What To Do When You Find Yourself "Kidless"

Dinner at Three Mountain Lodge in Jeffersonville on Route 108S heading toward Smuggler's Notch.  Husband had crab cakes that actually had alot of crab in them & were light as mousse, along with roasted root vegetables.  I had sea scallops broiled in wine & butter with steamed broccoli.

Add to that a couple glasses of local Boyden Valley Winery's VT Maple Reserve (half-price on Wednesdays), fresh brewed local Brown & Jenkins coffee, and carrot cake with maple cream cheese frosting...

Needless to say, waddling was about all we could do afterwards.  We chose to eat inside, but the porch & deck were open for seating as well.  All this for under $60!!

And THAT's what to do when you suddenly find yourself kidless for an evening!

**www.threemountainlodge.com**
**www.brownjenkins.com**
**www.boydenvalley.com**

Summer Solstice Drive

Traveled one of my favorite routes today.  Route 108 North from Jeffersonville to Enosburg Falls.  I just love going through that valley, and the views are marvelous!  Bakersfield is another one of those towns that I seem to be drawn too - stopped in time.  The architecture is fabulous and fairly well-preserved.  If you happen to drive through, make sure you take time to drive the horseshoe past the old academy building with the huge trees lining the original path to the front door.
Enosburg Falls is also cleaning itself up well.  Many older houses are being renovated with a nod to the original structure, and more businesses are coming into the area.  Eat at the local diner.  The pies are great!

Soggy Saturday

Man, did Mom, Daughter and I get WET!  It wasn't one of those sudden thundershowers that strike and pass on; it was steady soaking rain.  Great for the garden, kinda sucky to travel in.

The Calvin Coolidge Historic Site is nirvana for presidential memorabilia buffs.  It was like walking onto the set of Antiques Roadshow.  Here's the bed Calvin was born in.  There are his little child boots on the floor by the kitchen woodstove.  Over here is the telephone that was set up specially for him after he became President.  Over there you will find another thing - and on and on and on.  Not boring mind you, but rather overwhelming.  Most of it was inside thankfully with mad dashes between buildings.  What made it most interesting for me was that not only was Calvin Coolidge born & brought up here, but his family made huge contributions to the community for over 100 years.  Above is a picture taken from inside the Wilder Barn where there is a display of farming equipment and carriages from the mid-to-late 1800s.  The building on the left is the Cilley Store, where Calvin Coolidge was born.  On the right is the Wilder Restaurant (we did not go in).  Below is the building behind the restaurant where Calvin also lived.

Brunswick Springs Pictures (finally)

Top: Springs gushing and trickling out of man-made pipes to freely mix & spill down the mountainside toward the Connecticut River.

Top Middle:  One of the many long staircases leading to what once were grassy verandahs.

Bottom Middle:  There IS a moose in this picture just to the right of the first dead pine tree.

Bottom:  Ruins of the last hotel in the woods.

Woodstock Alumni Parade

Last weekend - no travel.  Co-hosted huge yard sale instead.  Couple deluges, and tornado warnings, but made a few bucks & had a fabulous time with neighbors!

This weekend is the Woodstock Alumni Day.  This year Son is graduating high school, my 25th HS reunion is this fall, Mom's 50-year reunion, and Grampa's 75th.  He's one of the grand marshalls in the parade, and Mom's class will have a huge float.  The parade is always well-attended and a lot of fun.

Also, the State of Vermont is holding their free state parks and historical sites weekend, so will try to take in the Calvin Coolidge Homestead in Plymouth.  I haven't been there since I was "knee-high to a grasshopper" so am looking forward to renewing my acquaintance with this beautiful village.  It's like Brownington village - sort of stopped in time.

Still need to post pictures from Brunswick Springs - haven't forgotten, just been busy.

Happy trails!