It snowed. Just a wee bit. I’m sitting at my folding desk looking out the window at a pile of snow nearly twice my height. And – guess what – it’s snowing.
Winter Storm Pax (or Axe, Max… whatever it was. When did we decide to start bestowing names upon winter storms, anyway?) visited Vermont Thursday, leaving in its wake a reasonable amount of snow and a plethora of happy skiers. I dug the Subaru out Thursday and made it into work, passing a snowplow off on the side of the road. Something cosy about having a small staff at the office… productivity skyrockets.
It’s been a busy week in and out of Orvis. I was excited to see my feature “The Yellowstone Mandate” make it to press in the March/April edition of American Angler. The article is generating quite a bit of discussion, which is exactly what it was designed to do. Huge thanks to the guys who let me take up their time interviewing for this story. The piece came together in the weeks leading to my move to Vermont, and two of the interviews took place in the parking lot of a dingy central Texas storage unit as I was packing. The issues involved are far beyond the scope of a 2,500-word magazine feature, but hopefully this distills it down a bit and puts to rest some rumors that have been floating about.
Another piece hit the streets this week. The Big Sky Journal also ran a photo / written feature about Sweetgrass Rods in Twin Bridges, Montana. The Sweetgrass team makes some of the most incredible bamboo rods in the world (and while that may sound grandiose, it’s true.) They were kind enough to let myself and Headhunters Fly Shop’s John Arnold come explore the shop one day last spring, John with his video camera and me with my notebook and still camera. You can see a bit of the article here, and if you have not already, be sure to visit Sweetgrass’ website.
This morning I finally made it out for the first photo sojourn in Vermont… it’s a grey, snowy day and at this point I am very much at a loss for where to go for scenic images and cool places. So, I did what I tend to do, and got in the car and drove around. Explored around Manchester a bit, then drove to the nearby town of Dorset. The architecture is incredibly new and different to a girl from the West… I still grin every time I pass by a building with an “est. 1700-something” sign. I’ve always been a history geek and can’t help but think about times gone by as I drive along the trees and hills.
Still getting used to seeing Orvis people everywhere I go in this town. I can’t go to the grocery store without running into a familiar face, and last weekend on a walk about town I ran into no fewer than three people I work with on a daily basis. Kind of fun. When I had a drunken neighbor banging on my door a few nights ago wanting a date, I knew I had several friends living within a ten-minute radius who own shotguns.
Eh, it’s always an adventure, right?
Until next week. Ignore the winter weather, bundle up and go fish.
