For decades every summer and fall I’ve admired the loon couple on Kent Pond from a distance through my husband’s binoculars. When we bought a kayak I was excited to discover what I see from the water. So I put in off Thundering Brook Road with my husband and neighbor who has two kayaks.…

Seals, They’re adorable, They make you laugh, And then they, too, Laugh along with you. It may not seem that way, But they do. They have a silly spirit, And love to make others laugh. It’s an important feature to have, Silliness. It keeps you feeling happy and free. It lets your heart stay light.…

  The last Full Moon at the end of August, certainly brought things to an emotional climax. Since then, it’s been about assessing the damage as the dust slowly settles. New boundaries and limits meant new rules about communication, logistics and planning. As emotions shifted and new desires emerged, September so far has been about…

Walking in the woods reveals truths, connections I’ve been here many times before, but today it’s a secret adventure. I slide my foot through the ferns, trying to find a solid placement for my foot. The ground is still quite a bit muddy even though it’s been dry out lately. I find a solid bit of…

  I take the same route to my office every day. I’ve done this for a long time and only once have I been forced to detour. On that occasion, an 18-wheeler had been trying to avoid an accident and, in turn, caused a massive pile-up that blocked the entire highway.  I came upon the…

  Until 65 million years ago, huge reptiles dominated our planet – and every summer I think they might be making a comeback. The sight of a snapping turtle hauling herself onto a sunny log or lifting her incredible bulk on mud-colored legs always fills me with prehistoric daydreams. Turtles have roamed the Earth for…

        My husband Duane and our Black Lab Luke had a magical experience years ago near the boat ramp in Kent Pond. A female Mallard was caught in a fishline. Duane fetched his trusty Swiss Army knife then told Luke to “stay” on the shoreline. He waded out. The ducks swam away…

  Otters, They are cute little playful animals, They always take time off to play, To do something for themselves, But at the same time, They take time to play with other otters, Maybe the animals have been trying to teach, Us humans, How to live, How to have fun, How to be kind, To…

  This week, you may catch a glimpse of how life is changing. How you may be able to move forward, at long last, about something that has hurt your heart or made you revaluate everything. Just when you may think all hope is gone, a piece of news or information changes everything. This isn’t…

  Killington-Rutland community members seeking to explore the roles, responsibilities and rewards of nonprofit board membership are invited to participate in the 2023 Board Development Leadership Program. The program comprises five free 90-minute workshops, held on consecutive Wednesdays Sept. 27 through Oct. 25. Over the course of the weekly sessions, which will be held from…

Wildlife sightings and signs part 3 Indigenous cultures throughout the world see animals as messengers from the Great Spirit. Each creature is a teacher of how we can heal and tap into our personal power. At a yard sale, I happened upon the book and deck of “Medicine Cards” by Native Americans Jamie Sams and…

  My fingers move of their own accord, tightening the straps while I press the lever open. I pull just a little bit more before letting the strap fall and wrapping a backup knot. I let both straps fall into the car and shut the door, hopefully keeping the straps from flapping around and breaking…

  This past Sunday, my wife and I decided to do some errands together. So, after breakfast we each knocked out a few household chores before finally jumping in my truck to head out.  We were about a mile down the road when I realized that I had forgotten my cellphone. My first instinct was…

  I didn’t want to do it. But I needed to do it. For both of us. Our marriage of 42 years is solid as a rock—and scrappy. We are a great team, achieving a high level of DIY with everything we do. But harmonious, not so much. I’m a scrapper. He’s internal. We argue,…

   A caterpillar eats and eats, becomes a chrysalis, and after a period of metamorphosis emerges as a beautiful butterfly! Except, sometimes… it doesn’t quite work that way. Occasionally, while sitting on my deck, I spot smallish, orange butterflies landing on our hop plants. Their upper wings, about 2 inches across, are bright orange with…