The Blanch Herd: Vermont 2023 {First Days at Jay}

We arrived at our Timberline Cottage (condo?) at Jay Peak around 8:00 pm ET on Tuesday (5 Sep) night, well after dark, so we didn't take any pics. But we got all our stuff unloaded and set up and then we hit the hay.

6 September 2023 - On Wednesday morning, we got our bearings and headed to Walmart in Newport for groceries. I drove there (almost) without directions, and, funny story: while we were coming back through Newport on our way home, I noticed a car turning left opposite me in the intersection. The drivers looked like young adult men in white shirts and ties and they were looking intently at our car. Then, as we both turned, they waved and I waved back. The missionaries were excited to see a Utah plate in Vermont!

When we got back, we unloaded groceries and had lunch and then the kids and I went on a walk to Tramside to check things out. We learned that the outdoor pool, which was supposed to be closed after Labor Day, was extended till the 10th because the weather was so warm! So we went to the desk to figure out how access worked, and we visited Provisions, and Sam rode on the new pump track. In the afternoon after we finished school and work, we all went for a swim in the (very) heated pool. That evening after dinner, Sam, Gregg and I played the first eleven holes (till it was too dark) on the disc golf course (also included in our stay!) and I lost my red leopard disc on hole 8 (womp, womp).

Sunrise from our deck.

First mushroom siting, right outside our back door!

This year's home sweet home, #4823.
Click here to get a tour of the inside!

I spy the tram station at the top of Jay Peak!

Check out that tree! It doesn't feel the least
bit like fall (86 degrees and 75% humidity!)
but the trees are starting to change and
I'm so excited!!

This pump track didn't used to be here, so Sam was
excited to ride a few laps.

You can't really see it in the pic, but those mountains
have the slightest twinge of color starting to show!

The flowers look so fallish!

More fall twinges.

And monarchs! We've seen quite a few
flying around and stopping at the flowers.

Here's our backyard view.

Hole one on a really fun course. We use the shortest
green tees, and it's just right for our skills.

Some holes are in the woods.

Some holes are in the ski runs. (And this is the one
I lost my disc on - somewhere in those trees
on the right (or behind them into some really weedy
spots)).

7 September 2023 - After breakfast on Thursday morning, we headed out again to finish the disc golf course before school and work. What a way to start a day! We had another good day of school, with some brain break time in the hammock, and then the kids and I went swimming again. That evening after dinner, we all walked straight up the road from our house to Stateside, where the kids scoured the amphitheatre for coins dropped by concert goers, and Gregg and I hiked up one of the new bike trails through the trees and around down the ski run back to the kids. Marvelous!

This was an especially cool hole!

You throw over a ravine, through the trees
and it's just magical.

These look like ghost mushrooms!

And I always love these guys!

Our RAR family book club book this month
is Farmhouse by Sophie Blackall, and I actually
bought this book so we could bring it on
our trip and enjoy all the goodness it and the guide
have to offer. It is worth buying! It is gorgeous!

Mid-day hammock time to work on Connections
(the Times game like Wordle).

They are fish! I spent $5 on clearance
goggles and sinking rings/sticks from Walmart
before we left (I didn't even know if we'd
swim much on this trip, so I'm glad we brought
them!) and it may have been the best $5 I've
ever spent! These kids are cannonballing
into the 5 foot end and diving to bottom to
snag the sinking toys and carrying each other
(and dad!) around the pool and swimming
from one end to the other the long way!

Ah, Stateside . . . quieter than the hub
at Tramside, and lovely as ever.

8 September 2023 - On Friday, we took a field trip to Stowe while Gregg was doing some prep work in the office for his conference next week. I made a separate post about that (since it wasn't technically at Jay). When we got back we swam (surprise, surprise) and then had pizza and a movie back at the condo. And I didn't take any pics of any of that. Oh well.

9 September 2023 - Saturday morning we took it slow. I made Flying Apple Flapjack for breakfast (think apples and cinnamon with german pancakes baked on top). We played some disc golf (surprise, surprise) and swam (surprise, surprise) and hung out. I made bread. The kids played minecraft. Pretty normal stuff. After we finished watching Coco Gauff win the US Open, we walked up to Stateside before it got dark. We lucked out with the most amazing 360 degree sunset! A beautiful ending to a great day.

Front garden flowers. Very nice.

Hang on to your lugnuts - lots of mushroom
pics coming up!

This one was huge! Cal's hand for scale.

Leaves!

These ones were amazing.

The sun broke through the morning fog
and it was stunning on the 9th hole!

Ullr's pond - I'm seeing a bit of color on those hills!

Gregg and I walked around the hotel into the woods
and back and when we came out it was just starting to
turn pink in the sky.

By the time we got back to the parking lot, things were
really getting bright.

Gregg's camera is great at catching the true colors.

10 September 2023 - We went for a walk this morning before we watched our Stake Conference and while the rain was not raining. We wandered around at Stateside and then walked down some grassy (and soggy!) trails that connect parking lots. And we found the ski bridge that we had stumbled upon our first time here. The kids had never seen it before, so that was fun. It rained most of the rest of the day, off and on, so we cozied up inside, played games, talked to grandpas and grandmas, made cake for Sam's birthday tomorrow.