Action packed...

The Witt Family had quite a weekend; including a grandma Mindy, a horse drawn sleigh ride, an icy boat excursion, and dinner fit for beasts....

First of all, when a grandma Mindy graces your door you should never turn her away.  She is full of life and excitement and will bring adventure to an otherwise plain weekend.  First on the agenda; mushing in the North East Kingdom!  Really?  Too bad for us the pups had too many anxious passengers already.  Another idea anyone?  Oh yes, a sleigh ride will do nicely.  

As we waited in the sunny frigid February air we began to hear a cheerful jingle coming our way.  Off in the distance we could see our horse drawn sleigh trotting closer to make our acquaintance.  We were greeted by two beauties with the horse power to carry the lot of us!  Away we went to explore the land of Shelburne Farms on a most lovely and romantic ride.  

So lovely actually, that my children posed nicely for this very sweet photo;  a moment to remember.

 

 What could be more Vermont than a drive through a covered bridge after a morning like that?  This little gem is set right on Lake road and paves the way to Lake Champlain on the other side...

...the lake is looking exquisite on this particularly clear winter day. The tops of the water were frozen in the most unique way. Jagged and sharp; the ice gleamed in the sun. A hard sight to digitally capture. We stared at if for quite some time and took a dozen photos, and suddenly we knew what adventure was to follow! 

Next up; the icy excursion across an ancient lake.  I will have to disclose that I am not to keen on tundra-like lake conditions.  I do prefer a yummy sunny day on a rivers edge with a dog and a book.  A possible sink into sudden death, not a Sunday activity I pretend to enjoy.  I do admit, after surviving the the titanic like icebergs, the ride was quite smooth and I rather enjoyed it!

After a day made of magic we needed a feast.  

On the menu; sushi and drink.  

To top it off, tempura style fried iced cream. 

Red bean AND green tea flavors please.  

The end result...

a happy bunch.

Dear WInter,

 

I adore the winter months and all of its splendor... Some of my favorite things about this chilly season include a blustery wind storm or a deep freeze, a fierce blizzard, or an icy explosion that blankets every twig; which then sparkle in the next days sun.  There is nothing so quiet as winter either;  it is a rarity to cherish.  A walk in an evening snowstorm gives time to listen to my breath and my footsteps.  The crunch underneath my feet sinking into freshly fallen snow is equal to the joy of fresh cut grass in between my bare toes. 

And last but not least, winter is a promise for spring...

ours is in the middle

 I am smitten with our cute row of post boxes as they struggle to keep their heads above snowline.  The procedure is always the same...Some poor soul spends there precious time to dig them out, a home worthy of their job, and then the monstrous plow buries them again in one quick second.  I feel sorry for them out there in the cold when I see them out my window.  Their job is an honorable one, keeping a long time tradition of a hand delivered note from one person to another.  I admit, most notes I receive these days are usually from a stranger requesting my hard earned dollar bills but occasionally a note comes from a loved one and it always warms my heart.  So thank you mailbox for doing your due diligence in the winter months, you are appreciated.

 Holy Snowman Noah!!  For a desert boy you sure know how to do it right!  It took all four of us to lift his head on top of his lower half.  I love the jelly bean eyeballs, the stick mouth and I especially love dads Diamond backs baseball cap!  I don't think the diamondbacks have had too many of these guys on their playing field.  We did not even have that much snowfall and this is the lawn package we received!  A  good foot above little Witt's head and two feet above the little miss (not pictured).  I do say, I am impressed... Well done desert children, we will turn you into Vermonters yet.

 My favorite winter activity... definitely a hike up Mount Philo with my one and only Mr. Witt and our trusty sidekick, old man McMurphey (aka Legion).  It is a generous winter hike offering a bounty of enchanting wintry scenes.  Families fill the trails and dogs are let loose to play with each other. Kids and adults alike are all gripping their sleds anxious for the thrilling ride down!  The view from atop  is breathtaking.  Waterholes are spotted for summer swimming on the edges of the lake and long farm roads are carved out of the snow giving a picturesque scene of Vermont's finest landscape.  Oh the beauty of it all...

                     

Lastly, there is nothing quite like a good book during the coldest season to keep you warm.

Snow, Shovels and Barns on a Saturday

Nothing says Vermont like spending the day atop of a 200 year old barn! Mr. Witt and Mr. Taylor dug deep and shoveled a good 3 feet of snow, off the roof of the barn, to save the structure from possible collapse. A view from the house, earlier in the week, gave a concerning picture of a bowing roof. Saturday came and off the boys went; to save the structure from imminent demise. Items to be saved; some barn tools, two motor boats, and the integrity of a Shelburne building that has been around far too long to leave us now. Thank you gentlemen for all of your hard work. Matthew Taylor can rest easy tonight, his barn is safe...