Vermont 2021 {10/7: Inntopia Friends Golf, Shelburne Farms and Orchards, Jay Peak Disc Golf, Snowflake Bentley Exhibit}

On Thursday, 7 October Gregg met up with some of his coworkers to golf near Stowe. He was not expecting such a soggy course (just from dew!), coming from dry ol' Utah, so his feet were pretty wet when all was said and done (he even stopped at the grocery store on his way home and squelched all through the aisles). The locals wore waterproof boots (because they know!) and called him "Utah Boy".

Meanwhile, Christine and I took the kids on an adventure to Shelburne Farms. And adventure we did! We walked to the Farm Barn to see the animals, and then I convinced everyone to walk up Lone Tree Hill (just a short detour!) and back down to the barn. There was supposed to be a little story walk along the path and I wanted to see the woods. They came along and we had a marvelous jaunt through the trees till we got to the top of the hill where there were two paths (in addition to the one we had taken to get there) leaving the crest. There was also a sign and a map. And with all of those helps, we (I mean I) still chose the wrong one and got us WAY off course to who knows where on this property. (In my defense, the path down the hill to the barn, the one we should have taken, was not actually labeled or the sign was missing or broken or something!) I knew which general direction we needed to get back to the farm barn, but I didn't know which road or path to take to get me there. And instead of just turning around, we were just getting further and further into unknown territory. Luckily we came upon some tree cutters who pointed us in the right direction back (I'm sure they were wondering where we even came from, two moms and four kids way off the beaten path), and we eventually made it back to the barn to see the cheese-making. It was a gorgeous place to be lost, but next time we'll eat lunch first and bring water bottles. Or just take the right path down the hill! ;)

After our picnic lunch near the parking lot, we were all feeling a bit better and ready to try something else, so we made our way down the road a few miles to Shelburne Orchards, where we found ourselves with bags and walking down another grassy path to the far end of the orchard to pick our own apples. Yes! Totally New England and totally cute! We picked Golden Delicious, Empire, Macintosh, and Liberty apples (way too many of all of them, but it's a lot easier to pick than to carry, it turns out!) and hauled them back to the car. We caved to the charm of the "cider donut on an orchard after apple picking" dream image, but were disappointed (as we knew we would be) since there's just not anything to top a donut from Cold Hollow. Oh well.

Back to Gregg's day of golf: he made it back to Jay Peak, dried his shoes with the hair dryer, then walked up to the disc golf course at the resort to play a couple rounds. Talk about a pretty place!

While he was disc golfing, we were at our last stop of the day: Jericho, VT, where we got to see the Snowflake Bentley exhibit in the Old Red Mill. This was one of the top things I wanted to see this year since we never could time it right last year when they were open. And it did not disappoint. It was just a tiny couple of rooms with dusty old pictures and equipment, but man! it was so cool to see his actual camera and microscope and slide projector! If you haven't read the picture book about him called Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin, you definitely must check it out!

It was bright and sunny and blue sky when Gregg left
Jay Peak, but totally socked in down the mountain and
down the road.

Co-worker Chris and lots of misty, moisty
morning.

Our map of the farm - it's a big place with lots
of walking paths - and we still managed to find ourselves
on a place which isn't supposed to be for pedestrians.

Our first sight of the Farm Barn - that thing is like
the castle of all barns!

Not visible in this pic for some reason
were the turkeys the kids had fun chatting with.

Checking out the rabbits.

And saying hi to the goats.

I just liked the roof.

The view from the goat shed.

The view at the top of Lone Tree Hill.

The best thing about the route we chose
down Lone Tree Hill was all the fungi we saw
along the way.

They were all so different and so awesome!

I mean, is this for real?

These were huge!

And these ones spurted out clouds of spores if
we bumped them.

They look like nuts, but they're not. And
there are TONS of them!

Watching the cheddaring process.

Another map showing how simple our trip onto Lone Tree
Hill should have been.

Apple picker Callie.

Golden Delicious!
(His fave apple, until this trip when it has
switched to Macintosh, which luckily we got
a lot of, too.)

So picturesque!

Back at Jay, Gregg snapped this one on his walk
up to the disc golf course.

Hi, Tram House.

There's a basket in the between those trees
making a V in the middle. Not bad!

In Jericho we got to see THE camera
that Willy's parents spent their savings on
to buy for him when he was 17, even though
his dad wasn't crazy about his passion for
snowflakes.

It really was so cool to see!

Here's his first microscope.

And his slide projector which he used to show his pictures
to his friends and neighbors.

Aw, some home school love. :)

And down the road in Jericho Center
where the sign/monument is.

Just another white church on the drive home. ;)