Leighton Wass Celebrates 200th Fishing Trip at Seyon Lodge State Park

Greetings from Seyon Lodge State Park! Today the sun is shining and reflects in a beautiful way off the new green foliage on the trees and plants of the forest. Flowers in hanging baskets swing in the breeze that keep the black flies at bay, and the anglers that head out to the pond are in for some good fishing, I hear.

Speaking of fishing...Leighton Wass, a frequent angler and new friend of mine, is about to visit Seyon for the 200th time to go fishing on the pond! He has been coming to Seyon since 1987 and for the last 22 years has never been "skunked" during his fishing trips here. Since I have known him, Leighton's love for this special place has been apparent; he always has a nice thing to say about the way the park looks or the good fishing on the pond...it's nice to see someone so content and appreciative of the outdoors. If you get a chance to meet Leighton, you will know what I mean. We congratulate him on his 200th fishing trip to Seyon and look forward to many more visits from him down the road.

In 1994, Leighton wrote in Vermont Sportsmen: "I have to admit, it's not just the fishing that makes Seyon Pond so appealing to me. The tannin-stained waters are far removed from most man made annoyances. Instead of jet skis, water skiers and loud music, you will hear only the sounds of nature: a moose wading the shoreline, a beaver slapping its tail, wild ducks quacking or the serenading of loons. Seyon Pond is a very special place - a little bit of what the past was like. Enjoy it if you have the chance but please do your part to keep Seyon the way it is - forever".

-- JesseMae Belcher, Innkeeper

Hidden Talents of State Park Staff

Frank Spaulding is the Projects Coordinator for Vermont State Parks. He oversees construction projects and is the go-to guy for stuff like wastewater systems, toilet building design, contract and bidding administration and ordering the parks' vehicles. He also takes the lead on hazard identification, aesthetic standards and has a lot to do with the captial budget. Perhaps not the most glamorous work, but vital to the safety and enjoyment of all state park visitors. Recently, our Commissioner, Jason Gibbs, put out a call to FPR (Forests, Parks & Recreation) staff soliciting ideas for funny radio ads for the parks. Frank is a funny guy (funny ha ha) and all three of his ideas were selected and produced into radio ads that will run this summer.

Chuck Woessner is the Parks Regional Manager for the northwestern part of the state. He oversees operations for Grand Isle, Lake Carmi, Burton Island and Underhill state parks, just to name a few. Chuck's hidden talents include a smooth baritone voice and great writing and storytelling abilities. He's the voice you hear on the "park reports" that are featured on several radio stations throughout the summer.

Craig Whipple, Director of State Parks, is the big enchilada, so to speak, but he's also an awesome guitar player and singer and he and his bluegrass band, Cold Country, performs at several parks throughout the summer. Look for them at Stillwater or Burton Island state parks. Check on the Events page for upcoming dates.

Ethan Phelps is the Parks Regional Manager for the southeastern part of the state. Like Chuck, he oversees all operations of parks like Coolidge, Silver Lake, Mt. Ascutney and Jamaica. Ethan is also a talented map maker and has created the campground map and guides you see in the parks and on the web.

Aaron Jacobs is the Ranger at Smugglers' Notch State Park. In the winter, he is also the Ranger for the Stone Hut on top of Mt. Mansfield. Aaron's hidden talent is that he's a computer genius. He's the one that came up with the idea for the interactive campground maps and works on making the maps interactive over the winter. He also started this blog and came up with the idea for Venture Vermont.

What do all these hidden talents mean for you? Savings, for sure. But even more so, their contributions have made the parks better for everyone. By having a DIY, go-for-it attitude and sharing their talents and skills that are beyond their normal job descriptions (guess that's "other duties as assigned") they've gotten us ahead faster, farther and more efficiently than we could have otherwise.

Do you have any hidden talents you'd like to share? Drop us a line a parks@state.vt.us.

Getting the Parks Ready to Open

As the sun rises this morning I awake to the calls of Robins outside… spring is here at last. I am the park ranger/innkeeper here at beautiful Seyon Lodge State Park in Groton, Vermont and these days I’m busy opening the park and preparing for this season’s guests and visitors.
Out near the big barn in the side yard is a row of rowboats all tipped up on their sides, waiting for the ice to thaw on the pond. Later today we’ll bring them down to the water one by one and launch them into the marina for this year’s anglers to enjoy. I notice that the sky is spitting snow as I zip up my parka and head out the door. Today is a quiet day, the breeze through the tall pines and the squeaking of red squirrels keep me company as I wander down to the water’s edge. Soon this place will be alive with anglers eager to cast their fly rods and Lodge guests heading out for hiking and other activities before dinnertime.

Heading up toward the vegetable garden my mind switches gears. What to plant this year? This depends on what meals we will serve to guests. Beets come to mind, I love that new beet and carrot salad that a friend introduced me to the other day. Nothing “beets” a fresh, light salad made with shredded root veggies and a light maple balsamic dressing… and fresh parsley too. Salad greens are of course among the top priorities, last year the fresh garden salads were a hit. Edible flowers are nice too, adding splashes of color to the plate. It’s time to order some compost and arrange to borrow Dad’s rototiller… soon this barren soil will be a gorgeous display of colorful food. Delicious, local, and nutritious too.

After lunch I take a quick tour around the Lodge to check the status of the guest rooms. A spring cleaning is on the list of things to do; time for dusting and sweeping, mopping and cleaning. This old Lodge feels like a friend and I want it to look its best as we head into spring.

Outside, the grounds need raking and the voles have left their little pathways all around the lawns. I have a feeling that I’ll be spending many hours with a rake and a shovel, working to spruce up the expansive grounds. Soon the new green grass will grow up over the brown and cast a summer vibe across the park.

The new innkeeper will begin training soon and I think about the countless things that I need to teach him. This park is a unique one because there is both an outdoor aspect (hiking and fishing) along with the innkeeping duties including cooking, cleaning, and hosting guests of the inn… to name a few. I love my job because there is so much day-to-day variety of tasks to accomplish and people to meet. A new season is on the horizon, and I stir with smiling anticipation.