While I may be a skier and obviously love winter, fall is my favorite season! I love watching the leaves turn especially when the colors burst so vibrantly that you can almost see the change happen. I love the fall aromas of apple or pumpkin baked goods, deliciously paired with a cup of hot tea. I love having to fire up the wood stove for the first time of the season while still needing to add that extra blanket on the chilly nights. I love waking up in the crisp and even frosty mornings and starting the first training session really cold and then warming up as the early fog lifts and the temperature rises, unveiling another beautiful day. I love the sound of geese flying south overhead and the crinkle of fallen leaves underfoot, simultaneously audible when playing outside. I love the excitement knowing that the ski season is just around the corner and remind myself of this whenever my rollerski pole tips slip on the cold pavement or I'm stuck behind a leaf peeper driving hopelessly slow. As the foliage hits its peak and the weather cools, there is no place I'd rather be than in Vermont. We're only a week past the autumnal equinox but the Fall already feels in full swing busy with training and other excitement.
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| Yellow, orange |
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| and red! |
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| So many awesome colors as the foliage hits peak in the NEK |
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| I have very hard working parents who live closely to the land. They grow or hunt almost everything they eat and heat the house solely with wood. When my dad broke his hand a week ago he was still trying to ride his bike, harvest the gardens, and finish the woodpiles. One armed wood splitting is pretty dangerous though so I was happy to come home and help. It's a great strength workout and the satisfaction when the wood cracks and falls with one solid swing made all the other unsuccessful hacks worth it. |
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| Fall is apple season! |
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| Applesauce, apple crisp, apple pie, apple cider |
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| And an apple picking trip isn't complete without maple candy. These sweet, melt in your mouth treats are the best taste of fall! Anybody who hasn't tried them before is really missing out!! |
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| Most importantly, I love VT maple syrup! |
I'm very excited to announce a new partnership with Butternut Mountain Farm, a Vermont based maple syrup farm and distributor. Butternut Mountain Farm started as a family sugaring operation at the end of a dirt road in Johnson, VT. In the 1980s a couple of poor seasons forced them to buy syrup from other sugar makers to fill all their orders. They have continued this practice and today, as well as tapping their own trees, the family farm plays a key role in the VT maple syrup production. Vermont leads the nation in maple syrup production and Butternut Mountain Farm distributes over half of that crop. Maple syrup is a staple in my diet and I love it so much I drink it straight. Maple syrup is great in anything and challenge you to find food it will not improve. It has a lower glycemic index than honey or other sugars, it's a great source of antioxidents with high levels of polyphenols, zinc, and manganese and it's delicious!
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