A person is a lucky duck to have a birthday in October and live in New England. It’s as if the whole scene is having a rainbow confetti party in your honor!
This weekend I celebrated my thirty-first birthday in a sweet, rural, rented lake house in New Hampshire with my husband, his burly male friends, and a whole bunch of BBQ meat.
A fire crackled constantly in brick fireplace, we mushed together s’mores, and the menfolk ran races and fished fruitlessly. I had the shakes from Internet addiction withdrawal (there was hardly even cell reception, let alone WiFi), but also shook with happiness from the natural beauty all around!
Ahh yes, nature! Nature, I had shamefully forgotten about you! I’d forgotten your fresh smell and your lack of highway noise and jackhammer rat-tat-tatting! (Did I mention that in Boston we live next to a major highway which is currently under construction every night at 1am?)
So for both you and for me, reader, I set out each of those three days in New Hampshire to document the glorious setting. Stay tuned (in the free minutes I have between prepping for the fabulous Meet, Plan, Go! Career-Break Travel Conference on 10/16) for pictures to knock your socks off and send you running for the hills! (In a good way.)
Questions for you, oh Reader: What place, voyage, or moment has made YOU remember nature? What is YOUR ideal birthday destination? Are you a fan of leaf-peeping?

The author, Lillie Marshall, is a 6-foot-tall National Board Certified Teacher of English, fitness fan, and mother of two who has been a public school educator since 2003. She launched Around the World “L” Travel and Life Blog in 2009, and over 4.2 million readers have now visited this site. Lillie also runs TeachingTraveling.com and DrawingsOf.com. Subscribe to her monthly newsletter, and follow @WorldLillie on social media!
Voluptous Rainbows
Thursday 18th of September 2014
Gorgeous photos. Love the leaves
Victoria Kwong
Monday 30th of September 2013
These pictures are insanely beautiful! I can only imagine how wonderful it must be to see these views in person.
carolgrace
Monday 19th of November 2012
These are beautiful pictures. Thank you for them. I have traveled and lived in many places and marvel at the beauty of nature in places around the globe. Never tire of seeing such wonders.
Lillie
Monday 19th of November 2012
Yes!!!
Laurence
Saturday 10th of November 2012
Gorgeous photos. Fall is right on us in Europe as well at the moment and I'm loving the colours :D
Lillie
Saturday 10th of November 2012
Glad you are getting the rainbow glory there, too!
Sherry
Wednesday 31st of October 2012
Even though I'm in a tropical area now, enjoying great weather and sunshine, I still really miss the crisp autumn air and the beautiful colors it brings. It is my favorite time of the year! And a perfect time to see that the world is indeed a beautiful place.
Lillie
Wednesday 31st of October 2012
Poetic!