Ways of Seeing: Sadly, our daughters must worry

“You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.” These words from a famous old Joni Mitchell song have been ringing in my head the past few days.

Have you ever expressed that worry, lying alone in your hospital bed and wondering if a nurse will come? 

After seven decades of trying to do it myself when things got rough, I got pretty good at turning down help when it was offered.

Vermont is on the verge of an amazing opportunity to realize dreams that have long been deferred.

There is a small pond on our farm, created many years ago when we had a shallow dug well and worried about running out of water for the sheep. Over the years, the pond has afforded much pleasure after hot days of haying or just lazing during the beautiful … (read more)

There is a small pond on our farm, created many years ago when we had a shallow dug well and worried about running out of water for the sheep. Over the years, the pond has afforded much pleasure after hot days of haying or just lazing during the beautiful … (read more)

This is part four of four win-win solutions to the challenges facing our school districts and small rural towns. The topic is Incentivizing Towns and School Districts to work together. The great news is that H.106, now Act 67 “The Community School Act,” w … (read more)

This is part three of four win-win solutions to the current challenges facing our school districts and small rural towns. The focus is on Nurturing Care. Great progress this spring! Community School Legislation and Child Care Legislation have passed, scho … (read more)

This is part two of four win-win solutions to the current challenges facing our school districts and small rural towns. It is called Pre-School Parity and outlines a simple approach to significant transformation. School districts have begun inviting innov … (read more)

Like so many of us, I am grateful that the school districts have decided to delay irreparable decisions until the end of the summer. There are many people now working hard to craft a path through the huge challenges. Just as we are beginning to see light … (read more)

It’s Thursday morning on the farm. As I write this, the children at Wren’s Nest Preschool are singing and laughing as they slide down the snow covered hills. A spirit of hopefulness fills the air and my heart once again. And so we turn now to the gift of … (read more)

These last few months of responding to the coronavirus have shown how resilient Vermonters are and how able to react quickly in an emergency. We have come together across parties and sectors to take care of one another. We have assured that people have fo … (read more)

Editor’s note: The writers sent this letter to the Mount Abraham Unified School District board and cc’d the Independent. Dear MAUSD School Board Members, It has become painfully clear that our district schools are in a tough place financially. We hear you … (read more)

People recently gathered to mourn the loss and celebrate the life of David Tier, the now departed Eco-Spirit, whose commitments and practices linger among us. I would like to add one story about this gruff and gentle man, which took place on a freezing da … (read more)

“This is so boring, Gaga!” Our three year old granddaughter looked at me with delight in her eyes. She was busily engaged rolling out dough and using her favorite cookie cutters.  I was taken aback and was about to correct her by saying something like “Bu … (read more)