We enjoyed such a great four weeks in Lake Champlain that I’m very glad to keep a log, otherwise the too frequent senior moments would win out.  Benj had to assist with the morning Farm Market so we made plans for the late afternoon and evening.

The Middlebury Co-op was our second stop, after donating a bag of books to a huge used book shop. Benj had told me about powdered humus that you reconstitute with water/oil to turn it back into “real” hummus. He said it was very good and I thought it was an ideal boat item; long-lasting and you can make just the amount you want when you need to. Picked up a bunch of other non-perishables and checked out the new huge deli “and more” section which was due to open in a few days.

We wanted to stroll and shop in downtown so Benj headed home and we enjoyed a pleasant walk. Russ obtained another birthday gift while I hunted for a card; our sneaky gift acquisition plan working like a charm.

Dinner at American Flatbread in the MarbleWorks was long overdue. It hadn’t made the cut in prior visits to Vermont, and since they were closed Sundays we had to plan for a Saturday night.

I don’t know, forget the food just focus on the creative and delicious cocktails you can find on nearly every menu throughout Vermont; Rutland, Middlebury and the surrounding town, yes, Burlington too. I settled on a New York Sour, which was not described, and wow, just wow!  I wanted bourbon instead of whiskey though. The sour mix was not your usual heavy “too this or that”, it had to be homemade. So that and the bourbon, in a glass with a huge round iceball (I can’t call it a cube), topped with a Malbec floater.  I had to look it up to be sure it’s a real drink and not just an American Flatbread creation.

My New York Sour with a huge round ice ball was divine!!

Ok, then we ate pizza. 🙂

Dinner for four- one large and one small. The young ones took home leftovers- not that much was left.

We had walked from downtown- yep all of a six-minute walk. Benj and Lily walked from home, so that meant a walk back for all. Warm and lovely evening, perfect to walk.

Sunday: Russ had been wanting to hike and Mt Philo was very close and not too strenuous. I opted out as the long hike around Valcour bruised my left big toe under the nail; the same sneaks that ruined my right big toe nail last September. Plus, father-son time was rather overdue and I had some things I needed to get done.

View from Mt Philo. Gorgeous. So much green, so many mountains. Farmland too

The view proved amazing, the temperature on the cool side; perfect for a guys’ hike. And since we seem to follow up pleasant outings and meals with a grocery stop, this would be no exception. Of course Benj selected the veggie items. He also selected several items for his lunch; more than I could eat in four meals! He, and all the farm crew, burn so many calories that they have to focus hard on consuming enough calories every day. Peanut butter, honey, huge salads are common because eating healthy is important. So proud of this guy!

The guys returned and we got to hang out with our son for a couple more hours. Life IS good.

Sunbathing turtles in Otter Creek

Vermont’s smallest and oldest city is named for Charles Gravier, Comte de Vergennes. His hatred for the British led him to support the American rebel colonists in the Revolutionary War. At the War’s end he negotiated the 1783 Treat of Paris between the United States and Britain.

The French Canadian influence is strong throughout Vermont’s northern sector as you may know or have guessed. North of Burlington we had no trouble finding French speaking radio stations, because well, we are fluent you know. 🙂

To get to Vergennes by boat you have two choices. One is to take the big boat (yours or a friend’s) SEVEN miles on Otter Creek, stopping at the falls, and docking at the town docks for the day, or a night or two. You might even be lucky enough to snag a power pedestal. We chickened out on this method for a couple of reasons. The option we chose was to pick a calm day, anchor nearby and dinghy in. A much faster method and you get that up close and personal view of the creek.

The falls looked imposing even though springtime must add a ton of extra water to the flow. Vergennes once flourished as a ship building town but today it’s a “boutique” city better known for places such as 3 Squares, The Antidote, Park Squeeze and the Black Sheep.

The Falls at Vergennes

I should mention The Laundry too so that you are “in the know”. The Laundry does not welcome your dirty clothes. In fact the owners are a bit standoff-ish and not very welcoming, period. But that’s how it is at the wood-fired, awesome breads and baked goods, espresso bar, located in what used to be a laundromat. Word is though, the place is for sale or simply closing soon.

We walked up the road to Main Street and as we got to the corner a young woman gave us a friendly “oh you must be boaters/visitors or certainly not Vermonters”, look. We laughed and said some words about she could tell we weren’t locals. Of course she was curious and we chatted about why we were here and where we were from. During our short conversation, because we’d tell people that our son lived in Middlebury and we’d come up to see him and explore the Lake, she asks, “Which Farm?” and we say, “Elmer Farm.” “Oh I know Nick. He was growing flowers last year.”  Yes, Nick works there; we met him last summer. Tiny world up here. The farm community, whether it be fruit/veggie, dairy, small livestock, honey bee or maple syrup; the tendrils of who knows who are interwoven extensively.

3 Squares provided us a delicious lunch and a street-side view. We couldn’t miss Daily Chocolate just off Main St. Last time we came up here (RV year) I felt like we’d betrayed Middlebury Chocolates even though we’d indulged at both shops. This year Middlebury Chocolates, while still in the business of producing excellent chocolates, has closed their retail shop. 😦

The Men’s Shop provided another birthday gift; my plan to obtain these was working!

The third way to get here is by car, but you knew that. We will do that too, but more on that later.

The day was cool and my outfit a poor choice given that more clouds than sun arrived in the afternoon. Remedy: buy a $4 long-sleeved top at the secondhand shop. Dark clouds loomed as we headed back up Otter Creek, and you know me just fearless when it comes to rain. Hehe. We kept going and no one got wet.

Lovely evening view from the mooring

Returned to our mooring…. Because hey, we’d paid for the darn thing.