The simple pleasures of our favorite places in nature are gifts of the spirit to be shared with others. In this collection of 53 haiku, each paired with a photograph, poet Liz Gauffreau invites readers to come with her to some of her favorite places in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Some places are long-time favorites going back years; others have become favorites by virtue of inspiring poetry.
For this blog tour stop, Liz provides some backstory for one of the places that appears in the book: Beaver Brook Falls in Colebrook, New Hampshire. (This backstory originally appeared on her family history blog in 2018.)
Beaver Brook Falls
A couple of weeks ago, I dragged my husband into an antique shop to see if I could find any antique or vintage postcards of places in New England associated with our families. I was
looking in particular for the hand-tinted ones because the colors aren’t quite natural, which gives the scene a proper feeling of otherworldliness.
The otherworldly scene I found was Beaver Brook Falls, which, for my brother George and me in the mid-1960s, was the real world of pounding water, slippery rock, and the smell of pine so intense we could reach out and grab it. As far as George and I were concerned, Beaver Brook Falls was one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.
Then one day we spied a couple of men standing in the water at the top of the falls. We were
transfixed. How had they gotten there? Had they entered the waterfall and climbed up some
natural stairway under the rushing water? No, our parents explained, there must be a path
alongside the falls, and the men had climbed up that way. From that day forward, every time
our parents took us for a picnic at Beaver Brook Falls, George and I begged to be allowed to
climb to the top of the falls. Our begging was to no avail.
George and I grew up. Career and family took us out of New England. By the time I returned to New Hampshire after living many years in the South, over thirty years had passed. Nothing would do but I must return to Beaver Brook Falls and climb to the top. My husband didn’t think it was a particularly good idea, and it became less of a good idea when he saw how eroded the path was, but he went along. I later wrote the following poem about the experience (in a poetry slam workshop, of all places).
Fifteen more years went by, and I found the postcard of Beaver Brook Falls in the little antique shop in Concord. Back I went to the North Country to climb to the top of Beaver Brook Falls once again, this time with the admonitions of my husband dogging my footsteps and ringing in my ears, which I absolutely refused to heed. The haiku in Simple Pleasures captures the day’s folly.
‘Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free
‘Tis the gift to come down where I ought to be . . . .
~ Shaker song attributed to Joseph Brackett
Author Biography
Elizabeth Gauffreau writes fiction and poetry with a strong connection to family and place. Her work has been widely published in literary magazines, as well as several themed anthologies. Her short story “Henrietta’s Saving Grace” was awarded the 2022 Ben Nyberg prize for fiction by Choeofpleirn Press.
She has published a novel, Telling Sonny, and a collection of photopoetry, Grief Songs: Poems of Love & Remembrance. She is currently working on a novel, The Weight of Snow and Regret, based on the closing of the last poor farm in Vermont in 1968.
Liz’s professional background is in nontraditional higher education, including academic advising, classroom and online teaching, curriculum development, and program administration. She received the Granite State College Distinguished Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2018. Liz lives in Nottingham, New Hampshire with her husband. Find her online at https://lizgauffreau.com.
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Blog Tour Host Links: https://lizgauffreau.com/simple-pleasures-blog-tour-links/
A great story behind the poem. Sometime we just need to do things, against our better judgement.
You’re right, Darlene. What great memories!
I’m glad you enjoyed the Beaver Brook Falls saga, Darlene. In addition to the thrill of the falls, it’s a very beautiful spot.
Love it, Joy. Liz is such a treasure!!
She sure is, GP! This new book is also–the wonderful photos along with perfect details in the haiku.
Thank you.
Hope it really goes bit, Joy. Liz is a fine writer.
I think it will, Don. Not only is the cover lovely, but Liz’s photos inside are wonderful, then enhanced by such winsome haikus.
Thank you very much for your support, Don!
Pretty cool how a memory from our childhood can inspire us to do something we wouldn’t normally do, despite its danger. Embrace our inner child.
You bet! And Liz created something beautiful for the rest of us!
Thank you, Joy! My goal in putting the book together was to make people feel good.
Liz, it certainly has, and we’ve become a blissful community around your lovely new book!
You’ve made my day, Joy!
You’ve certainly made mine as well! What a wonderful gathering of like-minded readers and bloggers you’ve orchestrated!
Thank you, Pete! I’m embracing that inner child as tightly as I can!
Great backstory. Congrats on your new book, Liz!
Thank you, Jacqui! With my family, there’s always a story.
Lovely to see you made it back to the falls. Both posts shared on Twitter.
Best wishes, Pete.
Thanks, Pete, for those retweets!
Thank you very much, Pete!
A beautiful post, Joy. Liz is very special and it is wonderful to see her here with you. Congratulations, Liz.
Thank you, John. Liz has been such an encouragement for my own endeavors. It’s a delight to be able to share her new beautiful collection !
I agree. Thanks again.
Thank you, John. Your support means a lot to me. I’m looking forward to visiting your place tomorrow.
I’ll be waiting.
😀 Here I come!
That’s a treasure of a back story about the falls and the things we are inspired to do.
Eilene, I agree about back stories, and this is one of the best!
I’m glad you enjoyed the back story for Beaver Brook Falls, Eilene.
I enjoyed this post so much! Thanks Liz and Joy for hosting. What a grand adventure!
Thank you, Colleen. Liz has brought us all together is such a delightful way, hasn’t she!
I agree. I love these blog tours. You learn so much about the author and the book. Thanks again for being such a great host!
It was my pleasure! I’m so glad you enjoyed the post, Colleen.
I really enjoyed this anecdote, Liz: I’ve recently climbed two hills in my local area which have intrigued me since childhood: “the soil eroded away/thirty years and more” – exactly. Glad you made it to the top, twice! Thank you for hosting this, Joy!
Thank you, Ingrid. Liz made it fun, in addition to such a lovely new collection of photos and winsome words.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the Beaver Brook Falls anecdote, Ingrid. I’m not surprised you have had equivalent experiences.
That childhood memory brought on a thrill for Liz in making the climb, but it also brought on the beauty of her poetry for us.
It sure has, Tim!
Thank you very much, Tim. I’m so glad my childhood memory struck a responsive chord.
Wonderful post, Liz and Joy. I read Simple Pleasures yesterday and loved it. ❤️ This story adds to the reading journey!
What a nice way to put it, Gwen. Thank you!
Thank you very much, Gwen! I’m so glad you enjoyed Simple Pleasures. I’m looking forward to visiting your place on Friday.
I’m about half-way through a first reading of these vignettes, which I’m thoroughly enjoying. Thanks for the backstory here.
The backstory sure enhances the beautiful photos and winsome words, doesn’t it, Marian!
I’m so glad you’re enjoying Simple Pleasures, Marian!
That was wonderful and somehow refreshing…as if I could feel the spray of the water. Beautiful.
It was, wasn’t it! Thank you for your comment!
Thank you, Gigi! I’m so glad you enjoyed the post.
I enjoyed it very much. I could feel your joy and it was also fun.
😀
Joy, what a wonderful book Liz has written. Back to roots where the falls were, and unreachable. She changed that with so much pride, as an adult. Love history’s backstories. Good job! 📚🎶
Thank you, Christine. She’s delighted us all this this backstory!
Thank you very much, Christine! I’m so glad you enjoyed my Beaver Brook Falls adventures.
Great post! What a wonderful story Liz shared here.
Thank you, Merril! This is been just delightful!
You’re welcome, Joy!
Thank you, Merril! I’m so glad you enjoyed the story.
You made it to the top of the falls. It is a great story and a fun poem, and it seems like a great book.
It sure is! Thanks for your comment, Thomas.
Indeed, I did! Thank you for reading and commenting, Thomas.
I can totally understand the mystique of the climb to the top of the falls, Liz. Glad you managed it, twice yet!
Thanks for hosting this, Joy!
Thank you, Audrey. This beautiful book is such a delight!
It is indeed!
Thank you, Audrey! I’m quite enjoying my second childhood. 😃
Wonderful poem and the backstory is great! I love how you found the postcard…just what you wanted. 🙂
Thank you, Esther! Finding the perfect postcard was very exciting! When it comes to finding what you want, antique shops can be a hit-or-miss affair.
The thrill of finding what you want in an antique shop must’ve been exhilarating!
It was!
Great that you spotlighted Liz and her new book, Joy! Liz, I loved reading your multi-year Beaver Brook Falls story/remembrance/poetry — and seeing the triumphant photo!
Thanks, Dave!
Thank you, Dave! I’m so glad you njoyed your visit to Beaver Brook Falls!
What a wonderful story, Liz! I love the grit and determination to climb to the top! Love the poem as well. Congrats on the new release! My review is going up soon!
Love your comment, Jan!
Thank you, Jan! I wasn’t about to let anything stand in my way of getting to the top. I look forward to reading your review.
I love the post and the photos and the card! Good for you making it to the top twice!
Thank you, Dwight!
You are welcome.
Thank you, Dwight! I’m so glad you enjoyed the post.
You are very welcome, Liz!
I loved this story, Joy and Liz! A great post on the tour, and Congrats to Liz! 💞
Thank you, Lauren. This has been fun!
Thank you very much, Lauren! I’m so glad you enjoyed your visit to Beaver Brook Falls.
Very cool, Liz!
Congratulations!
Thank you, Resa!
Joy, thank you!
It’s been such fun. Thanks, Resa!
Welcome and yes!
Thank you, Resa!
Thank you, Resa!
I’m playing catch-up here with Liz’s blog tour. He book is a delightful combination of haiku and beautiful photographs. It is a book I will reach for over and over again when I need something calming to read. I love the story behind her trips to Beaver Brook Falls.
Thanks for your note, Janet. You’ll love this tour, with its look behind the scenes and haiku.
Thank you very much, Janet. I’m so glad you found the book calming. We could all use some calming these days.
“Return to Beaver Brook Falls” ignited nostalgia in me-and I didn’t even know about this place until five minutes ago! Thanks, Joy, for a great review. And good luck, Liz, in your latest endeavor. 🙂
Bless you, Nancy.
Thank you, Nancy! I just your comment that “Return to Beaver Brook Falls” prompted nostagia for you–and you’ve never been there!!
Liz, what a charming story! I LOVE those old postcards, and I am so glad you found one of your beloved falls!
Joy, thanks for hosting Liz. We all welcoming her new book!
Thank you, Luanne. Backstories are so welcome.
You are welcome, Joy!
Thank you very much, Luanne!
This looks a great way to tour!
Isn’t it fun to learn all these back stories, Georgina?
It certainly is!
Thanks, Georgina!