Vermont State Parks

My special location is Mount Ascutney in Vermont, about seven miles from my home in Claremont, New Hampshire. Why is it special to me? Because this is where I went for physical healing after an accident forced me to have a total knee replacement a year ago. There I also found spiritual and emotional comfort, as well inspiration for new hobbies I’d like to pursue --- such as nature photography and animal track identification. In short, Mount Ascutney gave my life a whole new start. I’d like to quote two people who have also found Mount Ascutney a place of special meaning and joy: Maxfield Parrish, who lived and worked much of his life in Cornish, New Hampshire, in full view of Mount Ascutney, is quoted in Fables of Abundance: A Cultural History of Advertising in America by Jackson Lears: After years of producing enormously successful calendars for General Electric, Parrish finally announced, “It’s an awful thing to be a rubber stamp. I’m quitting my rut now while I’m still able.” He de...

I love to hike. my partner and i spent endless days and weeks hiking and backpacking when we first met and still with our young daughter strapped to our backs after she was born. so it was a commonly enjoyable suggestion when last weekend we decided to hike Mt. Worcester. being new to the area we thought it would be great to explore our nearby forests. friends heard i was to do this ahead of time and said..."wow...really, you are nearly 8 months pregnant!!" but i said of course i could do this. certainly i did make the hike!! such a beautiful hike it was over streams and through beautiful woods along the brook. My 3 year old daughter hiked on her own for quite a distance, maybe even a mile, jumping over streams and balancing on rocks. then came the scramble. she went up on daddy's back and i began huffing and puffing. what a climb. the weight of my belly and my balance questionable as i waddled up the large boulders. my daughter calling out to me wondering why, just why, ...