Bet nobody else got one of these!

My brother lives half the year in Antarctica and the other half in Alaska. I bet the flight from Toolik to VT was interesting with this going through the baggage check! Yes, it is a 3 foot long 2 foot high caribou antler! And no, I have no idea where we will put it in his room....suggestions?

Blizzard Turkeys

The three of them finally moved off toward the woods. And here I was hoping for an easy dinner. It may not look like precipitation in the picture, but what you don't see is sleet and unbelievable wind...which brought down a large branch from a pine tree. It barely missed the house...i mean like by an inch...but it took out my clothesline. Obviously I bagged work today cause 20 miles up two mountains just ain't worth it. Plus my boss said she didn't want me out in this crap. I hate winter.

Adding this: one of our energy saving light bulbs blew this afternoon and created a terrible smell ~ of course I thought the house was going to burn down. So I looked it up and apparently this is normal burn-out behavior for these bulbs...you can find the info here. Just in case it happens to you.

Ah...festivey goodness

The fabulous tree! Doesn't look fake does it? I assure you I dragged the bodybag out of the basement and lovingly fluffed each branch before sliding them into their assigned slots. No picking pine needles out of our socks till June for us!

The 'Never' Of Places

My friend Nick is dead. There I said it. I haven't been able to verbalize it in the last few days. I feel like a bit of light has been sucked out of my soul. What did he give me, besides watercolors and pumpkins for the Minion over the years? He gave me laughter and happiness. Joy. It was with him that I first heard Sarah McLachlin, Loreena McKinnett, Bocephus King. We would have cocktails and spin one another around his beautiful home to 'Come On, Eileen'; giggling at the sheer silliness of us. He called me up in the winter of 2003 /2004 and said there was going to be a lunar eclipse; he had red wine, the lawn chairs in the driveway and blankets - come watch the penumbra with him. Aside from the obvious things like not ever hearing his voice or seeing his face again, the saddest part of me knows I will never experience the pure freedom I felt in his home. Because it was him that made it the fabulous place it was for me. The S.O never met Nick, though Nick did a watercolor at my request as an anniversary gift. The S.O knows I'm sad, but I can never explain to him how much this man meant to me. A great bear of a man who would cut flowers for his dining room table. I spoke with his ex-wife the other day ~ they got on better as unmarried neighbors, lol ~ and she said it perfectly: We all got robbed.

NICHOLAS CHEW BENNETT
June 15th, 1953 - November 27th, 2007


Nicholas Chew Bennett of Rawsonville, Vermont died on November 27th, 2007. Nick was born on June 15th, 1953, was raised in Radnor Pennsylvania, attended Episcopal Academy, Westminster School and graduated from the University of Vermont in 1975. He is predeceased by his mother Elizabeth Chew Bennett of Radnor, PA and his father Edwin Eversley Bennett of Manchester Vermont.
Nick was a man of many talents. He was an artist and a builder, a lover of animals and nature. He was blessed with a curious intellect, agile mind, and shall be remembered for his quick wit and wonderful sense of humor.
Nick is survived by his sister Lisa Bennett Stokes of Radnor, PA, nephews Ben and Will and niece Liza Stokes, as well as two half sisters Wendy Bennett Osborne and Betsey Bennett Bischoff. He is also survived by many cousins and his good friend and caring neighbor Carol Cantwell.