The doodlebug waits. It is patient. It is silent. And it is hidden under a fine layer of dry, loose, sandy soil at the bottom of a small conical pit. Soon, a wandering ant will slip down the side of the pit, where the sickle-shaped mandibles of the doodlebug will rise from the bottom…

  I used to dismiss this tweeny season. The weeks of muted, russet yellows, browns and purples, that comes between the green of summer and fiery colors of fall.  I used to lament the passing of summer, and pine for fall, and the winter ahead. And in that wishing and waiting, I overlooked this beautiful,…

They blaze across the sky, Leaving a stream of wonder behind, A stream in the sky, Wanting to be heard, They dive through space, Their stream full of stars, Trying to tell stories, Stories of whooshing through space, With a great ball of fire, Leading it all, But the secret to its beauty, Is all…

  The more things change, the more they stay the same. And while things may have had a stable or stagnant quality to them, believe me, they are indeed changing. When we think about change, we tend to look for the big events. Strange though, isn’t it? So few of us actually enjoy being on…

  What makes the trails in Brandon unique to the area?  Brandon’s situation is interesting.  We are exactly at the hub of all the greatest trails in the region.  We are almost the exact geographical center point between Rutland’s Pine Hill Park, Middlebury’s TAM and connected systems, Rochester’s top notch network, Slate Valley’s Fairgrounds, and…

  Dad first saw the land we now live on under 6 feet of snow. He and Orin Bates climbed up the hill wearing snowshoes to get through the snow drifts. Dad gazed at Pico through the trees when Killington had barely begun. As he considered the commitment and cost, a ruffled grouse rose up…

  I cannot see much, just the white and yellow lines of the freeway swaying here and there around the mountains. “Coyote,” by Joni Mitchell, is stuck in my head on repeat as I watch those lines, matching the lean of our bike to the rhythm of the road. I ride 2UP (pronounced: two up), which means…

  With all the rain and terrible flooding that we have had, it seems that August just might be the best of summer 2023. Many of our fellow Vermonters need our help and our prayers. If we all do what we can, it will certainly ease the burden of those suffering. I recently experienced a…

For most of the year, it’s hard to find a pond without at least a few mallards swimming around. These ducks, with their green-headed drakes and streaky brown hens, are among the most common water birds throughout the Northeast. In spring and fall, mallard flocks are ubiquitous, gobbling up grasses and aquatic plants. In winter,…

While listening to a radio conversation between two people hosting a show I heard one of them ask the other what decade he expected to hear songs from when he is told that an “oldie” is coming up. The two hosts were not close in age so one said the ’70s and the other said…

  Walking on the beach, Leaving footprints in the sand, The water taking them with it, Leaving no trace behind. But we must keep on going, There is still more to learn, Finding footprints in the sand, From many days before, May only be a dream. Now that more has washed ashore, It may leave…

  Venus retrograde isn’t renowned for being a pleasant experience. Of all the planetary retrograde cycles, Venus is the one we  feel the most. You see, Venus is the planet associated with the areas of life you don’t want cut short such as joy, happiness and pleasure. Have you ever seen a child happily walk…

  Autumn is the busiest season for nonprofit fundraising, during which many nonprofits are preparing year-end reports, planning fundraising events, and crafting impact-focused requests for donations. The majority of these activities are the responsibility of the nonprofits’ fundraisers. Whether they are salaried staff, paid consultants, or volunteers, many of these fundraisers are women, persons of…

  Our grandchildren have come to our Killington lodge to spend a week with “Gammy and Papa.” Cora Irene (2 1/2 years old) joined brother Silas who just turned 8 in mid-July. Silas has his dad’s disposition—calm, centered and often serene — but his toddler sister is strong and defiant, very determined and cute as…

  There’s a cradling, a sense of calm that takes over you as the water moves gently beneath your boat. A soft bounce that you can feel almost immediately as you step foot into your craft and shove off from the shore. You almost don’t need to go anywhere, you can simply float in place…