~Journeys & Celebrations & Goodbyes~

Well. I'm in a situation....trying to upload via phone and add commentary via laptop :) Makes for the two NOT VERY simultaneously, anyway......finally getting back on the laptop to make some words for these wonderful pictures.....:)

Vermont is home to the most ground squirrels (aka chipmunks) I've ever seen....made Vandy (our dog) a crazy one......he guarded our house daily keeping these at bay...poor chipmunks......This one was so close at my neighbors house - he caught me taking the pic....lol .........He just kept smiling.....He always smiled....I nicknamed him Mr. Happy. He doesn't know it though.

The cat that often visited on my runs.....

One more last shot of the falls....

Such a cloudy, misty afternoon....had to get this pic.......

Painted turtle on my run....

This was in middlebury......just loved the sign.......Green Mountain National Forest

This spot yelled to me.....does it to you.?...

 Breadloaf campus in Middlebury....had to go see it and walk the Robert Frost Trail before I left......I would love to go to Breadloaf for a writing conference.....just to be among all those talented people and speakers...in the beautiful surroundings.

Robert Frost Trail

Ripton Country Store.....

Quintessential Vermont

Texas Falls.....so pretty.

Hancock, Vermont

Morgan and I on our last outing at the infamous Imperial...lol

These are panoramic views of Lake Morey....went there with Vanessa and Kim I work with....we had such a great, relaxing day there.........Thank you, Kim.......

~The Home Stretch: A Farewell to a Beautiful Chapter...... and greetings to a new one~

This week was full of farewells.....thinking and contemplating what Vermont (and all its wonderful people) meant to me......it was a beautiful journey (1,100 miles) and I don't regret one day.......True, I missed my family at a lot of times.......the people, the road, and my roots......I ask, What is home to you? 

Brock's fancy graduation invitation to me......:)

We wanted to leave with something to give back....so we planted these cosmos (fitting) and some Clematis for the bike path.

Us after the graduation....rainy evening.

Everyday I passed this and overlooked its beauty.....looking closely it was made by the organization that Gary taught at...pretty neat.....This was taken the day before the kids left.

Coach Shaun was such a mentor to the kids he worked with.....Here pictured is Cooper, Adam, and Coach with a Yankees backstop he handmade for Cooper......He was so nice to do this for him.......such a great guy.

Love these around Vermont.....Allium or ornamental garlic...just don't know...

This picture and the ones below mama sent to me by phone of the kids back at home....in Tennessee with them.

Yes, she got a kitten too......oh my.

So, this is what my wonderful E-Team and coworkers and students did for me (without me knowing). Without this experience, I would have never known what it was like to work with such great people.....people who were like-minded......They got a history of Springfield Book and presented it to me at Weathersfield Center Church for our staff farewell supper. This was written in the book as I opened it. :)

The song they wrote and sung that evening......so sweet....I will never forget......

The empty (now) room I spent many a-days.

kids on way to airport to Boston.

Giles enjoying some strawberry cake Hillary and I made for Gary for Father's Day.

Picked up Cooper's friends (before he left) and took Logan, Hunter, and Cooper bowling and for some ice cream....I'm glad we got to fit this in........:) Great kids.

Lake Morey, Vermont

My good friends (and co-workers) Vanessa, Kim, and me.