Goodbye Vermont

I will never lose my affinity or affection for the Green Mountains. I know of no other natural environment so dynamic, so transitory, so ever-changing and full of rock, wind, water, and soil. I was drawn to Vermont in 1997, upon my high school graduation, and have resided there since. Later this month I am relocating permanently to the high desert of Colorado, at which time I will launch a new blog. This new blog, as well as all other original online resources, both past and future, will be listed at smithforecast.com. My home is for sale (cash only)-- click here for more information. 

I have thoroughly enjoyed Vermont, and have many memories to cherish-- not the least of which are listed below. This is far from complete, and may be amended as time and recall allows:

-- sunrises across the hills of Randolph Center

-- sunsets along Ridge Rd. in Brookfield

-- the mist in the valley along the South Royalton/Tunbridge line

-- coming into Rutland via Route 4

-- coming into Vermont where 9 becomes 7 in Hoosick Falls

-- late nights in the Haybarn and Music Building at Goddard College

-- evening shifts when I read all the newspapers at the River Bend Farm Market in Townsend

-- early mornings making coffee at Stewart's in Poultney

-- making breakfast at Camp Waubanong, West Brattleboro

-- lazy afternoons beside the West River, Riford Brook, Thayer Brook

-- sledding with my son in Williamstown

-- sledding down a driveway in Williamstown in a 1993 S10 Blazer

-- stargazing during duty nights at Vermont Technical College

-- commuting up and down I89, teaching at VTC's Williston campus while living in Randolph

-- seeing more than half of Vermont's 251 towns from a Ford Mustang

-- driving through the hills of East Montpelier with my dog eating maple creemes

-- spinning records at WFVR-LP, 96.5FM South Royalton

-- coordinating monthly grocery runs to West Lebanon, NH

-- eating leftovers at the front desk of Mountain Green Resort, Killington 

-- watching the sun ascend over the mountains in front of Second Springs, Williamstown

-- the smell of maple in spring

-- the smell of cow manure on the shoes of students in Randolph Center

-- the smell of Nag Champa incense, drifting from summer windows

-- the rainbow above Abruzzi Stables, Bennington, and the company of Jacob Snyder

-- the sunlight through the stained glass windows of Bethany Church, Randolph

-- the soft moss of the fen in Brookfield

-- the view from the stage of the Chandler Music Hall, Randolph

-- the green dot bins at Exile On Main St., Barre

-- the closing of Circuit City, Williston

-- Tropical Storm Irene, Riford Brook Rd., Braintree

-- Earth Day 1999, Green Mountain College

-- eating a "Vermonster" at the old Ben and Jerry's location in Rutland

-- sausage gravy and biscuits at the Birdseye Diner, Castleton

-- eggs and bacon at Tot's, Poultney

-- having Ramunto's garlic knot pizza delivered to Ritz Camera at the Diamond Run Mall, Rutland

-- popcorn at the Bethel Drive In, Randolph

-- the Wayside Restaurant of Barre, the greatest restaurant of all time

-- driving the Bennington Bypass at top speed listening to Phish

-- learning to drive on Route 133 between Middletown Springs and West Rutland

-- driving 100 miles to band practice in St. Johnsbury

-- the mud at Coventry, 2004

-- the Listen Center in White River Junction

-- the pizza shop in Randolph (the good one)

-- Mocha Joe's coffee of Brattleboro, the best coffee in the world

-- the Gifford Hospital Thrift Store, one of the undiscovered gems of Vermont

-- the Tupelo Music Hall (defunct) in White River Junction

-- stacking firewood aside the cabin known as Hopeful in Braintree

-- watching two dogs lead each other around splashing in the creek on a July afternoon

-- shuttling low-residency faculty and students from Burlington to Plainfield in a Dodge minivan

-- Ween at Higher Ground (old location)

-- Richie Havens at Barre Opera House

-- Avett Brothers at Chandler Music Hall

-- swimming at "Flat Rock" in Poultney

-- swimming at the Dorset Quarry

-- watching the snow fall