In an ideal world, we’d all like things to go smoothly. To go the way we want, the way we imagine and the way we aspire things to be. Progress of any kind is never linear. So why is it we beat ourselves up, get ourselves in an emotional state or even worse, play…

  Natural motivator "Every day, you should do something that scares you a little and excites you a lot." -Eleanor Roosevelt I was ready to wander. My completed book manuscript had been sent to the printer. I packed for a solo trip that I was afraid to take. As a happy, busy grandmother for 10…

  My husband, Peter, and I are fans of both men’s and women’s professional tennis. When the US Open is over in September there is a sharp decrease in the number of matches that we can watch on TV. But after New Year’s Day they return as players get ready for the Australian Open later…

  You could feel the air changing. Even inside the house, I knew that this morning would be different. The air was just that much thinner and my hands were cold as they lay outside my blanket. I could actually feel my fingers stiffening up and had to pull them back inside when I woke up for a…

   On several occasions when I was a teenager, my parents gave me the option of either going on a summer trip to a foreign country or attending a weeklong basketball camp. I always chose the basketball camp. Looking back, I may have been shortsighted with those decisions since my parents took fantastic trips to…

  In late autumn, well past the showy blossoms of summer, even after fall’s late bloomers have faded and the trees have dropped their leaves, there is one shrubby plant still putting on a flower show: American witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana). Four slender, wrinkly yellow petals, about ¾ of an inch long, adorn each of…

  Like little crystals, Falling from the sky, The raindrops sparkle, In the glittering light, Sinking into the ground, Absorbing into the earth, Flowing over the roots of trees, Dripping down leaves, Into the earth, Where it started, Making the earth happy, Letting the planet live, Sharing its kindness, And it’s happiness, With all of…

  The veil between the worlds is thin right now, in more ways than one. For some, what’s been behind the smoke and mirrors for some time has been obvious and apparent. While for others, oblivion continues. Either willfully ignorant or easily led, why can’t you see?  The astrology of the moment does make it…

Submitted The Village of Poultney has installed three new benches, an informational kiosk, and a bike repair station along the D&H Rail Trail in the village.   With support from a “Quick Build” grant from the Vermont Dept. of Health, the Village of Poultney has installed three new benches, an informational kiosk, and a bike…

The Poultney Downtown Revitalization Committee (PDRC), in collaboration with the Poultney Historical Society, unveiled the Poultney’s Banners of Legacy project on Main Street, Oct. 18. This initiative, generously funded by the Hills and Hollows grant from the Vermont Community Foundation, epitomizes a blend of art, history, and community engagement, breathing life and legacy into the…

  By Merisa Sherman     I can feel the cold air entering my nose as I take a deep breath. I dare not open my mouth, because I just brushed my teeth and it will just feel too damn cold. I am on the chairlift, my legs swinging underneath me as the chair floats…

  By Dom Cioffi Quite often (especially in sports), situations arise where the odds are heavily stacked against a particular outcome. These ‘long-shot’ scenarios and wonderful to hype up in the hope that something unexpected will happen, but generally the majority of them fizzle out against the weight of the imbalance.  However, some long-shots do…

  By Rachel  Sargent Mirus  “Look!” I exclaimed, bending to examine a pair of half-inch-tall, bright orange, club-shaped mushrooms. Kneeling in the leaf litter, with my 2-year-old son watching in puzzlement, I carefully scraped away at the base of the colorful clubs. Just beneath the soil was a glossy brown moth pupa: the origin of…

  By Marguerite Jill Dye I entered the Bear Cave and asked out loud, “Are you coming today, sweet Bear Spirit?” “Yes, my dear. I am coming to bring you good tidings of autumn,” Bear said as he entered. “It’s time for preparation for winter hibernation.” “That must be challenging, I imagine,” I said. “We…

  The moon was full, A bright fiery light, Glowing in the sky, The wolves howl at it, The owls hoot, A black cat meows. Or maybe, You see the flickering light, Of a jack-o-lantern, Smiling at the moon, Then you hear a faint, “Trick or Treat!” In the distance Or someone yelling, “Boo!” This…