Vermont Photo Diary

They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, but in my opinion, the opposite is often true.

I didn’t realise how much I missed Vermont until I was there again recently! We took a little jaunt over the pond for a wedding in Montreal, and then followed it up with a little time in New England to see my mom and her family.

Growing up, trips to Vermont were a twice or thrice yearly event, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve been less and less. Yet every time I go, I remember how beautiful it is, how much there is to do and, of course, take trips down memory lane of all the things I used to do when I was younger. Or not.

For instance, we tried Shelburne Vineyard, which I obviously could not have enjoyed as a youngster. It is fairly new, but they do produce grapes on the farm there (as well as in NY state). I was surprised, given how cold it can get in Vermont. The reds were especially good. If you go, try the Widow’s Harvest. If you like white better, try the Cuyahoga White.

We also did a fair amount of exploring along Lake Champlain, including quite a bit of walking around Burlington.

If you’re ever in town, hit up the Cosmic Grind for a really good coffee or iced tea, and then head to the used bookstore two blocks over. It is one of my habits from early childhood that doesn’t seem to have gone away.

And if you’re in Burlington, drive 45 minutes south to Bristol, my parents’ hometown, to try a creeme. It is one of those local things that sounds and looks like its available everywhere, but it really, really isn’t. Have a maple ice cream with chocolate dip. That’s another one of those things from childhood that I think I’ll do whenever I’m in town, no matter how old I get.

And of course, if you’re in Vermont, you have to go to Ben and Jerry’s. It is crazy how big the brand has gotten- we can even get it in London! My family thinks they’ve sold out, but I’m just happy I can get my fix from 2000 miles away.