By Dom Cioffi I took my son for his annual check-up at the optometrist earlier this week. Prior to the appointment, a woman from the doctor’s office contacted me and asked if I would fill out an online health questionnaire for my son so our waiting time in the lobby would be reduced. I had…

By Kevin Theissen For many older adults, finding time to experience nature can be one of the greatest pleasures in retirement. And what better place to take in America’s splendor than one of our over 400 National Park Service sites? For over a century, generations of retirees have explored these stunning landscapes, marveled at the…

By Tyler Hoar As winter settles in, people watching their birdfeeders hope to catch a glimpse of something out of the ordinary – perhaps a visitor from the Far North. Nothing satisfies this desire like the bubbly and charismatic common redpoll. A member of the finch family, this small songbird is similar in size to…

By Cassandra Tyndall You’ve probably heard a lot about this week’s rare fusion between Jupiter and Saturn. Known as the Great Conjunction, this happens every twenty years. What’s especially unique about this particular conjunction is that it heralds a new almost 200-year cycle of Jupiter and Saturn conjoining in the air signs of Gemini, Libra…

By Merisa Sherman There is no time that simply awes like the first few days of winter settling into itself. Those snow covered days are plump and luscious, the beautiful fluffy world that we dream of when we say “powder day.” We imagine being wrapped in blankets, snuggled by the fire with a hot chocolate…

By Vanessa Robertson Rutland Young Professionals is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to building up Rutland County and creating social and fun networking opportunities for young professionals in the area. Just as important as growing networks and business, Rutland Young Professionals is dedicated to giving back to our community. A majority of our board members…

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 Dom Cioffi Most people can review their life and easily point to two or three individuals who were major influences on the person they became. Hopefully, one of those was a parent, but other likely candidates might include a coach, teacher, or other relative. I was one of those lucky kids who had both…

By Meghan McCarthy Mcphaul One night just before Christmas last year, my youngest daughter and I opted to walk the short distance home from dinner at my parents’ house, rather than drive with the rest of the family. Our eyes adjusted to the night, and the snow beneath our feet shimmered, even in the winter…

By Cassandra Tyndall A total Solar Eclipse occurring this week may help you re-arrange old ideas, perspectives and beliefs of what you once held dear. From the remains of what’s left, innovative new structures, ideas, beliefs and possibilities can be created. This eclipse is heavily influenced by the flurry of planetary changes that surround it.…

By Merisa Sherman As a child, Christmas in our house was absolutely perfect – and was always a party.  Friends and family would gather, Christmas music would be blaring and trays of hors d’oeuvres were placed in different rooms as there were always too many people to squish into the one room where everyone wanted…

By Dom Cioffi I have a friend who has collected movies for years. He’s amassed a huge array of films on multiple formats that has literally commandeered an entire room of his house. I’m an obvious movie-lover but I’ve never felt the need to collect physical copies. In fact, I’ve never been much of a…

By Gary Salmon “May” and “shall” are found on legal documents and for us laypersons mean “can” and “must.” These terms are important when reading H.673 which Governor Scott signed into law on Oct. 8 and became “the law of the land” effective Nov. 1. The legislation modernizes the existing tree warden statutes which have…

By Kevin Theissen Holiday shoppers may not have been racing into brick-and-mortar retail stores, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t shopping. Consumers have earmarked about $998 for spending on winter holidays, which include Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa, according to the National Retail Federation. They plan to spend: Slightly less on gifts for family, friends, and…

By Lee Emmons As winter approaches and snow coats the ground, the tufted titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) will again become a ubiquitous backyard visitor. Familiar to even the most casual observers of nature, titmice readily come to feeders, especially those filled with sunflower seeds. Like many other birds that spend winters here, they seem to relish…