Have you ever had the feeling that, for the majority of the country, rural New England exists primarily as a collection of elite and picturesque yet vaguely sinister private boarding schools? In movies and novels, the New England prep school is not merely a setting but a hermetic, lyrically genteel genre unto itself, with its…

By Michael J. Caduto Encountering a snake in the garden causes many people to shriek or even panic. Yet snakes and another often unloved creature, the American toad, are among the most effective forms of pest control. If you tolerate these herpetological visitors–or better yet, encourage their presence–you’ll be less likely to share your garden…

A few months ago, I made an appointment with the editor of The Mountain Times to discuss some ideas I had for a beer-themed column. She bought into my idea of visiting with members of our region’s craft brewing community and reviewing Vermont-made beers with them. To keep it interesting, we would taste a beer…

By Cal Garrison, a.k.a. Mother of the Skye This week's Horoscopes are coming out under the light of an Aries Moon, on the Eve of Sept. 1. According to the prophets and the soothsayers the next 30 days are supposed to be one Hell of a time. Many have said that we're not going to…

By Dom Cioffi I just may be the luckiest man in the world… It started out as a normal Saturday morning with some fresh coffee, the morning news, a little Internet browsing and a quick peruse through my email. I like to utilize my extra time on the weekend to look back through the previous…

By Tiffany Soukup This past winter I spent three months exploring East Africa, traveling through ten different countries and covering over 8,077 miles. I was continuously impressed with how much local guides knew about their surroundings, in particular the human uses of various plants. In some instances we could not walk more than ten feet…

This week was fun, a long run, a short fast run, and a whole bunch of burpees, and otherwise uneventful, without much to report. The long run was pretty easy, just shy of 12 miles. I ran the Sherburne Trail, up the Hershey Highway to Pico Peak, back down the Hershey Highway to the trail,…

Hey, look, guys: summer is almost over. Does that fill you with sadness or excitement? And if the former—and if you haven’t been enrolled in school in more than a few years—then why? Selecting a “favorite season” is first of all an unnecessary endeavor and, like choosing a favorite thing in any other category (books,…

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 aspects that include the Sun's entrance into the sign of the Virgin. If you've noticed a slight difference in the way the sunlight feels, over the last few days, it's because the Sun…

  By Rachel Sargent Imagine you had a power that allowed you to pick up nearby objects without actually touching them. Imagine this power could help you find and choose the best foods while shopping. Imagine you could use this power to communicate with your family. Bees are thought to have just such a power.…

Sometimes, when I read my column in the Mountain Times, I wonder: does anyone actually use the phrase “Generation Y” anymore? It’s been my impression lately that the term “Millennials” has almost completely replaced “Generation Y” in trend-based think-pieces. The actual data, which I looked up today, is not quite so dire, but it suggests…

So I am certain that it will be a surprise to no one that I have not in any way, shape or form, stuck to my training schedule. I did, however, do an 11-mile training run from the Sherburne Pass to Killington Peak and back. I also did my longest ever road bike ride, a…

By Cal Garrison, a.k.a. Mother of the Skye This week's horoscopes are coming out under the light of a late Virgo Moon. The Moon recently turned Void-of-Course, which keeps us in a state of suspended animation until she makes her entrance into Libra. Loosely translated, this means there will be plenty of room for a…

By Dom Cioffi Every now and then you run across a life story that seems too incredible, too improbable, and too inconceivable to actually be true. The story of Arnel Pineda is a perfect example. Born in the lower class sections of Manila in the Philippines, Arnel’s childhood was disrupted when his mother became terminally…

By Dom Cioffi Forty years ago this summer, on a Friday night in June, Universal Pictures released the film “Jaws” to curious audiences across the country. Within days it would become a monumental hit and a cultural phenomenon. The film is now regarded as the very first summer blockbuster because Universal took a unique approach…