Category: Green Mountain Blog

Yo Peeps:

“I regret that it takes a life to learn how to live”…………………………………………………………….Jonathan Safran Foer

“Jewish voodoo tip-

mention an acting career,

then watch for chest pain”…………………………Haikus for Jews

Bada- dada…….Bada-dada……Bada-dada………dada – (you have to hum it yourself to get the right impact)

 

Lots doing in the mountains this week….still raining every 2^nd or 3^rd day in our new global warming era…but when not, have hit the daily 75 and sunny regime…….Can the Donald pardon himself?

Sunday drive last week over to Poultney through the rolling hills on western side of state….hit another roadside attraction in the form of Otto’s Cone Point General Store (check out the signage)  for their weekly music on the patio (in the shade of) major Route 30 (well, major for Vermont, anyway). Gorgeous day, greening up everywhere you look…and fine Maple Cremees for a buck …even Lucy had her own bowl

THE POND– has reached a new peek clarity…we can see the bottom everywhere and now thinking about a variety of contraptions to hide the pump setup (a pond’s work is never finished)..…miracle of miracles – came home one afternoon to find Jennifer floating in the pond (facing up and alive)…her first venture into the abyss in five years-which we repeated a second time later in the week

After eight weeks of almost daily rain, we finally got out with the kayaks- up to Nineveh- for a float. The greeter- tent man there had to inspect the kayaks, to see if our scum had come with it…but we passed   inspection (thanks to the sagely Trout King) and spent a few hours lazily paddling through the mountains, while Jen  made poor little Lucy swim most of the way- lots of work for those little legs (she then slept for ten straight hours)

Came home to tackle the damn apple tree that hangs over the pond, before it starts dropping a 100 apples a day into our pristine ecosystem…five sweaty hours later…and voila…..no more overhanging limbs, and two exhausted older adults

Midweek, I had my promised escape to the Marriott, spending the night up at White River Junction (this is really a place) to be close to Barnard and Silver Lake State Park for all -day Governor’s Family Council retreat the next day. The hotel is right across form the states only VA hospital…so it was me and a hundred deranged Vietnam Vets seeking out the smell of napalm in the morning…on the other hand, I had absolutely no fears of any kind of attack there, as they all seemed to be packing a little something and were out at all hours patrolling the perimeter…

On the way home, I gave a ride to a council member- who spent the two hours tearfully telling me her story of a child they lost. It was quite moving and I was glad to listen, but then we had the classic Vermont road experience of driving 20 miles down route 100A to within 100 feet of route 100 to get home…and having the road blocked off, when we could see the turn a mere hop, skip and jump away….so had to drive back and around…adding an extra hour to the trip (we don’t need no stinking road closed signs around here)…which maybe was a bit too much weeping for me…..

We have three massive fuel oil tanks in the basement-none of which has a readable gauge, so I thought we should get one filled up, so we have heat in the fall…..in Vermont, not always so easily done. Turns out the green-minded legislature had passed a new law that all tanks have to be inspected before any more oil can be delivered. So they came out and, of course, found our two ancient connected tanks, to be quite the pieces of decaying shit…so no oil until we remove, destroy or fix them. BUT, we have a third tank that looks much newer but is not hooked up to anything (have I mentioned we also have 48 circuit breakers?…power in numbers, I believe is the concept). So, now we are on the hunt to try and find out from our benefactress, Karen, what the story is with the big red tank…so maybe we can have them take us to cleaners to get that one hooked up…and then maybe we can have some oil…and then maybe we will have heat eventually……

Speaking or our projects….Jenn has now configured some kid of scaffolding system so she got the stairwell walls painted…..so the last part of that (staining and putting down the treads) can move forward. This will be just in time for the upstairs carpet to be put in, to start on the barn roof, re-finish the kitchen floor and electrify the outbuildings……I have lots of Marriott nights booked in August….and then, we are now having to talk about fuel oil tanks…AND just to add a cherry on top, Jenn has resumed her “time to buy a pickup” mantra….which led me to stop the car in the middle of Route 103 and start walking to Rutland….

Our week took a turn towards the cultural with Friday night at the Weston Playhouse to see “Lost in Yonkers”…very Jewish- angst Neil Simon, but quite well done and a fine experience, outside of my shouting match with a local blue haired biddy over whether I could park on red stones (I lost)…packed opening night at the Playhouse which is good to see, plus we are usually the youngest people there, which is GREAT to see….Then last night, we went to Stratton Ski Mountain to see the legendary Preservation Hall Jazz Band straight from my beloved N’Awlins (father’s day gift from Tess and Jake, bless their hearts). Big, big tent and I got to hang outside with the jazzmen as they were getting ready to take the stage. With the six of them, they tripled the color apparent in the audience.. though typical of NOLA, they presented all kinds of mixed shades of mulatto colors…which is probably why they were allowed to enter the state (are they really black?)…consummate musicians…..

And amongst the highlights of this week , we watched as much as could take (actually Jenn slept , while I howled) of The Trailer Park Boys at the North Pole…this is priceless hi-brow entertainment-can you dig it?

So- now we are getting ready  for our first dinner party of the summer tonight…for which Jenn has a six page house cleaning list…plus there is always THE POND I may suddenly need to attend to……

We are off to the heartland for our mid-summer visit this week and gone for ten days…with any luck the squirrels have found a better hotel deal this year…So- no Blog next week and who knows for the week after. Will you miss me? How about each of you send me YOUR BLOG next Sunday instead…can you dig it?

Happy mid-summer dreams to all…and to all a good night….ho…ho….ho…………………………….

Monsieur Stuard

Happy mid-July to all:

“With your chrome heart shinin’ in the sun…..long may you run”…………………………..Neil Young

“ Sorry I’m not home

to take your call. At the tone

please state your bad news”……………………………………………………….Haikus for Jews

 

It’s been a quiet week in the mountains. The grass has been growin’, the flowers have been bloomin’, the frogs have been froggin’, the birds have been chirpin’…and not a lot much else has gone on.

The week started with our annual Mt. Holly Daze cookout at milfoil- filled Star Lake (the town spent several billion last year to reclaim it, but have been foiled by the milfoil- whatever that is). Potluck, grilled dead meat, lounging in the grass in the midday sun with our neighbors and sort -of friends. Lots of spilled food- so a real bonanza for little Lucy.

THE POND has reached a next level of clarity…..seeking it’s spot in Better Homes and Gardens…..after a mere: 2000 packets of bacteria dumped in, an entire colony of crayfish nibbling the undergrowth, 650 barrels of algae removed via kitchen strainer and the various floatation devices spouting water at all hours of the day and night. And….I came home from town on Wednesday afternoon, to the startling site of Jenn floating around in the pond in one of our gifted deluxe floating rafts….her first time entering the sludge in five years, which so startled Lucy, that she was running around the entire pond in non-stop circles to try and figure out what had befallen poor Jenn….

And…have I mentioned our home improvement projects lately?……well we now have new countertops sprawled through the house and painted walls going up the stairs and into the upper hallway, AND, significant progress on her 3 month long journey to replace the stairway carpet with some kind of tread system……and soon the new upstairs carpet is coming , to be scheduled in with the sixteen remaining summer projects on the forewoman’s list….. you’ll be glad to know I have found a Marriott up at White River Junction that apparently needs my attention this week……..

So, I made my yearly trek this week  to see the medicine woman who provides “integrated positional therapy” (this is for real and you can only imagine) in the little schoolhouse in the woods that takes nine dirt roads to get to…and now am semi-healed until I get back to Ohio to visit with the beloved Shaman – whence we make our mid-summer visit…only in Vermont…..

Midweek found us at the first show of the season at the Weston Playhouse…a stunning reproduction of the play/film “Once”…fourteen very talented musicians on the tiny stage replicating a pub in Olde Dublin (Ireland, not Ohio)…..we are constantly amazed at the quality of these productions and that it takes us 17 minutes of driving down through the mountains with nary another car in site…we have now seen “Once” twice…..and this all for the “Vermonter” price of 25 bucks a ticket for center floor seats…..so, what’s not to like?

The rest of the week was consumed with dinner preparations. On Friday, we had our friend, Linda, over for supper. She is a delightfully funny little woman who is some kind of consultant, working for a company out of Boston, that is spreading some kind of scheme to cure cancer via the use of various non-toxic poultices (or something like that, I think). She and her husband, Phillippe, have finally semi- relocated from Arkansas (really) and looking to become full time mountaineers. In the interim, she is living here, while Phillippe, who is a Parisian born chef, has found a head chef seasonal job at some fancy yacht club up in the Bermuda triangle hinterlands, south of Burlington (which, you may remember is almost like being in Vermont). Phillipe is a very desirable catch in the Vermont foodie obsessed culture as he sounds distinctly like Maurice Chevalier, which in and of itself, raises a four star establishment to an automatic five star….

And then last night we had our fist overnight personal guests; a friend of Jenn’s from her wok in Marysville and his girlfriend, a music director for Delaware city schools (who very closely sounded like and resembled Georgeanne from the Mary Tyler Moore show). Jenn outdid herself with a locally-grown, organic, grass-fed, non-toxic, anti-bulimic, free-range, did I say organic?….and tasty meal…followed up with key lime pie made with a base of avocado and crust of figs and nuts……I later snuck to the fridge for ice cream..…nice folks, nice visit, short and gone, the way we  like it (not of course, if you are the ones coming)

So- that’s it for the quiet week…..much, much more action due this week…..in the meantime- a short test, if you will. If you have made it this far in reading this weeks’ musings, then maybe you would let me know. I get very little response for the weekly nuances, so once in a while get to wondering if anybody besides Jenn, Max and the Nave are reading this..…this is your chance to be counted amongst the loyal reader base and be entered into a contest to have a free subscription for life……..…But Wait………………………

 

Insha allah……Stubert

Greetings fellow Patriots:

“Nothing can bring you peace but yourself”…..Ralph Waldo Emerson

“The wily red fox-

at temple, I spy it paws

lurking in a stole”……………………………………..Haikus for Jews

 

The bear has gone…along with all our bird feeders…replaced by a large box turtle that I almost mowed over on the tractor last weekend…40 minutes crossing the yard for 30 feet, and oblivious to my mowing and to Lucy’s frantic barking and jumping…does he know his giant brother lives in the pond?

Speaking of THE POND…knock on stripped project walls…it remains clean and flowing (waiting for bathers) and now the lily pads have started to return to the surface above where Jenn buried them on a ledge when the whole thing was totally empty last fall…..it’s like a wild life sanctuary in there…

And this week, the yard and the surrounding mountains, have begun their free fall of summer color…flowers sprouting their beauty left and right…alas to last only a short time…have I mentioned that summer in the mountains lasts about two weeks?

We had wonderful Indian guests (dots, not feathers) last weekend. I can’t remember their names but they all began with a consonant. In preparation for their arrival, I put on a sari and placed a rainbow dot in the middle of my forehead..…but Jenn made me take them off….. even though I was right and the mother of the young couple showed up with both the dress and the dot (who knows his guests?). They did not eat out for three days (mama had cooked up a storm), and our house still is filled with the aromas of week old Indian food. And..…they had lived for many years in Columbus, the young man at Ohio State (I.T.-duh) and the parents running a 7-11 at 270 and 33 (double duh)…so we had a lot in common….plus they had some serious misgivings about The Donald…..obviously, we liked them, despite the olfactory overload…

Another fourth of July in Mt. Holly…and thus another masterful edition of THE PARADE in out tiny village of Belmont. Jenn is now the Queen of the Community Association, so she spent days building the float and all morning preparing for the 11 am rave up….which, as usual, lasted about six minutes…..mostly with farm animals (free range, of course) and fire trucks. See Jenn in her Zen- in the parade pix…that’s my Queen….

One thing about the Belmont parade…more dogs than people, so Lucy had a wonderful Fourth…replete with post parade drive over to Castleton way to Roxy’s Famous (they really are) Fries for a little patriotic lunch…lots of scraps of fries spilled on the floor from the gallon containers they sell (cholesterol free)…plus she gets to share my baby Creamee cone…which makes Jenn foam at the mouth. Roxy’s is her favorite place, aside from Walmart, where she is greeted each Saturday like the mother of dragons (what is coming back next week?). The store folk all know her now, and the customers beam as she waltzes by in some sort of heaven with all the offerings at her nose level on the bottom shelves..…my take is she makes their day for about 80% of the shoppers…and 20% would like to take her out and shoot her…especially when she barks at the stuffed dogs

And by the way, how about Twin Peaks (the Return). Has there ever been a more twisted and bizarre show on the tube? What would it be like to have dinner with David Lynch?

This week was the start of the summer Music on the Green in Belmont, so we packed a picnic and headed off to see local legends Gypsy Reel on Thursday. Have I mentioned that the legendary Bunty Station boys are making the cross country trek in late August to appear here on The Green in concert? For real, the lord willing and the creek….

And finally (you probably reached that point three paragraphs and twenty minutes ago)….The Projects (please someone, hire me, so I can travel somewhere to stay in a Marriott for a week!!!)…the countertops are coming, and carpet being ordered. the steps are being stripped of their glued down carpet two at a time, and then sanded …..soon to be stained, painted and little wooly mammoth runners put on…..then there is the paint job for the stairwell and upper hallway…then the kitchen floors, the roof repairs and maybe digging out one whole wall along the basement….I say my prayers at night but salvation does not appear to be on the way any time soon…………but, then, who knows……we could get flooded and just wash away….

Love from the reluctant helper….and enjoy your longish summer,

 

Stu

Happy Freedom Day….can we have Freedom and Donald at the same time?………………………………..Zen question

“Let go, or be dragged.”……………………………………..Zen Proverb

“The curved greenish twig

is a snake! Time to go back

to our hotel room”…………………………………..Haikus for Jews

 

Short week…Rain, rain and more rain. We were filling Noah’s Ark last night after 6 torrential thunderstorms…..the porch s leaking, the barn is soaked, we have our first ever standing water….and THE POND is flowing and celebrating..…flash floods throughout the state and the mountains are dripping at every crevice…..the stream that has the bridge that gets you to our house is looking like Hoover Dam-see the pix…we may be stranded soon if this keeps up

Left town for three days to get some distance from the house projects…went to N’awlins…..worked, walked, ate, listened….hotter than hell….came back to many more deliveries from Amazon and a spate of new home improvements…looking for another Marriott escape soon

THE POND may be cleanest ever….knock, knock, knock  on wood……even starting to pull up weed- swamp grasses around the edges….water movement, crayfish, bacteria…the magic formula?

Hydroplaned down to Rutland last night for a feast at the beloved East…after the Jewish fish monger came over to help me put a new deck belt on the tractor after Jenn snapped the last one in a million pieces with her enthusiastic ZEN mowing practice….how many urban Jewish kids does it take to put on a tractor belt?

No Bear visit this week…but I think they may be taking up residence next door, where the property is returning to its primordial state since the new owners have not been here since they bought the place…you may need machetes to hack your way up to our house when you come…

That’s it…what is there to say….the mountains are wet…..and GREEN….and there is music in the air………Yahoo…..

 

Stu-Man

“The more a thing tends to be permanent, the more it tends to be lifeless”……Alan Watts

“Tea ceremony-

steam, incense, lacquered bamboo.

Try the cheese Danish.”………………………………………………..Haikus for Jews

 

Greetings fellow seekers:

See the endless Green….everywhere is GREEN…summer has arrived in the mountains and it is lush with flowers, fauna and black flies…..75 and sunny with nights in the high 40s…G_D time in Vermont

And THE POND…after three master kitchen strainer skims, two bacteria treatments, 50 crawfish, three little worthless solar fountains and…and the spouting pump…it is clear as a bell…swim-time anyone?

Overall, quite a busy week with the home beautification projects in full swing. Came back from Europe to a house of construction. Jenn has her six page list of projects and determined to get them underway…..kitchen wallpaper stripped and walls painted, side of house and barn scraped and painted by our new best man, Yanu (per the usual mountain repair men, Yanu shows up and leaves at unpredictable times, and takes regular Wi-Fi breaks since he has no service elsewhere), new kitchen countertops measured and ordered, and more painting, fixing and flooring underway. We have the daily review of the project list as well as planned projects for the next six years…all of which tells me it is time for me to head out of town very soon…need a Marriott for quiet, rest and contemplation….

Which led us on a foraging trip to Home Depot (successful) and Bed, Bath and Beyond (not so much)- where we had a 20% off coupon that Jenn was determined to use. I wandered around but could not find anything that wasn’t a lot cheaper at Walmart, even with the 20%…..and then lost Jenn…..who I found rolling around the floor in the bedding section….took a half nelson or two for me to manually drag her out of there, with bedding swatches stuck in her teeth.

After one more day of torrential rain last weekend, Sunday turned nice for Dad’s day- so we took me on a hunt for some color…ranging up to Dartmouth to a quirky art house movie and dinner with the Indian folk. Just to make sure we were not wandering too far from the Vermont truth, we took a gorgeous twilight drive down Route 5 and the Connecticut River, stopping at the Windsor Snack Bar for Maple Creamees (see Jenn excited)

Tuesday we made the afternoon an outing with trip up to Woodstock and four mile jaunt up to Mt. Tom- perfect hiking day and magnificent view of one of New England’s most “picture-perfect” villages from the top (how many steeples can one town have?). No one else on the trail- so Lucy had free run and and got in her sixteen circular miles to our four. We got back in time to take up a last minute dinner and drinks invite from our friends John and Lydia, who live at the top of the hill once in a blue moon (these are wild folk from the Boston hub of the Irish) and spent an evening of unmitigated  laughter and debauchery..…crawling back down the mountain at midnight. Luckily, they only show up periodically or we would be in trouble.

But wait….the REALLY BIG news of the week, was an addition to our mountain household. For three straight nights this week, we have entertained (not willingly) a Big –Ass Black Bear, who has tromped through the gardens, shit all over the yard and  destroyed two very large bird feeders (bending a ten foot steel pole in half….see the pictures…this is for real) and causing general havoc in the middle of the night. When he passes in the shadows, Lucy gets the scent of a lifetime and goes nuts, running around the house howling and lunging at the windows…and momentarily  later, Jenn follows suit, running to the doors and shouting “You go…You go now”) I’m  wondering how many times a bear shits in one sitting? We are now forced for the time being to take Lucy out on a leash at night- so she does not become Bear fixins.

Yesterday was another beautiful hot day, so we headed out early for town and the Dump, the post office/general store (Breakfast sandwiches) and down to the hamlet of Castleton and Lake Bomoseen for the annual town wide garage sale. There is a big beautiful boulevard running through the middle of Castleton with graceful old manse-houses on both sides and a small 100 year old college right in town (even has a diner!). There is an old rail station that still has passenger trains and some cute cafes. And, Lake Bomoseen is a beauty- surrounded by mountains with gently lolling waters in a visual panorama of splendor (did I really say that?). But still…when it comes down to it…people’s junk is people’s junk…though it didn’t stop us from buying some assorted shit we don’t need.

So…time to go…my young yard-boy, Seamus, has arrived…to assist with picking up the 17 pounds of bear turd…and are we really glad to see him? He just graduated (since last summer has grown four inches, inherited a car, a goatee and an Afro…and has a girlfriend) and has been too busy with school and such to come over until now, which has led us to less desirable yard-boy performance options. Seamus is the closest thing to THE Marcus that there is…..so work to do, projects to review, places to go, mountains to climb….and the is always more bedding to consider…..

Off to New Orleans this week for some heat, work and gumbo…but see you soon.

 

Stu-Bert

 

Buenos Diaz my Familia y Amigos (and happy Father’s Day to all the Papas):

“ Ain’t it good to be back home again”……………………………..John Denver

 

“Is one Nobel prize, too much to ask from a child, after all I’ve done”……..Haikus for Jews

Got back this Wednesday after ten day extravaganza in Spain and Portugal with Max…17.5 pounds of luggage to meet strict carry-on standards for overseas flights on Spanish airlines, 58 hours to get home form the southwest tip of Portugal, 253 pictures and serval dozen forms of Tapas….There are more pix than usual attached to this- could not decide on which to include. At the end of this week’s Blog there is also a summary trip report for those of you who have that kind of interest. If you wish to see the full photo journal –you can find it at: https://photos.shutterfly.com/story_invite/f4831f5e-9a22-48fd-96ae-8bf0d33e4779/100147634772

Jenn picked me up at the Amtrak station in Albany for the majestic ride up Route 7 back to the Greens…and it is GREEN…summer has hit in full force….and the sun even came out for a three days in a row…before it started raining again. sine I have only been home for three days in the last two weeks- I will make this a short Blog…if you don’t count the plethora of photos and the trip report…but then again, short is hardly my middle name..

Got back to find that while the cat was away… the Jenn did play…establishing five ongoing house projects (wallpaper gone, tchotchkes hidden, pieces of countertop and carpet tucked in corners, new bedding snuck in everywhere)…which will teach me to wander off across the pond…

Speaking of which, THE POND had regressed back to a former life, with slime and algae covering the surface. Now, this is not supposed to happen…no, no, no….so despite persistent jet lag (rising at 4:30 in a daze), the sunny day on Thursday found me returning to my very unwanted roots…back in the pond in kayak with the kitchen  strainer. Fortunately, unlike previous battles, this is mostly surface stuff. Nevertheless, 3 hours of floating and skimming, bad sunburn and a pulled grain muscle later….the Pond is mostly back to its faux-pristine state. which initiated my first swim of the summer in the newly strained and blessed water. But, then again-no rest for the weary…so we went to see the Trout King for fish and advice –and came back home with 25 more crayfish and three min-solar fountains to move the water. They are pretty cute, but only work in absolute deadly full on sun ray blast, and then kind of dribble water out. So we hauled out the old pump, got a new spray attachment and, Voila, the water is flowing on timer for six hours a day…which ostensibly will keep it crystal clear (who’s kidding who?).

So- now I can fully concentrate on jet lag and fining my hidden tchotchkes (and sneaking back to Walmart to return the hidden beddings that have not been placed in rotation yet).

Back in the saddle- we made it down to Sam’s in Ludlow for the beloved early bird dinner and opt the Rutland Farmer’s Market and related all day shopping activities on Saturday. Since today is Pops Day…we are making the trek to Dartmouth this afternoon for a real movie and dinner served by people of some color.

I think that is enough…after all, what more is there really to say. Enjoy the pix and the report- if you are a glutton…and catch you after the paint dries, the countertops are up and the house resembles Jenn’s vision of pure mountain delight.

 

Estuardo

 

 

Europe 2017– the Berry boys eat, walk, transport and generally go around in circles for nine days through Spain and Portugal. Left the mountains via 2 hour lift from Jenn down to Albany, the Amtrak to NYC Penn station,, subway out to far side of Queens, Air-train to JFK, five hour sit after clearing security with ten thousand other immigrants (was this styled after Ellis Island?) and 6.5 hour flight on Air Europa…all making a representative sampling of transport in the modern world. After breezing through Madrid customs (they seem much more civilized about this kind of stuff) grabbed a cab to the very loosely appointed meet-up spot- rounding a corner to find the boy leaning ever so nonchalantly on the ancient walls in the flesh. A night and day in Madrid included endless walking, art (largest ever Picasso retro at the national museum (which is free from 7-9 nightly- special travel tip), olives, bread, oil, tapas and Sangria. …the jet lag led to walking around the city endlessly before 6 a.m. – which made us pretty much the only people on street, as Madridians do not appear to be early risers after late night consumptions. So-we leave town on the high speed (600 miles in 2.5 hours) train to Cordoba (can you say Ricardo Montalban) in the south and west of Spain; full of ancient history, cobbled streets, castles, lilting music and a lot more Tapas than one should consume….plus the olives, bread and oil…now adding Iberian (Sorrento) ham into the mix. Walked around streets in ferocious Mediterranean sun to search out long extinguished Jewish Quarter (they pre-dated Nazis by four hundred or so years in taking care of this business), and long dormant one room “Sinagogin”. We found the one remaining Jew, who of course, runs a fine restaurant, offering the “late bird” special of 40% off dinner-in a walled courtyard with ancient Sephardic music (something Elton John-ish)…..more Sangria, much more walking…Max hitting low point of no sleep and no BM (tired and full of shit). So-we leave the heat, take another train and head for Seville (Sa-Bee-Yah)…….where it is even hotter. Quartered ourselves in center of city in hostel type lodging- which meant a ten by ten room (Max with his own bunk beds), shared WC and a wheeled in AC unit, which took up a third of the ten-by space. More towers, art, LOTS more Tapas- best anywhere; 5 dishes – plus Sangrias plus dessert -for two=20 Euros). Hit the required Flamenco extravaganza, art museum with maximum Goya and Dali (how many Spanish men have Dali mustaches?). Had enough heat for lifetime-so much I had no usable undies or socks-so washed them out in common area kitchen sink one morning- which led Max to ruminate about whether this was actually a universally accepted custom? This seemed like a good time to head for the bus station and three hour bus ride to Portugal (bus station a microbe of Spanish culture in all forms)- heading for Faro on the southwest coast. Spent several hours negotiating the finding of the rental car (we got of bus at airport but car was left for us the train station). Once located, it was off to find the beaches. Spent first night in surreal full-hose rental in newly built suburb…..with a washer, by golly. Had dinner in hopping oceanfront resort of Ohayo (go Bucks?)- where had the feast –of- all- shellfish feast (so fresh they jumped off plate into our drooling mouths), which with local beers, local cheese, olives and breads- set us back 30 euros (Portugal more expensive than Spain). Next morning I woke to find Max gone- off to find some guy who would rent him a surfboard for a week….and so we set off in search of The Waves. Wandered sun-drenched south Portugal coast-about as different from urban Spain as you can get. Dramatic cliffs, plunging to the sea all along the coast, with private little beaches at every turn (apparently for the Amore!) and small resort beach towns filed with Ex-pat Brits (who knew). Made our way to the southwest tip of Portugal (and Europe for that matter) at Zagress an then San Clementi- which resembled the parking lot of a Dead show vibe and then headed up the west coast to national park area of Arrafina, where we stayed in mountain retreat above the majestic sea; Max getting in some surfing and discovering waves so high that they were spraying the 100 foot high cliffs along the sea (thankfully, he stayed out of those). Everywhere we stopped at, Rock of Gibraltar like formations. Aside for the very good seafood, the dining in Portugal was not quite up to Spain-Tapas standards-not the beloved five course Tapas. On our last day together, Max decided to adapt his travel plans to take in the annual Portugal Week festivities (renowned debauchery- complete with barbequed Sardines at every corner. So- instead of the original plan to drop me off the airport to catch my flight Madrid, we head into the heart of Lisbon to last minute hotel Max booked for himself in the heart of the old city-and the preparations for the extravaganza. After a dizzying about of circles both in the car and on foot, we found the hotel and then the super-secret underground parking garage (five floors under the city- who knew?) and were able to spend some time inspecting the city. Tour done- and after multiple cheek kissing (not sure how many times is correct for ach European country)- we put me in a cab to beat the oncoming hordes- and got to the airport and flight on semi-notorious TAP Portugal Air. Five hours sitting and not a single word later- we board our very late flight to Madrid-arriving there at 1 a.m.-  enough time for me to take wired walk, go to bed in a very nice room, get up, take another stroll, find bread and oil….and head back to the airport for my cross pond flight. After 8.5 hours of sitting (blessed event- seat next to me empty) I arrived at JFK (already up for 24 hours) and had the good fortune of being picked up by my Cousin Sherry and her driver, Ari, for trip up to north Bronx to spend the night. End of day Two in cousin’s apartment in Riverdale; next morning a ride to subway, down to Penn Station, Amtrak to Albany and Jenn picking me up to do reverse ride home. The Greens were a sight to see. Total Return time= 58 hours and three days. 3 flights, 4 trains, 1 bus, 1 car tour, 60-70 miles walked, 650 olives, 15 glasses fresh Valencia OJ, 10 cups olive oil, 57 servings of bread, dozens of Sangrias……and nine days with The Prodigal……PRICELESS

 

Ola Amigos et Familia:

“If I knew the way, I would take you home”…..Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter

Holy shit…rain, rain, rain…we have been here 35 days and it has rained 30 of them…not just wet but wet and cold (barely cracking 60 most days and in THE 30s at night)…..we seemed to have lost summer here in the mountains…and on top of it, who would have thought that Vermont would be providing ammo for the moron-in-chief’s no climate change beliefs? It has been so wet…that we have fall foliage happening in some high places….in mid-May!!!!!

 

So this is going to be a short ZEN for the week in the mountains. I’m off to cross the pond tomorrow to  meet up with the prodigal in Madrid for ten days in Spain and Portugal. Eight hour flight preceded by another 8 hours of me getting to JFK by car, Amtrak, railroad and subway…you know traveling from the mountains is no green pickle……

Had our fist Airbnb guests last Sunday night- a delightful older couple form Normandy (France, not Oklahoma), Eveline and Jean Michel, who spoke almost no English…but still were able to express their disdain and amazement at The Donald…how embarrassed we are to claim him (can you say Monsieur Ber-Nie?). Very nice visit with lots of laughs and hugs and many hand signals…

Jen left for  six days in Cleveland with new grand-baby Quinn and has been walking around the whole time with Quinn attached to her via front-pack…..while she weeds, cleans and mows…as soon as she left-the sun came out for two days, which left me all the yard chores. I usually take a lot of care of little Lucy, but leave the loco cats to Jenn…so this week I have spent a copious amount of time attending to their screaming needs to be fed three times a day…plus one poops only outside the litter box and one pukes regularly after each meal. I tried putting them out this morning to see if they might just go away, but all they did was puke, shit and cry to get back in….Went to the dump this morning, where the Dump Master and mountain clairvoyant, Kevin. accosted me for coming without the little lady, and swore he would  come down and give her multiple hugs and squeezes when she returned…apparently he misses her…

I’ve been  trying to reach old Jeb, the local stoned mason and master of the towns’ music equipment via e-mail, text and phone for months to ask for his assistance for when the Bunty boys come out to play a gig  in August…but no returns calls or contact…..and then I discovered him across from the general store this week busy building a wall that The Donald would admire, though he seemed to try and hide when I came to get him…this is the way missions area accomplished in the mountains….tracking and trapping..

After an hour of trying to open the five gallon container (hermetically sealed) and finally ripping it to shreds with the Zaw-Saw, I have inserted ten packets of all purpose, earth restoring and pond healing Bacteria this week…so now we wait for crystal clear blue waters to appear….or so they say…

Well- time to take a small- pond break and get ready to head across the big one (do they use Bacteria on it, does it have algae?)…have to figure out how to last ten day with 22 pounds of luggage (weight restrictions for Spanish airlines)…so off to gather and weigh….

Adios for now…back in a couple of weeks….say you will miss me-just say it…

Buenos Dias,

 

Estuardo/Papa

Greetings friends, family and countrymen:

“Heimlich. Is that a

Jewish name? I wonder as

a diner turns blue.”                                  Haikus for Jews

 

Winter turns into summer quickly in the mountains. On Monday the overnight low was 28 with snow flurries. By Tuesday ,we had a very nice day and by Wednesday it was in the low 90s…the mountaineers came out to dance. We’ve had a run of tropical weather (even though nights are still in the 30s) which has made for more and more lists of projects. Just finished three hours of mandated windowsill and storm window cleaning, which is quite the task in a 150 year old house, since none of them stay up while you try to clean them—which leads to multiple arm abrasions and a houseful of foul words. Meanwhile, Jenn was outside puttering in her gardens…and creating her next round of sciatica…..remind me of the benefits of getting old?

So back to Tuesday. As had been our custom, the sun came out…and we hit the road, Unusually, for us, we headed south, which took us down the Green chain to Weston for a picnic on the green and then to Peru to the lovely Hapgood Pond. We did a bit of a walk around the pond (S/J=3 miles, Lucy Lu= 9 miles)…and then mosied on to the metropolis of Manchester- the home of Hildene, the ancestral mansion of Robert Todd Lincoln (yes-that Lincoln!)…and…of the Green Mountain outlet shops. The outlets are quite a juxtaposition to the elegant old town, which also houses the famous Equinox hotel, where Roosevelt (yes- that Roosevelt) met with Churchill and Stalin to plan the end of the Big One. While there, we found a beautiful beater of a house for sale…..probably meets the definition of faded glory…amidst the splendor of mansions on every side of it…and took photos to try and lure Max to invest in long term capital gains in the mountains (no luck). We found this Italian deli joint (AL Ducci’’s) on a side street and they made us some very indigenous (to Brooklyn) fixins before they closed and threw us out.

On Wednesday, the thermometers hit 90- so I headed north to find a Marriott to spend the night in air conditioned luxury. Actually, it was my first time back to the monthly meetings of the Governor’s Council for kids that I sit on, and takes place in Waterbury, the hub of all things government in Vermont…and the scene of many of Archer’s book settings. I spent the day driving through the majesty of the mountains turning green overnight, stopped for picnic lunch, took a nap, read the USA today (avoiding all mention of El Trumpo), worked out, and took a dirt road jog…. and then dined at the little Thai joint and watched the Cavs smoke the Celtics. Jenn was at home sweating and working very hard…which I felt VERY bad about…but duty calls and I go.

I returned Thursday afternoon and it was 93 degrees and Jenn was gone and the yard was half push mowed….so I shed my clothes and donned my cape and went out to defeat the elements. Two hours later, I sat immobile and sweat drenched—unable to move off the chair and drinking a gallon of Gatorade. I considered a jump in the pond to cool off, but the 50 degree water did not really speak to me….and it would have ruined my sorry state to present to Jenn when she returned from gallivanting.

Speaking of THE POND….well let’s just say that all that glitters is not gold, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, paradise ain’t what it seems, some things are too good to be true (you probably get the idea)…so the hated algae has begun to reappear, snaking down with the fucking the mountain runoff and leaving little snatches of its demon scum in our pristine endeavor. NO, NO, No…we say….so we do some research on line and buy the forbidden (in Vermont) copper sulfate to extinguish the species (so the ads say) and it arrives with a thousand warnings (if you get it on your skin, just lay down and wait to die peacefully). So- yesterday we head up to the mountain hamlet of Shrewsbury to find Matt the Trout King at his hatchery (six dirt roads to get there) and he is not around- so we leave our calling card, amazed at his collection of ponds, and get home to find the water temp (went to Walmart for thermometer) is above the required- for- treatment 60 degrees and it is sunny and quite nice out. Out comes the kayak and the kitchen strainer I meant to throw away, in goes Stu to strain and spray (with my hazmat suit on). Three hours later, I am back- soaked and freezing – with a pretty clean pond and a gallon of this shit sprayed through a small spray device . I take a hot shower and get under the blanket on the couch, to nap and recover, when the Trout King calls me back. I talk to him about fish for the pond and ask him about putting them in right after spraying……and he says….”no, no, never use that chemical shit”. So today we head back up the dirt roads and met the King and he sold us $300 worth of bacteria- which apparently  will make the POND sparkle…as well as fifteen of the King’s special trout and twenty crayfish…the sum of which is apparently the ultimate pond cure. The fishes are now swimming like crazy trying to avoid the monster snapping turtle, (which returned from his banishment in the last week). Next week we are dumping the first set of bacteria………I don’t really think this SAGA ends.

So, I’m supposed to be working on the project list, but Jenn and Lucy left- so – I am doing this instead. I may be erratic in my postings for the coming month, as I am off the Santa Cruz tomorrow for a 24 hour stay (12 hour each way to get there , including a red eye back Wed. night), then the Urbanites are coming to the mountains from Florida for four days (“do you have microwaves there in the mountains”). Once they leave, Jenn heads to Cleveland for five day with our new grand baby (you go Ryan and Lauren)….and then once she returns Stu heads off into the wild blue yonder to find Max somewhere in Spain or Portugal.

Hopefully, by then – the POND will be crystal clear and filled with wondrous fish……………………….or not.

Be very well and keep your fingers crossed.

Stu-Ber

 

Greetings fellow travelers and happy day to all you mothers:

 

Buying sliced Nova,

I feel a whole smoked whitefish-

giving me a look……………………………………………………………Haikus for Jews

Uugghhh…..mud season in the mountains; it has been raining, and then snowing for two weeks…grey an misty…and cold…I think we are skipping spring…..but the Vermont House finally passed legal pot for the state, and the Senate jumped on this in a Nano-second…and now waiting for the conservative (can you believe it?) Governor to veto it…but we have a patch of primordial soil all ready and waiting ….

So…a week of settling into a very wet and dreary mountain home…..

Last Sunday- we made our inaugural trip to our favorite East Restaurant in Rutland, for the Roast Duck with pine nuts…OMG- gotta have it…went with the Jewish Fish Monger (if its Sunday- must be time for Chinese), who filled us in on all the winter gossip…then hit the local KMART to buy him shoes. In a surreal moment, we were the only people in a this huge cavernous airplane hangar of a building…they built this shopping center twenty years ago as a regional hub- but no one goes there and the 10,000 parking spots sit like a decaying old airfield…

Monday we got back on the horse with our daily routines. Stu worked in the morning and then went to the Gym on the slope, where he was the only person in the whole facility (even the staff were somewhere else-maybe where the sun is shining?)…..then lunch with the Yentas at Java Baba’s, back home for a nap by the fire, and then on to Folk Club for pickin;’ and grinnin”…home for a late supper and watching the Cavs annihilate the Pacers. Jenn, meanwhile back at the ranch…spent the day making a five page project list and inspecting the upstairs rooms for potential bedding needs…

Speaking of Folk Club….we have two new young musicians who have started coming- a breath of fresh air to counteract the Evil Witch and her musings…..

And I Had a Dream…….Jen tells me I woke up at 3 in the morning , bolt upright in bed, bellowing and  thrusting my jaw out. She thought I was having a heart attack….but indeed, was having a rather spectacular Technicolor dream in my child hood neighborhood…the same bullies  who chased me over fifty years ago, were chasing me and had me cornered…and of course, I was sitting up to expose my fangs like I saw them do on True Blood…but they wouldn’t come out, and fortunately, I then woke up, thus avoiding another fatal conflict. Dr. Freud?

Since we like to keep lists (and cross them off, of course)…we had a variety of mountain firsts this week…..

First outing of the season- headed up north on Thursday to find a hike, and wound up on the best kept secret- The Interfaith Peace Trail, which is on the pass over the mountains outside Middlebury. They have a dozen or so trails, each one devoted to a spiritual path and posted with placards with inspirational ditties all along the way. It was our first part sunny and mild day, so we schlepped our way through four trails ..accumulating five miles, while Lucy did about 15 in- circles. We got the Christian, Native American, Druid and Buddhist enlightenment walks,…but could not find the Jews trail…but it was getting close to Shabbos, so maybe they were preparing…… We stopped on our way to the trail at the very vintage Ripton store- in the middle of nowhere on the mountain. They have a 1914 cash register, which I believe probably moved in with the gent who was tending it…built in 1870 with wooden floors and safety deposit boxes, to serve all the local needs…..After the hike, we headed down into Middlebury for a local date night dinner at a place run by the college..…waddling out an hour after for the sunset drive home through the mountains….we got home just in time for it to start raining again….

First music event in the mountains- Friday night we motored up Route 100 to Stockbridge to the mystical and eccentric Wild Fern to hear our beloved music leader, Claudine, in one of her many band iterations, with the father and son Shrewsberries. There were five tables in the tiny place and about fifty of us…so it was quite intimate. We took along all of our friends who are in the process of bitter divorces, so the ride there was quite uplifting. Everyone at the show was a musician –so there was a lot of chorus singing going on ,and a decent amount of air fiddling. All of the dinner we had was food sourced locally within five miles of the joint…and given how long it took to get our food, I think they sourced it as was ordered. All in all, a quite Vermont-centric experience.

We finished our week of firsts on Saturday with a trip to the first Rutland Farmers’ Market of the season (Lucy got humped eight times, so she had a ball), where the couple who run the Wild Fern, were providing music for the shoppers…..everyone in Vermont has a number of different gigs. We stopped for a while before the rain came back, at the West Rutland community wide Yard Sale and acquired some unneeded junk and some fine pastries and breakfast sandwiches…and generally got to mingle with the more traditional Vermont society (“we love the Trumpster”). Last night, it was so wet and cold, we plugged in the master bath Jacuzzi and hid in there for a bit, and then lit a fire in the Walter and Karen shrine room, and stared at the flames with the moonlight

After a somewhat mild day yesterday, it is now again raining and 45 degrees, so we hunkered in this morning for mother’s day breakfast and I relented to go over the 14 project lists that Jenn has running…and now have consolidated them into a tidy five lists of projects for this summer and fall. I, myself, am going to find some work to do and get traveling…to avoid at least some of the carnage. This afternoon we are heading up to Dartmouth, for a timely documentary on Race in America (can you say, Trump?) and then the traditional mother’s day dinner with the Indians (dots, not feathers).

Be well, enjoy the spring if you are lucky enough to have it, and stay in touch.

 

Ferlin’