Vermont

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Geo: 43.4996, -72.7151

Visited Hartford's Mark Twain House and Museum, and the Harriet Beecher Stowe visitor centre next door in Nook Farm. Couldn't touch anything or take any inside photos at the Twain house (really?). HBS talk was interesting. I hadn't understood the influence of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" on the abolition of slavery.

Then drove north to the historic town of Deerfield for lunch. On into Vermont to visit a maple syrup factory (very interesting), then checked in to our hotel for the next two nights, near Plymouth, VT.

Had a wine and beer tasting followed by a presentation on local raptors before another fine dinner. "Sound of Music's" von Trapp family have a lodge in the nearby town of Stowe, and their micro-brewery produces a wide variety of beers.

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Photos

Sam Clemens, 1835-1910
Long story about Clemens, spoken in a staccato fashion by the guide. Sam's wife's riches allowed them to commission the building and furnishing of this impressive home. To his great sorrow, Sam's wife and three of his four children died prematurely over time. Sam also made a disastrous investment in a printing machine and lost his wife's fortune.

Green Mountain Sugar House
The factory was beside this lake. Our guide explained that the maple tree could be harvested for sap from about 30 years maturity (200mm diameter). It then produces for 300 years or maybe more. Harvesting occurs from mid-Jan to the end of Apr. Nowadays they drill a small hole in the tree and 'plug' in a drain connected to a plastic pipe. This goes from tree to tree (for miles!) and is connected to a vacuum pump that puts a hard vacuum in the line to increase the sap flow. The pipes discharge directly into tankers that bring the sap back for processing. Water is removed from the sap (40:1 reduction), the syrup is filtered and that's all there is to it. Syrup has about the same calories by weight as brown sugar, and it tastes twice as good!

Rescued owl
Nicole gave an interesting talk about rehabilitating rescued raptors. She brought along a hawk, a kestrel (sparrow hawk) and an owl as props, and told us all about them.

Comments

[Morag]

Och I just love this place, all the angles and lines and material used, the roof, its exquisite!

[Morag]

Now I never knew any if this, how interesting. And the scenery herem s just msgic!

[Morag]

Indeedy-doody. Love the frieze and play-pen beds! My side! Or yiur side tonight?

[Morag]

Isnt he magnificent! We enjoyed our experience of feeding the various raptor during our stsy in a Scottish castle. Certainly Heavy on the arm.

[Bill]

Great photo Robyn. Just a beautiful backdrop..