Category: Vermont

Shelburne Museum: The General Store

If you are ever in Burlington Vermont, drive over to the nearby town of Shelburne where you will find the Shelburne Museum. It’s not your typical museum. Located on 45 acres of land there are 39 exhibition buildings consisting of a wide variety of art, prints, folk art, and plenty of Americana.

The General Store dates back to 1840 and was a fascinating look back.

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Gen Store Shelves CW-0584

 

DeWitt's CW-0587

Haugee’s Cod Liver Oil, Renne’s Oil Compound, and Hanford’s  Balsam of Myrrth were some of the health aids available back in the 1800’s, but the best or at least all-purpose was DeWitt’s Stomach Bitters, an all-everything concoction for improving your appetite, invigorating the system, regulating the bowels, Liver and Kidneys, curing Dyspepsia,  heartburn and a sour stomach.

The label goes on to say, it’s an invaluable aid to persons in delicate and feeble health. Restoring strenght (that’s the way it is spelled on the label) and vigor to wornout constitutions.

Directions: a wineglass full before or after each meal.

A  wineglass is most appropriate because most of these types of “medications” contained quite a bit of alcohol.

Durkee's CW-0590

One of the brands on the above shelf are still in business..Durkee’s.

Harvey's Female Pills CW-0592

I have no idea what or how these pills were meant to help. The  web revealed nothing when I typed in the name other than lot’s of hits on Harvey Weinstein and pills that will enhance your sex life. I doubt this Harvey had much to do with either.

Hats CW-0599

Men and Women’s hats of the day.

Bottels IMG_2199-002

Some of the products sold in these bottles include Citric Acid, Gylcerin, Sodium Bicarbonate, and Antimuniun Crud. The last word most likely should be read as Crudum.  The bottle’s label is worn after the “Crud” so likely it was spelled correctly as Crudum.

Covered Bridges of New England

I love New England! One of the many regional attractions are its covered bridges. They scream out NEW ENGLAND!  Every New England state has them. Most go back to the 1900’s and were used daily by the local population. Today, they are still used, and are major attractions to both photographers and artists looking to capture a true piece of New England architecture and landscape.

Tannery Hill Bridge – New Hampshire

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White Mountain Nat’l Forest Covered Bridge – New Hampshire

White Mt. Natl Bridge-NH-1

Pemigewasset River Bridge (1886) – New Hampshire

Pemigewasset River Bridge 1186-6432

 

Blair Covered Bridge  (White Mountains) – New HampshireBlair BRidge-6469

 

Middle Bridge – Woodstock Vt.

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Martin Bridge – Vermont

Blair BRidgeMarin BRidge-CW Redone CW-1232

Jeffersonville Covered Bridge – Vermont

Jeffersonville Cover Bridge Redone CW-1299

Gorham Bridge – Vermont

Gorham Bridge VT B&W CW-

Cooley Bridge – Vermont

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Bridgewater Covered Bridge – Vermont

Bridgewater Vt Covered Bridge - Redonc CW-

Quechee Covered Bridge – VermontQuechee Covered Bridge - CW-

Taftsville Covered Bridge – Vermont

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Lincoln Gap aka Warren Bridge – Vermont

Covered Bridge Rd-Vermont 2015 (1 of 1)

Chamberlin Mill Covered Bridge, Lyndon, Vermont

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Hubbard Country Store – Hancock, Vermont

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Hancock, Vermont is a small town with a population of 323 people, as of the 2010 census. A couple of years ago we did a road tour of Vermont starting in Burlington and traveling in a circular route to various spots where we planned to stop and photograph. Hancock was not on the list; it was a town that happened to be on the route we were taking. Sometimes the unexpected happens and it works out.

Hancock was named after John Hancock, the prominent patriot and  statesman who also served as President of the Second Continental Congress. Among  other functions, Hancock twice served of Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. John Hancock was arguably the most prominent signer of the Declaration of Independence, so much so, that the phrase “put your John Hancock on that paper” became a common alternative for signature.

While on our road trip, we stopped for a few minutes and took a some photos of Hancock’s “downtown” area. The above photograph of Hubbard’s Country Store, located on Route 125, was closed. I later found out it went out of business a few years ago. The original owners, Earl and Mamie Hubbard, sold the business to Bill and Irma Perry who ran the store until it closed. In 2013, the store was auctioned off. The winning bid was made by Jonathan and Sara Deering.

Inside, the place was a mess with the floor buckling and parts of the ceiling coming down. In early 2014, friends and neighbors began to help Jonathan and Sara renovate the local landmark. I took the  above photograph in late September 2015. From the outside, it still did not look like any improvements were made. The new owners and their friends though were hard at work inside. The revitalized store finally opened in 2016.

Maybe, we’ll get back there some day and see the revitalized store.

Inspiration: Where Does it Come From?

Abandoned Shack - 1924-CW-1144I find inspiration can from anywhere and at any time. Many times it happens when you least expect it. For Life Lesson, one of  twelve short stories in my new e-book, Devious Tales, it came from the above photograph I took back in 2015 in Vermont. My wife and I did a photographic road trip that began in Burlington. From there we made our way to Woodstock, St.  Johnsbury and eventually back to Burlington; making multiple stops to photograph what caught our eye along the way. One day during this road trip we found ourselves on a dirt road. Instead of turning around, we decided to see where it would lead. There was actually little to see or photograph except for this old boarded house. I took a few photos from different angles and we went on our way.

The house intrigued me. I wondered who built it way back in 1924? Why in the middle of nowhere? Who and how many people have lived here since? What happened to them? It all stayed buried in my head. As the idea for Life Lesson began to take root, this house was the image that suddenly appeared in my head, and where most of the action in the story takes place.

Like any creative individual does, no matter what form your art takes,  you observe, you listen and you store away information into a mental or physical file for possible future use. That’s where it remains, waiting for that spark of creative juice to bring to life something new.

You can read Life Lesson and other short stories in Devious Tales. Currently, available as an e-book on Amazon. Click here.

It will soon be available as a paperback. More on that later.

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Simon Pearce

Simon Pearce in Quechee, Vt. It is a great place to visit and they have an excellent restaurant. You can watch their talented artisans demonstrate delicate glassware and pottery making. Add to that the nearby waterfall and covered bridge all making for plenty of photographic opportunities.

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