ODD BITS: the sequel

One should never title a post before one writes it.... This was supposed to be about something else and it was hijacked by flowers.... Have I noted yet that our wedding planner Melody who loves flowers nearly as much as horses, is donating all the flowers from her garden and presumably those in Tinmouth? It is a Tinmouth tradition - to provide the flowers to anyone who gets married in their town of 500... and now I am part of that generous tradition... (H note... I'm glad Melody is donating flowers rather than horses.)

So now for the odd bits culled from other emails...: 

Camping information is available in the following places:

http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/greenmountain/htm/greenmountain/g_camping.htm and  http://www.forestcamping.com/dow/eastern/gmcmp.htm#grout_pond which is near Manchester which is about 45 minutes away from Middletown…And http://www.vtstateparks.com/

I don’t have any independent knowledge of camp sites but  friends who have stayed in Jamaica State Park which is in a really lovely area of the state about 1.5 hours from here (which might be a bit much after leaving the reception). The closest are Lake Bomoseen State Park, Lake St. Catherine State Park, Half Moon State Park and  Emerald Lake State Park.

 Food in Rutland (more soon in other places!): If you are looking for food in Rutland, there's a decent restaurant: Table 24 on Wales St. A new organic sustainable place opened up on the next block and across the street but we haven't been there yet:  Roots.

Things to do:  (details to follow): 

• 1)      Weston is a classic Vermont town with the Vermont Country Store which is forced but quite accurate Vermontiana – the perfect tourist spot and great with kids
• 2)      Middlebury is a pretty college town with classic Vermont and a beautiful river running through it.
• 3)      Burlington (2 hours north) is our “city” with a vibrant street scene and college life
• 4)      Montpelier is the state capitol and a sleepy government town with some lovely architecture.
• 5)      Rt. 100 through Wilmington and up to Waitsfield is one of the prettiest roads in the State and that’s saying a lot!
• 6)      Brandon is the town that spawned the “Creative Economy” which is Vermont-lingo for a concentration on using the arts to generate tourism with our state-wide tourist-industry-generating folk artist Warren Kimball
• 7)      Quechee – beautiful location with river and waterfall that drives the power for the Simon Pearce glass blowing operation - he gorge is gorgeous and the glass blowing fascinating - and the restaurant not bad either.
• 8)      Woodstock – as Vermont pristine as it is possible to be…with shopping and big money architecture and a great "Farmer's Market" and gourmet store which is really more the latter than the former.

Clothing options:  (you thought I was going to write something else didn't you!)  For the "sartorial" inclined:

…. I’d “sart” with whatever is comfortable and cool.  There are NO dress codes in Vermont, and as for changing, you can probably do so in the Historical Society if you’d like, but that’s up to you…. It is likely to be HOT – the mean is 80 degrees for that day and there is little chance or history of rain,  but Vermont is notorious for its unpredictable weather – which I sort of am hoping for… because it is so wonderful when 18 different kinds of weather pass through in a single day… though I WILL regret having said that if it pours!  The evenings can be cool, so you may want a wrap for the nighttime.

So wear a tuxedo, a gown, a sundress or shorts or jeans with a perfect strand of pearls (men or women), but be prepared to dance to Swing Noire (Herb and I will be watching while others are our designated dancers)…and sing with Jonno Deily Swearingen or Howard Robinson or Jerry Childress or Lyle Davidson or Bud Yost at the piano .... and tap dance to whoever shows up from the local musical crowd (While Dan's away, Paul and Nelson and others will play!)…. Oh yes and Elizabeth Davidson will be playing violin at the ceremony (and afterward) … so come prepared to hang out and listen, sing, dance and laugh!

Off to look for sun drops!