Woodstock Magazine - Spring 2013

SPRING 2013

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Signs of

Spring Sheepshearing & Herding at Billings Farm Woodstock Recreation Center Green Mountain Rock Climbing Center

CONTENTS

40 Features 30 Bill James in Woodstock

by Nan Bourne

A true Vermont legend.

40

Reaching Far Beyond Town Lines

by Mark Aiken Woodstock’s Rotary Club supplies hospitals in Nicaragua.

46 Green Mountain Rock Climbing Center

by Cindy Parker

A fun physical and mental challenge.

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CONTENTS

25 61 67

55 In Every Issue

Departments

11 Editor’s Note 12 Contributors 14 Online Exclusives 72 Happenings 76 Last Glance

16 Around & About

by Cassie Horner

25 What’s New

Springtime in Provence.

Procopio.

55 Great Ideas

by Dian Parker The Woodstock Recreational Center.

by Meg Brazill

Sheepshearing and herding at Billings Farm.

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by Susan Nye

by Amanda Paquette

61 Vermont Living

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67 Seasonal Foods

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Mountain View Publishing, LLC 135 Lyme Road, Hanover, NH 03755 (603) 643-1830

mountainviewpublishing.com Publishers

Bob Frisch Cheryl Frisch Executive Editor

Deborah Thompson Associate Editor

Kristy Erickson Copy Editor

Elaine Ambrose Creative Director

Ellen Klempner-Beguin Art Director

Brad Wuorinen Ad Design

Hutchens Media, LLC Web Design

Ryan Frisch Advertising

Bob Frisch KEEP US POSTED. Woodstock Magazine wants to hear from readers. Correspondence may be addressed to: Letters to the Editor, Woodstock Magazine, 135 Lyme Road, Hanover, NH 03755. Or e-mail us at: dthompson@mountainviewpublishing. biz. Advertising inquiries may be made by e-mail to rcfrisch1@comcast.net.

Woodstock Magazine is published quarterly by Mountain View Publishing, LLC Š2013. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or part is strictly prohibited. Woodstock Magazine accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, artwork, or photographs.

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E D I TO R ’ S N OT E

IAN RAYMOND

Spring Is in the Air Warm spring sunshine and gentle showers are calling the earth to action—“Trees, form your tiny buds. Plants, show your tender shoots.” All around us we’re blessed to witness nature’s rebirth once again.

In Woodstock, the great sense of community is alive and well, as always. Neighbors are out walking their dogs, and friends are stopping by our yards to chat as we clean up leaves and debris after the long, cold winter.

It’s great to get outdoors!

No matter what the season, it’s comforting to know that area residents are working to help others, both at home and around the world. In this issue we bring you a story about the Woodstock Rotary Club’s mission in Nicaragua. For the past 10 years, Rotarians have been dedicated to donating supplies and hospital equipment to people in need. Read their inspirational story beginning on page 40. In another article on page 18, read about the effort to help a village in the Congo drill a well to provide clean drinking water. Classrooms are also being built to create a better life for youngsters.

Closer to home, we’re visiting with director Gail Devine at the Woodstock Recreation Center (page 55) and the folks at the Green Mountain Rock Climbing Center in Quechee (page 46). With warmer temperatures, it’s time to trade those thick layers of fleece and wool for a cotton T-shirt and lightweight pants or shorts—motivation enough to shed a few pounds!

Whatever else you may be doing this spring, be sure to visit our website often for our weekly blogs, online exclusives, Calendar of Events, The Local Spotlight, and our expanded Business Directory for services in the local area. You can sign up for our eNewsletter and follow us on Facebook.

There’s lots more to come, so check us out at www.mountainviewpublish ing.com.

Enjoy!

Deborah Thompson Executive Editor dthompson@mountainviewpublishing.biz

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C O N T R I B U TO R S

Scott Achs

Scott is originally from Ohio and has been living in New England since 2006.

He graduated from the New England School of Photography, Boston, where he studied Fine Art Photography (Honors) and Editorial Photography.

Scott has a wedding business and does freelance photography in Boston and across New England. He enjoys skiing and bonfires, and he knows more random facts about Ohio than anyone cares to count.

Mark is a frequent contributor to magazines throughout New England. A travel writer who specializes in outdoor living, recreational pursuits, and all topics in between, Mark lives in Richmond, Vermont. When he’s not writing, he teaches skiing at Stowe, trains for marathons, plays pickup hockey, and plans bigger and better vacations.

Mark Aiken

Lynn Bohannon is a photographer with a studio in Woodstock, where she loves to photograph and create. Her specialties are people and products, but her current passion is flowers. Among her favorite things to do are kayaking, cross-country skiing, and being the number-one groupie for her daughter’s band.

Lynn Bohannon

Meg Brazill is a regular contributor to regional New England magazines and teaches at the Writer’s Center in White River Junction, Vermont. A recovering punk rocker and performance artist, she lives with her daughter in South Woodstock. She is currently working on a book of short fiction when she’s not too busy living it.

Meg Brazill

Cassie is a writer, editor, and publisher, and author of the historical novel, Lucy E.—Road to Victory. Her roots in Vermont go back almost 200 years and inspire her love of the natural world and history. She lives in Plymouth, Vermont, with her husband and two dogs—an English shepherd and a mini dachshund.

Cassie Horner

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Susan Nye

A corporate dropout, Susan Nye left a 20-year career in international sales and marketing for the fun, flexibility, and fear of self-employment. She is a writer, speaker, entrepreneur, and cook. Susan’s work appears in magazines and newspapers throughout New England. Her favorite topics include family, food, and small businesses. When she’s not writing or cooking, Susan is hiking, biking, or kayaking near her New Hampshire home.

THIS QUARTER @ MOUNTAINVIEWPUBLISHING.COM

MOUNTAIN VIEW PUBLISHING ONLINE Community, Culture, and Lifestyle in the Connecticut River Valley

ONLINE EXCLUSIVES Great Coffee Shops Coffee shops have been around for years, and many more are popping up across the country. Most of them started out as small neighborhood shops that grew into large chains, but some are local standouts that beat the big-time competition. Check out our favorites.

Best Cell Phones by Age Group Older people spent much of their lives without cell phones, while most youngsters today have never lived without them.

The nature of cell phone use is strongly connected to the ages of those using them.

Check out our cell phone recommendations for users in every age group.

eNEWSLETTER Sign up for our newsletter How to Buy the Perfect Engagement Ring!

You’ve decided that she’s the one. But how do you choose the right ring? With so many options to consider (the band, the setting, the actual stone), where do you start? Following these guidelines can help you in your quest for the perfect ring.

www.mountainviewpublishing.com/ newsletter What does our newsletter include?

• A summary of our most popular blog posts and comments from our readers • Local event listings from our calendar • Exclusive insights into each of our publications (Here in Hanover, Image, and Woodstock Magazine)) • Special offers from Mountain View Publishing and local businesses, and much more . . .

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of interesting an informative ideas.

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ONLINE BUSINESS DIRECTORY

LOCAL SPOTLIGHT For more information on local businesses, visit our website and don’t forget to shop local.

Featured This Quarter:

Check out our Online Business Directory to see the latest listings for fine products and services in the Connecticut River Valley.

MONTSHIRE ENDODONTICS PLLC

ACTION GARAGE DOOR

MY BRIGADIERO

BARTON INSURANCE AGENCY

NATURE CALLS

BLANC & BAILEY CONSTRUCTION, INC.

NEW LONDON INN

BRAESIDE MOTEL

NEXT STEP CONSULTING SERVICES

BROWN’S AUTO & MARINE

NORTHERN MOTORSPORT LTD

BROWN’S FLOORMASTERS

PELLETTIERI ASSOCIATES

CABINETRY CONCEPTS

PELTZER CAPITAL MANAGEMENT

CARPET KING & TILE

PEOPLE MOVERS, INC.

CHIEFTAIN MOTOR INN

PURPLE CRAYON PRODUCTIONS

CHIPPERS

QUALITY INN QUECHEE

COLDWELL BANKER-REDPATH & CO., REALTORS

REVERED PAINTING LTD.

COVENTRY CATERING

RIVER ROAD VETERINARY

DATAMANN DAVID ANDERSON HILL, INC. db LANDSCAPING DORR MILL STORE DOWDS’ COUNTRY INN DOWDS’ INN EVENTS CENTER ELEMENTS SALON ENGEL & VOELKERS, WOODSTOCK EVERGREEN RECYCLING GILBERTE INTERIORS GRANITE GROUP, THE ULTIMATE BATH SHOWROOM GREGORY L. BAKER, D.D.S. HANOVER COUNTRY CLUB HIGH COUNTRY ALUMINUM HOLLOWAY MOTOR CARS OF MANCHESTER HOME HILL INN HOME PARTNERS JAMES R. PREDMORE, DDS JCB DESIGNSCAPES, LLC JEFF WILMOT PAINTING & WALLPAPERING, INC. JUNCTION FRAME SHOP

Pellettieri Associates

KEEPERS A COUNTRY CAFÉ LANE EYE ASSOCIATES LAVALLEY BUILDING SUPPLY LEDYARD FINANCIAL ADVISORS LEDYARD NATIONAL BANK

CLICK ON OUR ONLINE CALENDAR TO SEE LOCAL April EVENTS HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND YOU CAN ADD YOUR OWN EVENT FREE!

mountainviewpublishing.com

A.M. PEISCH & COMPANY, LLP

DARTMOUTH SKIWAY

New London Inn

CLICK ON

LISTEN COMMUNITY SERVICES MARTHA E. DIEBOLD REAL ESTATE MASCOMA INSURANCE AGENCY

RICHARD D. BRANNEN, OD, PLLC RIVERLIGHT BUILDERS RODD ROOFING ROGER A. PHILLIPS, D.M.D. ROW43 MEDIA, INC. SIX LOOSE LADIES YARN & FIBER SHOP SJ BOYLE WEALTH PLANNING STATE PARK REALTY STONE DENTAL, PLLC SURFACE SOLUTIONS SYSTEMS PLUS COMPUTERS TAKE A HIKE FITNESS THE BIKE HUB THE CLINIC FOR NEUROSTIMULATION THE HANOVER INN AT DARTMOUTH COLLEGE THE LYME INN THE PAPER STORE THE TAYLOR-PALMER AGENCY THE VERMONT FLANNEL COMPANY THE WOODSTOCK INN & RESORT TIMELESS KITCHENS TOWNLINE EQUIPMENT SALES, INC. TWIN STATE DOOR VALLEY FLOORS VITT, BRANNEN & LOFTUS, PLC WHEELOCK TRAVEL WHITE RIVER FAMILY EYECARE WHITE RIVER YARNS WILLIAMSON GROUP SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY WOODSTOCK AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

MERRYFIELD INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

For more information on how your business can get listed on our ONLINE BUSINESS DIRECTORY or for other online advertising opportunities, contact Bob Frisch at (603) 643-1830 or e-mail rcfrisch1@comcast.net.

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By Cassie Horner

VINS Adopt a Raptor Program Barred owl.

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The Vermont Institute of Natural Science turned 40 in 2012. One of its longtime missions is the care and rehabilitation of injured birds, and it is well known for its live raptor exhibit where birds unable to be released back to the wild can be seen by visitors to the Quechee site. The injured birds become ambassadors for their species, teaching people about everything from their habitats to their habits.

Hawks, owls, eagles, and other birds are among the patients that find their ways to the VINS Avian Rehabilitation

Program. Every year, highly trained and experienced rehabilitators care for over 400 injured and orphaned birds from Vermont and New Hampshire. VINS also offers Rehabilitation Workshops for community rehabilitators.

To make the rehabilitation program possible, VINS relies on various sources of funding, including the fun Adopt a Raptor Program. It offers the general public the opportunity to adopt a bird species, supporting it with donations and getting the chance to learn more about it. The funding provides the spe-

cialized care that injured avian patients require.

Adopt a Raptor packages start at $30 and range all the way up to $1,000. A sampling of the choices includes the red-tailed hawk, peregrine falcon, snowy owl, and barred owl. The package features an adoption certificate, species fact sheet, color photo, VINS Nature Store gift card, guest passes to the VINS Nature Center, and a subscription to the VINS newsletter. To learn more about the Adopt a Raptor program, visit www.vinsweb.org.

VINS educator with hawk.

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A RO U N D & A B O U T

A Well for a

Congo Village Photos courtesy of The Congo Village School Project

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Opposite: Young girls carry water to their village. Inset: A crowd gathers at the water hole.

Below: People of a village in the Congo.

Imagine a village of about 2,000 people without any water—no well, no stream, no spring. Imagine women and girls traveling many kilometers on foot to reach a source of water where they fill containers, and then carry them back home.

“You don’t have to imagine,” says Jean de Dieu Tshileu, visiting Woodstock from his home in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He can show you photographs of what life is like in the village of his grandmother—a basic society he compares to the Stone Age. The most pressing goal of Tshileu’s fundraising in the US is to raise the money to rent equipment and pay for labor to drill the well that will alleviate the hardships caused by the lack of water.

This Congo village has every reason to be hopeful. Tshileu, who came to the US to attend Eastern Mennonite University in Virginia where he graduated with a degree in economics, is harnessing people’s energies here and in the Congo to implement a long-term plan for improving village life. In its third year, the Congo Village School Project has resulted in significant changes.

“There are three prongs to the project,” Tshileu says. “The athletic, the educational, and sustainable agriculture and livestock components.” Because of a tradition of resistance to the education of girls in a culture where females do most of the work, he devised a strategy of creating coed soccer teams. “Soccer removes the barriers

“The idea is that we can all cook, we can all fetch wood, we can all go to school.”

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A RO U N D & A B O U T

to educating girls without people being aware of what’s happening,” he says.

“The idea is that we can all cook, we can all fetch wood, we can all go to school.”

There have been many firsts in the village thanks to the school project started in 2011. The savannah was cleared to create a soccer field, and teams were formed and are actively playing. A two-room school was built where English is taught to over 120 boys and girls. Plowing to plant crops has resulted in harvests that will help people begin to break the cycles of hunger. Livestock has been purchased, resulting in fresh milk being available for the first time ever.

With a well, the purchase of more livestock, construction of more classrooms, and continuing agricultural development, this village will continue to see a better life for its people. And the hope is to duplicate this model in other villages.

Checks in support of this work can be made out to CHHD (note Congo Village School Project in the memo) and mailed to CVSP, PO Box 121, Woodstock, VT 05091. For more information, visit www. thecongovillageproject.weebly.com.

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Above: Jean de Dieu Tshlieu, who visited Woodstock from the Congo in February, with children. Below: Working in the fields. Bottom: Getting water.

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Civil War Sites in the Green Mountain State Something Abides: Discovering the Civil War in Today’s Vermont

Civil War historian and Woodstock native Howard Coffin noted in one of his books, “Woodstock was the Pentagon of the Vermont war effort.”

Administered by Adjutant General Peter Washburn, this statewide war work had its office in the village, within easy walking distance of Washburn’s home on the corner of Mountain Avenue and River Street. Woodstock Village was also the site of the Elm Street home of President

Lincoln’s supporter, Senator Jacob Collamer.

In fact, he was sitting in his garden when he learned of the assassination of Lincoln.

Not far away, across the bridge over the Ottauquechee, Union troops camped on the site of the Windsor County Fair, across from the Billings Mansion. At the other end of town was Solomon Woodward’s woolen mill (later the Woodstock Recreation Center), where cloth for the Union was made during the war.

Sites mentioned in the book include the Senator Jacob Collamer house on Elm Street.

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The Peter Washburn house at the corner of Mountain Avenue and River Street.

These are just a few of the fascinating facts from Coffin’s new book, Something Abides: Discovering the Civil War in Today’s Vermont, which will be released April 29.

Coffin has spent six years traveling over 150,000 miles to visit all of Vermont’s 251 towns at least once in his search for the more than 3,000 sites with ties to the Civil War. His extensive research, drawing on his Civil War expertise, is combined with his excitement about what he discovered in his travels, making this book the perfect

guide to accompany readers on their own explorations.

“Vermont is the best place to experience the Civil War era because so much is well preserved,” Coffin says. Something Abides tells stories that touch on everything from purported Underground Railroad sites to stories of members of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment of black troops, antislavery activity, women’s war work, and the homes where soldiers lived, recuperated, and sometimes died.

For more information about the book, visit www.countrymanpress.com.

Former mill building owned by Solomon Woodward, where cloth was made during the Civil War. Woodward lived in what is today called the Faulkner Mansion on Mountain Avenue.

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procopio Don’t be intimidated by interior design

By Amanda Paquette Photos by Lynn Bohannon unless otherwise noted

Stepping through the front door into procopio on Central Street in Woodstock, you’re immediately welcomed with an array of colorful and eclectic fine home furnishings and fine gifts.

Beautiful, hand-painted glasses greet you as you enter the store, or your attention may be directed left, where you’ll be drawn to the bubble-glass chargers that invite you to imagine how they might complement your current entertaining pieces. Or turn right and notice the place card holders that encourage you and friends to simply “laugh,” “stay,” “party,” and “share.” »

Hand-cut capiz lotus flower chandelier at procopio.

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Above: Contemporary style dining room interior by procopio. Photo by Paige Hiller. Right: Frank Procopio.

From top: Storefront at 6 Central Street, Woodstock. Handmade lotus bowls for serving. Wrought iron bird clock.

An Inviting Approach Frank Procopio opened the doors of procopio four years ago in a space upstairs from its current location on 6 Central Street. The shop has since moved to its street-level location, where business is flourishing. Success can be attributed to the wonderful variety of interesting and whimsical pieces that fill the store, but also to Frank’s personal approach to design.

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Frank’s energetic personality is on display as he talks about his passion for interior design. It’s impossible to tell his style by looking at the objects he surrounds himself with in the store, and that’s the point. Procopio is in the design business, helping clients find unpredictable pieces and design elements that are perfect for them. Whether it’s a new home, interior renovations, updating a living room or kitchen, custom upholstery, or a change of throw pillows, procopio will help you embrace the bold patterns and color found throughout the sotre and reinvent your space while being appropriate to your surroundings.

Striking a Perfect Balance While some find interior design intimidating, finding pieces that work in your home is not difficult, according to Frank.

“We want to come home to a retreat. We want to be surrounded by pieces that are

familiar and have them blend effortlessly with what’s new.� It’s clear to see in his store and in his interior design projects that Frank has an eye for finding just the right pieces and design elements that strike a perfect balance between comfort and style.

Frank is a graduate of Newbury College in Boston and began his career working with interior design and architectural firms. He has traveled extensively for his clients and when asked

Gifts and home accents at procopio.

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Traditional/Lodge style interior by procopio. Photo by Paige Hiller.

why he settled in Woodstock, Frank talks about Woodstock’s convenient location to major cities like Boston and New York and the proximity to homes of many of his clients. “One of the driving forces to living in New England is the changing seasons.” The variety of colors and textures from the oranges in the fall to the blues and greys in the winter to the greens of summer serve as an inspiration in the design process.

Frank travels around New England and the country to find unique, whimsical pieces to bring back to his Woodstock store and to his clients. A few of the standout pieces that you will find at procopio are antique ceiling tin repurposed into decorative panels and mirrors, wonderful sea glass table lamps, designer throws, accent pillows, fine 28

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A Few Design Tips Frank offers some easy ideas for every home.

1. Use some of your own pieces: Often people own great pieces but just don’t recognize their potential. Dig out that artwork you stored in the garage or your barn, and Frank can help you find the perfect spot for it.

2. Establish a budget: It is important that you are clear about what you want to spend, and then let your designer know about your budget.

3. Look to nature: Nature provides inspiration for color schemes, textures, and design elements.

Find what inspires you about your surroundings, and bring those elements into your home.

More gifts at procopio.

metalware made from recycled materials, and zipper wine glasses from California that are sure to spark conversation among your guests.

Visit procopio if you’re looking for some inspiration. You’ll find fresh design elements that Frank predicts will circle back again—trends like chenille, lush animal prints, and an emphasis on greys and neutrals with a pop of tangerine and green. Handpainted glassware, candles, and stoneware for casual dining are small pieces that make a huge difference for your home or special gifts for your family and friends.

procopio 6 Central Street Woodstock, VT (802) 332-6400 www.procopiodesign.com

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Bill James about 1944. Photo courtesy of Sara James Rilleau.

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Bill James

in Woodstock A true Vermont legend

By Nan Bourne

B

ill James (1913–1995), grandson of the great philosopher William James, was a resident of the Woodstock community from approximately 1938 (reports vary) to 1954, when

he left the East for good. “Bill travelled to Woodstock in the late ’30s to visit his friend Tad Bailey,” his stepson David Borden reports (see Woodstock Magazine, Spring 2012). “There he met my mother Julie. Mother was working at the Yankee Bookshop, which she and my father, Barry Borden, had started in 1935. They had two children, my brother John and me.”

“The Bordens started that bookstore here during the Depression—it was quite a gamble,” says Jane Curtis, who with her husband bought the store some 30 years later.

A War-Time Romance “Bill and Tad were friends from the Boston Museum School,” recalled the late Ellison Lieberman in an August interview. “Tad brought Bill to the bookstore, and Bill looked in and saw Julie and was struck!”

“Mother and Bill had a wonderful romance during the war,” recalls David, adding, “My mother and father were estranged during the war—a situation not helped by my father’s being assigned overseas. My mother always said that her relationship with Bill was the high

point of her life. Apparently they met frequently—unknown to us children— somewhere between our two farms. My brother and I saw Bill often socially, and we pushed the relationship along!”

A Childhood Surrounded

by Artists and Writers William James III, the second son of William James, Jr., and Alice Runnells James, was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1913. His father was a noted portraitist; his maternal grandfather, John S. Runnells, after years as general counsel

for the Pullman Company succeeded Robert Todd Lincoln, the surviving son of President Abraham Lincoln, as president of the company. Young Bill (who never called himself William and certainly never “the third”) grew up surrounded by artists and writers of the day, including Edmund Wilson, e. e. cummings, and F. O. Matthiessen, a James family biographer. He attended Shady Hill School in Cambridge and subsequently, for short periods, Phillips Exeter Academy, and then the Fountain Valley School in Colorado Springs and Le Rosey, an interS P R I N G 2 013

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Young Bill (who never called himself William and certainly never “the third”) grew up surrounded by artists and writers of the day, including Edmund Wilson, e. e. cummings, and F. O. Matthiessen, a James family biographer.

Photo courtesy of Sara James Rilleau.

national boarding school in Switzerland where he developed a lifelong love of skiing and the mountains. Following this he spent 1934 to 1937 at the Boston Museum School, where his father was a longtime teacher and key administrator. Bill often admitted he was never entirely comfortable with the traditional atmosphere of 95 Irving Street, the family home in Cambridge, Massachusetts..

“His mother was a problem,” said Ellison. “She was controlling and dominating; she would sweep in and everyone would shut up. There wasn’t much chatter when she was around.”

“She put the fear of God into Julie and all of us,” adds David Borden. “You know, the right fork in the wrong hand, and no throwing of food around!”

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Above: David Borden as a child. Courtesy of David Borden.

Opposite: Laura McDill, age 4. Courtesy of Jane McDill Smith.

R. W. B. Lewis, in his 1991 book The Jameses: A Family Narrative, writes that in 1938 Bill bought an 80-acre farm in West Woodstock, complete with a barn and a 1790 Greek Revival house, “All for $1,900.”

“He shared this with Tad,” Ellison remembered. “It was a very rundown house; rats would run around in the ceiling as they were having breakfast, and the boys would shoot right through the ceiling at them.”

The Guest Who Stayed “One day he called my parents,” recalls Jane McDill Smith, who lives in her fam-

ily home on Old River Road, “and said his house was freezing and could he come to breakfast? Probably his heat had failed. He came for breakfast and stayed three years!” She continues, “I’d just turned seven, and we were having all the childhood diseases. Bill illustrated these in pen and ink and watercolor, with titles like A Measle, A Common Cold with Three Sniffles, and Hiccups with leaping grasshoppers. All the while, he did pencil sketches—of my mother in the kitchen churning butter, my brother throwing paper airplanes, the Finnish maid feeding the chickens, and life on the farm in all seasons. »

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Bill painted the bar mural in about 1950 in a tiny space, about eight-byten; only about six people could get in. It’s now in Jane Smith’s basement.

Above: Art created for Ellison Lieberman’s birthday in 1955.

Courtesy of Ellison Lieberman.

Right: Detail of the bar mural painted around 1950. Courtesy of Jane McDill Smith.

“He and my father joined the National Guard. Bill was 4-F because he had a damaged eye. He helped my father with woodcutting, maple sugaring, and haying, and he drew cartoons—of us children grown up and married with kids, or of the local Ration Board grimly signing ration books. He did a picture of an elegant family posing under a coat-ofarms which read ‘Foo . . . Goo.’ He was just here, part of it all; we called him Uncle Bill.”

“I remember the bar in the White Cupboard Inn,” says Jane Curtis, a fellow artist. “It had the most wonderful mural, an enchanting concept, of water with people’s legs dangling down into it, as though you were a fish. Did this exist just in my head?”

“Bill painted the bar mural in about 1950 in a tiny space, about eight-byten; only about six people could get in,” Ellison recalled. “It was an under34

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water scene—mermaids, a whale, fish, all around the walls. It’s now in Jane Smith’s basement.”

Ellison sold many of Bill’s paintings, “portraits, landscapes, houses,” in her small gallery. “He was a darling, and he was so helpful! It took us two years to get our Pomfret house in shape, and Bill gave us linoleum; he put it down for us, did the original kitchen floor. He was a lot of fun. He and Frank [her husband] were great friends. Frank was envious of Bill’s artistic skills. We had such a good time on sketching trips.”

The Woodstock Group “Bill was rangy, thin, good-looking, with glasses—reserved and energetic,” Ellison added. “He was very goodlooking!” comments Becky Hughes Bothwick, who grew up in Barnard and returns with her family in the summer. “He was a very nice man, very elegant and courtly. Julie was more an earth mother. They had a very cozy life.” Her sister, Nina Hughes Patterson, adds, “Bill was very modest, never threw himself onto people. He and Julie were always very relaxed, had a warm family environment.

They had a number of children.” She continues, “Sanford (Ross, an artist, and Nina and Becky’s stepfather) and Mother were friends of Bill’s, a whole Woodstock group, the Teagles, Liebermans, Mertens, also Dorothy Thompson and her husband Maxim Kopf. They’d all come to our house for picnics and parties.”

“I drank the dregs of all their cocktails,” says Becky.

Jane Curtis recalls, “Bill was a very interesting man to be around and spend time with. He was tall, elegant—it pleased you to look at him! We all understood each other,” she goes on. “You know how you can have the wrong language? We just ‘got’ each other. It’s so seldom that you find such people; it can happen instantly, even with strangers.” » S P R I N G 2 013

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Bill was a very interesting man to be around and spend time with. He was tall, elegant—it pleased you to look at him!

Above: Caricature sketch entitled Daddy, Can I Have the Car Tonight?

Courtesy of Jane McDill Smith.

Right: Juliane Holden James of Pomfret, a sketch by Ellison Cooper Lieberman. Courtesy of Ellison Lieberman.

Bill and Julie, who married shortly after their first child was born in 1946, had several successive homes. The first was the rat-infested, 18th century West Woodstock house; next came a farm in South Royalton, where Bill had a tractor, a large garden, and a barn studio. In 1948 the family moved to South Pomfret, where they bought a large house with 300 acres and another barn studio.

“He built a wonderful cabin on the property,” recalls David. “I’d see him on snowshoes carrying plywood on his back. It had a great view of Mount Ascutney!” The family, now including the two Borden boys and three James children, remained in South Pomfret until they left the East in 1954.

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vid. “He treated us like adults, friends.

He was never vested in results—didn’t feel responsible for raising us—and that was the best thing that could have happened to John and me. Other family members worried about our future. He was more concerned with how his own kids turned out.

“Bill was blinded in one eye and the other was damaged at birth when he was delivered with forceps,” David adds.

“But he was an enormously studious person. He read all the time. The Civil War and the settling of the West were his specialties. He even knew Greek!

And he made a wonderful cutting board with a phoenix carved into it with wood from the Bournes’ barn when it burned down. He also played the guitar very well, and if needed he could play a trumpet or a trombone. And,” David adds, “he wanted to climb every mountain of 14,000 feet.”

“He was a skilled dowser, too,” adds David’s brother John, “and very interested in the occult. That could stop a dinner-party conversation cold!”

“You’d go to their Pomfret house, and it was just chaos!” says Jane Smith, flinging her hands wide. “All those children! Bill wasn’t a Boston bluestocking like his parents, though his father was absolutely charming. This was a very developing time in Bill’s life; he was evolving. Julie gave him a life that was quite wild.”

Into the Sunset Eventually, Vermont could no longer contain the family’s urge for expansion and adventure. Julie’s brother John Holden, who had taught at the Putney School, had recently founded The Rocky Mountain School in Colorado, and when the Jameses went to visit him in the summer of 1954, they ended up buying a house in Aspen.

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Portrait of Rebecca Hughes Richardson. Courtesy of Nina Hughes Patterson.

ters being built here. It shocked me, but he loved the West; it represented freedom. I can remember our distress when they decided to leave. But we were never surprised by anything they did.”

From Aspen the James family eventually moved to New Mexico. Bill lost three fingers in an accident and could no longer paint, but at his children’s suggestion he began making violins, producing, his stepson David reports, several dozen instruments of very high quality. While the children grew and gradually left home, Bill and Julie settled into Santa Fe amid a wide, warm circle of friends and many visitors from Vermont. There they both died, Bill in 1995 and Julie in 1998.

In May, to celebrate the centenary of Bill’s birth, family and friends are planning a show of his paintings, drawings, cartoons, and crafts at the ArtisTree Gallery in Woodstock. It will be a wonderful portrayal of a vital, vanished era and a vivid chunk of Woodstock history.

The show will open with a reception on Friday evening, May 31, and will close on Saturday, June 15.

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Reaching Far Beyond Town Lines Woodstock’s Rotary Club supplies hospitals in Nicaragua

By Mark Aiken Photos by Macy Lawrence and Fred Lawrence

Operating Room at the Gaspar Garcia Laviana Hospital, Rivas, Nicaragua, one of five new operating rooms provided for the provincial hospital in Rivas as part of a $2.5 million renovation project initiated by Woodstock Rotary under a grant from the Rotary Foundation. This 185-bed hospital serves 225,000 people living in Rivas Province.

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Imagine this scenario: Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center runs out of equipment to stock its operating rooms. In an effort to continue to serve its many patients, the staff consolidates equipment until there are only two operating rooms remaining.

Fortunately, a top-level facility like Dartmouth-Hitchcock is not only well supplied but also enjoys state-of-the-art equipment. However, elsewhere in the world, such scenarios are not so far-fetched; in fact, they are very real.

Macy Lawrence, president of the Woodstock Rotary Club, has made it his mission to change that reality. Over the last 10 years, the Woodstock chapter has made a difference in communities thousands of miles away.

Panorama of San Juan del Sur, Rivas Department, Nicaragua, C.A. Once a quiet fishing village, now a tourist mecca, this village serves as Woodstock Rotary’s base of operations in Nicaragua.

Eye Care in Nicaragua In 2003, Lawrence became aware of two local optometrists who were involved in medical missions in rural areas of Nicaragua. Dr. Chris Fields of Woodstock and Dr. Joseph Jordan of Rochester, New Hampshire, would bring their knowledge, expertise, and equipment to remote regions of the country, administer eye exams, and distribute glasses.

“Typical eye-care missions were large, and they focused on urban areas in order to get to the largest number of people,” Lawrence says. The eye-care missions in which Fields, Jordan, and the Woodstock Rotary participated were different.

“They were small and mobile—just a few people in a truck,” says Lawrence. Obviously, when you head into the outback

Honorary Woodstock Rotarian Dr. Chris Fields examines a young patient with failing eyesight.

and rural areas, you’re going to struggle to reach the sheer numbers of people that you might in visiting urban population centers. Using schools and community centers, the small team set up their camps. “In visits spanning four years, we hit 40 rural communities and 14,000 people,” Lawrence says.

Lawrence and local doctors weren’t the only volunteers involved in the eyecare missions. Medical students from Dartmouth-Hitchcock administered eye examinations. Local doctors and volun-

teers gained valuable experience and expertise as they learned from experts accompanying the missions. Eventually, the scope of Rotary’s involvement expanded in several directions, including hearing examinations (115 children who had previously been considered deaf received hearing aids that enabled them to return to school and receive educations), establishing a sewing center for single moms, and partnering with Biblioteca Movil, an organization that established the first public libraries in Nicaragua. »

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Above: Ministry of Health and administrators pose with Rotarians to celebrate the unloading of the club’s 40-foot container of medical supplies and equipment destined for the 24-bed hospital in Camoapa (pictured blow). The hospital is the primary healthcare facility for 50,000 people living in the region. Gringos in the back row (from left): Rotary District Governor Rick Mangenello; Jill Gramling; Macy Lawrence, president WRC; Lisa Gramling, past president WRC. Top right: Unloading the Camoapa container at the Ministry of Health storage facility in Managua.

“Lots of people make promises,” says Lawrence. “We make promises and deliver— and we’ve gained their trust and respect.”

Going Bigger As he branched out, Lawrence learned more about Nicaragua. And his experiences exposed some larger problems with the country’s healthcare system. For example, many Nicaraguan hospitals, particularly those in rural provinces, are ill equipped and undersupplied. “There were lots of deaths because of bad equipment,” says Lawrence. Since 2007, the Rotary Club has worked with the International Medical Equipment Collaborative (IMEC), a nonprofit that supplies hospitals in need with reconditioned equipment at low costs.

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their own nickel. They tour hospitals and make note of what the hospital’s equipment needs are. Returning home, they raise funds (many Rotary Club international grants work on a matching basis). Meanwhile, IMEC works to gather rebuilt equipment that’s in good working order: beds, mattresses, furniture, machines, supplies, and so on. Lawrence and other Rotary members will visit an IMEC site (for example, there’s a warehouse in Andover, Massachusetts) and assist in loading a container. Packed with supplies and equipment, the container is shipped to Nicaragua, where Rotary Club members meet it, ensure the safe arrival of all its contents, and make

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From top: Rotarians Lisa Gramling and Macy Lawrence undertake a site assessment at the Antonio Lenin Fonseca Hospital in Managua. Built following the 1972 earthquake, this 300-bed facility provides specialized treatment such as neurosurgery to those in need throughout the country.

San Juan del Sur schoolgirls find humor in “gringo” with camera. Rotarians make a site visit to a community clinic established by their partners in 2007 with help from Woodstock Rotary. The clinic sees about 4,000 people a year in the farming community of Escamequita.

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certain everything works.

“Lots of people make promises,” says Lawrence. “We make promises and deliver—and we’ve gained their trust and respect.” It’s not that there is no money in Nicaragua to support healthcare. In fact, in one project that the Woodstock club drove, the federal government of Nicaragua ponied up one million dollars to rebuild a hospital’s surgical wing in the city of San Juan del Sur. Lawrence built a relationship with Eduardo Holmann, mayor of San Juan and a man with government connections. Knowing that the hospital would be equipped thanks to the Rotary Club and its partners, the government could have confidence that the hospital would get good use.

Just Like Us Macy Lawrence has been to Nicaragua over 20 times, the most recent in January of this year. Many hospitals he has worked with, such as Escamequita Community Health Center and Centro de Salud, a regional critical care facility both, near San Juan del Sur in Rivas, were in the same condition described in the scenario above: they had operating rooms, but not enough current equipment in working order for all of them.

The result: patient backlogs. “If your condition got serious, you probably weren’t going to make it,” says Lawrence.

In his 20 visits, he has established contacts like the one with Mayor Holmann and others in Nicaragua’s healthcare system. “If you go down there

Volunteers endure a four-hour round trip by horseback to provide eye care to the remote mountaintop village of La Libertad.

and engage with people, you become friends,” Lawrence says. Holmann, Lawrence’s first government contact, had more in common with Lawrence than either initially realized. Not only had he served as president of the Rivas Rotary Club, he had studied engineering at Purdue University and had actually studied English in Winooski, Vermont.

“Some people believe that charity starts at home,” says Lawrence. “Well, what happens in Nicaragua affects us.”

He says that Rotarians live by their motto: Service above self.

Over the course of the past seven years, Woodstock Rotary’s efforts in Nicaragua have served to radically improve access to a broader range of quality healthcare services. “Collectively, the hospital renovation projects we have undertaken have improved quality of life and saved lives in the segment of the population these facilities serve,” Lawrence says. “This amounts to over a quarter million people.”

Woodstock may be a small town in Vermont, but the work of its Rotary Club reaches far beyond town lines. The club certainly has local initiatives too, but Macy Lawrence is most proud of the work this organization has done abroad.

“Nicaraguans are fun and hardworking,” Lawrence says. “Actually, they are very similar to us.”

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Green Mountain Rock Climbing Center A fun physical and mental challenge

By Cindy Parker Photos by Scott Achs

La Sportiva Stickit, a children’s climbing shoe.

I am 30 feet up a wall, toes wedged on a small yellow chip, my chalky fingers clenched around a knobby hold. I look down, and I am afraid. I’m going to make a move upward, and I am probably going to fall. My partner and

Quechee gym manager Matt Conroy gives a lesson.

belayer stands widelegged on the floor, neck craned upward, hands grasping the rope that attaches us to each other and a bolt at the top of the “rock.”

»

Belay devices and locking carabiners are used to provide friction for catching falls.

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Belayer (left) and climber (right) work as a team.

At the Green Mountain Rock Climbing Center facilities in Quechee and Rutland, climbers may be kids attending a birthday party, recreational climbers staying in shape for outdoor climbing, or teams of all age groups competing in leagues. Even a 50-yearold rookie like myself can walk in, harness up, and try their hands (and feet) at this fun, challenging, and addictive sport.

Steve and Sherry Lulek bought the Green Mountain Climbing Center in Rutland 10 years ago, and in 2010 purchased an existing climbing facility in Quechee. The couple has grown the business in both locations to include competitive climbing and an awardwinning program that helps at-risk youths. In addition, their outdoor guide service, Vermont Adventure Tours, offers rock and ice climbing, mountain biking, snowshoeing, paddling, wilderness medicine, and fly-fishing.

Climbing the Wall Indoor climbing walls consist of a colorful maze of vertical routes made up of removable “holds” in various shapes and sizes that are bolted to the wall and designed to mimic conditions in the natural world. The routes are rated according to degree of difficulty, with each succession of moves presenting a problem to be solved and each route with a “crux,” the most difficult move.

Climbing is a mix of team and individual sport. Climbers must trust their belayer, so they can concentrate on the sequence of moves that make up the climb. The belayer not only acts as safety net but also points out possible moves and offers encouragement.

At both gyms, belayers must take a lesson from a staff member to learn how to maintain the right amount of tension on the rope by slowly feeding it through the belay device as the climber scales the wall. The rope is anchored to the top of the wall and connected through both climber and belayer’s harnesses by way of carefully checked carabiners and knots.

Green Mountain Rock Climbing Center follows strict procedures to ensure safety. “We constantly check and replace equipment, but educating climbers is the most important aspect of

Training barefoot keeps you on your toes!

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Climbers use chalk just like gymnasts to dry off sweaty hands.

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Left: GMRCC Quechee’s entryway sign.

Right: Sharon Academy’s school climbing team.

creating a safe climbing environment,” says Matt Digan, manager of the Rutland gym. “Our mission is to make you comfortable with the belaying process. We don’t just teach you and then leave you.”

Teaching Skills & Confidence The GMRCC staff are all climbers who help run the facilities, set and maintain the routes, outfit climbers, teach belay lessons, and check knots. Along with Steve and Sherry, they manage the business and marketing end of the enterprise, coach individuals and teams of all ages, and climb on teams themselves.

Steve’s military background, his proficiency in many sports, and his passion for climbing make him an excellent coach for all levels of climbers. Steve surprises first-time climber Michelle Van de Ven by quickly scaling a wall to bring her chalk for her hands. His presence alone bolsters her confidence enough so that she muscles through a seemingly impossible move and touches her head to the ceiling for a count of three, completing her first full climb. “It’s great for me to see that I can do things that I think I can’t do,” says Michelle, who quickly became hooked, joined an adult league team, and now climbs three times a week.

“It’s always amazing to me how people can do more than they think they can do,” Steve says. “Someone can come in off the street, try climbing, and feel good about themselves right away.”

He emphasizes the fitness benefits of the sport, including a great core and upper body workout and a great grip-strength workout.

Social Climbing Climbing clinics are available for all levels, but learning happens by practicing routes and receiving coaching from teammates and climbing partners. The adult leagues are open to all ability levels and use a handicap system to score the teams of four at both facilities on Thursday nights. Teams with names such as “Rock Out with Your Chalk Out” and “When the Schist Hits the

A belayer’s-eye view.

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Spring Skills Clinics All clinics are available at both the Rutland and Quechee locations.

Intro to Climbing • $95 • This one-day clinic is a great way to try climbing outside.

• Saturday April 13, 9am–6pm

Intro to Top-Rope Anchor Building • $95 (or combine with Intro to Climbing for $150 total) • Learn the basics of top-rope anchor construction.

• Sunday April 14, 9am–6pm

Intro to Sport Climbing • $200 • This three-day course will cover the basics of sport lead climbing.

• Two three-hour indoor sessions and one all-day outdoor session.

• Fridays April 12 & 19, 6pm–9pm, Saturday April 27, 9am–6pm

Intro to Traditional Climbing • $450 (necessary gear available for purchase at special clinic price!)

• This four-day course will cover the basics of traditional lead climbing.

• Four all-day outdoor sessions.

• Saturdays May 4, 11, 18 & 25, 9am–6pm

Summer Adventure Camps All camps are run by professional guides.

Young Adventure Day Camp • $275 • Multisport, coed day camp for ages 7–9 • Includes snack and water (July 1–5, 15–19, 29–Aug 2, Aug 12–16)

Thrill Seekers Day and Overnight Camps • $400 Day, $550 Overnight • Multisport, coed camp for ages 10–12 • Includes snack and water; overnight camp includes all food.

• (Day, July 8–12, 22–26, Aug 5–9 / Overnight, July 1–5, 15–19, Aug 19–23)

Climbing Day and Overnight Camp • $550 Day, $700 Overnight • Rock climbing specific, coed camp for ages 11–14 • Includes snack and water; overnight camp includes all food.

• (Day, August 5–9 / Overnight, July 8–12)

Mountaineering Camp • $850 • Overnight, mountain skills, coed camp for ages 13–16 • Includes all food (July 22–26).

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Left: Looking down from above.

Right: Colored tape marks the climbing routes.

Fan” have an hour and a half to complete four routes per person. There are special nights such as headlamp night, when all the lights in the gym are off, and you climb by feel with the encouragement and coaching of your teammates.

“We’re proud of the social aspect of climbing at both gyms,” says Steve. “It’s a great way to make friends in a fun and healthy environment.”

Besides the popular adult leagues, GMRCC runs teams for middle schoolers, extreme high school teams, and summer camps. Four girls from the “Tween Team” swarm the walls on a practice night, expertly belaying each other and wearing shirts that read “Climb Like a Girl.”

Greta Solsaa says, “When I reach the top, I get a real rush of energy.” Her sister Ingrid and friends Emma and Abby love the exercise and challenge. Their dads climb on adult league teams, and they practice together.

Steve teaches climbing and outdoor skills through Castleton State College, Stafford Technical Center, and through the schools where he is working to make climbing recognized as a varsity sport. In 2012, GMRCC received the Clara Martin Community Service Award “in recognition of the tremendous positive impact, outstanding care and compassion, and the collaborative spirit with which you have worked with us for the past 10 years.”

After league night I peel off my tight climbing shoes and rinse the chalk from my cramped fingers. Climbers help loop the ropes up off the floor and staff hang harnesses and devices up, ready for tomorrow. “People really test their mental and physical limitations with this sport,” says Steve. “I love the excitement and determination I see on people’s faces here.”

To Learn More For more information on Adult Leagues, Extreme Team, Tween Team, Learn to Climb Clinics, School Competitions, or Outdoor Adventures contact: www.vermontclimbing.com

Mike Wood climbs through a roof section.

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VermontAdventureTours.com

Rutland location: 223 Woodstock Avenue Rutland, VT (802) 773-3343 Quechee location: 68 E. Woodstock Road Hartland, VT (802) 457-7090 S P R I N G 2 013

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GET CONNECTED Get listed on the mountainviewpublishing.com BUSINESS DIRECTORY and you will also be included on our printed list in every issue of WOODSTOCK MAGAZINE. (See page 15.)

GET CONNECTED NOW! E-mail Bob Frisch at rcfrisch1@comcast.net, or call Bob at (603) 643-1830.

Find out how you can connect with our readers. It’s easy, inexpensive, and another way to reach an affluent and educated audience.

SUBSCRIBE Share the wonder of our beautiful area and the latest news all year long with a gift subscription.

Friends and family who have moved away from the area will be especially appreciative. Be sure to order a subscription for yourself, too!

Send a check for $19.95 for one year (4 issues) to Woodstock Magazine, 135 Lyme Road, Hanover, NH 03755. Or conveniently pay online using PayPal at www.mountainviewpublishing.com.

G R E AT I D E A S

Just south of town on Route 4 is a historic brick building, nestled up against the river, that houses the Woodstock Recreation Center. Next door is an adorable 19th century stone building called The Little Theatre, also run by the Rec Center. What goes on inside these two beautiful buildings is worthy of attention.

First, a little history. The crisply designed stone theatre was built in 1866 as a woolen mill and was the largest business in Woodstock until it closed in 1877. The brick building was a prosperous gristmill until 1879, when the original owner, Solomon Woodward, passed away. In 1943, Mrs. Marianne Faulkner purchased all of the mill property and the woolen factory with a plan of creating a community recreation center in memory of her husband, Edward Faulkner. Work on the buildings began in 1944, and in 1947 the Woodstock Recreation Center officially opened its doors to the public. Âť Director Gail Devine.

By Dian Parker Photos by Lynn Bohannon

The Woodstock

Recreational Center A community gem

caption

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Helping the Community Get Fit Today the Woodstock Recreation Center is the focus of many recreational and social activities. The main building houses state-of-the-art exercise machines, including ellipticals, treadmills, and strength-training machines. There is a newly renovated dance studio that offers many different kinds of fitness, yoga, and dance classes, as well as the popular spinning class.

Imagine a whole line of exercise bikes. The lights are turned down, and amped-up music fills the air. The instructor, wearing a headset, sits on the lead bike, calling out directions like “Big hill coming!” The riders pedal faster and faster, sweat drips off their bodies, and they raise their heart rates and burn up calories.

If spinning isn’t for you, you can take an Advanced Abs class, focused on building and sculpting rock-hard abs while you shed calories. It’s a popular class at the Rec Center where, surprisingly, most of the participants are women. Another favorite class is Vinyasa Yoga for all levels, taught by Tomoko Liguori from Japan. She also offers a 6 to 56

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Gym members use bikes while others work with a personal trainer.

Joel Carey coaching 3rd and 4th grade boys’ basketball.

Weightlifting.

7am Sunrise Yoga class as well as private yoga lessons.

Why not join the Grudge Monkey Boot Camp class? Using light dumbbells and body weights, ladders and medicine balls, you can burn calories and build muscle for 45 minutes. The Fighting Fit class uses the basis of kickboxing skills.

Become a Million Dollar Baby! If hardedge training isn’t your thing, you can dance your way to fitness. Peg Brightman, a professional dancer herself, offers modern dance and improvisation classes. Even youth ballet classes are offered. Upstairs is a cozy massage room where you can drop all your cares on the massage table under the soothing hands of Chuck Laufer. He can also arrange for a session at your home if you prefer.

In the summer, two open-air swimming pools (the larger one is heated) offer certified Red Cross classes that run every two weeks throughout August.

The 80-person swim team trains in these pools but lap swims in the 25-yard pool are available to the public as well.

No child is turned away from learning to swim, and scholarships are available.

Out back is a basketball court where there are scheduled league times as well as pickup games. Âť S P R I N G 2013

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G R E AT I D E A S

Youth Programs and More

Gym members can exercise with an array of equipment.

How rare to have a center that offers a place to hang out with other teens in a safe and fun environment. Downstairs in the newly renovated lounge area is a pool table and a large-screen TV for movies and video games. Every Friday and Saturday night, all year-round, teens gather here. Sometimes there’s a DJ for dance parties where you’ll find a throng of teens boogying to the latest tunes.

Next door to the Rec Center is the Little Theatre, housing yet more surprises. Dog obedience and agility training are offered by Carmen Noradunghian. Here you can bring every breed from husky to Chihuahua for gentle lure-reward training. Noradunghian has trained more than 10,000 dogs in the past 20 years.

Downstairs in the Little Theatre, the Rainbow Preschool meets. There are also Aikido classes, and the Freelance Family Singers practice here. Once every month, there are lively contra dances in the Little Theatre.

As if this wasn’t enough for a small-

Fighting fit with Chris Lord.

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The Rec Center’s lower level.

town rec center, the Woodstock Recreation Center also serves the area’s youth sports. The center finds the volunteer coaches, maintains the recreational fields and facilities, and schedules games and practices. It is also responsible for the upkeep of Woodstock’s Vail Field and the town’s athletic field on South Street. The schools from Pomfret, Bridgewater, Barnard, and Reading also use these facilities.

“Unite, Nurture, Achieve” All of these activities and classes are run with only four full-time staff members including maintenance. It is hard to imagine how recreational director Gail Devine and assistant director and athletic coordinator Joel Carey handle so many activities and responsibilities.

It is also a testament to Mrs. Faulkner’s original vision that the Woodstock Recreation Center is a nonprofit, private 501(c) 3 organization and not fully funded by the town of Woodstock. In spite of this, the center is committed to keeping the user fees low.

Fundraising is a big part of keeping the center thriving. In October, WRC runs the Apples & Crafts Fair, featuring a selection of over 100 juried arts, crafts, and specialty foods. This eclectic event draws anywhere between 5,000 to 6,000 visitors annually, and 2013 will be its 41st year!

Another important occasion is the Woodstock Rec Vail Field Camp for children ages 5 to 11. Eight one-week S P R I N G 2013

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G R E AT I D E A S

camps are scheduled from June through August, featuring swimming lessons, crafts, camp songs, sports, and games.

In August 2011 when Tropical Storm Irene tore its way through Woodstock’s waterways and roads, the Rec Center suffered massive damage to its two historic buildings. After a 1.5-million-dollar renovation, the brand-new center is lovely and sparkling, providing a broad variety of experiences to over 200 members and counting.

The Woodstock Rec Center has a motto: Unite, Nurture, Achieve. Not only can it do that for individuals; it is providing exactly that for the community. Please support this amazing center.

Use its facilities. Tell everyone. Staying healthy is just down the street and one drop of sweat away.

Fitness center memberships: • Single: $40/month; $100/3 months; $360/year • Family memberships: $85/month; $225/3 months; $775/year • Student (Woodstock HS) memberships: $20/month • Drop in: Gym $5; classes $8–$10 per session Special membership fees are offered in January and September.

Office Hours: Mon–Fri 6am–8pm, Sat 9am–3pm, Sun 10am–2pm (802) 457-1502 info@woodstockrec.com

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VERMONT LIVING

Sheepshearing & Herding with Border Collies, a weekend event devoted to sheep and their border collie friends, takes place on May 4 and 5 at Billings Farm & Museum.

A Wild,

Woolly

Weekend Sheepshearing and herding with border collies

By Meg Brazill Photos courtesy of Billings Farm & Museum

The first weekend in May is wild and woolly at Billings Farm & Museum, where the annual shearing of the farm’s Southdown sheep is a rite of spring. In order to shear the sheep, you first have to catch them, so a few visiting border collies will be on hand to demonstrate herding. Shearing starts about 10:30am and alternates with herding and other activities throughout the day, so it’s easy to catch the whole event.

Shearing & Storytelling Craig Marcotte arrives at the farm with his shearing equipment, his son Philo, and three young grandchildren. In Craig’s expert hands, each sheep will shed about 10 pounds. “It feels really

good to them after the wool comes off; they almost jump for joy,” he says. A shorn ewe returning to the pen looks and smells differently, but ewes and lambs recognize one another by the sound of their voices. It’s a regular bleatin’ contest back at the barn.

Craig makes it look easy, but you need to shear hundreds of sheep before you get good at it. Over nearly four decades, he’s sheared more than 100,000. “After you make just a few passes with the blade, they trust you,” Craig says. The work is demanding, and it’s necessary to stay physically fit. Philo explains, “You’re constantly on the balls of your feet while holding the sheep with your toes.” Craig still shears about 3,000

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VERMONT LIVING

“A shearer’s hands are very soft because of the lanolin.

Sometimes the lanolin’s worth more than the wool.”

Craig Marcotte, an expert shearer, demonstrates the techniques of shearing the farm’s Southdown ewes.

sheep a year around the Northeast wherever the sheep are flocking.

With his gift of gab, Craig has a hundred humorous stories he enjoys sharing. Visitors should be sure to ask questions! When asked how he began shearing, Craig says, “I never saw a naked sheep until I was 21. My [then] girlfriend’s mother tricked us into going to a one-day shearing school at Vermont Tech.” Bob Burroughs, a Vermont farmer, taught that class, showing students how to deftly separate a sheep from its wool. “He thought I did a good job and asked me if I’d help out,” Craig remembers. “It was an instant job, and I followed him around to the farms on my motorcycle.” Craig tells stories as he expertly settles each sheep with his knees and toes. “A shearer’s hands are very soft because of the lanolin. Sometimes the lanolin’s worth more than the wool.”

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Visitors learn how to spin wool.

in Vermont, but their population has since dwindled to 26,000. Sheep farming in Vermont began declining during the 1870s when Frederick Billings began importing Southdown sheep from the best flocks in Britain. Selected for their excellent meat and wool, Billings’s flock of Southdowns quickly became among the best sheep in the state, and by the early 20th century, there were several hundred at Billings Farm. Twenty years ago in 1993, Billings Farm began to redevelop a Southdown flock. Nowadays, the

Steve Wetmore uses a whistle and verbal commands with his border collie Dart to herd the sheep.

flock of about six breeding ewes births a lively group of lambs each spring.

A Family Affair While two of his grandchildren, Aden (age 8) and Owen (age 5), hand out wool, Craig and Philo demonstrate different shearing tools. Shearing is all about technique, and herdsmen in New Zealand perfected the method to an art.

Knowing how to hold the sheep is 90 percent of the job—where to put your feet, how to use your knees, and how to push with your hand. A professional can shear more than 100 sheep a day, provided the sheep are in one area.

Craig used Burroughs’s method for 20 years until his son Philo expressed an interest in shearing. “When Philo was about 14 we both went to Cornell University to learn the New Zealand method. It was tough for me to make the switch, but now we prefer it,” Craig says.

The New Zealand method is scientific and efficient; every “blow,” or stroke resulting in a strip of wool, is numbered.

In the spring, Craig shears full time; the rest of the year he blacksmiths and engages in low-impact logging. Philo, his wife Anna, and the kids keep a small flock in Barnet, Vermont. Although Craig got into the shearing business by accident—or coercion—the next two generations have taken an avid and early interest. “It looks like cotton candy,” Aden says of the piles of shorn wool.

Aden has already done some shearing and seems to have inherited his grandfather’s knack for showmanship. » S P R I N G 2013

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Border collies are bred to work, and boy, do they love it, explains Steve Wetmore.

Dogs Doing What They Love Over in the fields, Steve Wetmore and Michael Dathe are preparing for the sheepherding demonstrations with their border collies. It’s hard to keep your eyes off these dogs—their focus and athletic prowess are stunning.

The men speak softly and guide their dogs’ movements with whistles and vocal commands. Throughout the day, they’ll use different expressions, such as “That’ll do,” which means “all done,” or “Go by” and “Away,” which are flanking commands that came to America with border collies and the sheepherding culture. “Our dogs are trained above and beyond what you’d need for a farm, but we travel all over taking them to dog trials,” Steve says.

“We like our dogs always looking at the sheep,” Michael explains. “We teach the verbal commands first, and then train them on the animals. These sheep may never have even seen a dog.” Sheep have two defense mechanisms: stay with the flock or give up and play dead. The dogs are always at the ready. They are bred to 64

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“A dog must be physically capable of covering as much as a hundred miles in a day, then get up the next morning and do it again.” work, and boy, do they love it.

The border collie is a herding dog breed developed in the Anglo-Scottish border region for herding livestock, especially sheep. Extremely energetic, acrobatic, and athletic, these dogs are also considered the most intelligent of all dogs. Unlike show dogs, there is no standard to measure the appearance of one

border collie against another. Border collies are judged against one another, but it’s by their work rather than their looks.

“A dog must be physically capable of covering as much as a hundred miles in a day, then get up the next morning and do it again,” according to the Northeast Border Collie Association. “The dog must be able to outrun a 300-pound ewe down the side of a mountain, get ahead of her, and turn her back.” As if that weren’t enough, a dog must be capable of gently guiding new mothers and their lambs back to the barn. “While it’s not possible to identify a good dog by watching him walk around a show ring, it is hard to miss a good one working in the field.”

Michael and Steve explain that there are rough-coated and smooth-coated border collies. Some are black or white, and you see dogs with bits of red or brown. “It doesn’t matter what they look like. The only thing that matters is that they get the job done!” Steve says. By nine or ten months of age, the dog should be old enough to outrun the sheep; by about four years old, the dogs are as good as they’re going to get.

“When they get older and not as fast, we S P R I N G 2013

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Visitors help card the wool.

use them in the barns with the ewes.”

With a young dog, they’ll put their commands on the dog’s movement. “After a dog follows his natural instincts to bring the sheep to us, we teach the dog to take the sheep away,” Steve says. His young dog, Dart, completes his job, herding the sheep into a pen. He sits and waits for the next command. The crowd applauds for a long time. “That’ll do.”

Sheepshearing & Herding with Border Collies

M

ay 4 and 5 is a weekend devoted to the Southdown sheep and their border collie friends. Watch the spring shearing of the farm’s ewes and demonstrations of border collies herding sheep in the farm fields. Admission includes the farm life exhibit, 1890 Farm House, all activities and programs, a children’s art show, and the 28th annual spring commemorative button.

Billings Farm & Museum Route 12 North Woodstock, VT (802) 457-2355 www.billingsfarm.org April 27–October 31 Open Daily, 10am–5pm See website for schedule during other months.

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SEASONAL FOODS

Springtime in

Provence Enjoy the flavors of the season

By Susan Nye Sur le pont d’Avignon L’on y danse, l’on y danse Sur le pont d’Avignon L’on y danse tous en rond On the bridge of Avignon They are dancing . . .

–15th century French song

A Country Dinner with Provençal Style Pastis Classique

An Anise-Flavored Liqueur and Classic Provençal Apéritif

Anchoïade Provençal Anchovy Vegetable Spread

Poulet Provençal

Chicken Braised with Tomatoes and Olives

Crème Brûlée à la Lavande Lavender Crème Brûlée

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Anchoïade Pastis Classique Serves 1

Makes about 2 cups 2 oz whole almonds 12 oil-packed anchovies, well drained

1–2 oz pastis

½ shallot, finely chopped

Water to taste

3 Tbsp olive oil

Pour the pastis into a glass. If you want to emulate the French, add 2, possibly 3, ice cubes. If not, fill the glass with ice. Add water to taste, and enjoy.

Unlike Vermont, spring arrives early in Provence. By mid March, almond and cherry trees are beginning to blossom. Town squares teem with life, and farmers bring their first, tender vegetables to market.

Mornings start chilly but warm into sunny days great for hiking, biking, and meandering walks through medieval villages. Moonlit evenings all but demand a warm embrace and a dance on Pont Saint-Bénezet, Avignon’s famous 12th century bridge. A visit to Provence is an invitation to explore history, art, magnificent countryside, and wonderful

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4 cloves garlic

Ice to taste

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1 Tbsp red wine vinegar ¼ tsp dried herbs de Provence Pinch chili pepper flakes or to taste 1 tomato, seeded and finely chopped (about ¾ cup) 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped (about ¾ cup) 3 Tbsp fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped 1 baguette, thinly sliced and toasted An assortment of your favorite vegetables

1

Put almonds, anchovies, and garlic in a food processor and process until smooth. Add the shallot, oil, vinegar, herbs, and chili flakes, and process until well combined. Add the tomato, bell pepper, and parsley, and pulse until just combined.

2

Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours to blend the flavors. Serve with toasted baguette and/or fresh veggies.

Anchoïade may be made one day in advance.

Poulet Provençal Serves 6–8 15–20 black Niçoise or Greek oil-cured olives ¼ cup all-purpose flour Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 2½–3 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts Olive oil 1 medium onion, thinly sliced Pinch chili pepper flakes 1 tsp herbs de Provence 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 tsp anchovy paste ¾ cup dry white wine 2 cups crushed tomatoes (in season use fresh plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped) 1 cup chicken stock 2 Tbsp capers, drained 1 Tbsp each finely chopped fresh basil and parsley

1 2 3

Pit the olives. If you are using Greek olives, cut in quarters; if Niçoise, cut in half. Reserve.

Combine the flour with 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Pat the chicken dry and dredge it in the flour, shaking off any excess.

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Heat a little olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat; cook the chicken, turning once, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and reserve.

4

Add the onion, chili pepper, and herbs to the skillet, and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and anchovy paste, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

5

Add the wine, bring to a boil, and deglaze the pan, scraping up the brown bits. Stir in tomatoes, stock, capers, and olives, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes.

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Return the chicken to the skillet and simmer until cooked through and tender, about 10 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the skillet and cut into half-inch slices. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter, add a few generous spoonfuls of sauce, and sprinkle with basil and parsley. Pour the remaining sauce into a small bowl and serve with the chicken.

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SPRING 2013

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SEASONAL FOODS

food. It is a great place to relax and enjoy a slower pace of life.

Start with Avignon, a spectacular medieval city. Take a walk through the ancient streets and tour the grand Palais des Papes, home of seven popes and two pretenders. Next, head over to the historic cities of Nîmes and Arles for the ancient architecture. Enjoy a hike around the legendary Pont du Garde and aqueduct, and visit magnificent Roman arenas. The gladiators are gone, but if you time it right, you can catch a bullfight!

Provence’s wonderful lavender fields are not in full bloom until July, but there is still much to see. For dramatic scenery, you can’t beat the rocky cliffs around Aix-en-Provence. Paul Cézanne lived and worked in Aix for most of his life. You will feel his presence everywhere, from the Bibémus Quarry to Mont Sainte-Victoire. Be sure to visit his studio to see where he worked and the Musée Granet to see his paintings.

When you need a break, follow Cézanne’s footsteps to the famous Café Les Deux Garçons for a pastis. This anise-flavored liqueur is a favorite throughout the region. Relax and enjoy the people-watching; you’ll probably end up staying for dinner.

But what if a lazy trip through Provence is not in your spring travel plans? You can still take a stroll through historic Woodstock, dance on one of the covered bridges, and enjoy a splendid Provençal dinner. Why not bring a taste of southern France to your table with a glass of pastis, followed by some of the region’s favorite dishes? Finish the evening in great Provençal style with a luscious dessert enhanced with a touch of lavender. Bon appétit!

Writer and chef Susan Nye lived in Switzerland for almost 20 years and has visited the South of France many times. Now back in New Hampshire, Susan writes for magazines throughout New England and shares stories and recipes on her blog, Around the Table, at www.susannye.wordpress.com.

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Crème Brûlée à la Lavande Serves 6–8 3 cups heavy cream 1½ Tbsp dried edible lavender flowers Grated zest of 1 lemon 1 large egg 5 large egg yolks ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar, plus more for garnish 2 Tbsp lavender honey Pinch salt 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract 1 Tbsp kirsch

1 2

Preheat the oven to 325°.

Heat the cream, lavender flowers, and lemon zest in a heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until steaming. Remove the pan from the heat and let steep for 30 minutes.

3

Pour the cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan and discard the lavender and zest. Reheat the cream over medium heat until steaming.

4

While the cream heats up, beat the egg, egg yolks, sugar, and honey together with an electric mixer on low.

5

With the mixer on medium speed, very slowly add the warm cream to the eggs. (If you add it too quickly or in

one go, it will scramble the eggs.) Stir in the vanilla and kirsch. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup. Pour the custard into 4or 6-ounce ramekins until almost full.

6

Arrange the ramekins in a baking pan. Carefully pour boiling water into the pan to about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until the custards are set, 30 to 40 minutes. Add more water to the pan if needed.

7

Remove the ramekins from the pan, cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate for at least two hours.

8

To serve, sprinkle 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar evenly over the top of each custard and heat with a kitchen blowtorch until the sugar caramelizes.

Let each crème brûlée sit for a minute or two until the caramelized sugar hardens, and serve.

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HAPPENINGS: SPRING 2013 MARCH | APRIL | MAY

May 25 & 26

Cheese & Dairy Celebration Celebrate Vermont’s distinctive dairy heritage during a weekend of sampling delicious Vermont cheeses and meeting local cheese makers. Dairy education programs, making cheese, ice cream, and butter.

Info: (802) 457-2355, www.billingsfarm.org Billings Farm & Museum

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Pentangle Council on the Arts 31 The Green Woodstock, VT (802) 457-3981 www.pentanglearts.org

March 28 Film: In Organic We Trust 7:30pm

March 22 | The Lewis and Clark Expedition: A Celebration of Teamwork A great American voyage of discovery comes to life in this thrilling interactive production. Led

by Broadway actor Patrick Garner, students take on the roles of Lewis and Clark, as well as their Native American guide Sacagawea, the Corps of Discovery, and many others as they explore the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase.

9:30am & 12:30pm

23 | 16th Annual Community Showcase Applaud your friends and neighbors as they perform in a rousing annual celebration of the gifted artists right here in our own community.

7:30pm

April 26 Film: You’ve Been Trumped 7:30pm

March

20 & 27 | After-School Movie

Through April 1 | Maple Sugaring Season at Sugarbush Farm

Movie time for ages 7 and older. Popcorn provided. Call library for current title.

Info: (802) 457-2295, www.normanwilliams.org Norman Williams Public Library, 3–4:30pm

Visit the farm to learn how maple trees are tapped and sap is collected and boiled down to maple syrup. Since sap flows and boiling schedules are determined by cold nights and warm days, call ahead for schedule. Farm store, sampling of syrup and cheese, and sugar house open for tours every day.

Info: (802) 457-1757, www.sugarbushfarm.com Sugarbush Farm, 9am–5pm

March 21, April 11 & 25 Open Mic Night at Artistree Join our relaxed, supportive, and fun atmosphere, and show off your musical stuff!

Info: (802) 457-3500, artistreevt.org Artistree, 7–9pm S P R I N G 2013

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HAPPENINGS

22 | Barbara Blaisdale & Tim Utt Concert Info: (802) 457-3500, artistreevt.org Artistree, 7–9pm

24 | Learn to Read Music Info: (802) 457-3500, artistreevt.org Artistree, 12–12:30pm

March 25, April 8, 15, 22 & 29 Baby Storytime For ages 6 months to 2½ years.

Info: (802) 457-2295, www.normanwilliams.org Norman Williams Public Library, 10:30–11:30pm

April 30 | Baby Animal Day This event will feature family-centered programs with the farm’s calves, lambs, and chicks, plus ducklings and goslings. Horse-drawn wagon rides, heirloom garden, and children’s activities.

Info: (802) 457-2355, www.billingsfarm.org Billings Farm & Museum, 10am–3:30pm

March 30 & April 27 | Oil Painting Workshop Info: (802) 457-3500, artistreevt.org Artistree, 10am–4pm

March 23 | Film: Even the Rain Spanish director Sebastián, his executive producer, and crew are in Bolivia to shoot a motion picture about Christopher Columbus’s first explorations and the treatment of the native population.

Info: (802) 457-2355, www.billingsfarm.org Billings Farm & Museum, 3pm

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March 31 & May 5 Connecting to Music

4 | Counting Critters: Kids’ Workshop

Info: (802) 457-3500, artistreevt.org Artistree, 1–4pm

Info: (802) 457-3500, artistreevt.org Artistree, 9:30–11am

April 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 | Toddler Storytime

14 | Early 19th Century SheepFarming Craze

Book and simple craft for ages 2½ to 5 years.

Info: (802) 457-2295, www.normanwilliams.org Norman Williams Public Library, 10:30–11:30pm

With Stephen Taylor, the former commissioner of New Hampshire’s Department of Agriculture.

Info: (802) 457-1822, www.woodstockhistorical.org Woodstock History Center, 2pm

April 6 | Clay for Families Info: (802) 457-3500, artistreevt.org Artistree, 10am–12pm

28 | History Quiz Bowl 20 | Major Mess Arts and activities for the whole family!

Info: (802) 457-3500, artistreevt.org Artistree, 10:30–11:30am

26 | Hammer & Feather Concert Info: (802) 457-3500, artistreevt.org Artistree, 7–9pm

Come learn about local and Vermont history in a fun and interactive, low-key, noncompetitive game format. Prizes awarded.

Info: (802) 457-1822, www.woodstockhistorical.org Woodstock History Center, 2pm

May

27 | Opening Day: 30th Anniversary Year!

4–5 | 35th Anniversary Concert: Freelance Family Singers

Info: (802) 457-2355, www.billingsfarm. org Billings Farm & Museum

These concerts include a wide variety of music performed by both choruses and small vocal and instrumental ensembles and soloists. Ellen Satterthwaite directs

both choruses. Concerts are free; donations of nonperishable items for the Community Food Shelf are suggested.

Info: (802) 457-3980 First Congregational Church, 4, 7pm; 5, 3pm

13 | Missionary Family in 19th Century New England With historian Elizabeth Stevens.

Info: (802) 457-1822, www.woodstockhistorical.org Woodstock History Center, 7pm

17 | Fred Hass & Sabrina Brown Concert Info: (802) 457-3500, artistreevt.org Artistree, 7–9pm

May 4–5 | Sheepshearing & Herding with Border Collies Info: (802) 457-2355, www.billingsfarm.org Billings Farm & Museum

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LAST GLANCE

In the spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours. —Mark Twain

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