Sharing an American Pastime

Earlier this week I shot a multimedia project involving two dozen Japanese high school students who are here in Vermont to attend the Northern VT All-Star Football Camp in South Burlington. Pretty crazy! None of the students spoke a lick of English and whenever I went to photograph them they would hold their hands up making #1 or peace signs which isn't my taste since I like capturing candid moments, but it helped put some smiles on their faces. Speaking with the students' translators, I learned that the students have fallen in love with Vermont's Green Mountains and rolling valleys since they are so used to the densely populated city of Osaka. The Vermont boys and the Japanese students were really working together by day three of the camp and were finding ways to communicate plays and strategies. I thought the camp was a great idea, especially since it's just a week before the Olympics in Beijing - sports really can bring cultures together since they share a common language. Click on the link below to watch the audio slideshow!

Japanese Football

ammo-st amusing afternoon

So, a few weeks ago I learned how to shoot my first gun. Yes, that's right I am now Yosemite Sam with guns blaring, holsters slapping. I'm a chaw-packing true Vermonter with dead-on aim.

Our friend and neighbor, Joe, invited us along to his friend's sand pit to test our aim with an afternoon of skeet shooting. Joe's friend, Flinn, is THE ultimate outdoorsman. All men must bow before his manliness. He IS the Outdoors Channel on TV, he is National Geographic, he is a redneck, an athlete. He is the magic that hides within a man's beard. Flinn brought the gear, gave us some lessons and don't worry (Mom) he made sure everybody was safe. I was extremely determined to smash those skeet since I've been bragging that I'm sure I'd be a good shot because of my steady photographer's hand and precision aim. What I didn't take into account was that the crosshairs of a gun are a tad bit different than the 12 focus points in my camera's viewfinder. I hit nothing but am sure practice will make perfect, I'm just not sure when I'll ever be able to practice - seeing as how I refuse to have guns or ammo anywhere near my house.

Jason getting ready to fire the .45 caliber handgun.

Jason after shooting the .45 caliber handgun. It's that loud.

Hiking the Long Trail

Tom and I hiked a portion of the Long Trail with our friends Morgan and Andy this weekend. We started out at the Lincoln Gap, hiked a 2 mile ascent just shy of Mt. Abraham's summit and set up camp for the night. We lucked out with gorgeous, mild weather and pretty blue skies so our 10 mile hike through the Monroe Ridgeline Trail on Saturday was nothing less than perfect. We stopped occasionally for food, water pumping, photos and of course, the views, but we kept a pretty solid pace and hiked from 9am to 6pm leaving us completely exhausted when we reached our destination, the Appalachian Gap. The descent was tiring and all of our feet and joints were feeling the 12 miles we left behind us but we kept ourselves motivated knowing that we were planning for a nice, cold brew at The Alchemist in Waterbury to soothe our muscles.

Oh! And we were surprised by a moose and her two babies during our descent. We were all a little freaked out but when two other hikers plodded on by without disturbing them we figured we'd be okay. Crazy how such a massive creature pops out of nowhere!

After "showering" in a gas station bathroom and changing out of our wet, muddy clothes we downed gallons of water (since the water supply on the ridgeline was so scarce) and headed to the Alchemist. French fries, stouts and wings greeted us at the bar and we capped off a perfect overnight hike. Enjoy the photos below and click the link to see the full slideshow!

Long Trail - Monroe Skyline Hike

Beans n' weenies for dinner!

Mmmmm oatmeal.

Delicious.

perfect vermont weekend

I had a great weekend a couple weeks ago when one of my college roomates, Kat, came to visit from NYC. She really wanted to go hiking with Tom, Bear and I so we decided Camel's Hump would be a good trek. It may have been more than she bargained for but the view at the top makes the labor worth it. I'm glad the weather held out for us since the rain and thunderstorms rolled in as we snacked on creemees as we drove back home. The dark clouds made for some great pictures though. Thanks again for visiting us, Kat! We had the greatest weekend and miss you tons! And to all the rest of you girls in New York, this invitation is for you. :)

explosions in the sky

Happy (belated) 4th of July! We spent our fourth on the boat again this year and although the weather looked ominous, the skies cleared, the sun set, and the wind calmed for a fantastic night out on Lake Champlain. With our bellies full of wine and cheese and later steaks and potatoes, we were dialed in and ready for a pyrotechnic display. Burlington did not disappoint. The Fourth of July is by far my favorite holiday. Good food and drinks with friends and family only to be topped off with a fireworks display followed by the cheers of thousands crammed onto Burlington harbor as the finale explodes one explosion after another. These are my favorite shots from that night. Enjoy! And, as Tom would proudly shout: Happy Birthday America.

Speaking of Tom, my goofy boy captured in a somewhat serious moment.

Finally a picture of me! Tom snapped this one after we pointed out how
beautifully the sunset was illuminating our faces.

Odd wide angle shot, thanks Tom.

Gorgeous sunset.


The colors quickly changed in just minutes.

I love the colors reflection on the water.