Discover More from This Category: Columns
Crêpe breakfast tradition at sport hill
April 17, 2024
Building a Killington Dream Lodge: Part 9 Dad was on a mission to build our ski lodge so wasn’t thrilled by invitations to escape our Killington work camp. But Mom and I were elated and ready to get off “the reservation” whenever we could. When our friend Ann relayed an invitation from Walter and Emile…
Two guys, Ives and Quinn, and the end of Baseball’s color barrier
April 17, 2024
By Bruce Bouchard, a Q&A with John Turchiano John Turchiano, a retired union official and a close friend of 50 years, and I often talk baseball. What follows is from a chat we had recently about Jackie Robinson and the reversal of the color barrier in baseball, which happened 80 years ago this week — April…
Quotes that seniors can relate to
April 17, 2024
“Old age comes at a bad time!” – Sam Banducci I think retirees will agree with that statement. We work all our lives and once we retire we finally have time to do all the things we dreamed of doing. But after awhile bad knees, backs and feet may put some restrictions on activities such…
Eclipse
April 17, 2024
We look into the sky at the wonder above us, the damp ground squishing beneath our feet. The moon slowly moved in front of the sun, covering it completely. The warm sun rays left our faces and were replaced with cold darkness. For a few minutes, day turned to night as we peered up…
Spring slush, it’s fun to ski and paddle through
April 17, 2024
Settling into my lawn chair in the parking lot, I extend both legs outward. My toes are pointing straight up, my forward lean angle set by my ski boots — super soggy and full of water. I don’t want to even think about touching my wet socks. And the aroma that wafts through the parking…
A stroke of bad luck
April 17, 2024
The Masters ended this past weekend, and like so many other golf fans, I was glued to my phone and television for four days as the pageantry and competition unfolded. The event did not disappoint as the world’s No. 1 Scottie Scheffler struck precision golf shots for four days, outlasting any challenges his competitors made.…
Herons, egrets and bitterns: Stalkers of the shallows
April 17, 2024
If you take to the water this spring, there’s a good chance you’ll spot a great blue heron, New England’s most recognizable large wading bird. But you might also see one of several other similar species that breed in or pass through our region’s wetlands. Telling these large waders apart can be tricky. What distinguishes…
Bears are wild forever
April 17, 2024
Bears, Big beautiful creatures, Wandering through the forests, And fields of flowers. Beautiful sweet flowers. And it is not only the flowers that are sweet, But the bears, too. They are misunderstood creatures, Big gentle giants, They don’t want to hurt you, They just want to protect their families. They are amazing creatures, And you…
New seeds are planted
April 17, 2024
Arguably 2024’s most dynamic astrological event occurs this week — yes, I remember the Eclipse from last week. But this week, Jupiter and Uranus conjoin in Taurus. Renowned for its exciting, expansive and innovative potential, this combination can also bring turbulence and discomfort, too. You don’t have to be a Taurus to feel this. Somewhere…
Cold frames can extend gardening season, start in April
April 10, 2024
By Erda Estemera/Unsplash Lettuce grows best in well-drained, nutrient-rich soil, so soil should be amended accordingly before starting this cool-season vegetable in a cold frame. By Andrea Knepper, UVM Extension Master Gardener Get a jump start on the growing season by adding a cold frame to your garden. A cold frame allows you to start…
April seems to be a little mixed up
April 10, 2024
Hal Borland, American author, journalist, and naturalist once said, “No Winter lasts forever, no Spring skips its turn. April is a promise that May is bound to keep, and we know it.” English writer Samuel Johnson said that April can be a moment of joy for those who have survived the winter. This April seems…
Boring winter gives way to exciting spring
April 10, 2024
I found myself stopping every few minutes. Not to catch my breath or recalibrate my route, but simply to stop moving for a moment and let myself really take it all in. Too much all at once, when there hasn’t been enough at all. From one of the most boring winters that I can…
Even the nights are better
April 10, 2024
Growing up, I was never the kid who caused a lot of trouble. I did my homework, played sports, and did my best to endear myself to girls. I suppose you could call me boring, but I looked at it as the easiest way to navigate childhood. Not surprisingly, I had an older brother who…
The tale of a lake tsunami
April 10, 2024
The Outside Story By Decan McCabe The sharpest contrast between rivers and lakes is in water movement. While rivers flow inexorably downhill, lake water movement is more subtle. Anyone who has weathered a storm on a lake, however, can attest that less consistent water movement does not mean no water movement at all. In fact,…
Skiing
April 10, 2024
I hear the wind wheezing by my ears as I race through the trees, the tips of my skis barely missing the trees. I can hear the snow blowers blasting snow and people carving on the slopes. The skies are clear, a perfect bluebird day! I dive in and out of the trees, under and…