Here I am, being left in the car while Beth and Clare went off to a museum outside Burlington. It was unlike any museum I have ever seen as there were many odd structures all over an extensive ground--a giant steam ship, a house made out of boxcars, another house moved from Park Avenue, a covered bridge--all very odd. We stopped here so they could see two specific exhibits--Tiffinay and quilts, though I suspect they visited a few others.

The Tiffinay Lamps were beautiful--like a portable stained glass window. The jewels, furniture and tiles were also beautiful and perhaps unexpected--seems he had a bit of a Frank Lloyd Wright thing with the interior decorating, designing every element. Even silverware!

The museum was created by a Vanderbilt descendant, and she collected all these buildings to display her extensive art collections.

There was a collection of motorcycles on display in a round barn.

The quilt collection was also quite impressive with some almost 200 years old. None of them were as good as the one Josie made for me, but still, I wouldn't mind napping on any of them.

There was also a display of hooked rugs that looked nothing like the shag projects from the late '70's. They saw bronzes and samplers like something from the Antiques Road Show, tools the Shakers used displayed in a Shaker barn and old wooden canoes
that recalled a happy afternoon spent canoeing on the Des Plaines river.

After they finally returned from the museum, we spent the afternoon drving across northern Vermont and enjoying the fabulous setting. We stopped a few times by woods and rivers and waterfalls, took pictures and ran around (well, I ran around). We stumbled upon some more CCC remnants, and even a CCC built --
beach house still in use. We have pictures of it all if anyone wants

to see them!

We ended the evening in Saint Johnsbury, the town dog mountain is just outside. I went to bed feeling like a kid on Christmas eve. I woke up to a down pour, our first since Niagra. I couldn't believe it!. We took our time getting ready, hoping, hoping the rain would stop. Went into town for coffee and the skies lightened. Almost miraculously, as we drove the last few miles to dog mountain, the rain stopped, the clouds broke up, and I could see blue skies and peaks on sunshine. I think Sam and Leo were sending some good mo'.

For the uninitiated, dog mountain is the home and studio of an artist who does dog themed works and loves dogs. His name is Steven Honeck. As soon as you get there you see his art everywhere--statues of dogs everywhere--and the odd fish or bird. The fence posts were dog heads, labs in particular as Mr. Honeck is a lover and owner of labs. I felt like music should have been playing, harps maybe or something classical, as we pulled up

and beheld this little corner of paradise just for dogs. We went to the chapel first, and even the door knob was a dogs head. Everywhere in the chapel is dog art, from the bench supports to the stained glass windows. Covering the walls are pictures of dogs and notes from people missing dogs. It had a strange solimnity. On top of the chapel and gallery are these golden weather vanes decorated with labs with wings, a recurrent motif.

After the chapel we went to the pond and agility course where I refused to do any of the agility tricks, but acted like a mad man over a stick. I ran in circles, chased the stick into the pond and generally was just joyful. Just when my energy was lagging,
one of the resident labs, Salvatore, came out to greet me. He put up a good cahse but he was no match for me as I ran around the pond showing off. I had been wishing for another dog to play with, and there he was.

After all that playing, we had to shop for awhile, and I was even welcome in the gallery. Salvatore's 2 siblings were in there as well and it was a veritible dog party. I slept for most of the next few hours, through a thunder storm that started within minutes of leaving.

We drove across New Hampshire this afternoon, the White Mountains. Again with the mountain thing--I think our pass elevation was a measly 2800 feet. But more stunning foliage, rivers, waterfalls and all around breath taking scenery. We came into Maine and have arrived on the coast, our destination for the next few days. I hear tell of Acadia national park and the mansions of Newport. Even here the foliage isn't bad, and we had thought we would have left it behind as we came down from our days in the mountains. I was in 3 states today--can you believe it? I am hoping to dip my toes in the ocean before this is all over. Off to bed for me--it was a very busy day. I'll leave you with a couple more foliage shots: