Happy Vermont

Mud Season in Vermont

2010-03-18T05:30:00.005-04:00

Early mud season in Cambridge.

Dirt roads in Vermont can be tricky to navigate during mud season. As soon as the spring thaw arrives, these otherwise sturdy roads become a bit soft and rutty.

Mud season falls between late winter and early spring, and it's sometimes called Vermont's fifth season (there's also stick season in late fall). I've only driven on a handful of dirt roads over the past couple of weeks, and most have been pretty easy to travel.

Sooner or later though, I'm sure I'll come across one that is somewhat challenging. When this happens, I'll take a deep breath and resist fighting the ruts. Eventually, they'll take me where I want to go.

Maple Sugaring at Bragg Farm

2010-03-15T05:30:00.014-04:00

Doug Bragg works in his sugarhouse in East Montpelier.

Doug Bragg of Bragg Farm Sugarhouse is optimistic about this year's maple season. The weather in Vermont is cooperating with freezing nights and warm, sunny days, and Bragg is already spending most his waking hours boiling sap in the sugarhouse.

Bragg Farm is the only public sugarhouse in Vermont that still relies 100 percent on traditional sap buckets and wood fires to produce maple syrup. With 2,220 sap buckets and 50 acres of maple trees, the farm produces about 700 gallons of maple syrup each season.

The family began producing maple syrup in the 1700s, when Bragg's ancestors relocated to Warren, Vermont from Brookfield, Massachusetts. The farm was moved in the 1960s to East Montpelier, where it's been ever since.

Bragg Farm is open year-round and includes a gift shop and ice cream parlor. The farm is located on Route 14 in East Montpelier and offers free guided tours to visitors. For more information, visit www.braggfarm.com.

If you're interested in visiting a variety of maple sugarhouses around the state, come to the 9th annual Vermont Maple Open House Weekend March 26-28. For details, visit vermontmaple.org.

Pieces of History in Harriman Reservoir

2010-03-11T05:30:00.004-05:00

Harriman Reservoir in February.

The size of Harriman Reservoir is impressive, but its history is what grabs your attention. Along the reservoir's floor are remnants of an old logging village that was flooded in the 1920s when the Deerfield River was dammed to generate power.

Harriman Reservoir, also known as Lake Whitingham, is the largest body of water located entirely within the state of Vermont. Enjoyed by boaters, swimmers, paddlers, and fishermen, the reservoir extends about 10 miles from Wilmington to Whitingham in southern Vermont.

The scenic reservoir is owned by TransCanada and is a source of hydroelectricity. Originally developed by the New England Power Company in 1922-23, the reservoir flooded the former pulpwood and lumber village of Mountain Mills, located just outside of Wilmington.

When water levels are low, you can occasionally spot submerged tree stumps and foundations from Mountain Mills. How extraordinary would it be to come across this forgotten little village?

An old postcard of Mountain Mills (courtesy of the Town of Wilmington).

An aerial view of Harriman Reservoir.

Spring Skiing in Vermont

2010-03-08T05:30:00.013-05:00

Smugglers' Notch in Jeffersonville, Vermont.

Some of Vermont's best skiing and riding can be found in March. The snow is soft and the sun is warm, making conditions ideal for classic spring skiing.

March tends to be Vermont's snowiest month, but it varies from year to year. Still, most Vermont resorts will likely offer skiing and riding until early April, with some of the higher peaks staying open even later.

Are you planning on going skiing or snowboarding this spring? Let me know where you end up.

For up-to-date conditions, visit www.skivermont.com.

A Stone Wall in Ripton

2010-03-04T05:30:00.005-05:00

This stone wall at Middlebury College's Bread Loaf School of English always catches my eye.

At least once a year I take a leisurely drive along Route 125, a scenic route also known as Middlebury Gap Road. During these drives, I always stop at the college's Ripton campus to admire the stone wall and rolling landscape.

David Bain, of Middlebury College's Department of English and American Studies, says the stone wall was likely built in the 1880s, back when Bread Loaf was a summer resort.

Bread Loaf is now a summer destination for graduate students, and it continues to be a place worth exploring.

Town Meeting in Vermont

2010-03-01T05:30:00.016-05:00

Town Hall in Goshen, Vermont

Town Meeting, held the first Tuesday in March, is an annual tradition in Vermont. Residents gather in town halls and school gymnasiums around the state to vote on local budgets, debate community issues, and elect town officials.

Attendance at Town Meeting has unfortunately been on the decline for the past 40 years. According to University of Vermont Professor Frank Bryan, a typical meeting draws only about 20 percent of voters, but small towns tend to have higher turnouts.

Town Meeting has been an important part of Vermont's history and identity for more than 200 years. The first Town Meeting was held in Bennington in 1762, several years before Vermont became the 14th state.

Interesting and controversial topics are part of the mix at Town Meeting, and this year will be no exception. For Town Meeting coverage, visit Vermont Public Radio at www.vpr.net.

Village Bridge in Waitsfield

2010-02-25T05:30:00.006-05:00

The Village Bridge in Waitsfield is one of my favorite covered bridges in Vermont. The bridge, built in 1833 and restored in the 1970s, spans the Mad River. This is one of the oldest covered bridges in Vermont and includes a pedestrian walkway.

Vermont has about 100 covered bridges across the state. An informative website with details about Vermont's covered bridges is www.virtualvermont.com.

Elmore Mountain and the Fire Tower

2010-02-22T05:30:00.006-05:00

Elmore Mountain is the northernmost and smallest peak of Vermont's Worcester Range. The mountain, which has an elevation of 2,608 feet, is a popular hiking destination and home to an accessible fire tower.

Start your hike from Elmore State Park off Route 12, located along the mountain's eastern slope. At the summit is a fire tower that was manned and operated between the 1930s and 1970s (the original tower was destroyed in the hurricane of 1938).

According to the Green Mountain Club's 360 Degrees: A Guide to Vermont's Fire and Observation Towers, 38 fire towers once stood in Vermont. Today only 12 fire towers and five observation decks remain, including the Elmore Mountain tower.

If you're hiking Elmore Mountain, make that extra climb up the fire tower and take in stunning views - above the trees - from every direction.

Creativity Through Grief

2010-02-19T05:50:00.005-05:00

It's hard to believe that 12 months have passed. Last year Dave and I were expecting our first child, a daughter we named Charlotte. She was due in July but died halfway through the pregnancy, leaving us stunned and overwhelmed by grief.

Today is the first anniversary of Charlotte's death, and I want to take this opportunity to honor her.

While our lives were filled with tremendous pain after the loss, the support and kindness of others helped us move forward. Losing Charlotte also gave me a new sense of openness, encouraging me to embrace the world around me and express myself through writing and photography.

She is the reason I eventually started this blog, which has turned out to be an incredible and unexpected gift.

February Light in Vermont

2010-02-16T05:30:00.005-05:00

The increasing amount of afternoon light is something to be celebrated this time of year in Vermont. On a brisk February afternoon, the sun lingers a bit longer and you can feel the dark days of winter beginning to wane.

Deep down we all know it will still be a while before spring arrives. But with a little more daylight in our lives, the snow and cold feel just fine.

A Splash of Color

2010-02-11T05:30:00.006-05:00

A colorful landscape in Lincoln, Vermont.

Lately things are looking a little stark and gray in northern Vermont. The mountains are getting snow, but it's been pretty quiet in the valleys. I've been out with my camera every weekend, but taking photos this time of year can sometimes be a challenge for me.

For inspiration, I've been combing through some of my photos from last summer and fall. I recently came across the above photo, which was taken in the town of Lincoln over Columbus Day Weekend. (See related post: Columbus Day Weekend.)

It will be a while before the grass is green again and even longer before the leaves change. In the meantime, I'll be taking a photography class at Burlington City Arts. Nothing like a class to fuel some creativity.

Roadside Attraction: A Concrete Gorilla

2010-02-08T05:00:00.008-05:00

In the small town of Leicester, Vermont, the gorilla statue on Route 7 is hard to miss. The 19-foot concrete gorilla, known as "Queen Connie," stands in front of Pioneer Auto Sales proudly holding up an old VW Beetle.

The statue was crafted in the 1980s by sculptor T.J. Neil, who wanted to build something that would really help the auto business get noticed. Looks like the plan worked. The statue is one of the most photographed roadside attractions in Vermont.

Route 100A in Plymouth Notch

2010-02-04T18:46:00.016-05:00

Travel along Route 100A in Plymouth Notch, Vermont and you'll come across the President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site. Plymouth Notch is where President Coolidge was born, assumed the presidency, and governed the country for a brief time in the summer of 1924 during his term (1923-1929).

Across from the village and east of Route 100A are steep hillsides and rolling meadows. I occasionally take this route in the summer and fall to admire the landscape. But on a recent winter afternoon, it looked more beautiful than ever.

A Snowshoe Trek to Slayton Pasture Cabin

2010-02-01T05:00:00.015-05:00

Dave and I went snowshoeing on a recent Saturday afternoon at Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vermont. Owned by the von Trapp family (of The Sound of Music fame), the lodge has a world-class Nordic ski center with 100 km of terrain. Our goal was to trek three miles through the snow up to Slayton Pasture Cabin, which the von Trapps built in 1971 deep in the woods behind the main lodge.

After winding through a series of trails and working up quite a sweat, we finally climbed one final hill and saw the cabin in the distance. At the time it felt like a huge accomplishment, as if we were crossing a marathon finish line. But we were quickly humbled after a couple of 8-year-old kids zipped past us toward the cabin on their cross-country skis.

Still, reaching the cabin was a great reward. Maybe we didn't make record time, but the journey and the destination made it all worthwhile.

A Vermont Photographer Inspired by Winter

2010-01-28T05:00:00.005-05:00

Photos taken by Wilson "Snowflake" Bentley in 1902.

If you were asked to describe a snowflake, what would you say?

Wilson "Snowflake" Bentley, who lived in Jericho, Vermont, was fascinated by snowflakes. A small collection of his 19th century photographs of snowflakes went on sale last week at the American Antiques Show in New York. Bentley was the first person to capture a snowflake with his camera, and a collection of his groundbreaking images are on permanent exhibition at the Jericho Historical Society's Snowflake Bentley Museum.

Bentley, who died in 1931, discovered that no two snowflakes are alike. He described snowflakes as miracles of beauty and that every crystal was a masterpiece of design. When a snowflake melted, he said, that design was forever lost.

Even though I appreciate the beauty of snow, I've never really thought about it that way. But for the next two months, I'm going to try.

Fresh snowflakes falling in my backyard, a few miles from Bentley's hometown of Jericho.

Vermont Winter Scenes

2010-01-25T05:30:00.007-05:00

Lincoln Peak at Sugarbush Resort (photo taken in Waitsfield, Vermont).

Icy branches in Waitsfield, Vermont.

Mount Mansfield (photo taken in Jericho, Vermont).

Lost Ski Area: Snow Valley in Winhall, Vermont

2010-01-21T05:00:00.014-05:00

The small but wonderful Snow Valley ski area in Winhall, Vermont operated between 1938 and 1982. The mountain had 15 trails with memorable names like Steeple Chase, Bulldozer, Boomerang, and Misery (a tough trail!).

Growing up in nearby Manchester, I was fortunate enough to spend my childhood skiing at four Vermont mountains - Stratton, Bromley, Magic Mountain, and Snow Valley. When Snow Valley closed, locals and out-of-state visitors mourned the loss of this no-frills, friendly little mountain.

Nearly 30 years later, plans to revitalize Snow Valley as a private ski area are in the works, thanks to a relatively new owner who is trying to bring the mountain back to life. You can read more about the rebirth of Snow Valley on the New England Lost Ski Areas Project's website, which has an extensive history of lost and revitalized ski areas. Visit www.nelsap.org.

A ski map of Snow Valley from the 1940s.
(Courtesy of Eric Maloney and the New England Lost Ski Areas Project).

Merck Forest and Farmland Center

2010-01-19T05:30:00.018-05:00

The first time I visited Merck Forest and Farmland Center in Rupert, Vermont was in the early 1980s during an elementary school field trip. I've returned to the 3,100-acre forest over the years, but never in winter.

On Saturday I stopped by and saw quite a few people exploring the grounds on snowshoes and cross-country skis. At least a half-dozen people were walking their dogs, and a few brave souls were hiking into the woods for some winter camping.

Located off Route 315 in southwestern Vermont, Merck Forest was set aside in the 1950s as a foundation by George Merck of the Merck Drug Company. The non-profit organization's mission is to teach and demonstrate the benefits of innovative and sustainable management of forest and farmland.

Maintained through donations, Merck Forest is open year-round and offers hiking, camping, swimming, picnic areas, educational programs, summer camps for kids, and more. Since this is a working farm, you'll also see sheep, chickens and horses. Visit www.merckforest.org.

Winter Glow on Camel's Hump

2010-01-14T05:00:00.017-05:00

I never grow tired of this view. The morning sun on Wednesday created an incredible white glow on Vermont's mountain peaks. This photo was taken from my office in Montpelier as soon as I arrived to work. (Here's a photo of the same view taken in late fall.)

The mountain to the right in the top photo is Camel's Hump, which has an elevation of 4,083 feet. While there is no ski resort there, Camel's Hump is a popular hiking destination in the summer and fall.

The hiking trails on Camel's Hump are part of the Long Trail system, a 270-mile footpath that follows the main ridge of the Green Mountains. Constructed between 1910 and 1930 by the Green Mountain Club, the Long Trail is the oldest long-distance trail in the United States and was the inspiration for the Appalachian Trail.

Sledding at Casey's Hill in Underhill, Vermont

2010-01-11T06:00:00.016-05:00

Casey's Hill is a famous sledding hill in the Pleasant Valley area of Underhill, Vermont. The hill, which sits in the shadow of Mount Mansfield, has been a popular sledding destination for generations. On any given winter weekend, you'll find dozens of kids and families gliding across the snow on toboggans, tubes, and sliders.

Casey's Hill was purchased by the Town of Underhill in 2005 and will remain protected from development thanks to the town, the Jericho Underhill Land Trust and the Vermont Land Trust. It's nice to know that such a special place will never change.

Snowshoeing at Smugglers' Notch

2010-01-07T06:00:00.011-05:00

Dave and I spent New Year's Day snowshoeing at Smugglers' Notch in Jeffersonville, Vermont. The resort's Nordic Ski & Snowshoe Adventure Center includes 34 kilometers of cross-country ski trails plus 24 kilometers of dedicated snowshoe terrain.

Getting outdoors on my snowshoes was a good way to start the year since I'm determined to get more exercise this winter. The trails at Smugglers' Notch offer terrain for all levels, which makes snowshoeing and cross-country skiing here perfect for families, couples and serious outdoor enthusiasts.

First Snowstorm of 2010

2010-01-03T13:40:00.036-05:00

It's been snowing in northern Vermont since New Year's Day. More than a foot of snow has fallen at Vermont ski areas, including Bolton Valley, Jay Peak, Mad River Glen, Burke Mountain, Killington, Smugglers' Notch, Stratton, and Sugarbush.

The Burlington area received about 32 inches over the weekend, and the snow is still coming down. Burlington's all-time record for a single snowstorm was 29.7 inches, so this storm has set a new record for the city.

Get outside if you can today and enjoy the snow. It's so peaceful and beautiful out there.

Trees in Winter

2009-12-30T15:05:00.040-05:00

One of the prettiest things to see in Vermont during the winter are evergreen trees covered with fresh snow. We've had three straight days of snow here, so all of the spruce, fir and pine trees near my home look incredibly beautiful.

It sounds like everything in Vermont is going to be completely covered with snow in a few days. The weathermen are talking about a major storm hitting northern New England this weekend. Looks like I will be housebound for a few days, which actually sounds really nice.

Wishing you and your loved ones a very happy New Year. I look forward to hearing from you and reading your wonderful blogs in 2010.

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-23T15:26:00.006-05:00

Wishing you all a very happy holiday season! Best wishes for the New Year.

Holiday Scene in Burlington

2009-12-20T15:42:00.065-05:00

Families gather outside the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts.

The Nutcracker Ballet, performed by the Vermont Ballet Theatre, drew hundreds to the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts over the weekend. This photo was taken while my husband Dave and I were walking by the theatre after a matinee performance of The Nutcracker Ballet had just ended.

The Flynn has been an integral part of Burlington's cultural landscape for 75 years. The Flynn started out as a vaudeville and film house before becoming the region's leading performance center.

We've seen some incredible performances there this year: Esperanza Spalding and Anat Cohen at the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival, and the Lyric Theatre Company's production of The Full Monty. I can't wait to see Lyric's production of La Cage aux Folles in April (Dave designed the poster for the show).