Montpelier- the smallest state capitol in the US. With only 8,000 residents it still packs a punch. I can’t compare it to say Burlington. While Burlington is a lively college town, Montpelier is more sedate with a flavor all of its own.

I enjoyed strolling up and down the streets looking at the shops, restaurants, hotels and conference center, cultural venues and government buildings. Very stately, clean, and with an aura of prosperity. Talking to the townies, I got the impression that this is a nice family place to live. Big city look with a small town feel. I am not a fan of big cities, and even though this is an important place, I felt totally comfortable and at ease during our daytrip there.

The folks and shopkeepers were the typically friendly Vermonters -helpful, and courteous.

While our stay there was brief, I would totally visit there again. The only negative according to Jenn and Roberto was that there was not an ice cream shop to be found. We did highlight every trip during my Vermont visit with a stop for some icy treat. So this caused a lapse in our “tradition”.

When I was a little girl, my friends and I would often play out make believe scenarios, some of them trying out what in our minds fancy ladies did – like having tea. What we’d always heard was that these ladies would dress up and sit at little tables laden with tea pots and fancy little sandwiches. It seemed quite glamorous. And, if I am to admit it, when I get the chance even now and want to feel really pampered and special, I still enjoy going to or having a tea.

My trip to Hyde Park took an interesting turn when we found just minutes from Jenn and Roberto’s home a former Governor’s Mansion turned Bed and Breakfast where we enjoyed a full English afternoon tea. It was just perfect. The table was set in the library and we were the only guests in the mansion at the time. What a stroke of luck that was for us. We got the royal treatment, too.

The hostess, who owns and runs the whole household herself, served us her own special blend of teas in fine china cups on a white linen topped table. It was quite refined and we found ourselves acting just a little more polite, complete with Roberto’s little pinkie held out when he lifted his tiny cup to sip. It was a riot!

Along with the tea, we were given assorted fancy sandwiches, scones with cream and strawberry jam, pound cake and sweets that she baked that day special for us after we called in our reservation. There was more than we could eat. Imagine taking a doggie bag home from a tea. Okay, that part wasn’t too fancy, but we couldn’t resist and we had a great breakfast next day.

I asked for permission to look into the other downstairs rooms, and we were graciously rewarded with a tour of the entire mansion. It was such a wonderful afternoon. I would enthusiastically recommend this venue for high tea or a romantic getaway weekend in the event you find yourself in this part of Vermont.

Check the website for special events and room packages.

The Governor’s House in Hyde Park

100 Main Street

Hyde Park, Vermont

866-600-6888

What a fun day it was taking a day tour of Waterbury, Vermont. Hot hot hot, but we still managed to have a great time. Driving south on Rte 100 we were able to spend time at 4 local points of interest that Vermont is known for. Best of all, every one of them involved tastings. We tried to arrange them in meal order thereby rationalizing that this was just a progressive lunch of sorts.

Our first stop was at the Cabot Annex Store- famous for its cheese. Here we are grazing at the tasting table. I tried a bite of EVERY one. Yummmmy. Naturally, we needed to buy some for the road.

There were lots of other Vermont specialty foods on hand and Roberto was able to pick up his new supply of fancy Maple Syrup. (I am going to have to make it back some March to see a tree tapping.) One day we determined that we will travel to Cabot, Vermont to see the place where the cheese is made and take the tour.

Next on our tour was Chocolate. This was a Willy Wonka of a place!! If you didn’t find your favorite chocolates, fudges, fruity bits, sauces, and assorted candy confections here, you won’t find them anywhere. So, we sampled a dark chocolate-caramel bite and then walked it off (I wish) at the attached Danbury Pewter shop. Some really gorgeous stuff here from Christmas tree ornaments to dinnerware.

We hoped back in their air-conditioned truck and headed for Ben and Jerry’s. This place was crazy busy. It was full or whimsy and oh so commercial. But we got to eat ice cream which helped to cool us a bit. We looked around the extensive grounds and stood in line to get our ice cream while we waited for the tour. It consisted of a 7 minute movie, a tour of the facility and ended with – what else – a free sample in the tasting room.

While I enjoyed the experience and can now say I have been there, I am not sure that I would need to do it again. Alas!! Poor Jenn and Roberto!! I am sure this is on the to do list for all their many visitors. Ha ha.

Our final Waterbury stop was at the Apple Cider Mill to get some cold cider. It was like a little general store with all manner of country trinkets for sale along with many edibles like pies, cookies and jars of all things apple. Jenn found a neat little cookbook and some kitchen things to add to her ever growing kitchen tool supply. And they also found some great sauces that were too good to pass on.

Finally, we enjoyed a short scenic ride as we headed back home for the day.

The days are flying by and I am building a lot of wonderful memories with Jenn and Roberto.

Even though my trip to Vermont was not long, one trip to Stowe just wasn’t enough. Much as I enjoyed rambling through the downtown, Stowe is renown for its skiing and resorts. On the return visit to Stowe we took a wonderful drive UP and UP to see some of the resorts and the scenes of the mountainous terrain. One word for both- WOW. I was actually a little scared winding our way up to Smugglers Notch – and there wasn’t even snow! But Jenn and Roberto forged ahead in their 4-wheel drive truck with nary a care. It was awesome. Steep, raw, windy, amazing, beautiful. And as hot as it was in Vermont during my stay, it was COOL up there too. Ahhhhh.

We even saw a brave couple climbing straight up the side of the mountain. I don’t know how they could not fall off. There were too far up to actually photograph, but trust me, they were doing it.

Here is one of the many ski lift places.

The resorts were one better than the next.

Ever see The Sound of Music? This is the Trapp Family resort in the background.

Here we see condos, privately owned. They have their own lift that crosses the road and up to the slopes. That is how the other half lives…………..

After all that “mountain climbing” that we did, albeit in a truck, we worked up an appetite and needed a good cold one to go with it. We ate at Mr. Pickwick’s down the hill.

It was a wonderful English Pub with tons of atmosphere and good food. I wish I could say I was more adventurous, but for some reason, you say “pub” and I say “fish and chips”. Yum – my!! Light, crisp batter and tender flaky fish. I only had one pint, but Jenn and Roberto said I was fair to singing. But that is just between us, okay?

I think I could visit Stowe again and again. Lively, pretty, and fun.

Fourth of July this year was celebrated in Stowe, Vermont. We had a fun day tramping up and down the streets of shops while slurping up what seems to be our ever ready ice cream cones. The little village was colorfully decorated with flags and buntings announcing this special day of independence.

Later we headed up to the event field for the evening festivities. Lots of vendors were there to sell there wares and we enjoyed a picnic of ice cold lemonade with pulled pork and coleslaw sandwiches. Our day ended with us snuggled on our blanket watching the fireworks.

Hope you had a Happy 4^th of July!!

 What’s a CREAMIE?? One of our first outings was to visit the local garden shop in Morristown to pick up some supplies for the new chicks and assorted soils for the garden.

Morristown was a quick 8 minute ride from Hyde Park. It’s one of those cute little, tiny towns that dot the landscape in this northern area of Vermont. Very cute and quaint with little shops like the Bees Knees Restaurant and the Bijou movie theater.

Here is a little history of the town. On November 6, 1770, the General Assembly of the Independent Republic of Vermont granted a petition to establish a land grant that would become Morristown in 1781 and by 1791 they had a population of 10 that moved from New York, Massachusetts, and 2 Native Americans. By 1795,  there were enough settlers to open a tavern that housed the first school and a brick church.  The town has grown some since then and at the 2000 census boasted a population of over 5,ooo.

We enjoyed a sweet treat as a reward for our “hard work” at the local ice cream shop where we had one of their famous concoctions called a creamie. For those uninitiated like myself, it is a hand mixed CREAMY soft confection in a cone. I had maple – what else in Vermont. Jenn enjoyed her espresso and Roberto his favorite – coconut. I like the way they do errands around here!

FIRE AND ICE

Some say the world will end in fire,

Same say in ice.

From what I’ve tasted of desire

I hold with those who favor fire.

But if it had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate

To say that for destruction ice

is also great

And would suffice.

 by Robert Frost

It is the first day of March. From what I hear on the weather reports, half of the USA is still covered in snow, many without heat or electric. I have heard from so many of my friends, especially those stuck in their houses, that cabin fever is rampant.

Being in Florida, I took a lovely walk in my favorite local park, Shalom Park, this afternoon. The musky smells of wet soil mingled with the sweet smells of first blooms on the bushes, a cool, gentle breeze. What could have been more perfect to get my juices flowing with some ideas of how to beat those winter blues.

So why Robert Frost? Well, I get a lot of emails about some wonderful places to visit. And, I thought I would share two of them with you in case you are one who is lucky enough to plan a spur of the moment little get-a-way. One is fire, the other, ice.

How would you like to head to a tropical island, sand and sun, sunsets, romance? Try Sandals Royal Carribean.

by NAIMA Broome

Or

Sherry by a fire, a soak in a hot tub surrounded by snow, a sleigh ride and a home cooked gourmet breakfast in a quaint B&B? Then go to the Inn at Buck Hollow Farm in Vermont.

by bv305

These both struck me as incredibly inviting. Fire and Ice.

The good news is that both of these places are offering great deals and hefty discounts right now. You can get all of this and at special prices if you can hurry while the getting is good. Not a bad way to get through these last weeks of winter. What a great prelude to Spring!

One thing about living in Florida after living for many years in New England previously is that after a while you begin to miss the woods. You miss the maples, oaks, poplars and birches.

You miss the little streams, rivers and waterfalls.

You miss the earthy and robust smell of the Northern forests. Forests in Florida are full of reptiles, snakes, bugs, arachnids and swamps. Not really somewhere I want to be for pleasure. So Roberto and I decided that we needed to reconnect with one of our favorite parts of New England – the forest.

At this time of year the leaves are at their peak of fall foliage color – bright reds, burnt oranges and sunny yellows, the air is cool and brisk and it is perfect hiking weather.

Read the rest of this entry »

One of our other stops during our New England trip was in Bennington Vermont, visiting our friends Nicki and Lisa (you will remember them from our Ft. Lauderdale trip, although we all had slightly different hair at that point….). When in Bennington you must go to The Bennington Battle Monument
The monument was built in the 1880’s at the same location in 1777 during the war of independence, that the American colonists maintained a store of weapons and food, which the British knew was critical to capture in order to restock their own troops.

Besides the history the Bennington Monument is a great place to look out over Bennington and see the landscape which at this time of year included many beautifully colored trees. You get to the top of the monument by going up in an elevator. It is cold up there so be sure to bring a jacket.

Another must see outdoor monuments of sorts is the great poet, Robert Frost’s grave at The Old Bennington Cemetary. It lies in a small cemetary that houses many old and ornate tombstones and also those that are fairly plain. The cemetary goes back to the American Revolution. In 1920 Roberto Frost came to Shaftsbury, VT (one town over from Bennington) to live. His wife died suddenly 13 years later and he went to their old farm in Derry NH to scatter her ashes per her wishes, but the place was run down. He kept her ashes until he bought 2 burial plots at the Old Bennington Cemetery behind the Old First Congregational Church.

We were a little chilly after our trip to the monument, so we decided to look for some indoor activities. There is a local winery in Southern Vermont called The North River Winery. All of us having been residents of Vermont had all been to this winery in the past and had vowed to never go back. But it is just a thing you do when you are in VT – it is like a weird kind of pride for the state thing – local wine. North River Winery makes all their wines from fruits grown in Vermont – apples, raspberries, blueberries, rhubarb, etc. Sounds good right?

Well not so much…all of us really liked the IDEA of these kinds of wine, but the taste leaves something to be desired. I think it would make nice salad dressing, but drinking wine? Um no. I wish it weren’t so. As I love the idea of using local ingredients to make everything! But if you are ever in the area, do take the tasting and make up your own mind. They do stay in business so someone must be buying their wines!

Anyway, Bennington is a wonderful place for a fall getaway full of beautiful leaves, historic monuments and local products! Go Vermont!

This is a picture of me and my best friend, Jen. Notice anything? Well we are both named Jennifer, we both have dark brown hair that we both cut short this past year, we both have glasses. And for some unknown reason, we both have a thing for octopuses. It is one of those weird things in life – friend soul mates. We used to see each other every single day and it made sense back then that we would sort of rub off on each other. But now, living far apart and not seeing each other over the past year, we still on are the same wave length. We used to work together in a Doctor’s office for years and people thought we were the same person. Funny, huh?

Anyway, Jen has a baby, her name is Alina Rose and she is just adorable. Her favorite toy? An octopus.

So Jen and Alina took Roberto and I to McCray’s Farm in South Hadley, Mass.

It is full of Bunnies, Sheep, Cows, Horses, Piglets, and birds of many kinds. It is a hot spot for little ones and children of any age (I am definitely one of those people! ). McCray’s has hayrides in the fall and they also have their own creamy where you can get ice cream and pancake breakfasts during maple harvest season. It is a great place to go when you are in Western MA for a taste of real New England life!