By Cal Garrison, a.k.a. Mother of the Sky This week’s Horoscopes are coming out under that light of a Gemini Moon. Well on its way to fullness, with a plethora of what appear to be stressful aspects, it looks to me like the upcoming week will be filled with experiences that beg us to get…

Every second Friday night of the month at 7 p.m., you need to head to Taps Tavern in Poultney  to see the Mean Waltons. They’ll be nice to you and your ears as you listen to some great folk covers. The Mean Waltons are Wayne Surrell, guitars and vocals; and Earle Provin, slide guitar, mandolin,…

By Marguerite Jill Dye It is such a blessing to spend time with friends from near and afar. I especially love getting together after months or years and picking up conversations where we left off as if no time has passed. Friends bring out our very best and know and understand us well enough to…

This was a week for reconnecting with old friends and people who have assisted me in some pretty thunderous ways. Last week, at the 50th birthday party for a friend of mine, I ran into a bunch of people that I had not seen in a while, fabulous musicians who lived or performed in Killington…

By Kenrick Vezina Not to alarm you, but you’re surrounded. There, buzzing stupidly into the slats of your venetian blinds, is a house fly. Nearby, nestled in a crevice of the window-frame, a ladybug waits out the winter. In a corner overhead, a spindly house spider sits motionless in its haphazard web. Underfoot, bristly little…

By Kyle Finneron There is an old saying: you either win or you learn. Recently, I learned a lot. A few weekends ago I competed in my first grappling competition. I decided that a great place to test my mettle was at the North American Grappling Association (NAGA) North East championships in Rhode Island. Go…

Celebrity death: Is it stupid to care? The age-old question struck me again at the end of 2016, as George Michael, Carrie Fisher, and Debbie Reynolds all shuffled off this mortal coil in quick succession. All year long, our popular culture had inhabited a heightened state of bereavement, perhaps on account of a few uncommonly…

By Cal Garrison, a.k.a. Mother of the Skye Happy New Year to all of us! This week's Horoscopes are coming out under the light of a Pisces Moon with aspects that are creating levels of intensity that require awareness and control. Try not to get carried away by things that upset your applecart. Let people…

By Marguerite Jill Dye I am ready to take angel messages to heart and make a conscious decision to focus on the positive and create more happiness in and around me in 2017. I announced this to a longtime friend who sighed, reached up to heaven in gratitude, and silently mouthed “Hallelujah!” It’s about time,…

By Joe Rankin Back in September, I put out the bird feeder. I try not to do it too early because, well . . . bears. My feathered friends emptied it in hours. A couple of refills later and I decided I couldn’t afford to put out the buffet that early. The weather was warm;…

I don’t know when I got so behind the times but I have a feeling that retirement is the culprit! I am happy in my little world of limited technology but when various items need replacing I am going to have quite the time adjusting. I am the type who tends to replace things only…

As you read this, 2016 is over. 2016 is roaring to a close, taking nearly every talented person with it, Pat Harrington, David Bowie, Alan Rickman, Dan Haggerty, Glen Frey, Abe Vigota, George Gaynes, Tony Burton, George Kennedy, Nancy Reagan, Robert Horton, Joe Santos, Joe Garagiola, Ken Howard, Peter Brown, Garry Shandling, James Noble, Patty…

Hey guys, do you remember the 90s? I sure do: the Pogs, the Beanie Babies, the Reebok Pumps, that Sears commercial where the deadbeat suburban husband finally submits to his wife’s entreaties to order a new air conditioner for their home, vowing to “call now”—and, most of all, the usage of the word “Not!” as…

By Marguerite Jill Dye The winter solstice arrived, promising the coming of light in our darkest hours. The other celebrations in this season also honor illumination: Christmas worships the love and light of Christ and our highest, truest selves; Hanukkah, the festival of light, hails the miracle of purifying the temple when a day’s supply…

By Patrick White You picked it out, maybe cut it down, brought it home, watered it, and decorated it. But do you know what species of tree that is, surrounded by presents in your living room? If you purchased your Christmas tree rather than cutting it out of the woods, chances are it’s either a…