By Sandra Dee Owens Visions of wanderings through Oslo’s enigmatic landscape.   By Sandra Dee Owens I was ready to wander solo. On a trip I was afraid to take. With my (tiny) book “Fear” at the printer, I set out to practice the methodosophy (what I call philosophy plus methods) I had shared…

  Getting the lights all untangled and the ornaments hung one by one never bothered me. We usually had family gatherings where everyone would take part so you could always hide in the bathroom if it got too intense. My grandmothers (both the Methodist and the Jewish one) would each spend meticulous hours opening the…

By Dom Cioffi  Frank Loesser was thrown out of high school and college — both times for the same reason: he failed almost every subject. Oddly, the one class he excelled in was English, which would prove prophetic as his career trajectory unfolded. Given this track record of failing, Loesser had to be resourceful, especially…

By Rebecca Perkins Hanissiant Of all life’s synergies, I appreciate most the one between my propensity for domestic procrastination and my love of moving through the outdoors — countless adventures are born of it. During a late November weekend, when faced with a day spent winterizing our home, my husband and I instead packed up…

  By Marguerite Jill Dye Extending a helping hand to a neighbor is a longstanding Vermont tradition in an environment with harsh winters, snow and rain storms with increasing potency. That is how our forebears survived. Sharing kindness and passing on blessings is a great way to live our lives. Christian charity is a concept…

By Bree Sarandrea Magical Reindeer, They dance, They prance, They land on your rooftop, With the softest of sounds. Then they leave in an instant, As fast as they had come. On Dasher, On Dancer, On Prancer, On Vixen, On Comet, On Cupid, On Donner, On Blitzen, And lead the way Rudolph, With your bright…

  Too often, the mistake of regurgitating information is the benchmark by which intelligence is determined. The teacher tells you what you need to learn. You sit a test and repeat the information given and you either pass or fail.  It appears we’ve arrived at a point on the timeline where this method of learning…

Wednesday, Dec.20, at 6-p.m.—RUTLAND—Roots restaurant on 55 Washington St., Rutland, is hosting their annual Give Back mixer on Wednesday. The event aims to support United Way and their programming. United Way will share information on its programming and explain how donations can help. A recent survey conducted by United Way discovered that snow pants are…

By Jerry Leblond For this year’s annual winter production, "The Night Before the Night Before Christmas," The White River Valley Players will perform at Rochester School Auditorium. The theme for this year’s show is "Tales From the Forest: A Community of Trees Tells Its Stories."    Saturday, Dec. 23 at 5 p.m.—ROCHESTER—For this year’s annual…

Courtesy of Barn Opera A performance of "Amahl and the Night Visitors."    By Julia Purdy Sometimes inspiration strikes in a flash and a story almost writes itself. That seems to be the case with composer and librettist Gian Carlo Menotti’s “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” commissioned by NBC and premiering in 1951 with the…

Courtesy of VINS VINS Forest of Lights transforms the forest into an enchanted realm. New additions this year include a twinkling Snowflake Tunnel, the Blue & White Icicle Tower and the Fairy Lighting Hideaway.   Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the forest like never before. A Forest of Lights – new and expanded, with…

  There is no greater joy than a child receiving a Christmas gift on Christmas Day!  Drop off unwrapped items to us at Benson’s Chevrolet, Inc., 25 Pond St. in Ludlow.  They will be collecting toys for children in need in our area until Dec. 22. Donated items can be children’s clothing, toys, books, bikes,…

  The Ludlow Recreation committee and dept. has extended its hours. The new hours will be weekdays 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The recreation department is planning to add dedicated volunteers for weekend hours as well, once all the required documentation is finalized. The Ludlow Rec Center is located between the Black River Good Neighbor…

By Dave Decrescente Mihali Savoulidis   Alexander Graham Bell once said, “When one door closes, another door opens.” That quote rings true for Mihali Savoulidis, whose band Twiddle just ended 18 years of touring with their three-night Frendsgiving celebration at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York, last month Nov. 24-26.  Mihali is now…

Submitted Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” provides a glimpse into the understanding that Scrooge’s redemption will lie in regaining his soul. The story is probably the best known story of Christmas in the English language.    By Julia Purdy After the Gospel, Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” is probably the best known story of Christmas…