The last time I shared about how the coronavirus has been affecting life here in my Vermont town, it was March of 2020, when COVID-19 had only just started to up-end the world as we all knew it. Since then, there’s been a lot of challenges and a lot of changes, though many changes are pointing in a positive direction. This is what’s been going on over the past year or so of the pandemic, from my experience here in the Green Mountain State.
Professional Life
Some highlights of in-person teaching during the pandemic: outdoor lunches and constant hand sanitizing!
My professional life as an educator has definitely been the aspect of my life that has been most dramatically altered by the pandemic, and it has been altered and re-altered multiple times throughout, as guidelines have changed and cases have popped up in school.
For the end of the 19-20 school year, from March to June, I, along with countless other teachers across the country and the world, was tasked with learning to teach remotely in an unthinkably short amount of time, especially considering I’ve never done anything close to this as a teacher of early elementary grades. I did my best, though, and came out at the end of the year knowing Google Classroom and Zoom fairly well after working out how they worked best with young students over the final few months of school. Of course, having everything remote had its disadvantages, including the fact that there were several kids in my class who simply didn’t participate, whether due to not having enough support at home with parents as essential workers or just not being developmentally ready to learn in this very different manner. There were benefits, too, though, including a chance for the kids to learn all of this new technology along with me (it definitely helped prepare them for the next wild ride of a school year) as well as really basic but amazing privileges like being able to use the bathroom whenever I needed it (such a rare luxury in the teaching profession).
That was certainly an experience, but approaching its end, I can confidently 20-21 school year has required more adaptation on the parts of educators, students, and parents than any I’ve witnessed as a teacher or even during my own years as a student. It would take several posts to fully detail all of the changes that took place, but in a nutshell, in my district/school, we started with remote learning (this now involved me learning a whole other digital learning platform, as Google Classroom was not the one chosen for the younger grades), shifted to a model where most kids were remote with a few exceptions, went to an A/B hybrid model, and finally ended up on a 4 day in-person/1 day remote model with some kids doing the full remote option. While all of that was going on, we’d also have full remote weeks here and there after vacation weeks like December break, as well as at least one due to positive cases. My brain has been admittedly overloaded with all of this, especially having to plan in-person and remote activities for the majority of the year. Helping kids learn to manage all of the virus-related expectations, such as wearing masks correctly and social distancing, has been another new aspect to the job. Despite the challenges, I have been extremely impressed by how understanding and flexible the parents of the kids in my class have been, and the by the level of resiliency shown by the kids themselves. That being said, I am very much hoping that next school year will be more consistent and less taxing for students and staff alike.
Personal Life
This is a bit related to my professional life, as I was able to get it slightly earlier (though not as early as I wanted!) as an educator, but a big thing that happened for me (and hopefully many of you) recently is that I received my covid vaccine toward the end of March 2021. I got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, along with many others at a vaccine clinic specifically for educators.
Though it was very uplifting to see so many school staff members out and I don’t regret getting it, I did have fairly severe side effects that resulted in several doctor’s visits and missing an entire week of work.
Thank goodness for nature.
Vaccine aside, things in my personal life have not been too eventful at all. I started getting more comfortable with things outside of the home in the summer of 2020, enjoying some outdoor dining and getting a haircut for the first time post-pandemic. When in-person school started, I was more cautious in my personal life out of concern for my students and their families. However, after the vaccine I am feeling a lot more open to different experiences; my husband and I have gone back to the occasional outdoor dining and I’ve even been back to the dentist by now! Of course, the pandemic has done nothing to stop me from spending a lot of time in the great outdoors running, hiking, and, naturally, walking my sweet dog. Fiddle has not been bothered one bit by pandemic life over the past year or so.
Fiddle’s point of view: quarantine = more time to snuggle!
It has been a long time since my husband and I have seen our friends and family in-person, especially considering we live far away from them in any case (Zoom has been helpful with this!). We have several potential visits planned and/or in planning stages for this summer, though, which will involve seeing many people we haven’t seen in a year or longer. This is very exciting!
State and Neighborhood Life
Throughout the pandemic, I’ve been keeping up with the Vermont Dashboard on a daily basis, and the experience has been incredibly informative and occasionally anxiety-producing. However, it’s been great to look at over the past few weeks and see numbers of new cases as low as 10 and 11, after months and months of new case numbers in the hundreds (this might seem minimal but keep in mind that Vermont is the second-last-populated state in the U.S.).
Things seem to be going well in town, too. Though my husband will forever lament the loss of our nearby Burger King, lots of local businesses have either continued to thrive throughout the pandemic or are coming back up as things loosen up. There are even places that have opened during these wild times, such as Farm Road Brewing right in the downtown area, a place I’m certainly interested in checking out in the future.
This past year has been an intense time, but my hope is that it’s helped many of us grow stronger, as individuals and as communities. Here’s hoping that things will only improve more from here.
Billings Farm & Museum is a popular attraction in Woodstock, Vermont. I had the privilege of visiting this lovely establishment in the late May of 2018 and found it to be a really sweet and memorable experience, certainly worth reminiscing about during this seemingly endless winter of the pandemic.
Adult admission to Billings Farm & Museum is $16.00 per person, with discounts available for seniors, students, and children. It’s open on a very seasonal basis, with weekends open in the late fall and winter, closing in March, and then opening daily from April through October. Considering the the farm aspect of this attraction, the activities available change significantly throughout the seasons.
Border collies and their handlers.
A brand new baby calf.
Sheep shearing business.
My husband and I visited in the heart of the spring season and I would absolutely recommend that others enjoy their visit at this delightfully green time of year. We had the opportunity to see a fascinating demonstration of some adorable border collies herding sheep, which really helped me to understand why this dog breed always tends to be on the top of the “smartest dog breed” lists you might see online. We witnessed a demonstration of sheep shearing, which I appreciated as someone who wears a lot of sweaters. And the best part of all about visiting in the spring was that super cute baby animals were everywhere – in particular, we saw lots of sweet little lambs and a calf that had just been born a day or two previously. While the spring was a great time, Billings Farm & Museum offers plenty of other special activities and events throughout the year, such as holiday celebrations for Halloween, Christmas, and Thanksgiving as well as a Maple Celebration week in February, an Antique Tractor Day in August, and more.
As you can probably tell from the very apt name, Billings Farm & Museum is not only a farm; it’s a museum as well. In fact, I would say it involves two museums, as there is a more contained 1890s farmhouse exhibit as well as a larger and more general “farm life” exhibit. The farmhouse is a really neat recreation that brings you back in time well through the use of intricate details, such as the cans in the pantry or the photos displayed in each room. The farm life exhibit has a more educational vibe – it displays and describes various aspects of life on a Vermont farm from about a hundred years go, from what the schoolhouse was like to ice harvesting. Both areas are immersive and informative.
Ice harvesting.
Some cooking in the 1890 farmhouse.
Old school education.
Though the museums were fun, my favorite part of our visit was definitely getting to see all the animals, particularly the border collies. That demonstration was special to me, knowing I was interested in getting a herding type dog of my own in the future (which eventually urned out to be my sweet corgi, Fiddle). Aside from the dogs (who I believe are special springtime visitors), the Billings Farm is also home to jersey cows, goats, sheep, horses, pigs, oxen, chicken, and goats. Another highlight for me personally, was the dairy bar right outside the farm house, where visitors can purchase and enjoy some Vermont-made ice cream as well as some Billings-made cheeses (I tried the former and hope to return to try the latter). Dairy bars are always highlights for me, to be fair.
It’s all about that dairy.
Sweet young lambs.
Where all that great dairy begins…
Throughout our trip, I noticed lots of families children having a wonderful time and thought that this would be a great place to bring one of my future classes on a trip, as it would involve hands-on experience with animals, a lot of time outdoors, and plenty of learning about science and history. Lucky for educators everywhere, Billings Farm & Museum offers school field trip experiences, as well as many other programs for kids in school or camp. Currently, they offer virtual field trips due to safety concerns during the pandemic.
Billings Farm & Museum has been open during the pandemic (though they will be closed throughout this coming March as usual), with the intention of keeping things as safe as possible through requiring social distancing, mask-wearing, and frequent hand-washing and sanitizing (they have provided sanitizing stations throughout the grounds).
This is a special place that really embodies a lot of what Vermont is all about, as well as what it has been all about throughout history.
Freshly Vermont rating: five out of five stars. ★★★★★
Back in those beautiful, carefree pre-pandemic days, I had a big goal set for myself for the summer of 2020: I was going to run my first marathon right here in Vermont, the Mad Marathon. (I’ve previously run several 5Ks and 10Ks as well as two half-marathons, so do not worry for my sanity; this plan did not just materialize out of nowhere!) Of course, the pandemic did, in fact, begin, and I didn’t have any desire to do a virtual marathon, which was what was offered as a substitute. However, as part of my potential marathon planning, I had booked two nights at Grunberg Haus Inn for a place to stay before and after the race that never, in actuality, happened. As luck would have it, this charming little lodge reopened a month before the July dates we had booked, so my husband, our corgi Fiddle (always ready for any adventure!), and myself figured we’d try going despite the lack-of-marathon, and have a relatively social distant weekend away.
It ended up being quite an excellent time, with not too much of a difference in restriction than any trip or vacation we’ve been on with our dog in tow. Here are the highlights of our adventures in Waterbury and Stowe:
Little River State Park
It was a rainy Saturday morning when we arrived at Little River State Park, which is located in Waterbury, Vermont. There is a $4.00 (per person) fee for visiting this park, as there are often fees with state parks.
I had been checking the weather way too frequently before our arrival, so I was well prepared with quick-drying clothing, a rain poncho, and a brand new hat that would pull the double duty of providing shelter from the rain as well as shade during the sunny times. Our corgi, Fiddle, who is now one-and-a-half years old, was undeterred by any inclement weather we encountered for this whole weekend and happily got himself wet regardless of whether water was falling from the sky or not.
Enjoying my new rain/sun hat.
Fiddle is always happy to get wet.
The rush of Stevenson Brook.
We had been planning to hike a trail called the Stevenson Brook trail, but on our pursuit of this trail, we also happened across trails such as the Nature Trail, the Dalley Loop, and the History Hike. They all appeared to be connected and it was not clear to me where one trail ended and the other began. That being said, they all were easy, mostly flat trails, which was appreciated when the ground was slippery from the rain. The History Hike aspect involved many signs explaining about what farms had been standing in this park in the past, and who lived and worked on these farms. The Stevenson Brook featured throughout all of the trails, and its rushing sounds were pleasing to the ear on a misty morning. It wasn’t too long on the trail(s) before the rain cleared up and the sun started to shine. Overall, it was a pleasant time and a decent workout, with some education related to local history infused throughout.
Grunberg Haus Inn (& Cabins)
After a morning in the woods, it was time to check in to our lodging for the next two nights, which was the Grunberg Haus Inn (the full business is called the Grunberg Haus Inn & Cabins, but we stayed at the inn, so there you go). On the website, this inn is listed as part of Waterbury, but according to our car’s GPS the location of the inn was Duxbury. (Further research has shown me that Duxbury and Waterbury have the same zipcode. I am still not clear if Duxbury is part of Waterbury or if they are separate towns – please feel more than free to leave a comment if you have that answer!) Upon our arrival, my husband and I were both impressed by the lively personality of the outdoor decor, as well as the welcome we received from the two dogs who live there.
The inn is owned by a married couple and their two dogs, a cute little dachshund named June and a magnificent Alaskan malamute named Neko, are considered mascots of the property – I even drank my morning coffee from a cup with Neko’s image on it. One of the two owners, Duane, was the person on call during our stay – it was likely only necessary for one person to be around to take care of the guests as there were not many guests. He had a super relaxed and friendly vibe, and he was happy to help in any way we needed, such as letting us borrow an extra water bottle for a hike when Fiddle’s water bottle broke.
Aside from ourselves, there was a family with kids staying in the inn the first night that we stayed, and a pair of young ladies staying in the cabins the second night. The small amount of guests allowed for very easy social distancing, though I am hopeful that, as time goes on, the Grunberg Haus Inn & Cabins will eventually return to their pre-pandemic guest numbers.
A breakfast parfait, featuring the most delicious yogurt of all time.
A comfortable place to sleep.
A sweet spot on the deck.
Our room, just like the exterior, was full of charm and kitsch, and even though there was no AC, the way the fans were arranged allowed for us to stay comfortably cool whether it was day or night. A second fan was provided for Fiddle, which was appreciated, as, like most dogs, he gets hot easily. Right from our room, we could walk out on to a deck which had lovely views of the nearby woods. My husband and I spent both evenings on this deck, spending hours just talking, eating, drinking, and playing games while Fiddle relaxed nearby.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some restrictions applied. Since we are Vermont residents, we did not need to sign up for a text alert system, but travelers from certain out-of-state areas would have needed to do so. Hot breakfast was also not available, but Duane provided us with many other breakfast options, such as granola bars, fruit, English muffins, and so on. He also personally made us each parfaits each of the two mornings we ate at the inn; these were incredible, as they were made with Cabot Triple Cream Vanilla Bean Greek Yogurt – quite the contrast to the plain nonfat store brand Greek yogurt I regularly have for breakfast during the week.
Two great friends. (Please note that the water on the floor is from my husband spilling a water bottle; these are good dogs who know where to go!)
I must add that our time with Neko, the lovely fluffy lady pictured above with Fiddle, was especially memorable. The Grunberg Haus website specifically states that you should be comfortable with the presence of their dogs so you can take this into account before you book. However, in our case, her presence seemed to be much more ubitquitous than normal, as she really liked Fiddle (and, really, who could blame her?). During our first afternoon/evening at the inn, she was with us the whole time, sniffing things in our room and playing with Fiddle. This was undeniably cute. Later, when night came, she was knocking her head on our room’s door at 4:00 AM, whining to get in with us. About an hour later, she broke the hinge of the door, burst into the room, and jumped on our bed, which was quite the morning surprise. (Fiddle was sleeping in his own separate area on his dog bed, and seemed most confused.) When we shared the story with Duane, he was surprised (as we all were), but he also helped us out by ensuring that Neko was locked out to sleep in her own house, rather than the inn, the next night. She was clearly acting out of love, but it was quite nice to get a full night’s sleep the second time around. Aside from that one moment, our stay at Grunberg Haus was super relaxing in a way that I really needed, after dealing with many personal challenges this summer, including a serious tick-related illness in June.
Prohibition Pig
In terms of Waterbury restaurants that were open for outdoor dining: The Pro Pig was the spot. During the summer last year, we went on a camping trip in Maine with Fiddle, and only ate at establishments with dog-friendly, outdoor seating. So, sticking with the outdoor dining was nothing new for us, though there are now some minor differences in how we do it now, such as the fact that we wear masks when we are not eating, or when one of us walks inside to use the indoor restroom.
One of my favorite beers of all time: “Raspberry Swine Cooler”.
A “pollo asado” plate.
Chips with your choice of guac, queso, and salsa.
The Prohibition Pig has a restaurant section and a brewery section; the outdoor area is part of the brewery section. This is no longer on the menu at the moment (to my great dismay), but when we were here for dinner not too long ago, a sour raspberry ale called “Raspberry Swine Cooler” was available. It was the perfect fruity taste for the evening, and I loved it enough to purchase another can of it to take back to the inn and drink later, while bonding and relaxing on the deck.
The brewery food was a mixed Mexican/American style. My husband and I ordered the chips that came with three options of sauces, all of which were delicious. My husband enjoyed a Cuban sandwich for his dinner, while I opted for the flavorful “pollo asado plato”, which included chicken, black beans, rice, and tortillas. I really liked the portion sizes here: I left feeling pleasantly full, not the type of full where you can barely move, which I feel like most restaurant portions encourage.
In terms of pandemic-related restrictions, all servers wore masks, and disposable menus forks, and plates were used. Tables were arranged outside to encourage distance, though the place seemed to be as packed as it could get while staying within the set restrictions. It was a nice experience, taste-wise, and felt relatively safe, as these things go.
Moss Glen Falls
The titular falls of Moss Glen.
On Sunday, we decided to spend most of our day in Stowe, Vermont. Our first stop in this area was the popular Moss Glen Falls trail.
At the beginning of the trail, the air was heavy with mist and there was a feel to it that reminded me of a rainforest. At first, there was clear signage and a path through various tall plants that added to the jungle-esque atmosphere. The falls itself came into view quite early (before the first mile was up), and it was indeed a majestic sight, with a powerful roar to it to match its gushing force. Yet, after climbing up a steep section near the falls, covered with roots, it was not clear where exactly to go next to remain on this particular trail. A sign below this steep section had specifically stated “stay on marked trails” but I personally saw no markings once we began to climb the root-covered hill near the falls. Eventually, my husband, Fiddle, and myself found ourselves on a wide, flat trail that we believed was the next part of the trail, but, again, there were no markings that we could see. It was still a pleasant walk, with the shade greatly appreciated on a hot morning. We walked along this woodland trail for a good while, with Fiddle stopping to roll in the mud from the previous day’s rain every now and again. The birds were lively and we had an encounter with a little toad, which is always fun. Heading back ended up being a slight challenge, as the only way to avoid walking down the steep hill full of roots involved following a lone arrow and needing to circumvent someone’s personal property. This trail was beautiful and the way the most difficult part is followed by a longer, easier part can be helpful to less experienced hikers. That being said, some clearer signs and markings would be even more helpful.
Idletyme Brewing Company
After getting a few good miles under our belts on the Moss Glen Falls trail, we headed to Idletyme Brewing Company, a Stowe brewery/restaurant for a post-hike lunch. Much like the Prohibition Pig, it was as packed as it could be considering pandemic-related conditions. We sat at an outdoor table where we had a nice view of the rustic, outdoor bar as the bartenders mixed drinks. Like the bar staff, the multiple servers who helped us here all wore masks, and wore them correctly. Here, unlike the Prohibition Pig, silverware and plates were not disposable, though the menus still were.
The food we ordered ended up being a heavy amount, but it was all completely delectable. Personally, I tried their signature Idletyme IPA, which was, as their menu described, a crisp drink with a bitterness to it. I enjoyed it, but I was still obsessing over my love from the previous day’s raspberry ale, so nothing would compare. My husband and I shared the “spicy dry rub” wings for an appetizer, which was just the protein hit we needed for our break in between hikes. For my entree, I ordered the “creamy mac-and-cheese” which I had the opportunity to make extra “creamy” by adding truffle oil to it. It was unbelievably delicious, though once that savory goodness was finished, my stomach was bursting.
Creamy mac and cheese with truffle oil…yes, please.
Perfectly cooked wings.
The “Idletyme IPA”.
That being said, I would absolutely eat (and drink) it all again if given the choice – it was a great meal.
The Wiessner Woods
Thankfully I had some time to digest my epic lunch on the car ride over to the Wiessner Woods, of which 79 acres of are owned by the Stowe Land Trust, following a donation from the Wiessner family in 1992.
All of the trails in the Wiessner Woods were easy; there was absolutely no rock-hopping and there were no steep ascents or descents. There was, however, beautiful scenery everywhere we looked on this well-maintained trail system.
Welcome to the Wiessner Woods.
Maps were available for one to take at the start of the trail, and they detailed several landmarks: a meadow overlook, a vernal pool, a spruce-pine-hardwood forest, and a “gnome home”, where a gnome statue is hidden in a tree. We saw the pretty meadow overlook and experienced the lovely smells of the evergreen forest, but the vernal pool had understandably dried up due to the fact that we were traversing these woods in July. As for the gnome home, I was extremely bummed out that we somehow missed the gnome (or perhaps someone had taken him?). My husband made an effort to make me feel better about the grievous omission from our trek by sticking the trail map in a tree, pointing to a picture of the gnome on the map, and insisting that “we found the gnome”!
Adventures await…
A perfect sunny moment.
Forest beauty.
One especially cool feature of the Wiessner Woods is the fact that, as one walks along the well-marked trails, opportunities to take side trips to private trails present themselves. The privately owned trails are open for anyone to visit, though the signs do say “assume your own risk”. It seems that one always assumes their own risk when hiking, but perhaps this warning relates to the fact that these’s no map for these trails, as there are with the publicly owned portions of these forested lands.
We followed one of these private trails to a gorgeous meadow, with amazing views of the green mountains, as you can see in the gallery above – the risk was worth it, for sure.
Overall, these woods were a delight to visit, with stunning beauty throughout and everything, even on the private trail, clearly organized with care obviously taken with regard to maintaining its beauty, as well its visitor-friendly qualities.
So many stars!
The Wiessner Woods was our last big weekend adventure, before heading back to Grunberg Haus. The weekend itself was a great Vermont experience, discovering a lot more within towns we’d manage to visit but briefly in the past.
Freshly Vermont ratings:
Little River State Park: four out of five stars. ★★★★☆
Grunberg Haus Inn & Cabins: five out of five stars. ★★★★★
Prohibition Pig: five out of five stars. ★★★★★
Moss Glen Falls: four out of five stars. ★★★★☆
Idletyme Brewing Company: five out of five stars. ★★★★★
A sunny path near the Old First Church and its cemetery in Old Bennington.
Old Bennington is technically part of the town of Bennington in southwestern Vermont. However, this neighborhood definitely feels like its own separate world, in a positive way. Walking down the street amidst stately homes and other buildings first erected in the 1800s and reading about the history of the location is almost like taking a step back in time. There’s a lot to appreciate here.
The Bennington Museum (and Trails)
Coming from downtown Bennington, the Bennington Museum would be one of the first attractions you’d see as a welcome to the world of old Bennington. Though it is temporarily closed at the moment I am writing this (due to the COVID-19 pandemic), normally it would be open from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM, six or seven days per week depending on the season, with a $12.00 admission fee for adults, a discounted rate of $10.00 for students and seniors, and a delightful rate of “free” for all children age 17 and under. Inside the museum, the exhibits change as with most museums, but there are some mainstay featured galleries.
The museum is probably best known for its sizable collection of paintings by Grandma Moses, which is the first exhibit a visitor would encounter when entering the building. This is the only gallery in the whole museum where (non-flash) photography is not permitted so I cannot share any visuals here, but when I visited, I remember being really impressed by the details of community she created in her paintings, as well as appreciating being able to watch an interview with her conducted by Edward R. Murrow as part of the display.
Aside from the many paintings by Grandma Moses, there is plenty of other art to appreciate in the museum, including pottery, church relics, flags and textiles, and more modern art. As you can see below, I found the dolls and the classic car to be quite noteworthy.
A memorable room in the Bennington museum…
Car appreciation.
The woods behind the museum.
Next to the museum is a relatively small but lovely series of walking trails that is free for all to experience. On the George Aiken Wildflower Trail, various wildflowers are labeled with information and it is a sight to behold in the late spring and early summer. There is a children’s sculpture garden where kids (and adults) can create sculptures with rocks, pinecones, and other natural objects. You can also walk up to a meadow (featuring a unique crow sculpture) or down to a sweetly bubbling brook. Dogs are permitted with the usual expectations (keeping the pup on a leash, cleaning up any messes that may come up). The museum is worth a visit and following the experience with some fresh air on the trail only makes the experience better.
Old First Church and Cemetery
Right next to the Bennington museum is the Old First Church, which in its present form was built all the way back in 1805 (though an earlier meeting house for the congregation was built in 1763). In general, the church offers Sunday worship services, though again, things are a bit different now because of the coronavirus pandemic that has upended so much in our world lately. Even from the outdoors, the building is impressive and you can feel the history emanating from its steeple.
Right beside the church, one can enter can enter the Old Bennington Cemetery, which is also known as the Old First Church Cemetery. The majority of the graves here are the resting places of men and women who died hundreds of years ago, and their contributions to our country’s (and our state’s) history are described on various educational and informative plaques and other signage throughout the area. The most famous resident of this cemetery is none other than the poet Robert Frost, and there are several signs indicating the way to observe the grave of Frost and his deceased family members. Despite the negative connotations that a cemetery may instill, this is a lovely and peaceful place, where a person can learn a lot about various individuals from the past.
A section of the Old Bennington/Old First Church Cemetery.
The Bennington Battle Monument
The Battle Monument in Bennington is arguably the most famous attraction in the whole town of Bennington, and its is certainly a notable landmark in the area of Old Bennington. At a little over 306 feet tall, this is the tallest man-made structure in the entire state of Vermont (and this fact really reinforces how different my new home is compared to my old neighborhood in New York City). The Monument was built in commemoration of the Battle of Bennington, which was a Revolutionary War battle that took place on August 16th, 1777. This August 16th date is known was “Battle Day” around these parts and various celebrations take place each year to honor this battle and the history of the town and state. (Personally, I’ve run in a “Battle Day” 5K and I’ve taken advantage of the free Monument elevator rides on this particular date.)
The Bennington Battle Monument, in all its glory.
The Monument is surrounded by a circle (not surprisingly called “Monument Circle”) that includes residential homes, a gift shop, and a sprawling lawn with other historical statues and information. Many people use the area around the Monument for walks or runs – each time around is approximately a quarter mile (at least, according to my FitBit). It is free to appreciate from the outside, but a visit to the top generally involves a $5 admission fee (with the exception of “Battle Day” when anyone can come inside for free). Inside the Monument on the ground floor you can read the story of the Battle of Bennington and view a diorama or two depicting the fight. When you get on the elevator, a knowledgeable guide can tell you more about the battle and the Monument, and answer any questions that may come up. Once you reach the top, one has the opportunity to view green mountain landscapes of Vermont, New York, and Massachusetts, depending on where you are standing. Each view is breathtaking. This is definitely an attraction that adds value to the town, in terms of its beauty as well as in terms of its history.
A moose at the Monument.
The Battle of Bennington, diorama-style.
The view from the top.
The same can be said for the whole area of Old Bennington in and of itself: it’s a historical haven, and a gorgeous one at that.
Freshly Vermont rating of Old Bennington (and its various attractions and landmarks): five out of five stars. ★★★★★
Like everyone else in the world right now, the main thing on my mind is COVID-19 and all of the changes going on related to it, as well as concerns over the future of our country and the world at large. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have moved out of New York City (where 60% of cases in the U.S. can be found right now at the moment of writing this) with my husband when I did, in the summer of 2018. In addition, my brother moved out of the city years before I did, and my parents moved out this past summer of 2019 (they now live in Colorado and South Carolina, respectively). However, several of my friends and many former colleagues still live there and my thoughts are with them whenever I consider the dangers of this destructive pandemic.
The morning of our trip out of NYC, back in July 2018.
Here in small town Vermont, the dangers may not be as extreme as within a big city, but our government has responded with serious measures to contain the spread and flatten the curve and our town and workplaces are taking it seriously. This is what my life looks like right now, which may seem very familiar to you:
Professional Life
I am an elementary school teacher. My last day working with students before the height of this crisis started was on March 16. I had two kids in my class that day. Those two kids had a blast, receiving tons of attention and earning lots of play breaks, even if they also were instructed to wash and/or wipe their hands 20+ times in the day (there were so many times I’d see a hand go into a mouth 5 seconds after the child in question had just washed…). On March 17 just the teachers went in to create learning packets to help the students practice their academics over a period of weeks. The idea of social distancing while all sharing one copier was a bit of a challenge, but we made it work the best we could that day. After that, everything has been from home. I am using a classroom app, sharing videos of myself and sweet corgi Fiddle, calling and emailing families, meeting with my colleagues virtually, and completing report cards from my home office space. I am extremely grateful to be able to continue working without a serious loss of income at this time. I realize that many, many people are not so fortunate right now, including members of my students’ families. There are several kids in my class who are constantly on my mind during this period of school closing – ones who have told me that they are bored at home over the weekends and wish they had school every day, ones who are in foster care and were already dealing with the trauma of missing their parents, ones who struggle with learning despite their best efforts. It’s a strange and tough situation to be sure but I absolutely agree with the decision for schools to be closed right now (see: anecdote above, about frequency of hands in mouths in a K-2 classroom) and I am thankful that the safety of my students, their families, and my fellow educators has been seriously considered.
Personal Life
My husband already worked from home so nothing has changed for him, aside from me being around more, which he appreciates, at least for now. For my dog Fiddle, this pandemic means both his parents are home and with him all day, and he is overjoyed. Though when we go out for walks and he sees someone else, especially when he sees a child, I can tell he’s upset that he’s no longer allowed to walk up to them and roll around cutely in expectation of endless belly rubs.
Fiddle loves being with humans all day but he misses meeting new people.
I am only going out for exercise and dog-walking. I had planned on running my first marathon in July 2020 and I started training for this in the first week of March. I am quite aware that it may not happen but I’m continuing to follow the training plan anyway. I used to switch between outdoor runs and runs on the treadmill but of course our local gym is now closed and it’s currently outdoor runs only – I do my best to run six feet or more off to the side if I see anyone else in my path. If I start to feel sick in any way, I will completely stop outdoor exercise aside from walking my dog.
My husband is in charge of all of the shopping for grocery and pharmacy needs. He is wearing gloves on his trips, being as careful as he can, and washing his hands upon return, but I’m still concerned each and every time. We have a couple of rolls of toilet paper left and haven’t been able to find any more. We have one large bottle of hand sanitizer that I had bought before the coronavirus had even appeared in our state (teacher life means frequently restocking one’s hand sanitizer collection). We have plenty of food but it’s been difficult for me to follow the diet I was trying to previously to lose a few pounds. I’m trying to focus on the positive aspects of the situation, though: I am fortunate to live with a husband who cares about me very much, to have pets to keep me entertained and add a little more in-person (in-animal?) social interaction in daily life, and to have all my basic needs met.
I am thinking of my friends and family members all over the country at the same time: friends who have just given birth, friends who are pregnant, friends and family members who have or will have to delay wedding plans, family members who are older and who have health conditions…there are many people I know who have had to make big sacrifices for safety in this time and while this is necessary, it also stinks.
Neighborhood Life
Our local river walkway.
Aside from my own friends and family, my town is on my mind a lot. Within the past year, our town has suffered major losses in the closing of a local college and a factory, both of which employed many people in the neighborhood. I saw the effects firsthand as a teacher as many families moved out of state after the loss of jobs. Considering the economic difficulties many already faced around here, I am highly concerned about what will happen to many local businesses.
I am thinking of the places I’ve reviewed on this blog, such as Madison’s Brewing Company, Fuji, and The Marina. I am thinking of the diner and the kennel, each owned by parents of my students. I am thinking of all of the local shops on our main street. I can only hope that our lawmakers are thinking of them too.
Tomorrow is my one-year anniversary of becoming a Vermont resident. (I won’t actually be here to post then – I’ll be doing what lots of legit Vermont residents do during the summer, camping in nearby Maine.) So I’ve been thinking about how much life has changed since one year (minus one day) ago. Some changes are great, some are not so great, and some involve a plethora of different feelings. For those who are thinking about making the jump from “big city” life to “small town” life, or for those who are just curious, these are the major changes I’ve noticed in my one year of Green Mountain State living:
The Good
Cost of living. It’s really not very hard for a state to beat my former home of New York City in the “cost of living” category but Vermont does it. Our current 2 bedroom rental (with two floors for just us, a little bit of lawn/yard space, driveway, etc.) costs us way less than our previous 1 bedroom apartment that also happened to be a 4th-floor walk-up. Bills in general appear to be cheaper, including everything from car insurance to electricity. The little things, such as going to the movies, tend to be less expensive in general – it only costs $5 to catch a show at Bennington Cinemas!
Planet appreciation. People (and lawmakers!) in this state are constantly thinking about sustainability. From the upcoming statewide single-use plastic ban to the fountain at my work that tells me how much I’m helping the earth each time I fill my reusable water bottle up, this is a big deal and it’s nice that it is.
Nature. This is kind of an obvious one, considering this is the “Green Mountain State” but I can assure you that’s no misnomer! I can currently walk to three hiking trails easily from my place, with a few others that I could reach by a “long walk”. Everywhere I look, the beauty of nature abounds, even when doing errands – the green mountains are in magnificent view outside of Price Chopper and a river flows right by Walgreens.
Nature abounds! This is the view of the mountains and the Bennington Battle Monument from Willow Park.
The Bad
Health care issues. Aside from the fact that my general health insurance (as a public school teacher) is more expensive and less extensive than my previous health insurance in NYC, it’s been very difficult to make doctor appointments. For example, when I needed an eye exam, I called to make an appointment in mid-December and was only able to get an appointment at the end of March. Back in Brooklyn, all I’d have to do is hop on ZocDoc and I’d have dilated pupils within the week. I have been here almost a year and am still waiting to see my primary care doctor, as when I first called appointments were only being made “six months out”. The doctors I have managed to see here have all been absolutely wonderful, but the waiting game is certainly not ideal.
Four seasons are just not enough for us!
It Depends…
The seasons. Vermont’s seasons are undeniably beautiful and, as you can see, there are six of them! Summer and fall are absolutely glorious. The whole state turns green with summer and the heat is on, but it’s not overpowering or super humid. I’m sure you’ve heard of autumn in Vermont: crisp air and apple cider and a rainbow of leaves decorating the mountains. I personally like the quiet spring, though every a day is a bit of a gamble, weather-wise, and winter is as snowy as one might expect, but also lovely in its own way. The other two “seasons”, I feel, are not so great. Mud season (around March and April) makes many hiking trails nearly impossible to traverse and many unsuspecting sneakers end up filthy. Stick season (around November and December) is full of delightful holidays but everything looks so bleak; it’s depressing just to look out the window sometimes. 4/6 season are good times, at least.
The food. Obviously, the food in my former home of Brooklyn was a wonder; you could find any type of food imaginable and the halal carts were a staple for my husband and myself (delicious, $6 plates of chicken and rice with a “white sauce” that could keep you full for a whole day). Here, there are still many positive things to say about the food. It seems like every Vermont town has a farmers’ market and locally made foods and, especially drinks, are highly celebrated. This is the home of Ben & Jerry’s and Cabot Cheddar, and these amazing establishments known as dairy bars are open all over during the summer. I am definitely biased in favor of Vermont food, as cheese, ice cream, and ciders are all in the top ten of my mental favorite foods list. (Yes, cider is counting as a food in this list.) However, there are some less positive sides. You can’t get the variety of ethnic flavors you could in NYC. For example, if I were in the mood for Cuban food, I am not sure where to go, and there are sadly no food trucks in sight where we live (with the exception of the one day a year that there is a Food Truck Festival). You also can’t use Seamless or similar apps to order food, at least in our town. On the one hand, this cuts down on variety, but on the other, this does help us save money and stay healthy(ish) in comparison to previous eating habits.
Overall, I don’t regret moving and making this change. Since we moved, we are able to have a wonderful dog and home-ownership doesn’t seem too far in the future (in NYC, it seemed like a complete impossibility). I like that when I go out for a run, I could end up in the woods if I want to. I like that people care about the future of the planet here. I am impressed that our October holiday is now “Indigenous Peoples’ Day” instead of “Columbus Day”. I feel comforted seeing the Green Mountains surrounding my town, no matter where I am. And, of course, I love the dairy.
A summer Sunday in July was the perfect time to visit Hildene. The land where Abraham Lincoln’s son spent time with his children and grandchildren has a quiet magic to it; it was best enjoyed outside the stresses of the school year. Since pets are not permitted, I visited with my husband while young corgi Fiddle hung out in his designated area at home.
Admission to Hildene, the Lincoln Family Home is a bit heftier than nearby attractions in the Shires of Vermont, at $23.00 per adult, though tickets are much cheaper ($7.00) for children or for adult guests returning for a second consecutive day. However, the peaceful verdant beauty of this land’s 400+ acres combined with the historical context and the many, many adorable goats makes the experience more than worth it, in my opinion.
Upon our entrance to Hildene, we checked in at the Welcome Center, where we were given stickers which we foolishly stuck on our clothes. (They fell off within the hour, so we returned and kept the second set safe in my bag!) We were told it was a great time to visit the Goat Dairy and, since you never have to tell me the word “dairy” twice, we headed through sun-dappled and exquisitely-maintained wooded trails to this area. The Goat Dairy was everything we could ask for, with Nubian goats of all age groups ready for pets and brushes.
Peaceful path…
One cutie!
Cutie #2!
While we chose to walk everywhere, I should note that there is an option to have a tram to take you from various points of interest on the land to others – we witnessed many guests appreciating this service!
After our walk to the goats, we had many more places to check out within Hildene: we stopped for a picnic lunch (my husband had been helpfully carrying sandwiches and water around in a backpack for the morning), we visited the Dene Farm (one farm was just not enough!) to check out sheep and alpaca, we witnessed plants in growth at the greenhouse, and we walked along further trails, including a lovely wetlands trail that was set up with a boardwalk.
Everywhere I looked, all I saw involved gorgeous shades of green. I distinctly remember telling my husband, “A day like this is exactly what is so wonderful about Vermont.” I took about ten thousand photos and breathed in the clean air, feeling waves of gratitude for the opportunity to be there in that moment, among so much natural beauty. There was no trail we didn’t enjoy, but the most memorable were the wetlands trail and the “maple trail” where you could see maple syrup moving along through tubes attached to trees.
After a few miles of trail loveliness and filling up on food, we went to see the big attraction itself: the “home” part of the “Lincoln Family Home”. When we arrived, a staff member gave us some background information on the car out front (it was used by Robert Todd Lincoln’s daughter Jessie when she visited) as well as the home itself. We learned about how Robert purchased this home as more of a “vacation cottage” (it was small compared to what he was used to) and how much time his children and grandchildren enjoyed there. Though we experienced the self-guided tour, we still managed to learn quite a lot through reading the information on display in each and every room.
The Lincoln Family Home, featuring Jessie’s car.
After exploring the interior of the home, we also got to take in the delightfully-designed gardens, with the formal and kitchen gardens being equally lovely. I easily took another ten thousand photos while exploring both floral landscapes. I also took note that a plethora of bees and butterflies were present – Hildene is truly a pollination haven.
Bees were plentiful at the estate.
The formal gardens had fancy hedges.
The kitchen gardens contained sweet and simple paths.
After so many adventures, it was about time to head home. I could not leave without one more visit to the welcome center, though – all sorts of things I love were for sale, including artisanal cheese, candles, and candy. Despite all the wondrous items, I managed to control myself by only purchasing a few goat milk caramels for $5. One of those chewy blocks of sweetness was the perfect treat for the ride home after an idyllic, truly Vermont-ish day.
Hildene has a wide variety of things to see and do and is one of the most beautiful places I’ve been to in Vermont.
Freshly Vermont rating: five out of five stars! ★★★★★
