treasures, Sunday Stills: Beautiful Beaches, The Changing Seasons: Brian, Ju-lyn