Thanks to everyone who came out last Thursday to our literary club meeting where we chatted about “The Reading Group”. It is fun to see some new faces, welcome! The last few months, we have basically been choosing books a bit randomly but we are going to start rotating the choice between the group so things should start to get interesting. We will start that next month, but so many of us had either read or wanted to read “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett that we made it our September read. Our meeting is always scheduled for the last Thursday of the month at 7:30PM. So we’ll see you September 29th!

If you would like to come, let us know, and we can add you to the email update on facebook.

This morning is truly the calm after the storm. The sky is clear blue, the air is crisp and the sun is shining but here is a glimpse of what Vermont experienced yesterday as Tropical Storm Irene hit the state. There has been widespread flooding all over and hundreds of roads have been closed due to wash outs. What we experienced, essentially, were flash floods and the name describes it perfectly because within hours we went from full rivers to raging rivers that literally knocked down bridges. Fortunately, we all stayed safe and dry but that isn’t the case for so many others. Vermont hasn’t seen such widespread flood damage since 1927.

The images are heartbreaking. This covered bridge in Quechee, VT, just 20 minutes up the road from us, was completely pummeled. Our historic Cornish-Windsor covered bridge is still standing and luckily the Connecticut did not reach flood capacity. It was nearing it.

The old dam at one of our ponds here in Windsor was rushed with water coming down from the surrounding mountains. Luckily it held but the excess water caused our high school athletic fields to fill with so much water, the bleachers were covered.

The Burlington Free Press is running a photography contest, Capture My Vermont,  to collect shots from all over Vermont. You can sign up to vote for photos you like and help get those pictures published in a book. We have some friends entered. If you feel so inclined, you should check it out and vote!

Is it really August 24th? School will be starting up here in Windsor next week and then it will really feel like summer 2011 has come to an end. There are certainly signs of Autumn all around us as the foliage begins to shift and the weather at nights is getting noticeably cooler. Make sure you take in the last of the warm days, the lighter evenings, and cool evening walks in what is really one of the most beautiful times of the year in Vermont! And if you aren’t in Vermont, come up and see us!