It's a tradition that my grandmother, mother and I have observed since I was an infant. It is Thanksgiving night, and after we have filled ourselves with turkey and all the trimmings, we make the three and a half hour trip north to North Conway, New Hampshire. We talk the whole way about the treasures we are sure to find there. My grandmother calls us the three muskateers and I think to myself she is right. We will always be there for each other, watching each other's backs.

We finally arrive and the driveway is covered in ice where we slip and slide our way to the door, laughing with each tenuous step we take. When I look back over my shoulder, I am in awe of beauty of the ice on the tree branches, shining more beautifully than man could ever create. The sky is clear now, and only light is from the moon. The stars are so bright and seem near enough that I might reach out and pluck one from the sky. Inside our condo, we turn on the gas fireplace and have hot chocolate before going to bed.

The next morning, after a very brief night's sleep, we bundle up and set off on our day's adventure. It is 5 a.m., and as always, our first stop is at a local bakery. The building is quite small, with a porch where a small table and two chairs look rather forlorn. On the roof, a chimney is smoking. When we open the door, a small bell rings to alert the baker that we are there. We order coffee and juice and a dozen of the most delicious homemade jelly donuts I have ever tasted. No need for Dunkin' Donuts today!

We are once again on our way and, as we round the bend in the road, we come upon a view that we have never been able to take for granted since coming here for the last seventeen or more years. The mountains are magnificent, shining blue and green in the light of daybreak and with the sky painted slightly pink, making the scene even more spectacular. As we continue down the road, these mountains now stand directly in front of us. They stand tall and proud with snow covered peaks that look like melted marshmellows flowing down from the peaks.

We decide on our first stop and sit in the parking lot waiting for the store to open. People are standing out in the cold in long corkscrew lines, hoping they won't miss out on the fantastic deals being held inside and charging forward the moment the doors open. We, however, choose to stay in our warm car and enjoy our bakery treats. When the doors finally open, people make a mad rush into the store. We leave the car and are able to walk right into the store where we are able to avoid an onrush of overanxious shoppers pushing and shoving their way through us. Once we buy our treasures, it is time to make our way down to the town center.

Once we arrive, we find that the village green, where bandstand concerts are held weekly in the summer, has been turned into a huge skating rink. Surrounding the rink is the train station where shortly there will be train rides, including the ever-popular "Polar Express" for the children. We cross the street to shop at two of our favorite places. The first is a five and dime store, which features old-fashioned toys and household items that are rarely found anywhere else. The second is a country store where penny candy, fudge, homemade jams and jellies, etc can be found, to the delight of both children and adults. As usual, we buy our old-fashioned root beer, penuche and chocolate fudge, and assorted penny candy.

By now we are tired and decide to make our way back home. As we pass the white church with the steeple, the craft store, the quilt shop, and the book store, I can't help but feel as though I am living in another time. Life here seems so much simpler, and the land is so unspoiled. I think about how we love to be here in the summer, swimming or canoeing down the Saco River, picking our own strawberries, and watching fireworks. I think about the skiing, snowboarding, and snow tubing we love to do in the winter. In the fall, we are overwhelmed with the colors of the autumn that can't be matched anywhere else that I know of. I laugh to myself thinking about the Mud Bowl Championships that are held each September. It is really something to see!

We arrive home, and as usual, I am hoping to get to see any animal that tends to roam onto our property, like deer, moose, foxes and an occasional bear. I realize how lucky I am. Lakes, rivers, streams, and mountains have remained pretty much unspoiled here, and I am given the wonderful privilege of being able to escape the stress of my life back in Rhode Island and enjoy all the beauty that nature has to offer, if even for a short time.