July and August (mostly) in Vermont

Rowan is a happy toddler with a lot
of teeth!

Rowan gets his new bathing suit!

He really enjoyed the water, after the first few
minutes!

We had three exceptions to our hope of staying home this summer: Saratoga, NY, Cornish & Lebanon, NH and Bel Air, MD. The first two were RV trips to get closer to various concerts and the last was to visit my sister Paula in the hospital after her stroke.  We spent just two nights at the Saratoga RV Park but packed in lots of activities. We had tickets to Cosi Fan Tutte at the Saratoga Opera with an elegant dinner beforehand at 15 Church St. Then we took a boat cruise on Lake George with perfect weather all weekend! 

Zoe and Sean at the Fourth of July Party

James, Kolya and Morgen

Next we parked Baby in Wilgus Vermont State Park on the Connecticut River for 10 days while we attended two Operas at Opera North, Post Modern Jukebox at the Lebanon Opera House and a Chamber Music Concert at the Marlboro Festival. In between these events we returned home for a visit from the Dave & Leslie Silverstein, dinner at our friends and neighbors, Kristi & Sandy Bragg, my Book Club meeting and a few Board meetings (Scott). 

The view from our campsite at Wilgus State Park
on the Connecticut River

Post Modern Jukebox - a favorite group of ours'
at the Lebanon Opera House

Our last away time was unexpected when my sister Paula had a stroke. Our son James was amazing and visited her many times during the next month. We met him at the hospital with Morgen and Kolya. Scott and I stayed down for 3 days visiting her and meeting with the staff at her Nursing Home in Maryland. She was able to return there with Hospice care and was very comfortable over the next weeks until her death in September. Although I didn't get down there again before her passing, James arranged video calls with her each day and that was wonderful. Paula was my only sister and we were very close so it's a very sad loss for all our family. More on the funeral at my next post.

There were two weeks in a row of heavy 
rainfall in Vermont with our Northeast
Kingdom getting hammered. But our stream,
although raging, stayed in it's banks

Kolya and I working on drawings during our 
visit down to Maryland in August.

But there were lots of good times right here at home. First was our Annual Fourth of July gathering. It was mainly a family affair this year with James, Sean and Zoe all coming. The former two with their families and Zoe on her own - but staying 10 days. Larry and Zuzia came for the weekend as did Marty & Jenny Wolf and Scott Silverstein and his family. The weather was wonderful and we spent a good part of every day up at the lake. 

Heather, Scott, Julie & Peter at one of our many
meals out - here at the Long Trail Brewery,

Next guests were Julie & Peter Gowan taking the train from Toronto. They are Kiwis now living in Australia and here visiting their son and his family. We were buddy boats together one season in the Bahamas. They sold "Anything Goes" a few years later. We visited Woodstock and the Billings Farm Museum one day and another full day at the Precision Instrument Museum and Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site. We were out every evening (that's what it's like in Vermont in the summer): Shrewsbury Concert Series, Library Street Dance, and Opera North's Into The Woods. During the week they helped us plan next year's trip to New Zealand and Australia!

Scott, Brent and Wilma at Hubbarton Battle Site

Heather & Brent enjoy the view at the Taconic
rambles State Park Japanese Garden.

Scott's brother Brent and wife Wilma came for a week in August too. We had some great times with them - a trip to Taconic Rambles State Park and the Hubberton Battle Site, a Shrewsbury Singers Concert and Scott and Brent's first cousin Eric came over one night for a visit with us all. And through it all were stints volunteering at Pierce's Store, the Library, my work with the Rutland Garden Club and Scott's (endless) Board meetings! It's non stop fun here! But that's enough for this post - next and last for awhile - the Fall!

Kolya's Graduation from Kindergarten 

Picnic lunch up at the Lake,.

Shrewsbury Concerts up at Center Shrewsbury -
sorry, hard to see the band down there but good
 view of our Church and Meeting Place

Scott, my cousin Joanie, husband Kent and another 
cousin, Jane and her husband

Peter and Julie at the Shrewsbury Concert

Jane, Joanie and myself

Lots of Catching Up!

My sister Paula celebrated her birthday on 
May 15th at her long term care facility. She
was feeling great at this point.

Will, Heather, Scott, Sean and Rowan out for dinner after our week babysitting Rowan while both Sean and Will spent the week working. Will in Dublin, Ireland and Sean in California.

Scott spent a lot of time on the floor with
Rowan. Kitchen equipment makes great
toys!

 Well it's been a long time since my last blog post and lots of catching up to do. We have mostly enjoyed being in Vermont this summer and fall but did spend a wonderful week down in Boston babysitting our newest grandson Rowan and a few short trips around New England visiting friends and attending concerts.  On a very sad note, we also spent time in Maryland, the first time after my sister Paula had another stoke and the second time for her funeral.

But I'll start here in May and go through June in this post. Next one - July and August. We started the month babysitting Rowan, and retuned again in June to help out Will when Sean was away. 

Back home in Vermont we cleaned up the garden, and returned to our usual routine. Heather works with the Rutland Garden Club and volunteers at Pierce's Store. Scott serves on a bunch of boards as Treasurer. The Vermont Food Center is a new organization that he is really enjoying. It's very busy renovating a huge complex in Rutland. 

Will's Dad Gary spent the first two days of our
babysitting week with us. 

He is also on the boards of our town and county Democratic Committees, Green Mountain Neighbors and Treasurer for Adrienne Raymond, who is running for State Representative. 

And we had friends over for dinner and was invited out to several others. Both of us volunteer at our local library as well. And there's always our bridge group and Bone Builders!

In June we traveled down to Falmouth where our friends Karen and Ted finished construction on a new wing for their second home. The Silversteins, Bond-D'Arpas and Doug joined us one day for lunch. The weather was amazing and we enjoyed several nearby hikes. On the way back we stopped for a few days to help out Will. 

Dinner with two of our closest couples here in
Shrewsbury - the Eldred and Lily on the left
and our hosts Chryl and Gerry in the middle.

The scenic path out to The Knob at Quissett Harbor

Karen and Scott 

The view from Karen and Ted's home in North Falmouth, MA at sunset!

At the end of May we spent a busy fun day in 
Brattleboro, VT. Here having lunch on the river.

We visited the Estey Organ Museum

And watched a Morris Dance Festival in downtown. There is SO much to do every weekend in Vermont!

We went down to Bellows Falls bringing lunch to Heather's first cousin
Judy Halberg and her daughter Debbie. Judy is the last of Heather's
 first cousins on her father's side . And Debbie was our first Nanny for James!