Starting and Stopping

by | Jul 12, 2016 | Living in Place

The more I write full time, the more I learn about how to get started and when to stop, knowledge that makes me more efficient in a job that often is not. STARTING I’m learning to start by writing a rough draft: Rough as in scrawled in a notebook or typed without...

Holiday Weekend

by | Jul 6, 2016 | Living in Place

One of the beauties of living in Vermont is already being at a holiday destination when a long weekend arrives. I don’t have to get in the car to drive several hours – unless I want to.Sometimes, I want to.Most often, “getting away” means going somewhere else in...

In Love In Vermont

by | Jun 30, 2016 | Living in Place

I fell in love with Vermont and I fell in love in Vermont, and it’s my great pleasure to share these loves with the friends and relatives who visit. This week, it was my two grandnieces and their entourage: mother, brother, aunt, uncle, and grandmother.I’m a great...

Breathing and Writing

by | Jun 28, 2016 | Living in Place

I once heard Malachy McCourt begin a commencement address memorable for its brazen wisdom. “If you’ve got one foot in the future and one foot in the past,” he said, “it means you’re pissing on the present.” I was reminded of this vivid image as I was lamenting the...

Summer Calendar in the West River Valley

by | Jun 22, 2016 | Living in Place

The summer calendar begins with Memorial Day even though the season starts on the solstice. Here in the West River Valley of southern Vermont, my summer calendar is filled  with local events, fairs and festivals celebrated each year in our community.Around here,...