Designing in Life

Spring Break

Well, not really.  My break started on Saturday and ends tomorrow afternoon at 3:oo, when I have to scoot out for a photo shoot for work.  I should have planned better, but sometime things just happen.

Instead of showing you paint and primer and a just about finished laundry room (which is what I've been doing on my "Spring Break"), I thought I'd share a few things that a person might really do if they took a break!

Super Moon.

You probably heard more than you wanted to hear about it, and went outside in the evening to see what all the fuss was about. 

We traveled about 5 miles west to 22A, which was a perfect vantage point.  The moon rise was 7:27, but we sat for a while realizing that there were mountains it had to climb first.  Nick and I agreed that it really was brighter and really was bigger. (It was 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter in the sky.)  The moon on Saturday was 221,565 miles from earth, and is normally 238,855 miles.

On Sunday we drove up to Stowe to see Beth, Jim, Chloe and Phoebe, who were on their own Spring Break.  The snow was glorious and they had great skiing.  Chloe is a great little skier, and seems to be happy out there on the mountain side.

Nick and I went for a walk through the snow before heading up the mountain.  The temperature was in the 40's, and the sky was a beautiful blue against the snow – and there was plenty of it.

We headed up the mountain to meet up with everyone.  In the Lodge the guys had beers and the girls sipped lattes and hot chocolate.  Then off to the out door pool we went.  Sadly, Nick and I forgot our bathing suits, agreeing that it would be fun to go in an outdoor pool when there is so much snow on the ground.  The 90 degree temperature certainly helps – and then there is the little jump you can make into the hot tub.

We all enjoyed Mexican food in town, then Nick and I took off for home.  A wonderful Sunday, and much needed break for us.

We're back working at home, and won't get everything we had hoped to get done by the time we have to go back to work.  But there is always next week!

The Aftermath

We are all dug out, thank you very much.  It is life back to usual for us, although there are still kids out of school because towns are having such a hard time dealing with so much snow. 

So, here in pictures...the aftermath.

And then suddenly the sun was throwing late-day shadows across the landscape.

Proving, I suppose that every cloud has a silver lining...although when Nick got to work the next day I don't think he was agreeing with that at all.

All in a Vermont Day's Work

The winter saga continues.  We are in the process of getting the first storm of about 2-4 inches, then we're supposed to get clobbered tomorrow with another 6-12.  So, I thought I should make sure the path to our compost bins was cleared out for the umpteenth time in a week.

It isn't that it's so terrible to put on all of your warm clothes and boots to go dump the compost, it's getting there.  The road to the compost pile is right where the snow wants to drift, so it's a continuous effort to keep it cleared.  But I should complain.  I just got this picture from North Dakota in an email.

Now that took some shoveling!

A Walk on a Winter's Day

Yesterday was one of those winter days that I just wanted to be outside.  It was in the low 30's, and when the sun came out during a litlle snow squall throwing all kinds of shadows, I knew I needed to go for a walk.

The sky had massive white puffy clouds, but there was blue sky all around them.

Some critter had been walking along the north border of our property.  I wonder who it was?

Buck Mountain loomed to the north as I walked.

There were some very picturesque hay bales (do you call the round ones bales?)

After walking for a while, I decided to turn around and head home.  The western view had drastically changed and I lost the photo I had hoped to take.  The Adirondack Mountains on the horizon (which had been bathed in sunlight) were suddenly covered by  big, dark, ominous clouds.

It's always surprising how suddenly things can change around us.  Here one moment and gone the next.  And with that said, get out there and enjoy what's out your back door!

A New Kind of Farming

A new kind of large and small-scale farming is emerging in our country.  Maybe you've noticed.  This one is one Rt. 7 about 5 miles from our home.

These were taken almost a month ago when the solar farm was completed.  I believe it was the last sunny day we had, since Vermont's sunny days in November and December are far and few between. We have often thought about setting up some sort of solar panel for our house.  As you may have seen in some of the photos around our house, we have solar panels on our pool.  Hopefully, as more interest arises and technology progresses, the cost will come down and make it affordable to anyone. 

Fall in Vermont

It really is an amazing and beautiful landscape out there.  We are experiencing peak foliage.  The highways and backroads are filled with "leaf peepers" driving slowly to take in the splender.  We have our own little foliage splender going on in our back yard.

While Beth and Jim (and those sweet girls) were visiting this past weekend, Nick and Jim hiked up Snake Mountain to take in the spectacular view.  It's not a hard hike, and the view is one of the best to be found.

Just before the clan left for home in New Jersey, Nick asked Chloe if she'd like to "drive the tractor." Phoebe got a chance too.  I think Nick had as much fun (if not more) than they did.

We're bracing for a good ole' Nor'Easter this weekend, so I'm afraid most of the colorful leaves will just be a thing of the past.  No doubt, though, there will be another beautiful fall next year.

More on Jasmine

Well it seems there is some substance to all my praise and yakking about Jasmine.  Two German researchers found that jasmine's fragrance has the same affect on us as Valium – which means a whole lot of relaxing is going on when you get a whiff of it.

I am very fond of floral scents.  Frangapani, lavender, and jasmine to name a few.  I find that they are soothing scents if they're not too strong.  So, I marched myself to my local Co-op to buy some jasmine oil.   I subjected Nick to it by leaving a little dab on a tissue near the bed.  He didn't mind the smell – whether or not it helped him relax and sleep is questionable. 

This is the oil, by Aura Casia, that I bought.

Then I found some patches that you put on at night when you sleep.  They're made by a Vermont company, Naturopatch of Vermont. (My friend Caryn, gave me some for rest and stress for Christmas.)

The lavender patch has lavender, jasmine and chamomile in it.  The smell is just plain wonderful.

Spring Time in Vermont

Yesterday...what's wrong with these pictures?

And then there is the view from upstairs at home and the drive into work today.

 

It's supposed to be 80 degrees on Saturday.  Yup, as they say in Vermont, "If you don't like the weather, just wait a minute!"
 

A Sad Good Bye

Last week my dear friend Caryn had to make the hard decision to put down her horse, Avalon.  She came back into Caryn's life as quickly as she left.  Avalon's rescue was anything short of miraculous.  And Caryn's decision to care for her was heroic.  Sadly, Avalon was only back in Caryn's care a very short time before it became apparent that her health was deteriorating more rapidly than anyone thought.  

Here are a few pictures I took when I had the opportunity to take part in Avalon's care.

Caryn leading Avalon to the barn where she would be brushed.

Avalon happily munching in her pasture.

I thought that it would be a fitting tribute to post a poem by Robert Frost, who is so beloved by so many people of Vermont, as was Avalon by so many who knew her.

“Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sounds the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Snow, No Snow, Snow, No Snow

I have woken up to snow several days over the past week, only to have it gone by early afternoon.  Last Wednesday, when I got home from work, it was light enough outside to go for a walk.  The sky had that "something's going to happen" look to it.

I walked down behind the house into the field below.  The Adirondacks in the background have snowy peaks, but as you can see, not much down here.

Looking to the north, the clouds reflect the setting sun.

That's the Otter Creek, covered in ice in snow and a closer look at the Adirondacks.

As the sun set, the sky took on a personality all its own.  Definitely something brewing.

And this is what we woke up to on Thursday morning.

It was a beautiful drive to work.

I couldn't get out of the car to take a picture of the Otter Creek below the bridge (someone was behind me) but I think you can see what makes the morning drive a nice one.

And I drive through this covered bridge every day.  Not everyone gets to do that! Believe it or not, the snow was just about gone by the end of the day.

Today I went to Charlotte with my friend Caryn to help with her horses, Odie and Avalon.  Avalon is on the mend and needs a little extra TLC.  I am not a horse person, and have very little experience with them.  When I was young, I did go on two trail rides, and my neighbors had horses who I would feed grass to whenever I had the chance. That's by no means experience with horses.  I have to say, though, horses have always intrigued me with their strength, and also that feeling that they know something I don''t.  There are no horses in my future, but it sure is rewarding to go and help when I can.