Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Not Quite Fall In Denver

Barnet, Vermont ~ 1990

One of the activities scheduled in Barnet was a pancake and maple syrup breakfast at a local church. the photo above was taken looking down on a valley near the small church cemetery. Although I've had numerous vacations since to far more exotic places, this 1990 vacation remains my favorite.


I was hoping to see some fall foliage here in Denver where I'm visiting this week, but most everything is still lush and green. Now and then I see a tree with a trace of changing leaves, but that's it. Later this week we may drive up to higher country where the process is further along. In Phoenix, fall foliage is all but unheard of, so I was hoping to enjoy some of the bright reds and yellows of fall.

One of the best vacations I ever had was to the Northeast Kingdom Fall Foliage Festival in Vermont. Over the course of a week, we visited five villages; Walden, Groton, Barnet, Peacham, and Cabot, Vermont. Each day, we participated in various activities scheduled by the hosting village. The foliage was spectacular everywhere we went, and the activities, though a bit unsophisticated, were really fun. We had a New England Boiled Dinner in a church basement in one town, then sang old-time hymns upstairs. The next day, we visited a bird woodcarver, a Christmas tree farm, and then on to other activities in other towns. There were Clogging demonstrations, Llama farm tours, maple sap tapping, sugar house visits, and a Victorian Home Tour. Each day brought a variety of new activities.

In Peacham, I spent four hours visiting the most beautiful cemetery I've ever seen. It had huge, bright red maple trees, rolling green hills and elaborate granite headstones. I found it peaceful and fascinating. In this cemetery, some of the markers went back to the 1600s. The stones were mostly granite, as the Barre, Vermont granite quarries provided limitless granite over the centuries. In Arizona, there are not a lot of cemetery headstones before 1900, and very little carved statuary, so this was totally new to me.


16 comments:

Claude said...

Glad you had a good stay in Denver. One of my best summers was spent in the Green Mountains of New Hampshire. After years in Texas it was amazing to be someplace where that was so green and growing... didn't get to stay for the fall foilage though. The graveyards there were fascinating. But as much as I appreciated the moose and the black bears, I could have lived without the latter attcking the garbage dumpsters at night...

Julie said...

What a nice surprise to have a post from you while you are away! What a beautiful vacation you had in Vermont...sounded like absolute wonderful time...sometimes the best times are the simplest...you make me want to go there for a visit like that!!!

walk2write said...

I'm with you. The best vacations are the ones surrounded by uncomplicated beauty and people. For some reason, that phrase "maple sap tapping" is sticking in my mind. I envision a line of dancers circling around each other with buckets in their hands and taps on their shoes.

kesslerdee said...

The picture of the cemetary is beautiful! I grew up near a cemetary and used to picnic amongst the grave stones as a kid. I've always thought they were the most peaceful places.
I agree the AZ fall foliage leaves something to be desired! I have a weekend trip to Denver planned for mid October- hope to see some then!

Pudgeduck said...

That is the most beautiful picture Ever!! I would love to go for a visit!!!!!!

Anne Fannie said...

Hello Alyana

Your Fall picture is spectular! Here in Southern California we don't have a beautiful fall like everyone else does. I bet your trip to Vermonth in Fall was beautiful and so much fun! I would have loved to see that old Cemetery! I don't know why, but I love walking through old cemeteries!
Love, Ann

beckie said...

Maybe you'll get to see some fall trees yet, Aiyana. The one you have shown is beautiful. Even though we get a pretty good show here, I have always wanted to go to the NE in the fall. Hope you are having a great time with your family.

Suzanne said...

Glad you're having a nice visit in Denver. We've had wonderful weather lately -- moderate and cool! Lots of green still here, but we could get a snowfall next week. That's just the way it is here! Have fun in the high country.

Connie T. said...

Wow that tree is such a pretty color. Nice photo.

Sweetie said...

I love the beautiful tree and the cemetery. I research genalogy and have spent a lot of time in cemeteries. I'm glad that you enjoyed Denver. I have always wanted to visit Colorado. Except for this year, for the past 12 years we have spent time in New England also. During out first trip, we traveled on secondary roads to Maine and visited each state. The Green Mountains were beautiful. I'm hoping that we will be able to travel to New England next summer. I enjoyed your post.
Sweetie

Jean said...

What an awesome fall puicture! Perfection! I hope you see some fall color on you trip. Ours hasn't really started here either. Thanks for thinking of us while on vacation! Jean

Laurie and Chris said...

Great fall picture. We are going on vacation next week and we hope the leave will have started to change by then.

Anonymous said...

I love cemeteries too and have spent happy hours in old ones from Charleston, SC, to Concord, Mass. That's a beautiful photo, and your Vermont trip does sound simply idyllic.

Jocelyn H. Chilvers said...

Aiyana, I hope you enjoy your visit to my neck of the woods---you're in for some beautiful weather, if not much fall color. Our annuals are really at there peak now, and Denver prides itself in it's park plantings. Perhaps you can visit Washington Park, Civic Center Park, or a small gem: Alamo Placita Park at Speer Bvd and 3rd Ave. Where ever your visit takes you, have a great time!
Jocelyn

Anonymous said...

I hope you get to see some color. We don't have much yet here in southern Maine, or did I see much in the White Mountains last weekend. But things are changing- frost warnings for tonight.

That is a beautiful photo.

MrBrownThumb said...

Hope you get to see some color. And if you like I'll mail you some of the leaves that will fall into my little garden ;0)