The latter part of the summer brings a bit of sadness knowing the days of wearing almost nothing in hot weather are near over. But the latter part of the summer also brings so many activities that engaging in many of them just makes the days fly by. The last 3 weeks have been filled with various activities of the cultural type. Blueberry Festivals, Village Strolls, movies, plays, gallery openings, museums, circuses, community dinners, pancake breakfasts, outdoor concerts, visits by special friends and meteor showers. Wow! This is one of the main reasons I come east. Sure, some of the activities/events are small town, but that is what makes them special. One doesn't have to travel far for any of them. It feels good to take advantage of all (or many of) the opportunities out there. Wilmington's Village Stroll and Blueberry Fest are August events and bring out the locals and tourists. The mingling and community spirit is strong and a simple smile and nod of acknowledgement brings a warm acceptance feeling. The local theater group, which is not bad at all, put on a production of Pippin at our own Memorial Hall. All 3 nights are sold out, showing the support the community brings. When Kim came, we headed up to Manchester, VT for dinner at the oldest tavern in Vermont (opened in 1790), took in a few galleries, then went to a wonderful production of Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson. What a talented group of women and one man. It was fast paced, wildly funny, current and so well done. We had front row seats! With both of us rather gimped up, driving through this part of New England was the option and can be rewarding. We went south to the fun, funky, industrial, art town of North Adams. We ate at Jacks Hot Dogs and Hamburgs, a business that is going on year 105!! It was cheap, fun, nostalgic, not very healthy, but just what we needed. After Jack's, thrifting was the call and there were 3-4 interesting choices. Then it was off to Mass Moca, the sprawling museum of northern MA. We walked in and didn't notice the front desk at all and went into the galleries. There are 4+ wings, 3 floors and hallways and stairways connecting them all. It took us the better part of 2 hours to get through it, even leaving a building unseen. Couldn't leave a trip to Brattleboro off the to-do list. Walking around this fun and funky town never disappoints. Great galleries, fun shops, antique alleys, young and old hippies and fine food and drink. Had some gift cards to the Marina right on the West River/Connecticut River intersection. Beautiful night, good company, okay food, special location. Kim needed to spend time with family in Hampton, NH. I gave her 4 days before I went over to visit. It is fine to spend time away from the cabin and enter the world of known people. I was able to fix the Kobylarz' showers. They needed new valves and pressure mixers. Not too tough and made me feel that I earned my keep. Helping is easy and satisfying, not to mention important to her elderly parents. Stella is welcomed and spoiled. Pam, Kim's sister, has a nice pool set up so the party is usually there.
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Dumb question. Of course not. Some things are just obvious. Perhaps not long term, but there are days here in Vermont that could be called perfection. We've had a few of those days where the temps are in the mid to high 70's, a few puffy clouds passing by, rarely ruining the rays that warm the skin. The slight breeze keeps the warmth from being too much. No humidity, no bugs, no crowds. Just you, a book, a beverage, a snack, a view, a few other like minded individuals and a lake with water that invites you in for a long, languorous layabout. These are the days when I try to throw away the notion of doing something physical to maintain my health in favor of the unjudged day of lollygagging. We need more of these days. It is rare that we get 2 of those days in a row, though we have. The lake is great, don't get me wrong, but the woods and streams of New England are wonderful to traipse through to simply see what is out there. I could roam the woods for hours and not get bored. The woods here seem endless. There are so many species that I have no idea what they are. Fungi (a favorite), ground covers, mosses, ferns, herbs, flowers, trees, shrubs, birds, rocks, stone walls, forgotten foundations and chimneys, outcrops, etc. Not that I need to know (at one time I did), but just the simple discovery is satisfying. And the quiet, it is so loud at times my thoughts seem like they are screaming. Again, I am very fortunate for so many things. The one I take for granted and have inherited from my mom, is the ability to be alone. I guess I don't mind myself. My brain is constantly challenging me. How people can get bored is beyond me, when there are so many pursuits to chase (definitely my problem). But.......I think.......one's environment plays a huge role in the opportunities available to pursue. I would argue a rural environment is easier to engage in creative or productive pursuits. Sure, urban environments are rich with people, arts, museums, zoos, parks and refined variety. But the necessity of a good bit of money moves this environment lower in the pecking order because it negates many people. This leads me to the notion that maybe some people try to shoehorn themselves in something that might not really fit who they are. The hardest thing in life is being honest with oneself and really knowing who you, we, are. Me? Give me a small town that enjoys culture, local food, being educated, undeveloped land and puts an emphasis on quality of life. In that environment one can enjoy the freedom to learn and romp and eat and play and work if you need to. Lately my pursuit is fungi. The chanterelles and black trumpets are new favorites. Turkey Tails are coming in close and I will be working with them to incorporate into my diet. The perfect days allow the fungi to fruit and grow for fellow Earth dwellers to take advantage of. Just dry sauteed a bunch of chanterelles then will freeze them for later use. So good, but one can only eat so many. 5 straight days is too much of a good thing. That is why our days are filled with rain and sun.
Alright, summers are always full of sun and rain. It just feels different this year. Wilmington sits on top of the spine of Vermont. It is a decent descent to either Brattleboro or Bennington. The storms this summer have been both widespread and very localized. The flood events are obviously the widespread systems, but the majority seem to be these pop up storms. There is no rain to the west until the air is pushed up to a higher elevation, Wilmington, where it cools and rains on us. It is the nature of weather. But the rain is getting old. Yesterday was a spectacular day at the lake. Mid to upper 80's, not much humidity, just small puffy clouds passing through and water temperature that is still refreshing. Sure, I should have done something a bit more physical, but when the perfect days come about like yesterday, one has to take advantage of them because they are fleeting. It is one or two then let it rain again. So today was a bit wet early, cleared some, then got very wet again and brought some cold with it. I took advantage of that window of clearing and headed up the Adams Hill Branch of the Rock River for some rock hounding. Found the green nickel mineral, granierite and a brown druzy quartz. I would have stayed longer, but the mosquitos were horrendous. I have to walk up the river/stream (about 20' across and very rocky) to the source. The northwest side of the stream is old hemlock forest that looks ancient, fantastical and comforting. It helps too that it was filled with a wide variety of fungi. Too many chantrelles to pick. I really should find a restaurant that wants them. It seems a waste to let them rot in the forest. The saving grace being their spores will fall to fruit again at a future date.
Earth is a system. Nothing is lost and nothing is gained (okay fine, a few or thousands of meteorites are added and we throw junk in space that might escape our gravity - damn sticklers). Whatever is here will stay here. Certainly in a different form or a different place, but what we have is all there is. Pollution does not go into space, it hangs around in the atmosphere, which stays where it is due to gravity. The gross stuff might even fall to the ground with precipitation. The garbage you throw out is now put in giant swimming pool like depressions, covered up, then a new one is constructed. But that is a new development and not all areas have this. All the leakage from autos, factories, power plants, parking lots, feedlots, dairies, lawns, farm fields and those old school, good old boys who still change their oil out in the desert, letting 5-10 qts. drain into the dirt, go down to the center of the planet. Of course, all this yuck is interrupted fairly early by impermeable rock, pressured soil and groundwater, where, a 2nd of course needs to be used, could be used and/or consumed by humans. I never really understood the Save the Earth, Whales, Peregrine Falcons, Spotted Owls, etc. The simple truth is SAVE YOUR CHILDREN. The true origin of this sentiment is most likely universal in terms of early wo/man. Oscar Wilde and Wendell Berry may have penned it first. In whatever iteration you choose some version of this saying is true; We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. I wonder if this is the true reason so many young people are choosing to remain childless. Okay, clouds. Stop with the tangents. This may creep again in some tangential direction. The oceans are not only rising, but are warming almost alarmingly. In parts of Florida, ocean temps were 97 degrees! I guess, from 8th grade science warmer water evaporates easier, so that puts more water into the atmosphere and of course, warmer air can hold more water. There is more water in the atmosphere than all the rivers and streams on Earth. Now there is more. This water will travel in the atmosphere in big fluffy clouds. Wait, there is water in those clouds? Why yes. A cumulus cloud about a km around would weigh about 1.1 billion tons. Water. Now let that flowing, swirling mass of dihydrogen monoxide hit a cold front and the pool is emptied. Lately, on the Hudson Valley and Vermont. Perhaps what we all should be learning is not to have any expectations anymore. Normal is becoming a word for the 20th century. Get ready to become flexible as that will be the new desirable trait. That and perhaps stilted homes and large umbrellas. Or fireproof homes or the ability to photosynthesize or ..........oh you get the picture.
We've had a very wet early summer. Most of June through early July was a wash out. It culminated with a slow moving storm dumping a months worth of water in less than a day. The photos are taken less than 24 hours apart. View of the Wilmington Bridge and Cask & Kiln Building. The basketball courts in the park on the east side of Castle Hill Rd. south of parking lot. About a 1/2 mile up Rte. 100 from Wilmington intersection, looking up the Deerfield River. Just a bit further north on Rte. 100 from Wilmington Intersection looking upriver. The Village Pub deck from the Wilmington Bridge. Looking at the flood stage numbers on the corner of the Cask & Kiln Building Twin Valley Middle School Wildcats ball fields and tennis courts. Dots and bridge from the arbor. The back of the Crafts Inn from Castle Hill Rd. across from library. Ball fields again.
There was a time, not so long ago, when you could only purchase seasonal fruits and vegetables from the grocer. California had yet to realize their potential or at least, the creative ways to get water. Importing plant based foods from the opposite hemisphere also wasn't networked yet. You got what was harvested at the time and learned how the year timed out. Crocuses added an early splash of color, sometimes through the snow, cool weather veggies; asparagus, greens, broccoli, peas and of course hot peppery little balls of fire (at least when I was a kid)-radishes, strawberries were the first fruits of summer ( okay not a fruit or berry, but that is for another entry. The banana is technically a berry), then you could hop through summer eating different plant foods holding out for those luscious, juicy melons of later summer ending with potatoes, onions, apples and, of course, pumpkins. Today, we've taken away the anticipation of some of our favorites treats. Fruits of all sorts are available throughout the year and I'm sorry, boomer whine coming, many of our young folks don't know the real taste of most fruits and vegetables. We've opted for large and easily transportable (read hardy and/or not ripe) items. Start a garden and see what a fruit or vegetable grown in a jacked up soil of cow manure, compost and maybe ashes tastes like. No competition. The farm to table movement is real, effective and quite profitable once the right connections are made. People are realizing the taste difference and are willing to help the small farmer survive. Just in my little mountain cabin yard are wild strawberries. They are only the size of the fingernail on your pinky, but what an enormous burst of flavor they pack. So, wanting more of the best taste of early summer I went to a local Pick Your Own Strawberry field, where 2 college freshman, wet, dirty and smiling led me to lanes of strawberry plants that were ready to pick. I went a little over board on amount, but they all got used one way or another. Straight, on shortcake, in oatmeal or smoothies , in a glass of cheap white wine and with a bit of a struggle in a small kitchen with a mini stove, made into jam. Delicious and tastier due to the growing conditions and work involved. Food or self made objects are always better coming from one's own efforts. Any idiot working anywhere can buy stuff, but things produce by one's own hand are always better.............even if they aren't. From this to this to this to this to this to............ well, you get the idea. This is obviously easier in New England due to smaller farms, roadside stands and farmers markets, but find a way in your own town. If you slow down enough, the taste of one good anything beats the taste of many mediocre anythings and is better for the waistline. Savor the taste differences, try heirlooms and support the young, entrepreneurs of your town. I guess what I am trying to say is, slow down and appreciate the fine details, but speed kills so much of the good life.
Sometimes I ask myself how old I am. At 64, should I be attending a showing of "The Dark Side of the Rainbow" in 3D no less? This pairs Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon album with the Wizard of Oz. They play it through twice in coordination with the movie, starting the music on the 3rd roar of the MGM Lion. Yes, hallucinogenics must have been involved, because even with a bit of a buzz on, the synchronization only occurred coincidentally. Another rock song myth, but so much fun too. The old Epsilon Church where it was played (sold out, by the way. Three tiers of seating!) was filled with oldsters like me. We were either singing along or quoting lines from the movie a la Rocky Horror. The younger stoners were amazed at the collective knowledge about both mediums. It was fun and I will forgo asking myself the age question and just enjoy what life has to offer the best I can.
Brattleboro is quite the eclectic town with a really progressive bent, but is lately struggling with homelessness that is escalating to crime. Overall it is tolerant, colorful, tasty, well appointed, funky, filled with activites, full of art and architecture. A quick walk around before the show yielded some of this old mill towns sights. Just a quick taste, even less than a tapas. As was mentioned earlier, rain is good. The forest floor is now chock full of fungi. Some good, some bad, but all are interesting. These boletes of which porcini's are a member are not as flavorful as morels, but sure give a nutty flavor to eggs, rice, and sandwiches. The feather was found on the excursion. These, plus others, were put to use in a lazy mans risotto; porcinis, sweet onion, garlic and parmesan added to rice. Yum. Then, put any extra 'schrooms in the next mornings eggs - in any manner you can imagine. Eggs and mushrooms go together like fungi and forests. Speaking of what forests provide, this bear family needs the depth and breadth of a good forest to remain healthy and free from idiots like me who like to objectify animals. This could balloon into how we objectify other things, but no need here. I just love watching, seeing, discovering animals in the wild. It is a thrill that hasn't faded in 64 years. From catching frogs and salamanders as a kid, to fishing, hunting, photography and simple observation, it never gets old, any old critter is great and creates that spark that says, "how fortunate". Okay, most baby animals are cute as buttons (where did that phrase come from - started as bright as a button, then morphed), but bear cubs raise it a notch. Not just due to their physical appearance, but their antics. This duo was wrestling on the side of the road. It took them a bit to notice the car as they were busy climbing a short ways up trees, jumping off onto each other and rolling around onto the road. Mom had to be close, but where? Near me, ahead of me, behind, near the cubs? Getting out of the car didn't seem smart until I knew her location. Then, yes, ahead of me, in front of the cubs. Stupidly, I crept forward and they finally noticed. One of these days I'll think video instead of stills. A thrill nonetheless. Porcini mushrooms. Letting them get a bit bigger and into the pan with partners garlic and butter. So rain is good for some things. Alright fine. Many things benefit from rain, humans, being whiners only like so much rain. But when the sky does decide to go on a diet, traipsing through the woods with an eye out for edible fungi is always a good time. The rain is interesting this year. There seemed to be this counter clockwise pattern that centered over New England and created some interesting weather. Pop up storms were the norm. Hot, steamy sun one minute and downpours the next. On a recent drive, I was moving from dry conditions to, I couldn't even call it rain, it was as though someone was throwing 5 gallon buckets of water on the windshield. Heavy waves of dihydrogen monoxide sloshing over the glass. Wipers were a poor tool given these conditions. Then......POOF! Nothing....dry pavement. Insane. While we westerners might call the Green Mountains, hills, their watersheds can collect water at an astonishing rate. Overnight, the lake filled to overflowing encroaching on the picnic area, parking area, toilets (that could have been ugly had they not moved them higher) and dock access. Usually this happens in early June, but not sure there is a norm any more. Nice to see the adult eagles back to their old haunts. For the past 4 evenings, I've seen both adults hanging around. Sometimes in or near the nest. I thought I even saw a head in the nest, which is interesting and worth investigating. Since there is little light, it is hard to discern, the profile is in silhouette. Is it possible they laid late and new eaglets are within the nest. Odder things have happened, but it might just be wishful thinking. Totally random, but what is the deal with Spiderman? Three iterations of live action movies with 3 different actors extending back to 2002. Then the whole animated world of the arachnid man. The latest is still breaking box office records. There has got to some appeal beyond the coolness of it. Is it an American thing or are other countries gaga over it too? Now there is a sociological question that needs answering or at least a few hypothesis. On to Google to see what the appeal is from some opinionated surfers.
Oh yes. I finally saw an adult bald eagle near the landing last evening. Nice time to visit the lake. Clicking on the pics brings up the full photo. |
Retired Educator
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