Day 21, Monday, Sept 22, Rutland, to White River Jct, VT

Just a short distance west of White River Junction, VT we came upon another surprise! The Quechee Gorge, pictured here from the middle of the bridge (looking south) that spans this gorge on US 4. I would estimate the bridge to be at least 300 feet above the river. This gave us another opportunity to stop. While I hiked up and down the footpath along the edge of the gorge, Linda surveyed the interior of a very intriguing Country store nearby. She liked everything she saw but didn't buy. What restraint!

This was just a picturebook day for us! Every mile filled with wonderful sights of New England in the Fall!

We ended the day by finding a room at a Comfort Suites hotel in White River Junction. We will wait until tomorrow (Tuesday) to visit Sharon, VT.

We were just beyond the village of Woodstock when we came upon this amazing sight which this photograph can not really do justice. A green hill covered with hand crafted farm and forest animals; cows, sheep, dogs, pigs, bears, even skunks and foxes! It was part of a display for a roadside farm produce store call "Fool on the Hill." We pulled in and ended up not only taking several pictures but buying and eating our lunch. What a delightful experience! Ears of corn roasted on an outdoor fire, homemade apple pie, hot apple cider and donuts. Good stuff!

As we entered the village of Woodstock, VT, the flowers and gardens surrounding this Assisted living facility caused us to have to stop and take pictures. Linda walked through the flower gardens and couldn't quite believe the variety and beauty of this will maintained older property. It was just pristine in every way! And the further we drove through the town, the more apparent it was that we were in one of those classic New England villages that people love to come to and just spend time walking around. You could spend days in the place and not see all the photogenic, historically interesting sites.

We left our hotel in Rutland, VT with the intention of driving to the Joseph Smith birthplace in Sharon, VT, some 50 miles to the east. It was such a beautiful sunshine day and the sights along route 4 so compelling that we just kept stopping and stopping time after time to look at this and photograph that, that we ended up stopping in White River Junction, only 43 miles down the road.

Twice, we stopped to take pictures of covered bridges. This is the first one spans a small stream just off the highway, west of Woodstock, VT.

Day 20, Sunday, Sept 21, Lenox, Mass to Rutland, Vermont

This was taken as we traveled north on Route 7 through the Green Mountains of southern Vermont. Storm clouds were just beginning to roll in from the west and temperature hovered in the high 50's. Another refreshing drive for us!

We were impressed by the size of these mountains. They are big and they are beautiful. You can see the color change just starting to touch these trees as Fall officially begins tomorrow and cooler weather brings the frost that will set these hardwood forests ablaze with all shades of yellow, red and orange.

After attending Sacrament Meeting with the Pittsfield Saints we journied north from western Mass on Route 7 into southern Vermont's beautiful Green Mountain region. As we drove through Bennington, Vermont we noticed this very large and impressive stone monument on a hill off to the west of the highway. It took us a little while to locate the right roadway, but it was surely worth it. This is a most fantastic piece of work. It was contructed to pay honor to the soldiers of Vermont and New Hampshire who successfully prevailed against the British in the famous battle of Bennigton during the Revolutionary War. It stands over 380 feet tall, made of massive blocks of Vermont granite.

We checked out of our hotel in Lenox, Mass and drove about 4 miles to this lovely LDS chapel which houses the Pittsfield Ward and attended their 10 am Sacrament Meeting. It happened to be their Ward Conference. We were much pleased by the good feeling and sweet spirit evident in the conduct of the meeting by the Bishop, the passing of the Sacrament by the Aaronic priesthood, the congregational singing of sacred hymns of Zion and the inspirational words and counsel provided by both the Bishop and the Stake President. We were greeted at the door by two young missionaries who serve in the Massachusetts Boston Mission. It always warms our hearts to see these young elders and to speak with them however briefly.

I talked Linda into posing in front of the Church before we departed.