August 10-16, 2026 Most Recent Posts:
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Foster’s Pond Peacham
I started Monday off by Kayaking at Foster’s Pond in Peacham.
(Aside: Isn’t that a great name?Wouldn’t it be fun to write your address as Peacham Vermont?)
The wind was strong enough that I could hear the slap of the waves against the shore. The boat rocked gently as I went along the edge of the pond. At least a third of the shore or more is rimmed with grasses and conifers along its banks.
I figured if I had to get a new cheap paddle it might as well match my kayak.
The trees lean out over the water. In some cases their bushy branches were high enough that I could paddle under them. I paddled under one that appeared to have a Beaver Lodge on the shore based up against a large rock. Some spots along the shore looked almost like a fairy woodland. .
The large glacial erratics seemed to have severe looks as they stand their ground along the shore and in the water
Two whales?
Not the same whale
I wondered why there were no loons. I hope that’s just today. The shoreline is at least 95% undeveloped. Seems perfect for them and other wildlife.
I
Here is a short video of the rocky conifer rimmed shoreline of this really lovely pond. You can hear the wind but not the slap of the water against the shore.
I saw no birds and heard very few. Saw one turtle through the clear water but he was gone before I could get a picture of him. This just seems like a perfect place for wildlife. But I certainly didn’t see any.
The amazingly clear water allowed me to see this second beaver lodge under the water which is where their entrance is. Though I couldn’t determine where that was. Quite a feat of engineering. Wish I had taken this from more of a distance to see how far out the underwater development went.
This is the only dock going out into the water. It had a sailfish sitting in the water at the end of it and on the lawn were 3 or 4 canoes, a paddle board and 2 or 3 kayaks. So I’m wondering If that was some sort of group gathering place and no one actually lived there. A club?
Luckily as I headed for the take out, the wind was behind me so I just sat back and coasted. See how grand it was with this video. Remember I’m not paddling. Be ready for me to hit the shore at the end.
Next time I come, which will have to be very soon if I want it to be this year, even though it’s down 4.5 miles on a dirt road, I want to bring a chair, a book and lunch. It’s a beautiful place. So quiet. Nobody. Even though it was dirt, the road was wide enough and flat with few potholes. Very nice morning but I missed the loons and other wildlife.
I finished the day with the Monday night band concert. I guess I forgot to take pictures of the ice cream. Fall is clearly coming. It was nearly dark by 8:30 when the concert was over.
Dog Mountain
On Tuesday I went hiking at Dog Mountain.
They are still working on the trails and have put gravel on the ones going up hill from the trail head and most likely to wash out and turn to mud.
I don’t think they intend to gravel all the trails through the forest itself or at least I hope not.
The fungi is beginning to appear.
The ferns were lush and green and splendid! Nearly overtaking this stump.
It is so nice to have a system of trails so close by that I can hike them often to see them throughout the summer. Even if I don’t have a dog.
On Wednesday I went to The Buttery, a restaurant I had not been to before. I have no idea why because if was lovely, the food was good and it has become my favorite St J restaurant. Definitely want to return for lunch.
I sat at a little round table in the window. You can’t see it because it’s behind the big plant.
This will give you a sense of the breakfast fare and prices. Even though the picture is large, you may have to click on it to be able to read it.
The Buttery is located on the upper end of Railroad Street which is the main shopping district in St. Johnsbury. So after breakfast I took a walk along the street down to the lower end.
I guess this building used to be a church. Now it is a Natural Food Store and the end of the commercial area.
This was my favorite of the houses I saw. I thought the chickens were a hoot. That’s some yard art. Why do you think they did this? Do they just love chickens?Not sure you can see them well in this shot so there’s a close up of the two on the left below.
Molly’s Falls
Molly’s Falls is a state park so its shoreline is pristine. There is only one house, owned by the state and quite a bit back from the water. So in that way it’s like Foster’s where I kayaked earlier this week. But it’s much larger and there was much more bird life to see on this Thursday
I saw what I think is an immature spotted sandpiper. An unusual bird for me here in Vermont.
Happily the loons were here including a juvenile.
I thought this was unusual and hope maybe Sue can shed some light on how this large rock came to have what is a huge hole that looks like one on a tree where a branch broke off. Can you see the hole? It’s near the top in about the middle.
I wish I could have gotten out of my kayak and peered inside. This was the best my zoom lens could do from a moving boat.
Pretty sure this is my favorite picture of the day. Look at the design and color on those feathers and how magnificent against the sparkling blue water.
The state park has beaches in many spots along its shore. This one happens to be at the end of the trail up to the house that the state uses for I don’t know what.
The park also has a number of paddle in campsites. You can see the clothing on the line and if you look closely the blue of the tent through the trees. I think it would be a great place for a few days during the week. You could hear the loons at sunset and the stars must be wonderful. Wish David were here.
Molly’s Falls is much further up and I’m not sure how you’d get to see it. I call these Molly’s ripples but they are pretty and their force is enough to make it difficult to get too close. I’ll bet this is something right after a heavy downpour.
Not sure you can see the brown spot on the tallest tree straight ahead against the beautiful sky.
At first I thought it might be an osprey nest but then with a closer look, it was clearly the nest of a bald eagle. I couldn’t see anyone in or on the nest
Not even with this closer view. I waited around for a while to see if one might come back. I finally left but wasn’t very far away when the eagle flew right over my head but not to the nest.
There was a parade of Canada Geese. More than any pond needs.
This island is out in the middle of the lake. No idea how the land came to be there but I’m sure it is submerged when the water level is really high. Thus little vegetation.
It seems to be growing rocks.
Nice long beach front.
This house on the knoll overlooks the pond but I could see no access to the water through the heavily treed shore line.
There are several day use picnic spots clearly marked.
Another bird I don’t see as often as I would expect is the Great Blue Heron
It was a really wonderful morning on the pond at Molly’s Falls State Park
Saturday BINGO and more
Like other Saturdays, I visited the Farmer’s Market and then some miles around Main Street and side streets. This church on Main has not been turned into a Health food Store. Can’t remember for sure but I think it’s the home of the Methodists. Love the intricate big spire. I always wonder how in the world the congregation pays for buildings like this to be built.
When I showed the Octagon Buildings on Eastern Avenue last week, I said I’d show the only one still a private residence and here it is. It’s on the lovely named Pleasant Street.
Here’s some very different yard art or ‘just outside the yard on the corner’ art. Wish I could have gotten a better picture of the colors.
In the afternoon I attended my final Bingo game of the season. They’ll have another one in September but I won’t be here. Carmen is our caller.
Tim collects the money. It’s a $1 for 3 cards for each game. So the most you can lose is $9 unless you play more than 3 cards. For the second time since I’ve played bingo here I lost all 9 games. The first time was last week. I guess this isn’t my year. The final game is the cover all and the winner got $40 plus a $25 gift certificate.
Tonight was the pork BBQ Potluck. I’m taking this picture from the end of the table so all the desserts are there. It’s harder to see the real food further up the table.
I’m not sure why on Sunday I felt like I had to go out for breakfast again but I did and it was to the Kitchen Counter Cafe that I went. May not have been a great idea.
BOOKS
This week I finished two books I really liked after DNFing one I just couldn’t finish.
This picture of Taiwan Travelogue by Yang Shuang-zi (translated by Lin King from Taiwanese Mandarin) is from last week when even ice cream couldn’t win me over.
Taiwan Travelogue won the 2024 National Book Award and the 2026 International Booker Prize. Plus it was highly recommended by two of the book tubers whose recommendations I value All that to say it must be me. I just could not go on past 50 pages with so many character names and place names in Japanese, Chinese and Taiwanese. It caused my reading to stumble. My other problem was that this is a foodie book. The main character is constantly wanting to eat and is gluttonous when she does. I’m sure this is supposed to be humorous but I just didn’t find it so. But for those who love Taiwanese food, this books describes everything she eats. It is also supposed to be a “profound and critical examination of Imperial power dynamics and colonial realities”. That part sounds interesting but I guess I just couldn’t get that far.
I followed this failure with two wins.
I absolutely loved this book and its narrator 17 year old Doris Steel from rural small town Millen Georgia. I don’t want to say any more other than you must meet Doris and take a week-end trip to Atlanta with her. Her voice is so real and authentic and she is laugh out loud funny. Hats off to Mia McKenzie.
Even at 400 pages this is a quick, easy read and very uplifting. I love the idea of gifting a book a month to someone you love. It’s also a celebration of local independent bookstores. If there had been a library in it, 3 of my favorite things, books, libraries and independent bookstores would have been covered.
What have you been doing, reading this week? Hope you’ll let me know in the comments and especially if you’ve been traveling.
