Our friends home is in a most beautiful location pretty much surrounded with forest. Bears come foraging, but not in this weather. Their tucked up in some cosy hole in the ground... But not the humans...
Theres Cameron hitting his morning chores. Its been snowing through the night and its snowing still.
Mick's little work truck. The family is busy with many theocratic activities including RBC work. They also recently trucked many generators and other essenial equipment from the brothers in NH to NY for the hurricane Sandy relief work.
Map of New Hampshire
The state motto is "Live free or die," which dates back to the American Revolutionary War, and typifies an attitude of some modern residents... But not all. You might like to read this interesting wiki article about one of our brothers.
In 1971, the New Hampshire state legislature mandated that the phrase appear on all non-commercial license plates, replacing "Scenic."
In 1977, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the case of Wooley v. Maynard, 430 U.S. 705, that the State of New Hampshire could not prosecute motorists who chose to hide part or all of the motto. That ruling came about because George Maynard, a Jehovah's Witness, covered up "or die" from his plate. "By religious training and belief, I believe my 'government' – Jehovah's Kingdom – offers everlasting life. It would be contrary to that belief to give up my life for the state, even if it meant living in bondage." Pursuant to these beliefs, the Maynards began early in 1974 to cover up the motto on their license plates.
He was convicted of breaking a state law against altering license plates.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6–3 in his favor and likened Maynard's refusal to accept the state motto with the Jehovah’s Witness children refusing to salute the American flag in public school in the 1943 decision West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette.
"We begin with the proposition that the right of freedom of thought protected by the First Amendment against state action includes both the right to speak freely and the right to refrain from speaking at all,” Chief Justice Warren Burger wrote for the majority in Maynard.
"Here, as in Barnette, we are faced with a state measure which forces an individual, as part of his daily life indeed constantly while his automobile is in public view to be an instrument for fostering public adherence to an ideological point of view he finds unacceptable.
"The fact that most individuals agree with the thrust of New Hampshire’s motto is not the test; most Americans also find the flag salute acceptable," Burger wrote.
The Supreme Court concluded that the state’s interests paled in comparison to individuals’ free-expression rights.
So to some extent the good old USA is the land of the free.
This area is riddled with lakes left over from glaciers. Holderness is on the left near Little Squam lake.
The Kingdom Hall
?
We were taken on a scenic return-visit route. Of course it's all pretty scenic to us.
The Squam River covered bridg, built in 1990.
Yep, it's cold
Both Kathy and Cindy are regular pioneers and loving it...
Squam lake
A real live woodpecker
Lake Winnipesaukeei
I wonder if it has heated seats?
Cam helping dad change a tyre
This is how you keep your driveway clear in NH
And to finish off the day, what could be more American than a roast turkey dinner with all the trimmings, followed by apple pie?
Thank you Cindy, cooked to perfection.
And eaten with family and friends... Who could ask for more than that?
Well, perhaps a warm bed.
Good night
Lloydnalex
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