Discover More from This Category: Columns

‘Stone in Love’

October 30, 2024
I have a poignant memory involving the song “Stone in Love,” released by the band Journey in 1981. I can’t tell you the exact date of my memory, but it probably coincided with the popularity of the aforementioned song, likely around my sophomore year of high school.  The memory revolves around a weekend night in…

Making Halloween 

October 30, 2024
Whether you went to the Wobbly to be seen and dance to club music, went to see Phish from Vermont at the charity event in Albany to support addiction recovery, or you’re just trick or treating somewhere with the littles, Halloween time is accessible and fun for everyone. Halloween has been my favorite holiday, since…

‘Lee’ offers snapshots instead of a complete picture

October 30, 2024
Ellen Kuras’ film reminds that someone higher up holds the strings to freedom of the press. This past week, two billionaires, who also own two of the most influential newspapers in the United States, showed that money can buy many things, but it can’t buy courage. The Washington Post’s motto is “Democracy Dies in the…

Following the crowd

October 30, 2024
Following the crowd is always an option. So is listening to all the talking heads out there tell you what to think, what to say, and what to do. To be honest, it’s hard not to hear them these days, but you don’t have to listen. In fact, I recommend it, especially if it leaves…

Rockin’ the Region with Jabbawaukee 

October 30, 2024
Get extra use out of your Halloween costume and head to the Clear River Tavern the day after Halloween for their Day of the Dead party with the band Jabbawaukee at 9 p.m. The band, which hails from Rhode Island, will be making their debut at the Clear, and they’re very excited about it. Jabbawaukee…

Celebrating family in Provence

October 24, 2024
During our month and a half near Marseille in the tranquil village of Allauch we’ve been embraced by the Pascal family who’ve included us in their lives and celebration. We first met Colette and Jean-Paul 12 years ago at an organic Florida farm stand. We’ve often reunited since that day in Florida, Vermont, and Avignon,…

Fall Insect Pests

October 23, 2024
By Ann Hazelrigg, Extension Plant Pathologist, University of Vermont     When the weather turns cold, four common insect invaders may appear uninvited in your home. None of them breed in the house or cause any damage to humans, pets, food items, or structures. These nuisance pests are looking for a warm, protected place to overwinter…

The Not-So-Itsy-Bitsy Joro Spider

October 23, 2024
‘Tis the season for spooky stories, and just in time for Halloween, the spider that news headlines have described as “giant,” “flying,” and “venomous” has made its way to New England. While it may be a nightmare for anyone with arachnophobia, the invasive Joro spider (Trichonephila clavata) is quite docile and, if given a choice,…

Bring on the snow!

October 23, 2024
As New Englanders, we are a rare breed. While people elsewhere are dreading the change from the bright and warm summer fading into a gray and humbling winter, we have been waiting for this all year. The snow is a chance to prove ourselves to ourselves. To challenge ourselves. To cleanse ourselves, in a way,…

In ‘The Substance,’ beauty is in the eye(s) of the beholder(s)

October 23, 2024
Satirical horror is back in a big way with “The Substance” Those lamenting the death of cinema need only know where to look for its rebirth. In the 1960s, when Hollywood lost touch with the tastes of a changing audience, filmgoers searching for the daring, the new, and the fresh turned their eyes to international…

The dark creeps upon the light

October 23, 2024
It is the season where the dark creeps up on the light. In many cultures throughout the world, what we call “Scorpio Season” is the time of year when the veil between this realm and the next grows thin.  In the ancient traditions of the far North, the children would embark upon a journey to…

Rutland’s Truck-or-Treat delighted 4,000 this past Sunday

October 23, 2024
If visitors need additional evidence that our region is a wonderful place to raise a family, they need look no further than these photos from the second annual Truck-or-Treat event on held Sunday, Oct. 20, to benefit Wonderfeet Kids’ Museum.  Organizers, including Wonderfeet Kids Museum’s founder and Board Vice President Paul Gallo, emphasized that beyond…

Vince Vaughn provides a good time in ‘Bad Monkey’

October 17, 2024
Fans of Vince Vaughn who’ve been waiting to see him flex his rapid-fire comedic muscles in a worthwhile venture can rejoice. The Vaughn we’ve longed to see, from his breakout role in “Swingers” to his scene-stealing role in “Wedding Crashers,” is on full display in Apple +’s new series, “Bad Monkey.” In this hopefully not…

College life in the ‘60s

October 17, 2024
In my last column I mentioned that I would be taking a look back at my college days in the ‘60s. Join me as I revisit those days. I spent four years at Trinity College in Burlington. It was an all girls’ school staffed by the Sisters of Mercy. Unfortunately, it is no longer in…

Picture window

October 17, 2024
As we move into the ski season change is abundant The quiet roads are starting to become more animated. Soon they will be bursting at the seams with life again The slow simmer that builds into a wonderful celebration of snow A morning commute filed with so many electric colors With a rich palette of…