The Runaway Pond Moose

On May 9, I was driving south on Route 16 in Glover when a moose popped out of the woods at Runaway Pond. My camera was in its bag, but I got it out (while driving) and shot a few frames (while driving) through the filthy windshield (the photograph above) . I decided that even though I was late to an appointment, I would stop and follow the moose, who had entered Runaway Pond. I parked and hiked into the dry pond. I got the photographs below. She was a big moose and in good condition. She did not like me following her, and soon went into the woods. The moral of the story: always keep your windshield clean. Mine is still filthy.

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Scenes from the Memorial Day Parade in Barton

Barton's Veterans

"God bless our troops."

Lake Region Union High School band

One of Barton's fire trucks

Barton's tanker truck

Orleans Fire Department

Orleans tanker truck

Westmore Fire & Rescue

Westmore's Engine 1

Glover Ambulance

Memorial Day in Barton Set

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A Women's Retreat: The Seasons of Our Lives

On Saturday, May 22, the Women's Fellowship at church held another wonderful Women's Retreat. It was held at Lakeside Haven B&B in Glover, on Shadow Lake. This is the third retreat I have attended and now that I'm back in Vermont I look forward to attending more. The retreats give you a day of tranquility, worship, study and discussion.

The theme for this retreat was "The Seasons of Our Lives," based on the book The Circle Of Life: The Heart's Journey Through The Seasons. I haven’t read it yet, but our pastor recommends it, and her recommendations are excellent. We have four seasons in our lives just as Nature has four seasons in hers. We discussed the significance and meaning of each season for each of us individually. Our pastor provided music for meditation and beautiful journals for journaling and we shared poetry and readings from the book all through the day.

We each contributed something we cooked for lunch. After lunch, we crafted the seasons of our hearts. I choose summer. The retreat was exactly one week before my wedding and the calm and contentment I felt was something that I wanted to convey in my craft. I wanted the warmth of the summer, the symbolic power of a circle and the connection to sunflowers in my creation. My last craft for another retreat featured triangles which, the pastor said, illustrated my connection to the Trinity. During the crafting session, I walked outside to gather my thoughts and photographed the grape hyacinth and the dying tulip that I have published here. I may not be too talented with art, but I was pleased with what I created (below), even though I used way too much glue. The other women created beautiful, strong expressions of the other seasons. I wish I could share them with you here.

We ended the day as we began it: with worship but now followed by a long goodbye session. It was a wonderful, spiritual day. Our pastor is planning many more and I am looking forward to them. I urge you to attend the retreats offered at your church. If there aren’t any, suggest them to your Women’s Fellowship group.

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Forest Oddity

Above you see the formation on the tree as I first saw it. I thought it was a burl. Below you see the other side of it. I am fascinated by the growth.

Hinman Settler Road Photowalk Set on Flickr

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Glover Barn

Hinman Settler Road Photowalk Set on Flickr

Wordless Wednesday

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Wordless Wednesday: Foliage

Hinman Settler Road Photowalk Set on Flickr

Wordless Wednesday
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Blog Your Blessings: Autumn in Vermont

Nuff said.

My Shadow Lake Set on Flickr.
Click on the photo to view it full-size in a new window.
Thank you for visiting.

To read more blessings clickBlog Your Blessings

or Blog Your Blessings

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Orleans County Quests: Glover Runaway Pond Quest

On Sunday, Matt, Wingnut and I did the Glover Runaway Pond Quest.

In Commemoration of the breaking away of Long Pond
June 6, 1810. Erected by the Town of Glover
June 6, 1910.

Long Pond/Runaway Pond/Dry Pond

In 1810 the water level of Long Pond was 70 feet above this marker and the water flowed south into Greensboro and the Lamoille River.

Needing more water to power Aaron Willson's grist mill in Glover, 60 men and boys dug a ditch on the north shore (about 0.5 miles north of here) to cause the water to flow into the Glover/Barton River.

Due to the Quicksand in the earth, the entire hillside washed away and the pond "ran-a-way" discharging its billion gallons of water toward the mill in 1.5 hours.

Spencer Chamberlain raced ahead of the wall of water for 5 miles and saved the miller's wife.

Glover Historical Society 1996

An old millstone.

Runaway Pond today

The Old Road to the Clearing where the men and boys
tried to divert water to the Barton River.
The quicksand, where Matt got stuck, is up there.

A memorial in the Clearing

Old woods road in the Clearing.
Woods roads were made out of wood, as can be seen here.

Clark's Pond

If you look closely you can see an old stump in the pond. This is the last remaining stump of 12 stumps. The twelve trees that were here in 1810 were snapped off by the rushing waters of Long Pond.

Westlook Cemetery, Glover

Spencer Chamberlain's grave

Matt and Wingnut found the treasure box!

To view all the photos for this quest, visit my Runaway Pond Quest Set at Flickr.

Technorati Tags: Westlook Cemetery, Spencer Chamberlain, Clark's Pond, Glover, Vermont, Runaway Pond
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