Capturing the Moment

  I thought this tree was quite unusual, add the colorful island and dramatic clouds and you've got yourself an interesting photo on so many levels.     I had some free time near Burlington, Vermont today, so I decided to take a scenic walk along the Island Line Trail. This trail offers a serene and stunning outdoor experience, especially as autumn brings a vivid display of fall colors. This scenic trail stretches from downtown Burlington, along the beautiful Lake Champlain shoreline, and over to South Hero Island via a historic railway causeway. Today, the crisp air and gentle breeze off the lake made it a perfect time to explore the trail, with the brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows of fall foliage still visible along the shoreline. Along the way, I was lucky enough to spot a pileated woodpecker, common mergansers, and lots of migrating ducks.     One of the highlights of the Island Line Trail is the Colchester Causeway, a three-mile stretch that takes you d...

Sundowner Hour Stand Up Paddling before dinner       My Last Night in Vermont Classic Outhouse   What a trip. I got to explore a bit more of Vermont, enjoy some great weather, add a new country to my all time list, and spend some quality time with some great people. All of these pictures are from the last night in Vermont, which was spent on Stave Island out in the middle of Lake Champlain. The pictures speak for themselves as to how picturesque this little slice of heaven can be. But this is just an added bonus. The real draw is the good vibes, the sundowners, bathing in the lake, time on the water, walks with Finn, and Heidi's family.    I wouldn't have wanted to spend my last night here any other way. After watching an incredible sunset I was blown away by an equally amazing full moon rising. A slight breeze keeping the cool Vermont air lapped up against us through dinner. Protect against the endemic Stave Island Flies...

The Main House    Once a year a select number of people descend upon the island of Stave for a reunion like no other in the heart of Lake Champlain. The Stave Island party is closing in on its 45th anniversary. The island itself is a beautiful piece of nature complete with wild deer, mink, and a host of other animals. Heidi's grandparents have owned the island since before she was born. This year for the party weekend we could not have asked for better weather. Slower than it looks Heidi's butterfly field    Usually lots of activities, games, drinking, fires and laughter fill the Stave island party weekends. This would prove to be one of the best. Wakeboarding muscles are sore, slalom skiing was attempted, smores cooked over the fire, bathing in the lake, dinners and wine, slosh croquet, and some good natured volleyball describe the weekend. Sailing on Lake Champlain Swallowtail Butterflies   It was great to see old friends, and m...