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Travels with Bufford: Keene, New Hampshire
by Bufford
Hi, my name’s Bufford and me and my wife, the Beatrice drive around New
Hampshire seeing things and meeting people in our Homer, which is an RV or
motor home to most but to us it’s home and home is where the homer is so we
call it the Homer.
Not long ago we were driving down Route 9 'cause we were heading to my sister
Daffodils so we could visit her on her farm.
Well, before we knew it there was a sign on the side of the road that said
"Welcome to Keene." We thought it was nice of someone to put that up for us
and so we decided to go there since it’s right on the way to Daffodils, well, sort
of.
We turned the Homer onto the Washington Street exit and followed that street
right into town where they got a town common with a fountain and gazebo. It’s
all surrounded by a traffic circle that comes off of Main Street. I was sure
surprised to see five traffic lanes on Main street. There must have been a lot of
horses when the street was built because it seems to me it must be about the
widest Main Street there is and there were no cars when it was built. In case
you're wondering, there was plenty of room for the Homer.
We decided to stay and look around and so we parked the Homer and started
walking. We saw restaurants and lots of different stores from sporting goods to
electronics to gifts and lots of other stuff. We went by one store that said Hannah
Grimes on the sign and not knowing what a Hannah Grimes is, and just being
curious, in we went.
Just like so many other places in New Hampshire the folks in there were laughing
and smiling at me. New Hampshire is such a happy place. Well we got to
talking to Beth Butler who runs the retail store and she told us that there was
nothing but hand-made by New Hampshire folks stuff in there. Mary Ann
Kristiansen came in and she was smiling and happy just like Beth and the others.
Turns out she started the whole Hannah Grimes thing from just about nothing
and with the help of some great helpers and friends, turned it into what it is now.
Hannah Grimes even helps new businesses get going.
I like the Beatrice to take pictures of me in different places and so I asked Beth
and Mary Ann if they would mind having their picture taken with me and they
didn’t, so we did. After that the Beatrice and I looked around and saw rocks with
holes in them that made real nice flower holders, beautiful paintings and
photography, weaving and crochet things, lots of home grown food things, and
things made from hand spun wool. We had a great time looking at the stuff and
even bought some things before we left.
We said goodbye to all those smiling faces
and headed back to the Homer. We walked
past the EF Lane Hotel and Cheshire Music
and then we turned down Roxbury Street.
There was some nice little shops along there
and a Aubuchon's Hardware. Across the street
from there was the Elm City Barber Shop.
The Beatrice saw it and said “Bufford, don’t you
need your hairs cut?” I reckoned I did and there
was two barbers in white coats in there, Ernie Lake
and Roy Carroll, just ready to cut my hair when
we went in. I said “This here’s the Beatrice
and she said my hairs need cutting. So they
asked me to have a seat and I said I already
had one then they said “sit down in the
barber chair”. It was hard parting with my hat,
even for a short while, so I didn’t, but I got my hats hairs trimmed. They were
fun guys and they laughed a lot, I guess they really like their work.
Then we went back to Main Street and walked back past Hannah Grimes again.
They wave and smiled at us. We waved back. Then we passed one store that said
Armadillos and I said, “let's go buy one.” Turns out they sell burritos and stuff
and you can’t buy armadillos anywhere. The inside was big and open with
music playing. We liked it there and the menu looked real good so we decided
to stay and eat some of their burritos. I got a rice and bean one and the Beatrice
got a chicken. Well now, these aren’t your average burritos, they were better
than that, they were really big and they tasted great and the people who were
working there were just a happy and smiling and friendly as the folks in Hannah
Grimes. I guess that Keene is just a happy place!
We finished up our big burritos and headed back to where the Homer was
parked. As we left we took a look to the right and saw the big white church at the
head of the square. Right then I figured that the Main Street was shaped like an
old time keyhole and the that big beautiful church sat right on the top of it..
When we got to the Homer and drove off we figured we’d had a great time and
met some great people in Keene New Hampshire.
About Bufford:
Bufford likes to take pictures and write stories about his adventures traveling
around New Hampshire in his Homer. If you spot him while visiting New
Hampshire (and you can’t miss him!), make sure you say hello. And you can
always write to him at wstone2@verizon.net (he loves fan mail).
Other travel stories by Bufford:
The Willey House, NH
The White Mountains, NH
by Bufford
Hi, my name’s Bufford and me and my wife, the Beatrice drive around New
Hampshire seeing things and meeting people in our Homer, which is an RV or
motor home to most but to us it’s home and home is where the homer is so we
call it the Homer.
Not long ago we were driving down Route 9 'cause we were heading to my sister
Daffodils so we could visit her on her farm.
Well, before we knew it there was a sign on the side of the road that said
"Welcome to Keene." We thought it was nice of someone to put that up for us
and so we decided to go there since it’s right on the way to Daffodils, well, sort
of.
We turned the Homer onto the Washington Street exit and followed that street
right into town where they got a town common with a fountain and gazebo. It’s
all surrounded by a traffic circle that comes off of Main Street. I was sure
surprised to see five traffic lanes on Main street. There must have been a lot of
horses when the street was built because it seems to me it must be about the
widest Main Street there is and there were no cars when it was built. In case
you're wondering, there was plenty of room for the Homer.
We decided to stay and look around and so we parked the Homer and started
walking. We saw restaurants and lots of different stores from sporting goods to
electronics to gifts and lots of other stuff. We went by one store that said Hannah
Grimes on the sign and not knowing what a Hannah Grimes is, and just being
curious, in we went.
Just like so many other places in New Hampshire the folks in there were laughing
and smiling at me. New Hampshire is such a happy place. Well we got to
talking to Beth Butler who runs the retail store and she told us that there was
nothing but hand-made by New Hampshire folks stuff in there. Mary Ann
Kristiansen came in and she was smiling and happy just like Beth and the others.
Turns out she started the whole Hannah Grimes thing from just about nothing
and with the help of some great helpers and friends, turned it into what it is now.
Hannah Grimes even helps new businesses get going.
I like the Beatrice to take pictures of me in different places and so I asked Beth
and Mary Ann if they would mind having their picture taken with me and they
didn’t, so we did. After that the Beatrice and I looked around and saw rocks with
holes in them that made real nice flower holders, beautiful paintings and
photography, weaving and crochet things, lots of home grown food things, and
things made from hand spun wool. We had a great time looking at the stuff and
even bought some things before we left.
We said goodbye to all those smiling faces
and headed back to the Homer. We walked
past the EF Lane Hotel and Cheshire Music
and then we turned down Roxbury Street.
There was some nice little shops along there
and a Aubuchon's Hardware. Across the street
from there was the Elm City Barber Shop.
The Beatrice saw it and said “Bufford, don’t you
need your hairs cut?” I reckoned I did and there
was two barbers in white coats in there, Ernie Lake
and Roy Carroll, just ready to cut my hair when
we went in. I said “This here’s the Beatrice
and she said my hairs need cutting. So they
asked me to have a seat and I said I already
had one then they said “sit down in the
barber chair”. It was hard parting with my hat,
even for a short while, so I didn’t, but I got my hats hairs trimmed. They were
fun guys and they laughed a lot, I guess they really like their work.
Then we went back to Main Street and walked back past Hannah Grimes again.
They wave and smiled at us. We waved back. Then we passed one store that said
Armadillos and I said, “let's go buy one.” Turns out they sell burritos and stuff
and you can’t buy armadillos anywhere. The inside was big and open with
music playing. We liked it there and the menu looked real good so we decided
to stay and eat some of their burritos. I got a rice and bean one and the Beatrice
got a chicken. Well now, these aren’t your average burritos, they were better
than that, they were really big and they tasted great and the people who were
working there were just a happy and smiling and friendly as the folks in Hannah
Grimes. I guess that Keene is just a happy place!
We finished up our big burritos and headed back to where the Homer was
parked. As we left we took a look to the right and saw the big white church at the
head of the square. Right then I figured that the Main Street was shaped like an
old time keyhole and the that big beautiful church sat right on the top of it..
When we got to the Homer and drove off we figured we’d had a great time and
met some great people in Keene New Hampshire.
About Bufford:
Bufford likes to take pictures and write stories about his adventures traveling
around New Hampshire in his Homer. If you spot him while visiting New
Hampshire (and you can’t miss him!), make sure you say hello. And you can
always write to him at wstone2@verizon.net (he loves fan mail).
Other travel stories by Bufford:
The Willey House, NH
The White Mountains, NH
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