Vermont, with its picturesque landscapes and charming small towns, is a traveler’s paradise. While popular destinations like Burlington and Stowe are well-known, there’s a wealth of hidden gems waiting to be discovered. In this blog post, we’ll embark on a journey through the less-traveled corners of Vermont, unveiling the state’s best-kept secrets.
1. Grafton: A Quaint Village Lost in Time.
Nestled in the hills of southern Vermont, Grafton is a storybook village that seems frozen in time. Cobblestone streets, historic buildings, and the iconic Grafton Inn create an atmosphere of old-world charm. Explore the Grafton Village Cheese Company and savor artisanal cheeses, or take a stroll by the Grafton Ponds Outdoor Center for a dose of nature.
2. Lake Willoughby: Vermont’s Sapphire.
Tucked away in the Northeast Kingdom, Lake Willoughby is often referred to as the “Lucerne of America” due to its stunning Alpine scenery. Surrounded by towering cliffs, this glacial lake offers crystal-clear waters and a peaceful escape. Hike the Mount Pisgah Trail for panoramic views or enjoy kayaking in the shadow of the surrounding mountains.
3. The Bread and Puppet Theater: A Unique Artistic Experience.
Located in Glover, the Bread and Puppet Theater is an avant-garde gem in the Vermont countryside. Famous for its puppetry performances and politically charged art exhibits, this offbeat destination provides an immersive and thought-provoking experience. Check their schedule for performances and workshops that blend art with social commentary.
4. Hildene: The Lincoln Family Home.
Venture to Manchester and discover Hildene, the former summer home of Robert Todd Lincoln, the son of President Abraham Lincoln. The estate features a beautifully preserved mansion, stunning gardens, and scenic walking trails. Explore the history of the Lincoln family in this peaceful retreat, offering a unique perspective on a significant chapter of American history.
5. Moss Glen Falls: Nature’s Hidden Waterfall.
Escape to the Moss Glen Falls in Granville, where a short hike unveils a breathtaking waterfall nestled in a lush forest. The serene ambiance and the sound of cascading water create a perfect setting for nature enthusiasts and photographers alike. Capture the beauty of this hidden gem as you enjoy the tranquility of Vermont’s wilderness.
Conclusion:
Vermont’s hidden places offer a chance to escape the crowds and discover the authentic charm of the Green Mountain State. Whether you’re drawn to historic villages, natural wonders, or unique cultural experiences, these off-the-beaten-path destinations in Vermont promise a memorable and enriching travel experience. Embrace the allure of the unknown and uncover the secrets that make Vermont a truly special destination for those seeking adventure and serenity.
Category Archives: Family time
Empowering our youth
Go check out my new YouTube channel “ItsAllGoodDan” lots of great videos.
A gift after a great days work.
I dont usualy share much about my job , even though i have enough real life stories that i could write a book.
None the less this one brings back good feelings. This picture is from 2013. The town i lived in and worked in had a rash of car break ins and thefts. Vehicles where broke into all over town during day light hours. No one could figure out how the thieves where getting across town so fast, as no vehicles were seen leaving the scenes of the crimes. One of the vehicles that was hit was in our parking lot at the hospital i was working security for. It happened on my shift. A truck window was smashed and items taken out of it. Unfortunately we cannot be outside 24/7 as most duties are inside. Naturaly the parking lot camers were not working either for reasons ab
ove my pay grade. During my next shift i set up in a nice spot that i could see most of the parking lots, in less then five minutes i noticed two males ride in on a cornor of the parking lot that not many people would enter from. They were on bikes. One of them stopped at the cornor of a construction fence like he was going to be the look out. While the second male started looking into vehicles while walking his bike between the cars. As im sure you would agree, this was extremly suspicious, after a few more times if looking into vehicles i see the male open a car door and take somthing out. I knew this vehicle belonged to a staff member and they did not report anyone would be at their car during this time of the day. I immediately contacted our switchboard at the hospital and had them contact the police department. and got them on their way. As she was conacting the police dispatcher, I walked outside on the oposite side of the parking lot from where the perps were. I pretended to do a patrol of the exterior of the other buildings on campus. Pretending that i did not notice they were up to bad things. As to not spook them. I aslo wanted to be outside to protect any patrons of the hospitaal that may end up outside when the police first arrived. Criminals are very unpredictable and I did not want any innocent people getting involved. This also gave me the opertunity to keep an eye on the perps location so I could communicate that to the responding officers and were to enter from the best contain the situation. At first 2 officers arrived. From two different sides of the property. As soon as the look out saw them he yelled and both perps took off. One of which rode about a foot from me. I did not try to stop him as he had something in his hand that appeared to be a weapon. If i was to get injured i could not fufill my duties to protect the clients assets as well as the fact that the police were getting closer and they are much better equiped to nutrilize the threat. then i was with a radio in my hand(we hd no protection devices at this location) . Due to the perps being on bikes they were able to out maneuver the police cars and got across the property and into the neighborhood surounding the hospital. The police initiated a persuit and out of no where three more police cars arrived and assisted. The persuit ended up terminating about 5 blocks away. Then became a foot chase as the perps ducked into a wooded area. Within a short few moments one perp was apprehended This was the one i saw oppening the vehicle. The second one had dropped his bike. Which happened to be registered with. the police department. This led the police to a residence. They found the second perp who then attempted to flee the house right into a pair of cuffs waiting at the back door for him. In the end they caught both perps, on top of that, they uncovered a large theft ring that included multiple people with outstanding warrents in this state as well as three other states for similar activities. Im not sure what belongings had been recovered.
This story shows just how important it is for security and its clients to have a very good relationship with law enforcement. If the dispatcher had questioned the validity of the call and hesitated at all then the responce time would have been delayed and the town would be continuing to deal with the break ins. You may ask what this story has to do with the picture. The picture is of a “cape” that the hospital staff had made up for me as a funny but very genuine gift. This showed their appreciation for what i did. They all had many nice things to say as well. In the security industry you are usually seen but not heard. A lot of times you are feared, so it was nice to get the recignition from the staff. When i look back at this thoughtful gift it helped m validate why i stay in this field. I will cherish f this gift forever. Maybe i will write more about my work expeciences/stories. We shall see
Can we help.
I read an article from one of our local news station, on their facebook page. The article was about a very young girl that took it upon herself to do something over and beyond anything any child should do or even think about. This amazing young adult decided to make it her goal to help kids in her school with something that most people do not think about. You see, this girl wanted to fight the hunger issue in her school. She wanted every one of her peers to have a holiday dinner. There are many other details to the story. But no need to go into them for this blog.
After reading the article it made me think. I have spent many days in our childrens school and have met many amazing kids. All of wich are inoccent children. And never once did i wonder if they went hungry after they left school. But now i do wonder just that. Its very sad to think that any child would have to feel a pain like that. to wonder when they would eat next. It tugs at the heart strings. We always hear about kids in other countrys that are starving. Dont get me wrong that is just as heart breaking but this is kids we see every day.
As a kid we never had alot. But we always had food. I know what its like to go through strugle. This shows a struggle i could never imagine. Some might blame the parents for being dirtbags, this could very well be the case some times. Pne must realize there are many other possobilitys as well. And no matter what, it is not the childs fault. They are innocent children.
I could go on and on, but after reading this and doing a lot of thinking I starting thinking of ways that myself and my family could help. There are many food programs out there but they are usualy for a large community. And distributed among alot of different people. I wanted to do something that is more centralized. Something to help the kids close to my children. Their friends, and our close naighbors.
I think getting children involved in giving to less fortunate is super important. My wife and I make sure our kids help as much as they can and give when they can. I believe that involving the entire school in helping the kids right by their sides, is going to have a huge impact, the connection of helping someone close to them. Someone they know.
At this point I do not have a starting point or details planned out. But I am hopeing to maybe get some advice form you folks. I want to set up a full holiday meal. For each and every child in the school that would other wise not get one. And their familys. I will need to speak with administration at the school to see how to set something like this up. And how many children they know are going to bennifit from this. Being so close to thanksgiving. I am shooting for christmas at this point. I want these kids to eat a big meal with all the fixings. Feel free to chime in with any feed back. And share this. Help me take the pain out of these kids for 1 day.
Battle Complete? I think so
Great news our recent battle with our youngest going to school has become obsolete. If you read the previous blog you can see that we have had a battle of stubbornness to fight and also a great list of ideas to try. We got the list from the school councilor who came up with great things to try. I can not pin point which idea worked. It feels like it was a combination of all ideas. All I can say is we are stoked. We finally have our school loving peanut back. She is again excited to get up and get to school.
Now you might be thinking to themselves, “this fix happened fast” and I agree. We did not expect such a fast fix. But it did and we are very happy with it. Only took about a week of keeping on her and trying our ideas. This will be something we must keep going with and communicating with the school about.
The process we are trying right now consists of a few different parts. First is the sticker process. When Brielle walks into school with no issues and no crying. She receives 1 sticker. If she is still doing good at lunch she gets a 2nd sticker. At the end of the day if she has had a good final part of the afternoon then she gets a 3rd. They give her a special job during the day, and for completing that task she receives her 4th and final sticker. Of course the first thing she does after school is pull out her sticker card to show us how many she has gotten. She is so proud of her hard work. 4 every day since we started. Amazing in my eyes.
The second thing we have been doing is writing notes for lunch time. I have read articles about parents doing this. But we had not thought to do it ourselves until now. We both write a little note to put in her lunch bag each day. These are for her to have read to her at lunch. These notes let her know that we are OK and thinking of her while she is at school. We both usually draw a silly picture that makes her laugh as well. Gives her a boost half way through the day.
The third idea we are trying is not as important as the others but will most likely be fazed out shortly. But non the less it has contributed to the final outcome. We actually do this for both kids. After the kids have a good week we give them a small surprise at the end of the week. To reward them for doing amazing.
The free day idea is the fourth thing we are trying. Basically they get to pick 1 day a month that they get to use as a “free day”. She circled the day she wants to have as a free day. after every day of school she crosses off that days number. If she has them all crossed off up to the “free day” then she gets to use that free day to stay home. her other options is she can go to school on her free day and get to pick something special instead. So she gets rewarded for choosing to go to school on the free day instead of staying home. She does look forward to crossing off her calendar, she has said just about each day that she is going go to school on her free day. This is great to hear.
The final thing that we do for her is lunch time visits. As long as she goes to school with no issues then i go in to have lunch with Brielle and her class. At least on days that i am in town. My wife has also gone in to have lunch on days that i was not around. I feel that this has contributed the most in this process. She really looks forward to us coming in and bringing lunch in for her. All of her classmates love it too. They all circle around her and we all talk about their day and visit. I find it very fun and helps them socially.
At this point we will just keep with these ideas and hope for the best. We are extremely happy that our smart chocolate chip cookie loves school again. Education is so important for children and to have both kids excited to learn makes us grateful. A very important thing to keep in mind if you have multiple kids is to make sure you are including both, in our case our oldest is to old to want some of these things or does them differently but we still keep him included, i feel it will help them bond as siblings as well. we may have to adapt things for the age difference but leaving one behind is not okay, if you do that your going to end up with another disaster. in our case getting our oldest to become involved in his sisters education and daily routine is a huge success. hope this helps some one out there.
until next time.
Why does she not like it.
This needs to come to an end
Over the past couple of weeks our youngest child has decided she hates school, i know as kids get older some say they dont like school. But she is 5 and in kindergarten. Not middle school. They play, color, build friendships, and have fun all day. How could a child not want to go?
My wife and I have tried to talk with Brielle and figure out what is so terrable about going to school. And she never has a reason. Except “i just dont want to go”(screaming at the top of her lings) she has a sever fit about going.
This is a child that loved preK and could not wait to go at the begining of this year. I have personaly gone on 3 field trips with her and her class this year. This has given me a chance to get to know her classmates and teacher. I have a very strong skill of reading people and i can not find anything that would point to it being an issue with bullying or teacher neglect. She is getting plenty of sleep. She is eating fine. When she stays home we make it boring and she gets no screen time. No junk, no playing with toys.
I am very worried that this is going to become an every day battle. i dont want her to think school has to be a fight. Or a negative experience. We want learning to be enjoyable for her and being around friends is fun. I am hopeing that someone might have some pointers or ideas on how to get our school loving child back in the groove. I am sure someone out there has gone thru this befor and can give some pointers. Anything would be helpful.
Thank you for reading.
Making a weird time of Year Exciting
This past weekend I came up with a very clever idea. I invited over my sister and her clan(6 kids), my brother, his wife and their new child (a mini puppy) . and of cource my wife, kids, myself and my mother were all there. We had everyone over for A fun filled day of Decorating pumpkins , smiles, and treats.
I started by getting 10 medium pumpkins. a whole lot of news paper. a couple packages of paint and brushes. and some carving utensils, for the other kids that felt like carving.
for goodies. we started the day with Doughnuts apple cider and apple juice. and of course bags of candy for each kid. and extra for the adults so we could keep up with them!!.
The kids had a blast decorating together. they dont get to spend a lot of time together so they really enjoy the time when they get it. As you will see in the photos they had fun. once they were done, or i should say thought they were done they played together in the yard. and of course just as i started to clean up the paint mess they decided to come back to paint some more!! They got to meet and play with the new puppy and just have fun. as us adults talked about whatever we talk about. basicly my sister talking and the rest of us pretending to listen, but not really listen!!
Around lunch time my wife decided the party needed some pizza so we ordered some up and i went to get it. it was a hit to say the least. after lunch the groupe started to disapate as some had to go to work and what not.
Its interesting that I came up with the idea for this gathering. because I really dont like this time of year. I find it weird that people celbrate darkness and death and holoween is just gloomy to me. I dont like gloomy. but i would say what we did. changed that for me. because now i see it as colorful and lots of smiles and laughter. Big Win in my book. I forsee a tredition happening.
Family Mans Blog 