By Mary Ellen Shaw Well, it will soon be spring… at least that is what the calendar says! For me March is the month to change over the pine garlands on our cedar fence to something with a touch of spring. The weather tends to tease us at this time of year with an occasional…

By Mary Ellen Shaw Recently there has been talk about the possibility of no more snow days in some schools. What a disappointment that would have been when I was a student! Back in the 50s and 60s remote learning would have been considered “science fiction.” If you weren’t in your classroom, education came to…

By Mary Ellen Shaw When I meet someone on the street or in a store they often like to reminisce about the “good old days.” For my age group that pretty much covers the period from the 1950s through the 1970s. A common topic of conversation is how much fun it was to shop in…

By Mary Ellen Shaw I know the skiers aren’t thinking like I am. Their season has just begun and they don’t want to think about it ending. I, on the other hand, am excited because flower and veggie seeds are in the stores! Seed catalogs have begun to arrive and I get to spend time…

By Mary Ellen Shaw Dating is often a time when you try to be good at something…even when you are not! With ski season just beginning I am reminded of my diehard attempts to strap on skis and get from the top to the bottom of Pico. It’s not that I had never skied before,…

By Mary Ellen Shaw Christmas will be celebrated differently for many of us this year thanks to the pandemic. While large gatherings are a “no-no” the spirit of Christmas and its true meaning will remain the same. I noticed Christmas lights went up in our neighborhood in early November. Some people even turned them on…

By Mary Ellen Shaw If you are old enough to be reading this you probably had a summer job during your school days. The winter months were spent searching for places to apply. The types of jobs available to young people today are often quite different than they were back when my husband, Peter, and…

By Mary Ellen Shaw Before the pandemic I was watching a talk show that used to air on ABC. One of the hosts, Keke Palmer, who is her late 20s, said that when she was a child and didn’t know the meaning of a word her parents would tell her to look it up in…

By Mary Ellen Shaw They say that with age comes wisdom. While talking with a friend recently we discussed how a lot of things we thought were “cool” back in the day were actually bad ideas! Many of us baby boomers grew up in houses where parents smoked. Back in the 50s when we were…

By Mary Ellen Shaw Halloween will certainly not be the same this year. The much anticipated parade will not wind its way through downtown Rutland. The crowd that the parade draws is not safe with social distancing guidelines. Sometimes we just have to accept that people who know more than we do have made the…

By Mary Ellen Shaw It’s time to be a “leaf peeper” whether you are visiting us from out of state or live here. In fact Vermonters often need a reminder to get out and enjoy what is right in our own backyard. The colorful display that Mother Nature puts on isn’t cancelled just because we…

By Mary Ellen Shaw I don’t know about you but I find that decorating for autumn can be just as much fun as decorating for Christmas! The yellow, orange and red colors that are prevalent this time of year brighten the days that are getting dark so early. Decorations outside bring cheer not only to…

By Mary Ellen Shaw When the pandemic hit back in March I think we will all agree that it changed our lives in a “New York minute.” Fortunately for us, spring was right around the corner and we could focus on spending time in the garden. When you grow flowers or veggies you always have…

By Mary Ellen Shaw You may not be ready to think about spring bulbs when fall hasn’t arrived yet, but now is the time to do just that! Finding the bulbs you want amidst the pandemic could be a challenge. It’s a good idea to begin the quest now especially if you want a choice…

By Mary Ellen Shaw At this time of year your garden can be pretty full and sometimes you have too much of a good thing! What can you do to get the most out of your crops? The easiest solution is to freeze the items. That may involve a little work before they go in…