These are the voyages... I grew up watching TV westerns, thanks to my grandfather. When most people can't remember anything beyond their recent past, I can clearly recall being held as a baby, learning to walk in a walker... and TV westerns. The sounds of Cheyenne, The Rifleman, Gunsmoke, Maverick and many others helped to form my first years in life. In 1966, I was hooked on … [Read more...]
That Glorious Day When Elvis Presley Was Spotted in Vermont
It's not every day that you're lucky enough to spot Elvis Presley leaning on his Cadillac in a small, Vermont town Driving through Bristol, VT on a lazy, September, Sunday afternoon and there was Elvis Presley - alive and well! Yes, Elvis Presley and he certainly wasn't hiding from anyone. There he was in all his glory, posed in front of his white Cadillac, in the center … [Read more...]
Vermont County Fairs and Something Missing?
The colors of autumn are just around the corner. Two things that signal the upcoming Vermont foliage season are country fairs and corn fields with 7-ft cornstalks almost ready for harvest. I received an e-mail a few weeks ago from someone suggesting that I write an article about the declining amount of fun to be had at the Vermont county fairs. In his words, “none of the fairs … [Read more...]
Vermont Maple Syrup and Sugar Houses
When it comes to fresh Vermont maple syrup, the months of March and April can be critical to producing quality and quantities that make sugar makers successful. One of the most successful and well known VT maple syrup producers is Palmer's Sugar House, which is located on Hinesburg Road in Shelburne. Although it's not a huge operation, it's a family run enterprise with all the … [Read more...]
Stupid Vermont Laws, Except One!
Vermont has some pretty old and idiotic laws but my personal favorite is the last one on the list. Here we go: Women must get permission from their husbands to wear false teeth. It's illegal to deny the existence of God. It was once illegal to tie a giraffe to a telephone pole. Delivery men must walk backwards in driveways of homes worth more than $500,000 It … [Read more...]
Summer in Vermont
As I write this, it is late-May in Vermont and the temperatures today are pushing into the 90's. Lilacs are still in bloom but won't be around much longer in this hot weather. Despite the hot weather, there really is no place like home in Vermont. I have been spending a lot of time in Bangkok recently where it is always brutally hot, noisy and hectic. Being cooped up in an air … [Read more...]
Dandelion Run in the Northeast Kingdom
The Dandelion Run is a competitive and recreational half marathon relay event for runners of all ages and all abilities along roads passing through the Northeast Kingdom’s world famous fields of dandelions – one of ten geotourism areas in the world specially designated by National Geographic. To some, there is nothing more beautiful than the sight of uncut green fields … [Read more...]