As a snow lover, I'll admit to being disappointed in the weak winter we've had. Perhaps that's why I've recently been fantasizing about fun things to do when the weather starts to improve. So many great choices here in New England. Hiking, museum visits, seafood by the ocean, ice cream warding off the heat.... Of course, I'll get some help from the library to make it all happen.

For starters, I'll be signing up for a museum pass to the Peabody Essex Museum. The library's pass allows free access to everything but the Yin Yu Tang house. The Yin Yu Tang house was brought to America from China and reassembled in Salem; tickets are an additional $4 per person. It's an inexpensive but fascinating day trip. When the weather gets warmer, it'll be time to head to the New England Aquarium, where library museum passes give you a discounted rate of $7 per adult. Check out our full line of museum passes at http://www.nashualibrary.org/mpIntro.htm. You can reserve online or by calling the Music, Art, and Media Department at (603) 589-4603.

On the more rustic side, I'll be planning a hiking trip. I'll check out one of the trail guides found in the nonfiction section at 917.4204, such as the Appalachian Mountain Club's "Southern New Hampshire trail guide : hiking trails in southern New Hampshire" or Michael Lanza's "Foghorn outdoors: New Hampshire hiking." I'll also have a look at "The best in tent camping, New England : a guide for car campers who hate RVs, concrete slabs, and loud portable stereos" by Lafe Low to find a good camping area.

A trip up the coast of Maine would also be fun. I'll have a look in "Nature walks along the seacoast : Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" by Julia Older and Steve Sherman for some more outdoors ideas. Then the old standby of travel guides, "Fodor's Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire," can help me find a restaurant to stop at along the way. (Gotta satisfy that seafood craving.)

If we're not going to have a good snowy winter, let the summer come!