Today is the birthday of my Dad.  He loved Vermont and loved to be outside.  He always had a huge garden, loved sports, had a good sense of humor, loved the Autumn with beautiful Fall colors, loved to fish, loved the lakes in the summer and he always enjoyed holidays.  He was a hard worker and took pride in his work as a machinist.  We miss him always and especially think of him today.

Vermont is known for maple products.  Maybe that’s why my favorite ice cream is Maple Walnut.  My favorite cake is a Maple Walnut cake.  My grandchildren love pancakes with real maple syrup for breakfast.

My Mom grew up on a farm and they had their own sugar house.  They made maple syrup in the Spring and had maple syrup all year round, storing it in the pantry.

My Mom’s favorite cake to have for birthdays was the Maple Walnut cake, using real maple syrup.

I like the Walpole Creamery Maple Walnut ice cream.  They use real maple syrup and it’s all home made.

If I’m feeling blue, I can sit down and finish a whole pint of that ice cream.  It’s like comfort food.

I don’t like pancakes.  But my grandchildren love pancakes for breakfast with real maple syrup.  They always like to have them “stacked”.

I like this photo of the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, VT.  In the afternoon they have tea.  I love the views.  On my bucket list is to go there in the winter and go cross country skiing and then have tea in their Lodge.
We have been there in the summer and had tea out on a deck with awesome views of the mountains in the distance.  Will always remember it as fun times.

My Grandmother liked to knit.  I can remember the warm mittens that she used to make.  She also liked to sew and she could look in a store window and go home and make the same dress without a pattern, using her own made up patterns.

I took Fashion and Fabrics in school and love to sew.  I taught myself to knit and crochet.  My Mom taught me to embroider.  It takes patience to make stuff.  I made a couple of nice things.  But my Gram could make anything.   She also loved to bake.  Her home made rolls, pies and everything she made was just scrumptious.  My Mom was the best cook ever.  Even my Gram, who was a perfectionist thought so.

So these are a few things I love about growing up in Vermont.  I love the four seasons.  Even thought it would be fun to go where it’s warm and tropical for a couple of weeks in the winter.