Rainy Days

Friday was rainy, and we were getting worried that the leaves may be knocked off the trees before they could display their best colors. The leaves stayed on. Yet the sky remained wet and gloomy.

So, it was a perfect day for a cemetery tour! Jinny, Bob, Tom, and Lynn, joined Charles, a former high school history teacher, for a tour of three Grafton cemeteries. Charles has extensively studied cemetery history, architecture, symbolism, grave markers, and legalities of burial. Theft of cemetery items - gates, stones, etc. is a felony in Vermont, and Charles has been successful in the recovery of many historical relics, including a wrought-iron gate from the Barrett (as in Elizabeth Barrett) family plot, which he discovered in an antique store in Connecticut.

Standing in the gloomy mist, we learned from Charles the difference between a colonial cemetery and a Victorian cemetery. He explained the symbols seen on gravestones, such as lambs, birds, hands, faces, and willow trees. We saw grave sites of Revolutionary War soldiers, and many from the early 1800s. 

After the tour, we met Jean at Phelps Barn, Old Tavern Inn, in Grafton, for lunch - delicious gourmet pizza and classic Vermont beer. But really the rest of the day was good only for napping.

On Saturday, the famous Grafton Fireman's Sale began at 9 a.m. sharp, and we were all there. This is an annual fund-raising event that attracts a beau coup of folks. We found a few items of interest, but not enough to document here.

Jean, Jinny, and Lynn then met for lunch at the restaurant called The Dam Diner, as it is located above the dam on the local river. This is a small, humble place, that is wildly popular. A simple place, by the side of the road, with absolutely great food (Jean likes the Dam Good Burger).

We then drove to the Vermont Country Store (you may have received catalogs from here), which is a zoo on this particular weekend of the year. The inventory is varied, retro, and fun, but the prices are no bargain.

The sun finally made an appearance. We drove over the hills to Grafton, and the colors which are at peak color now, were completely stunning. Photos do not do it justice. If you are not impressed by these words, or images, you MUST come to Vermont, at peak time, and see this for yourselves. The beauty of these trees, in red, gold, copper, peach, lemon, burgundy, will leave you speechless. Speech-less. Or, at the very most, saying things like "oh, that's so pretty/awesome/incredible" over, and over, and over.And over.

Our friend, Jinny, has visited here four times now, and finally, she has seen Vermont fall foliage at its peak. The colors, today, are the finest Tom and I  have ever seen them, and this is our 5th or 6th time here in autumn.
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So, tomorrow should be perfect for photography. I am working on a "Colors of Vermont" photo essay, and tomorrow may be a good time to post that. So, tune in!  Is there anywhere else where God's paint brush is more spectacular than Vermont in mid-October? Truly, it looks like God took a paint brush and thrust it across His glorious tree-covered creation. See  photos to come.