Brenda:
I grew up in a southern New Hampshire but we went camping a LOT. I came to love the White Mountains region early on, particularly the pristine rivers.
We looked for just the right place in New Hampshire for 6 years, preferably on the Saco (my favorite) or some other river full of boulders and swimming holes. And trout. We wanted to be on a river where you can see and hear crystal clear water rushing by, where you can look down into the water and count individual stones.
We also like to see some unique touches on the outside of a house, so upon seeing this simple home design from the driveway, our first thought was no... this is not the one.
But then we walked inside and met the owners. i think we fell in love with them first, before we fell in love with the property. They had it custom built, and it showed that this was their dream house in every way. The basement ceiling is unusually high and gives the space a clean, open feel. The main house feels open and light. The house is situated as close to the river as is legally allowed (50 feet). When the doors and window are closed, you hear nothing. But when you open a window or slider, the roar of the river just blows you away. The sound is peaceful.
On the opposite side of the property, the Conway Scenic Railway train slowly rumbles by, 3-4 times a day during the summer. You can just see it through the trees. KIDS LOVE THIS. The passengers wave, we wave back, too corny but we get a huge kick out of it. One of us sometimes pulls his tongue out at them. They respond with the same.
Over all, it's relaxing, comfortable and flat-out gorgeous. It's truly a place to go if you want your troubles to melt away. Serene.
Ajith:
What she says, of course. It's safer for me.