Inspiration

Everywhere we go, whether to visit friends and neighbors or run errands, we find inspiration that fuels our desire to be here. To date, the focus has been on our challenges, ambitions, and accomplishments. It would be a mistake to not point out that we routinely marvel at everything around us here. Some of it is iconic marvels, like covered bridges and maple syrup, but much of it is associated with everyday life that unfolds daily in a myriad of ways.

It could be at a nearby dairy farm where they make wonderful local cheese, and where the cows listen to NPR after milking.

There are 10 times more people in the broad market area where we live in Texas than there are in the entire state of Vermont. Each town we visit seems to have its own identity. There’s even a club that, since 1954, has supported members who visit the state’s 251 towns and cities.

The countryside changes with the weather and season. Mornings and evenings, when the sun is low in the sky, provide epic views and scenery.

Vermont holds almost five million acres of forest land; 75 percent of all the land is forested. Here the the net growth of trees has exceeded removal since the first inventory in 1948.

Vermont is where fictional TV characters go when they want to get away from the hectic life of the city. According to United Van Lines, Vermont was the No. 1 state to move to in 2018. People want to be here because of the state’s commitment to environmental sustainability, but health and lifestyle stand out too.

Stone walls crisscross the landscape, bordering fields, defining gardens, and running along side roads. These stones of all shapes and sizes were left behind by glaciers that receded at the end of the last Ice Age.

Firewood is ubiquitous. Vermont has the highest per-capita reliance on wood as a primary heating source of any state. It comes in many forms, from green and wet to seasoned and dry. It’s used to cook, provide warmth, and make maple syrup.

Here they talk about the sugarbush and the sugarhouse. The flow of sap from maple trees is serendipitous, usually in the late winter or early spring when temperatures rise above freezing during daylight but drop below freezing at night.

There are real farmers at Vermont’s farmers markets. They take pride in what they bring to sell with stories about harvest and how this year’s crop compares to last. The money they earn is important to them.

There are fabulous views everywhere. And there are gardens here that take our breath away. Just like the views, spectacular blooms ebb and flow with the season and weather.

These and other ingredients combine to make this a very special place for us. They make this project a most excellent adventure. We never take it for granted.