I moved to Illinois last August, leaving my beloved Kansas so I could have a closer relationship with my grands. Your 252 project has given me an idea. Grands are 11 and 14. I am not an adventurous person and have, after nearly a year, barely been anywhere outside the area where I and my fam live. I feel a little silly about that. But, maybe I could use this as a way to both get to know the towns and villages around me as well as spend fun time with my grands. Maybe plan one trip a month to visit one of the nearby towns in say a 50 mile circumference of where I live. I'll have to give this more thought, but I kinda like the idea.
I enjoyed reading about your visit to Middlebury and I'm sure all your 251 posts will be equally enjoyable.
Great idea , and your observations of Middlebury and particularly the art store are intriguing. Many such busineeses fortunately still exist in non urban areas of New England. Of course the fact that I am a New Englander and familiar with the state may make me more interested than others who love far away. I know some residents of Middlebury , and you are absolutely correct about the students.if I were not already a subscriber I would subscribe in order to read about your coming exploits. Sending it to my family members and friends who live in VT. Maybe you wil even get some new subscribers.
Closest thing to this idea is a running club whose goal is for each member to participate in a race in each of the 269 municipalities in CT. (FYI - 149 towns, 19 cities and one borough ) Would provide a chance to actually get to know each town as well, although the great majority of runners are there for the race and the competition/camaradie that it provides, not for an education about the town, although the race literature sometimes includes that information. Also possible because CT is a manageable size state for this type of challenge/activity , as is VT .
I'm a New Hampshire man myself from Langdon - a town of 400 behind Charlestown and Walpole and Fall Mountain across from Bellows Falls where I went to high school. I grew up in a Cape Cod on Holden Hill Road built in 1793 that my parents bought it 1948. From the back yard you can see clean across Vermont to Mt Stratton, with its distinctive saddleback profile from that perspective, and just to one side a small peak that the locals say is situated in the state of New York. I'll never be sure if that is true. My sister lives in Townsend. I, as some of you may have noticed, live in Perth Western Australia. Last night I thumped a roo in the back side with my car coming home from meditation but he hopped off apparently ok. I'll never know.
Lovely post and you used such colorful and descriptive language one can picture what you are describing clearly:
“People were out — real people — wearing shorts like a declaration of war against Jupiter and his demigods. Some were gardening. Some lounged on porches, sipping something cold. One guy stood in his yard, arms folded, gazing proudly at absolutely nothing.” Amazing. Happy Trails!
This is a great idea and is going to be fun to follow!
This has given me some ideas. I could do this in each County in Michigan. I am amused because when we have had visitors from out if town, we have explored and visited places in our own backyard that we had never been to. Thanks for the inspiration! I enjoy reading your creative writing posts. 😊
Missed this because I was on my annual cross-country sojourn. Looking forward to your next adventure in this series. What a joy it is to be reminded that there are still store owners who know more about their inventory than just "aisle 3". I miss the old bookstores where someone could recommend a book you'll actually like.
This series is such a wonderful idea. I live in Phoenix, I’m from Pennsylvania, and I am really looking forward to enjoying Vermont with you!
"I did a quick self-scan for any visible signs of non-Wokeness and gave thanks I hadn’t worn my AMURICA, FUCK YEAH t-shirt."
Like the irony. Deeply approve the self preservation scan.
Somehow I doubt that screaming, “I’m disabled! You’re doing an ableism!” would’ve helped me, LOL.
I moved to Illinois last August, leaving my beloved Kansas so I could have a closer relationship with my grands. Your 252 project has given me an idea. Grands are 11 and 14. I am not an adventurous person and have, after nearly a year, barely been anywhere outside the area where I and my fam live. I feel a little silly about that. But, maybe I could use this as a way to both get to know the towns and villages around me as well as spend fun time with my grands. Maybe plan one trip a month to visit one of the nearby towns in say a 50 mile circumference of where I live. I'll have to give this more thought, but I kinda like the idea.
I enjoyed reading about your visit to Middlebury and I'm sure all your 251 posts will be equally enjoyable.
This is a fantastic idea. I would give absolutely anything to have memories of something like this with my grandmother.
That was fun. Can hardly wait for the next one.
Having traveled a bit in New England, many of those town names are very familiar...from other NE states.
One question: when you get to 28. Bridport, can you find the origin of the name?
Great idea , and your observations of Middlebury and particularly the art store are intriguing. Many such busineeses fortunately still exist in non urban areas of New England. Of course the fact that I am a New Englander and familiar with the state may make me more interested than others who love far away. I know some residents of Middlebury , and you are absolutely correct about the students.if I were not already a subscriber I would subscribe in order to read about your coming exploits. Sending it to my family members and friends who live in VT. Maybe you wil even get some new subscribers.
Closest thing to this idea is a running club whose goal is for each member to participate in a race in each of the 269 municipalities in CT. (FYI - 149 towns, 19 cities and one borough ) Would provide a chance to actually get to know each town as well, although the great majority of runners are there for the race and the competition/camaradie that it provides, not for an education about the town, although the race literature sometimes includes that information. Also possible because CT is a manageable size state for this type of challenge/activity , as is VT .
I'm a New Hampshire man myself from Langdon - a town of 400 behind Charlestown and Walpole and Fall Mountain across from Bellows Falls where I went to high school. I grew up in a Cape Cod on Holden Hill Road built in 1793 that my parents bought it 1948. From the back yard you can see clean across Vermont to Mt Stratton, with its distinctive saddleback profile from that perspective, and just to one side a small peak that the locals say is situated in the state of New York. I'll never be sure if that is true. My sister lives in Townsend. I, as some of you may have noticed, live in Perth Western Australia. Last night I thumped a roo in the back side with my car coming home from meditation but he hopped off apparently ok. I'll never know.
Lovely post and you used such colorful and descriptive language one can picture what you are describing clearly:
“People were out — real people — wearing shorts like a declaration of war against Jupiter and his demigods. Some were gardening. Some lounged on porches, sipping something cold. One guy stood in his yard, arms folded, gazing proudly at absolutely nothing.” Amazing. Happy Trails!
Thank you!!
This is a great idea and is going to be fun to follow!
This has given me some ideas. I could do this in each County in Michigan. I am amused because when we have had visitors from out if town, we have explored and visited places in our own backyard that we had never been to. Thanks for the inspiration! I enjoy reading your creative writing posts. 😊
“Architectural bi-modal distribution” / Rockell vs grunge ——stopped to reread a few times. The writing is wonderful. Thanks Holly!
❤️❤️❤️
Missed this because I was on my annual cross-country sojourn. Looking forward to your next adventure in this series. What a joy it is to be reminded that there are still store owners who know more about their inventory than just "aisle 3". I miss the old bookstores where someone could recommend a book you'll actually like.