Yesterday I walked around what will soon be the best neighborhood in Rutland – the Northwest neighborhood. It was the perfect day for a walk – sunny and a balmy 48 degrees. I had the great company of my friend Elizabeth, and we toured almost the entire neighborhood. I was struck by some of the…
I just participated in one of the most fun events I have ever experienced in Rutland. Namely, the Zombie Outbreak orchestrated by X-Bar. When I first learned of X-Bar, I did not give it much credence since it was located in the failing Diamond Run Mall. I’m beginning to think now that X-Bar could possibly…
Let’s face it, there’s too much stuff in the world. There’s too much stuff in your house! There are several reasons it ended up this way. First, people buy stuff that they don’t need and often subsequently don’t pay any attention to. Second, people buy NEW stuff when they could easily get by just fine…
Despite Vermont’s reputation as being “green”, we have a record of recycling only half of what could be recycled here in the state. The problem: we have one small landfill that was getting landFULL! And that landfill has now been closed due to noxious odor problems. All around the country, people send plastic bags full…
A morning where I can get dirt under my fingernails is a good morning, and this was a good morning. I followed some online advice about getting rid of the gnats I mentioned in my previous post, and it seemed to have worked. I mixed a tablespoon of neem oil, a tablespoon of non-toxic dish…
I hadn’t been to the Rutland fair (aka the Vermont State Fair) in about a decade, so I decided I needed to experience the nostalgia of it. It certainly brought back some great memories. When I was in high school, I worked in the Dairy Barn scooping ice cream. One year I got a temporary…
I had intended to write this post about how great the Rutland downtown farmers market is, but now I’m writing about how AMAZING it is! Not only are there a ton of great produce vendors, but there are also some incredible “fast food” stands with all kinds of international goodies. These include Greek, Korean, Italian,…
While living in Florida, I discovered that I love coffee shops. They were a great place for meeting clients or friends, and I always ran into people I knew. If I can be within bicycling or walking distance to a coffee shop for the rest of my life, I can be happy. Today, my office…
What I love about cities is the complete and utter randomness that often takes place. I was walking down Merchants Row and was struck by this GORGEOUS mural on the side of a building leading into the alley. Is it new? I swear I walked this way just the other day and didn’t see it.…
I am so excited right now! I just saw the first busker I have ever seen in Rutland. He was on Center Street outside my office window, and he didn’t sound half bad. Having traveled in Europe quite a bit, I have an affinity for buskers. A lot of times, people have their hands out…
It is imperative that we participate in the democratic process, now more than ever. As the world is often more interested in profit than people or planet, it is our duty to represent ourselves against corporate interests. That means paying attention to local issues, writing letters to the editor, sending letters to government and attending…
My life has changed a lot in the past few years. In 2008, I bought a house that I absolutely LOVED, and I built a low-impact life around it. This year, I am settling permanently in Vermont into a life that is not quite suited to my sustainability and comfort needs. It frustrates me that…
So, you want to start a blog or build a personal or business website? Great! Everyone should learn how to build an online presence. But first you should learn some things about the world wide web. Logic would tell you that if you post something online that paints you in a bad light, you can…
No one moves to Vermont for the cheap living. No one comes here for the low taxes or the great job opportunities. People move to Vermont because they are in love with something here… the mountains, the quietude, the fresh air, the people. They move here knowing that their life will probably be harder, but…
