British soldier lichens are among the first wild things I remember being able to identify as a child. I loved spotting this lichen during forays into the woods – on a giant boulder or atop a decaying stump – its tiny, bright red caps seemed whimsical and somehow happy. I still love to find British…

By Cal Garrison a.k.a. Mother of the Skye This week’s horoscopes are coming out under the light of a Leo Moon. Over the last week I have done charts for four or five people, ranging in age from 19 to 65. Every time I do a reading I come out of it loaded with compassion…

I never had a tree house as a child and was not exposed to the view from a tree canopy until tree stands entered my life. The look of a forest is completely changed when one is actually in the forest canopy and to go from the land of the root flare and tree trunk…

If I were a rich man We should all look at jury duty as an honorable civic exercise that plays an integral role in our nation’s democratic process. However, it almost always feels like an insufferable burden. That was the case for me last week when I was required to show up bright and early…

By Mark Bushnell Editor’s note: Mark Bushnell is a Vermont journalist and historian. He is the author of “Hidden History of Vermont” and “It Happened in Vermont.” This column was published in VTDigger Nov. 10. Lucy Martin wasn’t mincing words. Her marriage was failing and she wanted the world to know why. Her husband, she wrote in…

Everyone loves a winner. If an investment is successful, most people naturally want to stick with it. But is that the best approach? It may sound counter intuitive, but it may be possible to have too much of a good thing. Over time, the performance of different investments can shift a portfolio’s intent — and…

The Outside Story by Susie Spikol I fall in love easy. I’ve been mad about river otters and star-nosed moles, and of course the venomous short-tailed shrew. But my first love was a creature that is almost mythical, a shadow lingering on the edges of time. There wasn’t much of it, merely bones, teeth, scraps…

by Cal Garrison This week’s horoscopes are coming out under the light of an almost full Taurus Moon. Every week I think about how I want to spin this introduction way in advance. It’s usually the case that I draw inspiration from things that I learn in my conversations with my clients. This last week…

by DJ Dave Hoffenberg Thanksgiving weekend marks the return of the Killington Cup where some of the fastest women in the world will race down the trail Superstar, but skiing is just one part of it. The party it becomes is the other and good music is needed for that. This year Recycled Percussion, DJ…

Tree Talk by Gary Salmon The only November foliage color is provided by the oaks, beeches, aspens, larches and Norway Maples. Yellow and brown are the colors of November with the oranges and reds gone until next fall. If you plan on planting trees next spring that you have dug up yourself it is always…

by Dom Cioffi Another Halloween has come and gone. This was a transitoned year for us. My son officially reached the age where he was not interested in trick-or-treating anymore. We brought it up several times in the weeks leading up to Oct. 31, but he never committed or seemed overly concerned in preparing a…

Looking Back by Mary Ellen Shaw There is a transition period for all of us when we stop being considered a “child” by the older people in our lives. We become “adults”, just like them. Our relationship changes with these people and those whom we called “Mr.” or “Mrs.” often tell us to call them…

Money Matters by Kevin Theissen Imagine driving a car without a basic understanding of the rules of the road, or even how to operate it. Scary thought. Yet many Americans are operating their personal finances with only the barest minimum of knowledge. One study by the FINRA Investor Education Foundation found that, when asked five…

The Outside Story by Meghan Mccarthy McPhaul Woolly bear caterpillars seem to be everywhere these days – creeping across the lawn, along the road when I’m walking the dog, hidden in the wilted cut-back of the perennial garden. Last week I found a woolly bear curled up in a shoe I’d left on the front…

by DJ Dave Hoffenberg New York’s Brotality makes their Vermont debut Saturday, Nov. 16, at The Howlin’ Mouse Record Store at 7 p.m. with Rutland’s own Max Crowley opening up the show. They’re trying to bring metal to the masses, while spreading faith and love. Brotality was formed by brothers Bryce Maopolski, 17, on guitar…