August is flying by -- we celebrated Will's 12th birthday yesterday and he starts back at school on Tuesday... but before we can get to any of that, I need to recap our trip to Vermont!
Gene stayed home to work and take care of our furry and scaly critters while the boys and I ventured off to Vermont to see my sister and her family. We arrived on August 8 but were exhausted after an early-morning flight and didn't do anything our first day except swim in the hotel pool and get Ben & Jerry's from a nearby grocery store.
On our first full day in Vermont, we headed to Barre to the Rock of Ages granite quarry.
We got there a bit before the visitor's center opened and had some time to explore the grounds, which were lovely.
This rider box took workers in and out of the quarry.
Next, we found the bowling lane! In the 1950s, Rock of Ages experimented with granite bowling lanes. They are sturdy and hold up well, but bowling balls could crack and break and the idea never took off. The balls we used on this prototype were rubber and it was quite fun!
Strike!
The grand adventure was a tour to see the quarry. The gorgeous blue water is caused by algae and granite dust mixing together.
Henry, aka Atlas
The tour was fascinating, especially since our tour guide was a former quarry worker! After the tour, we visited the factory, where workers make monuments and memorials. It was a really different place to visit!
After our tour, we found a great restaurant, Ladder 1 Grill, in an old firehouse
before a quick visit through Hope Cemetery, which was full of works by the artists who work for Rock of Ages. It was an incredibly beautiful cemetery.
Our final stop of the day was Morse Farm, north of Montpelier. Here, we learned all about how maple syrup is made and explored the grounds, which are peppered with wooden sculptures carved by Burr Morse.
We found a maple maze
and took a walk down the maple trail. The plastic tubing and other contraptions show how maple trees are tapped today.
It was an incredibly short trail, but Will wasn't sure he could make it and collapsed on the ground.
End of the trail!
Inside the gift shop, we bought a couple of jugs of maple syrup to have shipped home and enjoyed maple creemees.
We had a wonderful day exploring, and after some down time in our hotel, we went over to Amber's house for dinner.
Hammock time -- living his best life!
The post-dinner entertainment was water balloons, which Tom painstakingly helped fill and tie.
Cousin time = the best time!
More Vermont adventures to come.
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