Saturday, October 03, 2009

Vermont Life

Every weekend I make a vow to myself to get up early and go for a walk with the dog on the (now) quiet slopes of Jay Peak, our local mountain. I try to manage things so that I am out of the house before any one else is awake or else I get drafted into feeding people or helping on the computer or refereeing computer time blan blah blah. Today, I made such a racket in my preparations (looking for my glasses, my coat etc) that everyone was up before I could make my escape, and it was raining. I went anyway.

I told myself that I would at least show up at the mountain, go uphill a couple of hundred yards to get my heart rate up, then, having made an effort, I could go home with a clear conscience. So, with low expectations, Maisy and I hit the slopes and started hiking. I was listening to This American Life on my iPod, a fascinating piece on "Frenemies" (q.v.). Well, and here's the point, we had a great time. The "Frenemies" show was fascinating and was strangely in keeping with the atmosphere on the mountain. The scenery was, of course, beautiful. The sun was in and out of the clouds and the trees, ahhh, the trees, and the rocks and the ferns. I think that mountain is my favorite place on earth. I have never had a bad day there, not even a bad experience. Note to self. Hike more. What would my new cosmopolitain alter ego make of this? (see the last post.) She would not touch a hiking boot with a gondola pole - in fact, she wouldn' touch a gondola pole. One or two people who drop around here from time to time would no doubt feel the same. I am reconciled to my little internal contradictions, though. I love the city and the country. Let a thousand flowers bloom, I say. Here are some pictures I took along the way, and if will load, a little piece of video saw you can see what I saw. Bon weekend.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

How can you not just strap on a backpack and head up into those hills. I so need an outdoor fix right now.

Cheers.

Kim Velk said...

I hope you get one R. I read an essay in college, by Emerson, I think, (if he didn't write it, he could of) about getting out into the woods as a restorative. I am guessing that you are an Emersonian in more ways than one :-)

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I think you're right, although I do think Thoreau was generally full of crap, inasmuch as Walden pond was spittin' distance from town and he sent his laundry in to be washed and folded for him.

:)

Cheers.

Madame DeFarge said...

Being stuck in London all weekend, I am now truly envious of you. It all looks so lovely and crisp. Why am I not there?

Kim Velk said...

Madame. I guess I would have to say I can't think of anyplace I would rather be stuck than London. I would miss my mountain, though. And aren't you only just back from Iceland? You should come visit Vermont some October. It really is worth doing.

Catastrophe Waitress said...

gosh that's just beautiful, KSV!
all those golden-yellows and greens, what a lovely place to live.

what is your little dog's name?

word verification:
gallant.


hee hee!

Denise @ Swelle said...

Absolutely gorgeous! You would so love Shropshire. It has the most gorgeous green, hilly landscape. But you've got it pretty right at home, too!

And you're right about the citizenship - you'd think it would be a no-brainer!

Nan said...

Beautiful, beautiful. There is nothing like it in the world.