We stumbled upon this covered bridge on one of our afternoon drives near Lebanon, New Hampshire. 

This was my first covered bridge! They really are as lovely and idyllic as they are in photographs. 

We were happy our van with the rooftop carrier made the clearance so we could drive across the bridge. 

It has been nice exploring this area with Dave because he knows all the roads and a ton of neat places to visit since he lived here for many years. For me, it's fun to be taken on a tour of places for a change, and for Dave, it's neat to re-explore so many places he remembers. Dave says this area is even more beautiful than he remembered. As we continued our drive, Dave mentioned he had a surprise for me. 

It turned out my second covered bridge would be an especially interesting one; the surprise was the Cornish-Windsor bridge. This is the longest wooden bridge in the United States and and the longest two-span covered bridge in the world.

"Walk your horses or pay two dollar fine." 

Until New Hampshire bought the bridge from the private company that built it in 1936 and made it toll free in 1945, there was a toll charged to cross the bridge. If you tried to ride your horse across, though, you'd be charged an additional $2 fee on top of your toll. 

The Cornish-Windsor bridge is stunning with the mountain backdrop. 

Dave is enamored with the white birch trees that speckle the New Hampshire landscape. 

After the covered bridges, we visited here, the Blow Me Down Mill. The phrase "blow me down" was a common expression of surprise in the 18th century, but no one is certain why the expression became the name of this mill and the farm for which it also supplied power. When it closed in 1910, Blow Me Down was the last working grist mill in the area. 

We loved the way this old barn looked on a drive from Windsor, Vermont, back to New Hampshire. 

We believe this property is owned by Simon Pearce, the famous glass maker, who has his shop next door and appears to be using this over-grown farm for storage. 

This incredibly piece of property was for sale...if only it could be insulated from the winter and snow!