Day Trip

Machinery at work in riverbed

Monday we took the dog for a trip around the state to see how well Vermont was doing a month after the flood from Irene.  Jeff wanted to know if he would be able to hunt in his favorite place as he had heard the road was washed out.  When we got there we found it open.  It looked very recent as the machines were still there, working to reshape the river as it was a mess of trees and boulders.

Man and Dog

We drove up the mountain, stopping for a short walk up an old road to stretch our legs while letting the dog have a run.  MacTavish is in his element in the woods.  Continuing up and over we found several places where the road was still one lane, with a pile of gravel dumped, waiting for the road crews to fill in the washed out places.   Then on into Ludlow where we got grinders to eat down the road.  It seemed like Camp Plymouth State Park would be ideal, so we headed there, only to be greeted by an awful sight--- it had been hit hard by flooding.

Sand filled State Park

We sat at a lone picnic table and ate anyway, as we took in the amount of havoc wreaked by raging waters.  It did not prepare us for what we would see later as we continued our trip towards West Bridgewater.  Some of the road is still one lane, but that is because the other side is being worked on.  It is absolutely amazing how much clean up and restoration has been done in just one month.  The saddest of all is to see the houses that have had to be abandoned.  Just heartbreaking.  I only took a few pictures of those as I couldn't bear it.
When we reached Rte 4 we headed west toward home,  traveling the same roads we did when we were driving through the storm.  It is mind boggling to think how these placid little brooks could become such instruments of destruction.

The day was a beautiful fall day.  It was an awesome trip--not only to see the disaster areas, but to see how much has already been done to repair and rebuild.  I'm glad we took the drive.  Makes me proud to be a Vermonter.

So sad

Fall colors

Here Comes Fall

Our little booth

Cold, rainy and the leaves are coming down with every breath of wind.  I do believe we have segued into Fall.  I'd like to think it was early, but it probably is right on time.  We tend to use Columbus Day weekend as our "peak" weekend when all the "leaf peepers" come to visit Vermont and give us their money.  We need their money.  There is a great fear that people won't come because they know we got hammered by Hurricane Irene, but the tourist board is hard at work letting them know that we are Here and Ready for Peepers!
To that end, Poultney is hosting its annual Town Wide Yard Sale.  Slots are available on Main Street for those who want to be sure of traffic by their booth.  Otherwise a person can just have a sale at their home. Gloria and I will have a spot on Main Street.  We know that people are really looking for bargains so we use this more as an advertisement of what we have and what we can do.  Sometimes people actually buy things.  Which is always nice!  But it means that I have to be knitting up ideas so that I will have stock to lay out as I sold several things lately.  Selling is always a jump start to creativity.

Brisco and Daisie Mae

I got the chickens ready for the cooler weather.  They now have a heated water bowl in the coop.  I also started up the light I use to lengthen their days.  It comes on at 6 a.m. right now, but after a week or two I will set it back yet another hour.  It turns off by 9 a.m.  This gives the chickens closer to the 14 hours of light they need to keep laying eggs.  Hope it works as they have not been exactly prolific lately.
The Roosters are both getting feisty.  I hate to think I will have to choose between them as they both are getting quite handsome.  As long as they behave I won't have to worry!

Roscoe the Rooster