We chugged into the hills of Vermont early July and headed straight for the capitol. Montpelier is a sweet little town on the Onion river with a thriving art scene, super friendly people, and lots of smiles for our little Juniper.
We are in heaven when the political hub of a state is also one of the most liberal and progressive places there, and in Vermont that means alot. Atop the capital building, there is a statue of Ceres-Goddess of agriculture
. This is really our kinda place!!!!There is of course a whole range of political views in Vermont (as anywhere) but the open and generally accepted philosophies of environmentalism, social justice, personal freedom, support of art, local economies, alternative energy, and conscientious marketing...is unlike anywhere we have ever seen. Seattle looks stodgy, slow and conservative by comparison!! (although Georgia still wins on that one!)
We headed NE to what everyone calls the NE Kingdom on the edge of New Hampshire and Canada. Although, really, the whole of Vermont feels like a Kingdom.
Complete with the "US out of Vermont" bumper stickers and local papers dedicated to seceding!There are an amazing collection of people in this wonderful little corner, all so ready and willing to give us a helping hand and show us the sweet spots.
Everyone knows each other here and its like one big extended family...we just keep meeting more cousins! Not to mention the generosity that flows out of everyone here; we have been given work and respected for our trades, given soft beds to sleep in and wonderful meals, offered kayaks for the day, had a stranger buy us a book on hikes just for asking where a good place to go was, been included as volunteers for music festivals so we could experience weekends of music we would never have been able to be a part of on our limited budget, and so much more its overwhelming (in a good way).We have had some awesome hikes with views that make us miss the Cascades and feel like no matter what, life is worth living.
In fact, just driving down the road is a beautiful experience full of breathtaking greens and blues, pastoral meadows spotted with cows and horses, and the prettiest barns we have ever seen!
Vermont is amazing, really and truly, and not just because of the beautiful landscapes but because the people here have made it something rare and precious, they have held on fiercely to what they believe and what they love and it shows in the community and in the land. We've been told we came at the right time, and winters are another story...and from the photos and descriptions of horizontal blizzards and twelve foot drifts of snow, I believe it is something to be reckoned with, but the rugged and difficult months is a part of the power in this land and in its people. Everything and everyone that lives here is a survivor willing to fight tooth and nail for what they believe is true and the life that they love.
When the winter heads to spring and the maples start to flow with syrup, the metaphor is clear: You have survived the harshness of scarcity and the bite of bitter cold, and yet, isn't life sweet? Now there's a lesson worth learning.
