In the beginning of just about every version of Anne of Green Gables, there is a scene where Rachel Lind sees Mathew driving out in his Sunday best and she goes running over to Marilla’s to find out what he is up to, knowing that her neighbor never wears his Sunday best. Turns out this is exactly how living in rural Vermont is like. Nothing happens around here that the neighbors don’t all know about. In fact, there is an unwritten chain of contact, making sure they are all in the know. See someone new walking, let your neighbor know.

Here’s a little known fact about Vermont: Trees fall on the regular. Maybe not all of Vermont, but I’ve only lived in places where trees generally stay in their place, except for the occasional hurricane wind, so watching a tree fall during only “mostly” high winds, feels like it’s an all Vermont thing. Now, high winds were on the forecast this morning. in fact, there was a wind “warning”. And I’ll agree there were some decent sized winds. But compared to what I’ve been through in Florida, I wouldn’t say they were a huge concern. And yet, this morning we woke to

I love, love, love season changes. I get simply miserable living in a place where there isn’t 4 seasons. That transition period is just so exciting and everything feels new. I am especially excited about Spring in Vermont. I’s like the earth woke up after a long sleep and threw a big raving party. Spring is by far my favorite season. Everything goes from quiet and still and dreary to bright and cheery and 55 degrees feels like a heat wave and you just want to spin around in the hills singing like Maria in the Sound of Music. In

Farmhouse bucket list #2: Make Maple Syrup Ever since Pa Ingalls declared it “sugar snow” time in Little House in the Big Woods, I’ve wanted to make maple syrup. I am fascinated by the process of pulling actual sap from a tree and it becomes something as delicious as syrup. Pure magic coming straight from nature. So when we walked through the yard during our viewing and my realtor said “that might be a maple tree” I was determined to figure out a way to get syrup from my farm. Except, all I knew about it was that it takes 40 gallons

It has come to my attention that my house was subject to voodoo ritualistic pig sacrifices. At least that’s what my imagination told me when the pest lady found pig bones buried in a mound of dirt in my cellar. Because you don’t discover bones without your imagination going somewhere. Let me back up. When our awesomely cool pest lady was here the other day, her and Tyler ventured down to the cellar. They call it a basement here but to me basements have floors and insulated walls and are all ready to be livable rooms. This is not. It’s

The sun has been out for a couple days now and we have a bit of a heat wave! Ice is melting and I can finally see some grass. Grass I literally haven’t seen since we moved here 5 weeks ago. We were beginning to think the old owners took it with them. Word is, we will likely have more snow coming, but the break from the day after day snow is much needed. I even spent some time out on my porch swing drawing. Something I’ve been doing a lot of. It’s lovely with the sun beaming down. Normally,

Mar 4, 2021 Here’s a little known fact about my house. It’s invisible. As in so well hidden in plain sight, it could easily be the site of an undercover organization (facebook, keep reading before you ban me). It’s so hidden in plain site, in fact, it’s on one of the only roads in town (there’s like 2), it’s easily visible from the road and there are no houses in site next to it. Yet, no one can seem to find it. I mean, sure it’s a white house in the snow and I can see where that might make

March 1, 2021 We are officially declaring today a holiday! Kids got all day screen time and dances of joy happened all around. So good to be fully connected again!   Now to catch up with my shows! However, Fun fact #1: apparently you can locate hidden mouse traps by scent. Fun fact #2: a deceased mouse can adhere itself to the floor by guts and death juices. Fun fact #3: we may have experienced some trauma here today.

Feb 27, 2021 The weather by some miracle has warmed up! So much so, I went for a walk to explore the neighborhood. And in doing so, I discovered the existence of MUD! Sure, I knew what mud was before. it’s what you make when you leave the hose running too long. But I’ve never seen it in such… abundance. The road past our house is mostly gravel and dirt and it was entirely covered in sticky, gooey, life sucking mud. Slide down a hill on your butt mud. Mega suction cup strength mud. Stop moving and you aren’t going

Feb 24, 2021 This morning we were greeted bright and early by the appearance of the internet guys! We jumped and cheered and waved and watched as they attached wires to the side of the house and strung even more wires on the power lines. They climbed precariously up a steep hill to string it to the next adjoining power line. Threw a wire up to the top of the pole manually (it took three tries). Raised a ladder cautiously on the side of said hill and climbed up to further the installation. It was a lovely moment.Then we all