Double date on the dock! Saturday morning we caught the two Common Merganser couples chatting and primping on the dock. It was a glorious morning at about 58 degrees capping a week of record warm spring weather. Alas, a cold front was moving in from the northwest, bringing clouds and cooler temps later in the day.

After chatting for awhile these two beauties took to the 34 degree water and paddled up the glassy lake, while diving for fish snacks and checking out the flotsam.

While were were picnic-ing at waters edge this busy little Downy Woodpecker had the same idea, lunching on some fare in an old tree. Woodpeckers are very persistent and surprisingly industrious in their pursuits. This one had family in the area working on other trees nearby.

A mallard threesome jets along fishing as they go… Often it is the male birds that are more attractive. In this case, I am not so sure I would agree. In a few weeks we will see momma followed by some beautiful little brown ducklings swimming up and down the shoreline, learning the tools of the duck-world.

Greta the Great Blue Heron is known for her loud SQUAWK! when flying but right now she waits for some action in the bay. She is a prolific fisherman and deceptively big and gangly when her neck is extended and wings are stretched out. She also known for leaving a queen-sized mess on her perch.

All photos: Glenn Fay, on Lake Champlain, LoveEarthAlways

Vermont is in the sweet spot of sugaring season with cooler nights warm sunny days. Sap buckets hanging on maples, sugarhouses billowing steam, unmistakable songs of robins and redwing blackbirds, Canadian Geese flying north, mud oozing out of the frosty ground, spring fishing and snow disappearing from south slopes tell us spring is here and arm us with anticipation of a bountiful growing season. Here are some of my faves from the past week. What is your favorite sign of spring?

Spring fishing on Lake Champlain.

I am proud to say that Burlington, Vermont is my home town. Why? For a lot of reasons. First of all I grew up here and it is a small city with a cosmopolitan feel, being close to Montreal, Boston, and even New York City. It has a deep, rich history that stretches back to the American revolution. It is a sister city and safe harbor for refugees from dozens of countries all over the world. It has amazing and varied architecture and talented and wonderful people who are politically active and concerned for the well-being of all. It is one of the healthiest cities in the U.S., sitting next to a beautiful lake, and minutes to the mountains, ski areas and great hiking. There are more reasons I love Burlington but I don’t want to make it sound TOO appealing! It will just be our little secret!

Church Street, presumably named for the Unitarian Church that guards the north end of the street, includes several blocks of shops and eateries and blocked off to vehicle traffic. Today the downtown was decked out in preparation for the annual Mardi Gras, sponsored by Magic Hat Brewery, a Burlington institution.

Living out west for a couple of years gave me an appreciation for the stunning architecture in Burlington. Seen here is the Abernathys building, which was a local department store back in the day when I was a boy. In my mind at least, it compares with some of the most beautiful old landmarks in the country.

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Come On In, The Water’s Fine!

We notice the sun coming up earlier every day ad it even stays light ill almost 6 pm! Birds flocking and becoming more active are another sign that winter’s snow flurries, freezing temps and ice have nowhere to go but down hill soon, at least in the valleys. The mountains will have a snowpack for months!

One of the great advantages to living in western Vermont is enjoying views of the New York Adirondack Mountains. Here they are tentatively illuminated on a Saturday morning.

Along the edge of the New York side is a 200 foot cliff wall, known as “The Palisades” and home of eagles and towering over shipwrecks in the 200 foot deep water below. Here we see waterfalls frozen in time, for now. In the spring as we paddle our canoes and kayaks on the Vermont side we will see them and hear them spilling cold mountain water into the lake.

Near the mouth of the Otter Creek and historic “Fort Cassin” which, it turns out is not really a fort, sits Diamond Island, a small pair of diamond-shaped islands. You can see them almost in the center of the picture. It is very unusual for the lake to be open this time of year, especially in the narrow part, where it is only a mile or two across.

Throughout the winter, bays will freeze, then crack up in heavy rollers during a storm. Here we see a few ice chunks melting in a very cold, but still largely open lake. They remind me of stories I heard growing up, of ice fishermen getting caught stranded on drifting ice, away from would-be rescuers, never to be seen again.

A legendary stone house built in 1790, the Hawley House, serves as the anchor for a Vermont State Park, known as Kingsland Bay. It is a wonderful visit any day of the year. It is constructed of native Panton limestone.

Ice is Cool

My friend who grew up in Pennsylvania used to ask “How is life in the great frozen north?” Much as I would laugh about this he had a point. Burlington IS a pretty frosty place after October. the ground freezes every winter. How deep the soil freezes depends on how close you are to the lake, if you have sun to warm, or snow to insulate the ground from inevitable frigid air temperatures. And of course it depends on how much polar air rolls down off the arctic and Canada.

This is not an exceptionally snowy or cold winter so far. That said, we did have the biggest snowfall of all time, but not much since then. We did have a frigid few weeks in December, but since the temperatures have been close to average. One thing is for certain, when you get into the woods you will find ledges and outcroppings on hillsides that collect ice from melting snow during the day then freeze at night. Over a few weeks or months, the ice builds up into some pretty cool formations (please excuse the pun)!

Hard to see in these pics but there are some shades of pastel golds, blues and greens from minerals in the rocks with copper, iron and other elements, imparting their brush strokes to the canvas in the waning afternoon light. The lichens and moss add an extra refreshing sight, with hope of more greens to come soon, don’t they?

Up here in the north country cabin fever sets in this time of year real bad. Since late November you have endured a month of waning daylight until winter solstice, then over a month of still short days and long, cold nights. At this point on the calendar people begin to notice it getting light by 6:30 am and staying light until 5:30 pm! I know this sounds like a small victory for anyone living south of the Mason-Dixon line, but for us, more light opens the door to the possibility that we MIGHT be able to enjoy long days in the warm sun soon. How do we keep hope alive?

One of the surest ways is to head out to brunch at a place like The Village Cup in Jericho and have a heart-warming feast. Even though the car thermometer says 5 it’s warm inside next to the pellet stove and at least it’s not -5. They have remodeled the old building to minimize environmental impact and save energy and 2.5 million gallons of water a year!

Next, we are off to downtownBurlington to check out August Firstan outstanding bakery and deli and buy a loaf of their artisan 7 grain bread. Hmmmmmmm. Very friendly and happy people here. Next stop?

The Architectural Salvage building antique shop almost next door on Main Street. These folks are the ultimate recyclers with all kinds of distinctive ‘formerly owned’ furnishings at very reasonable prices. I will return when I am ready to stock my vacation home (heh heh).

No trip to Burlington is complete for me without my pilgrimmage to the waterfront to absorb the raw beauty of wind, waves and mountains. This place is a spectacular, year-round, and today is no exception. It has warmed up to 19 with a stiff breeze off the lake but my heart is warm and the sun brightens my soul.

All photos glennfay49, flickr

Sunday Flowers

It’s time to wake up and smell the flowers! Brought to you by the benevolence of Gardener’s Supply greenhouse in Williston, Vermont, courtesy of Glenn Fay. All photos taken in natural sunlight.

Living in a place like Vermont with four seasons has its advantages. You can always talk about the weather, because not only does it change minute by minute, it radically changes every few months. Just when you don’t think you can stand hearing one more chirping bird or the delightful organic ether rising from the hillsides, you notice the sun bearing down and burning your skin and days getting much longer and and hotter.

During the glorious summer everybody heads for a Vermont State Park campground, stream, pond or lake to cool off. After few months of living in absolute paradise and a rich growing season you notice vegetation changing colors and slowing growth of flowers, shrubs, trees and veggies. Then a few leaves turning, birds flocking, and evening chills are the wake up call that change is coming. If you are lucky, the fall foliage light show continues into November and you can follow it starting from the mountains in September and later down into the valleys by the lake.

At some point we get a dusting of snow and a reminder of why hundreds of thousands of people come here in the winter. The landscape is transformed into a magical white crystal fairyland for a few months. The hearty rise early, bundle up, kick and glide and tromp deep into the woods and schuss down powdery glades like this is the way life should be.

Then, just when you think the cold is creeping into your bones for good, the late February sun climbs high and warm in the sky and the snow melts, runs off and washes the landscape, warms the soil and begins the cycle of renewal again!

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The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost (1874–1963)

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

You can see more of Glenn Fay’s Vermont photography on our LoveEarthAlways fan page here Facebook Fan Page and buy our Earth-friendly products here:LoveEarthAlways Products.

Stopping By The Woods On A Snowy Evening by Robert Frost (1874–1963)

Whose woods these are I think I know.

His house is in the village though;

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.

The only other sound’s the sweep

Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

All photos by Glenn at LoveEarthAlways glennfay36, flickr

If you find yourself out in the woods on a snowy evening and wanting to find your way back, consider how nice it would be to have one of our cool crank flashlights that never need batteries. They are always ready when you are. Buy them here. You will be glad you did.