Day trip to Vermont

Yesterday, I took a day trip to Vermont (aka Green Mountain State)with my oldest son, Tommy, and granddaughter Lily.  The ride to the White River Junction area is about 3 hours from my house, here in southeastern Massachusetts, depending on traffic. I let Tommy drive my SUV, and I just sat back and enjoyed the ride. We left the house early so we wouldn't hit the Boston morning commute traffic. The day started out warm, and humid when we left, and occasionally we would have sprinkles of rain on the windshield as we drove past Boston. It was still early when we were driving into New Hampshire. I snapped a picture of mists rising off the trees in the mountains thru the windshield of my car.
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This is a photo taken in Hartford, Vermont of an old train engine that traveled thru the Green Mountains of Vermont. Tommy and Lily
The following photos were taken at Quechee Gorge, Quechee, VT. From the photos you can't see how deep the gorge is, but believe me it is deep! I'm not big on heights but I did look down to see how rapid the water was running thru the gorge. In one section of the gorge there is only a narrow strip that the water rushes thru the rocks. I love listening to the water roar as it travels down stream.

where the gorge narrows

looking up the gorge
     Looking straight down, and zooming in on the narrowing of the gorge below
I used my zoom lens, and took this photo of someone fly fishing way, way downstream at the gorge. Without the zoom the fisherman was a speck in the distance.
We also saw my grandson Chris, who lives in Vermont, and his little baby boy, Kyler. Kyler looks just like Christopher did when he was a baby.
Chris and Kyler
  Such a good, happy, baby
 Chris and Kyler

Tommy and grandson, Kyler

hurry up and give me another bite of those pears, please
We stopped an ate at a old diner in Quechee
Lily standing inside the doorway of the diner
a Wurlitzer music box was in the diner
Carousel in Quechee near the diner.
Lily on the Carousel
There was a big antique mall near the diner, and after we ate we went into the shops and to the antique mall. Lots of great stuff, but pricey. We stopped at a General Store, and I bought a quart of Maple Syrup..Fancy grade, which is the lightest and best grade of syrup.  At the Cabot Cheese store there was a wooden cow with a cut out hole in the face. So I made my granddaughter put her face in the hole..she wasn't very enthusiastic while doing this for me. My son, thought it was funny.

  Lily

  Tommy being a good sport

We had a really nice day in Vermont, and I can't tell you how wonderful it was to go away for a day and to have no responsiblities . On the drive back, we hit lots of traffic. Before hitting Boston, you have to go over the Zakim Bridge. I took a picture of the bridge thru the windshield. As you can see the dark clouds.

Earlier in the day Massachusetts had some really bad rain and thunderstorms. The clouds were still threatening and looking like it wanted to rain some more, as you can see.

I love going to Vermont. Usually, my husband, Tom and I will go up for long weekends, or even a weeks stay. When we go we head to Ryegate, and stay at my brother, Larry's vacation home, which is across the street from Tickle Naked Pond. Funny name for a pond, don't you think? (LOL)   Anyway, when we are in Vermont, we travel all over the state, but I especially like going to Stowe and Montpelier, but all the towns are fun to explore. So green and in the fall the leaves are so beautiful. I love the old homes, white churches with tall steeples, village greens, general stores, nature and wildlife, mountains, cool breezes, cows grazing in the fields, white birch trees. I saw my first wild porcupine in Ryegate, VT near my brothers place on one of our visits. The New England states are all beautiful to me, except in the winter, as I don't like the cold and snow.