The Green Mountain State is really green.

We're back and none too pleased about it. Doug and I get very used to being away from home. Being away from work, the cats, the house, the chores, the every day-ness of home. We liked Vermont. We want to go back. Soon.

We did lots of things in Vermont. We wore funny hats:

Saw fireworks (it was only drizzling at the time of the show - not enough rain to cancel the event altogether, thankfully):

Had free beer at Magic Hat:

Took a narrated boat cruise on Lake Champlain (though I can't recommend the cruise in the driving wind and cold rain. Neither can I recommend the narration. You're better off reading a brochure. But the scenery is lovely.):

Saw Banjo Dan and his band perform and were inspired to form our own bluegrass band, with me on the fiddle and Doug on the banjo. We'd call ourselves Sheriko. It could work.

Went to the Ethan Allen Homestead:

Walked around the beautiful grounds of Shelburne Farms and interacted with the wildlife:

Took lots and lots of photos of the lush Vermont scenery:

Bumped into Marieke and Curt, who were on their way to Montreal (and I am happy to see them, just tired and windblown, unfortunately):

Ate yummy, wholesome local food, like this fruit and yogurt parfait (and believe me, this one is so much better the ones from McDonald's):

And stuffed ourselves silly with yummy, wholesome local ice cream on the way back home:

We really had a good time. The bed was big and fluffy, the hotel was clean and had a nice pool (that Doug even went in!), and we got plenty of sleep and ate three square meals a day. We were living the good life in Vermont, and we wish we were still there (even though we had this lovely thing to come home to):

Anyone want to rent a house in the Burlington area with us next summer? We're totally there, man. Totally there.