Taxes are one of the biggest budget items for most taxpayers, yet many have no idea what they’re getting for their money. We all want to mitigate taxes and make sure you pay exactly what you owe – and not a penny more – but that doesn’t always make it feel any easier when writing…

By Brett Amy Thelen Every once in a while, as I’m tramping through the winter woods on my snowshoes, it occurs to me that I am walking on top of frogs. In winter, our thoughts naturally turn to the species who remain within our sight – the chickadees at our feeders or the foxes who…

By Cal Garrison a.k.a. Mother of the Skye This week’s horoscopes are coming out under the light of a Pisces Moon. In its new phase, with both the Sun and the Moon at the third degree of Pisces, we are looking at the beginning of a new cycle, when the year is at the end…

By Duncan W. Campbell Editor’s Note: This article is part of a partnership in which Castleton University student journalists are teaming up with University of Vermont students to provide news stories for local papers. The program is funded by a grant through UVM. They are 20-to 40-year-olds who live and breathe the winter sport that…

By Merisa Sherman The morning started with freshies. Road crew was working so hard, but had yet to plow my road. It was just gorgeous — an untouched ribbon of white, so inviting as the snow reached from treeline to a not-quite-hidden guard rail. The lights from the condos were glowing through the  5 a.m. darkness…

By DJ Dave Hoffenberg The Subaru Winterfest is coming to Bear Mountain and the free Saturday concert at 2:30 p.m. is Shakey Graves. Sunday at 1:45 p.m. is Vermont’s own, The Tenderbellies. I had the pleasure of speaking with Alejandro Rose-Garcia, who is Shakey Graves. He’s been making music in different capacities for 10 years.…

Stepping into the bigtime by Dom Cioffi Last week, I traveled to Dallas, Texas, for a business event. It was a quick trip that involved one very long day mingling with people. I arrived the afternoon prior and had dinner that night with several of my coworkers. Like many work dinners, it was full of…

There is a tree planting mantra that says “right tree in right place” and, if not followed, results in the title of this article. As tree warden I take that mantra seriously and while I have no control over what is planted by landowners, within the town right of way I can advise and hopefully…

In an online poll conducted by YouGov, creditcards.com asked people how open and honest they are with their spouses and partners about money. The survey discovered financial infidelity is not uncommon. Respondents cheat financially in a variety of ways, including: 34% have spent more than their spouse/partner would approve 12% have secret debt 10% have…

By Susan Shea On a walk one winter afternoon, I spotted two white objects darting across a snow-covered field. White on white, they were difficult to identify at first. It was a short-tailed weasel chasing a snowshoe hare! Apart from the snowshoe hare, short- and long-tailed weasels are the only animals in the Northeast whose…

By Cal Garrison a.k.a. Mother of the Skye This week’s horoscopes are coming out under the light of a Sagittarius Moon, with a bunch of planetary changes to give us something to talk about. It would be presumptuous to say that we can cover it all, but let’s see if we can make sense of…

By DJ Dave Hoffenberg Theo Katzman, the multi-instrumentalist of Vulfpeck, is bringing his band to The Pickle Barrel this Sunday, Feb. 23, at 8 p.m. I had the pleasure of speaking to him to find out what we can expect. He said, “It’s songs that are rooted in the classic rock tradition. That’s what I…

By Merisa Sherman Some trails just seem to possess a surreal quantity, taking you away to another world completely. Just like stepping through a magical wardrobe, these trails become worlds of their own, places that can cleanse your soul and remind you who you truly are. Like a siren, these trails call to you, luring you in…

By Merisa Sherman May your days be filled with powder, and mountains, and snow. May you find joy and happiness wherever it is your skis may go. May you make warmth for each other when you are stuck on the lift. May you always give and receive skis, as a time treasured gift. May you…

By Cal Garrison a.k.a Mother of the Skye This week’s horoscopes are coming out under the waning light of a Virgo Moon. We are coming up on the annual festival of love and hearts, Valentine’s Day. With that in mind it must be time to talk about what we do in the name of love.…