A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....07-11-03...Welcome to "Les Verts Mont"

Mama_Bear

[Mama_Bear]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY

If you have a suggestion, or an idea, or if there's a FReeper you would like to see featured, please drop one of us a note in FR mail.

We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, Mama_Bear, dansangel, dutchess, Aquamarine ~

Please join us as we tour
"Les Verts Mont"

What comes to mind when you think of Vermont? Great skiing? Maple syrup? Covered bridges? Maybe, if you are a history buff, Ethan Allen and the "Green Mountain Boys"? Well, Vermont is all this and much more. When I set out to discover Vermont, I realized that I knew practically nothing about this state. Now, having done some exploring during my travels to some interesting Vermont websites, I am ready to pack my bags, go for an extended visit and see this beautiful state for myself.

A bit of history.....
(the condensed version)

Vermont is the second smallest state in the Union, with fewer than 1 million people. Originally populated by various indigenous peoples of the Algonquin, Iroquois, and Abenaki nations, the land now known as Vermont was first seen by European eyes in 1609, when the French explorer Samuel de Champlain sailed the lake that now bears his name. The French must have paid their visits during the warmer months, for when they gazed upon the mountains that form the spine of the state, they named them Les verts monts, 17th century French for the Green Mountains. As happens with language, Les Verts Mont became Verts Mont, which then became "Vermont". And as happened with explorers, Champlain claimed all he saw in the name of France.

In 1763, England was granted the area via the Treaty of Paris, which ended the French and Indian war. Locally, the land was at various times claimed by both New Hampshire and New York; however, Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys put an end to that, and by 1777 Vermont had achieved independence. In fact, Vermont remained an independent republic until 1791, at which point it joined the United States as that fledgling nation's fourteenth member. Nonetheless, to this day Vermonters remain fiercely independent.

State Motto: "Freedom and Unity"



So, who were the
Green Mountain Boys?

They were a citizens' militia founded in Fay's Tavern in Bennington in 1770. This militia could be called up to protect, by force if necessary, the ownership of the land in the New Hampshire Grants. Ethan Allen was its first, and by all accounts very charismatic Colonel-Commandant. Some of the methods of coercion used by the Green Mountain Boys are questionable at best, violence and intimidation often occurring as they defended their lands against the hated "Yorkers". However, this group of Yankee Vigilantes was very instrumental in resisting New York's claims to land in what is now Vermont. It is worth noting that the Green Mountain Boys took no lives.

Ethan Allen demanding the
surrender of Fort Ticonderoga


Today's "Green Mountain Boys"...

.......
the 158th Fighter Wing
of the Vermont Air National Guard.


Facts and Trivia about our fourteenth state...

Did you know that the world's largest granite quarry is located in central Vermont? It is. At the "Rock of Ages" quarry, where granite is mined and memorial stones are manufactured, sheer cliffs descend 600 feet to the quarry floor below. Tours are available during the summer months.



Also in central Vermont is what is believed to be the world's ONLY "spider web farm". No kidding. Will Knight, maker of collectibles and fine woodenware, noticed he had an abundance of spiders on his farm. Each spider wove it's own individual web design. Will began collecting these webs and making unique web items from them. He also devised an ingenious method of encouraging the spiders to weave just for him. He harvests them through a painstaking process and mounts the delicate, silk webs on wooden plaques and jewelry boxes.


Mr. Knight says, "Our spiders hunger for their work and provide us with genuine masterpieces of natural art. Enjoy the beauty of a silky spider web without the spider. Admire the precision and the perfection of the orb weaver, araneidae, preserved and protected as a work of art."

Another interesting fact ~ Robert James Waller's novel "The Bridges of Madison County" could easily have been set in Vermont rather than Iowa, with a slight name change. There is no "Madison County" in Vermont, but there are many beautifully restored covered bridges. In fact, Vermont has the largest concentration of covered bridges in the United States - a total of 114 in this tiny state, many of which are still in use.

One of the covered bridges in Vermont
and a bit of folklore surrounding.....

"Emily's Bridge"

Located in Stowe, Vermont
(John N. Smith, c.1844) (Photo © Dave MacKenzie)
Howe Truss, 50', spanning Gold Brook on Gold Brook Road.

There are at least three dramatic stories about how the name "Emily's Bridge" came about:

- In the 1800's, Emily was jilted by her fiancé and hung herself
from the rafters.

- In 1925, homely Emily fell in love with Donald, who got her pregnant. When Emily's father insisted that Donald marry Emily, Donald killed himself here. After the birth of twins, Emily followed suit.

- (Date unknown) Emily died after her horse threw her here; she was on her way to her wedding.

Whatever the truth behind the name, there are numerous "eyewitness" accounts of continued haunting of the bridge, supposedly by Emily's ghost.

Click HERE for a complete presentation of photographs
and historical information on Vermont's Covered Bridges.

Last but not least, this profile of Vermont would not be complete without mentioning their world famous maple syrup. Vermont is the largest producer of maple syrup in the U.S.

The first American Sugarmakers were early Native Americans of New England who called their delicious maple syrup, "sinzibukwud," which translated means, "sweet buds." The world is forever in their debt for teaching their Sugarmaking trade to the first American white settlers. Read more about it HERE.

A Vermont Maple Syrup Recipe
and Harvest-time Tradition
Sugar On Snow

-Vermont Fancy, Grade-A Light Amber Maple Syrup
-Pure white snow
-Sour Pickles
-Donuts

Boil syrup to 255 degrees Fahrenheit. Scoop snow into large bowl or pan. Drizzle hot maple syrup lightly over snow. Use forks to eat the sticky top layer. Follow with a bite of your favorite donut or a sour pickle. (I am not making this up. LOL!)

The heated syrup will form a lace-like pattern across the top of the snow and quickly harden into a delectable confection. Build a fire pit, round up a few avid maple sap gatherers and you have the makings for a.........

"SUGAR ON SNOW PARTY!"



"These Green Mountains"
Diane Martin - Composer
Rita Buglass - Arranger

These green hills and silver waters
are my home. They belong to me.
And to all of her sons and daughters
May they be strong and forever free.
Let us live to protect her beauty
And look with pride on the golden dome
They say home is where the heart is
These green mountains are my home.
These green mountains are my home.

On May 22, 2000, in a ceremony at Twinfield Union School, Governor Howard B. Dean, M.D. signed Act 99, which designated "These Green Mountains" as the new state song of Vermont.

I could not find a midi of this state song,
but I did find this: "Moonlight in Vermont".










Thank you to the following websites for information and graphics:
The Ethan Allen Homestead and Museum
Vermont, the Green Mountain State
Vermont 'Sugar Shack Facts'

Thank you for joining us on our trek through Vermont.
Have a nice FRiday and a great weekend!

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 07-07-03...Military Monday 07-08-03...FRPets - iceskater's Bubba/Lucy 07-09-03...Things I've Learned in Life 07-10-03...JH2 - "Is Iraq Another Vietnam?"

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[FreeTheHostages]

Well, having been born and raised in Bennington, Vermont, I would have been happy to share some Vermont stories today, but for a cold that has kept me going through the bare motions.

If you ever go to Bennington, there's a Bennington Battle Monument which looks like a mini-Washington monument. My favorite tourist location in Bennington has to be the Old First Church, in Old Bennington, just yards from where the Ethan Allen boys would get drunk at the old Catamount Inn before rousting some 'yorkers.

As a little girl growing up in Bennington, I was told the story of the Green Mountain boys over and over again.

I marched many a time, with my alto saxophone, in the local parade every August 16th: Bennington Battle day.

Fun fact: The Battle of Bennington was fought across the line in New York State!

[FreeTheHostages]

.30Carbine, my Dad's middle name is "Calvin" -- after the President who didn't want to be a President

wvnan, I'm sure .30carbine would agree: Vermont has changed a lot in the last 25 years. I lived there from 1960 to 1978 -- when it was mostly like the 1950's in the rest of the country

[FreeTheHostages]

"Avoid Stowe!"

And Burlington. And Manchester.

[FreeTheHostages]

Yes, I chose to ignore the politics of this beautiful state

Bless you, Mama_Bear! It's a bit of an embarassment. I was in denial about it for the longest while, accepting strained versions about why Leahy or Sanders was just some weird charismatic exception to the general Vermont tradition. Fact is, too many out-of-staters live in Vermont now for it to ever be what it used to be: a paridigm of common sense.

[FreeTheHostages]

discovered that there are lots of famous people from Vermont

Calvin used to say that our people was our best export

[FreeTheHostages]

When I go back to Vermont to visit relatives, I know all the "local" places to get large amounts of syrups from farms where they (well, the kids) make it themselves at a good price.

When I was a little girl, I used to wake up to the smell of pancakes every Sunday morning.

Back then, it was only Grade B syrup: darker, richer. Now I prefer grade A. But I laugh at people who like the tasteless "fancy" grade syrup: it's not maple-ly enough for us Vermonters!

[martin_fierro]

Gee, thanks, m'Lady.

You just erased all my 8-tracks and floppy diskettes.

<|:)~

[Aquamarine]

I'm up, are you back? LOL

Yes! I've been on the road all day.
Did get to hear Sean Hannity's Fundraiser for the Troops show on the radio while on the road. Race Bannon called in on a cell phone from a Hillary book signing Freep and talked to Sean then he put Dr. Raoul on the phone!

[Mama_Bear]

I didn't know you were from Vermont! If I had, I would have asked you to collaberate with me on this post. But, since you are suffering with a cold, you probably wouldn't have felt up to it anyway.

Vermont certainly seems like a beautiful state. I would love to visit someday. It was fun putting this tribute together, but there was so much more I could have included. I just didn't have the space for it all. Especially about the Green Mountain Boys and Ethan Allen. Quite an interesting group of vigilantes they were. According to what I read, Ethan Allen was the only one who could control them, and they would follow him anywhere.

Thanks, freezie, for your contributions and recollections about your state. I hope your cold gets better soon. Nothing as miserable as a summer cold........unless it is a winter cold. LOL.

[Mama_Bear]

Did get to hear Sean Hannity's Fundraiser for the Troops show on the radio while on the road. Race Bannon called in on a cell phone from a Hillary book signing Freep and talked to Sean then he put Dr. Raoul on the phone!

Oh, cool! There is probably a thread on it somewhere. I'll go see if I can locate it.

[FreeTheHostages]

Thanks. And thanks for going easy on us and ignoring the recent political issues in the state.

This too shall pass. . . . hopefully.

[Mama_Bear]

Yes, I chose to ignore the politics of this beautiful state

Bless you, Mama_Bear! It's a bit of an embarassment.

LOL! Hey, no one knows better than I do what you're talking about. People think we're all a bunch of leftist looneys and whackos out here on the left coast. I plan on doing exactly the same thing when it's "California day". I will be concentrating on the good things about CA - what good that's left. :-)

[LadyX]

"You just erased all my 8-tracks and floppy diskettes."

Good evening to you, Mr.Martini Ferrari.

Apologies for the surge there - had a thunderstorm striking around my house and must have absorbed a few million kilowatts of extra power...:))

Trying to supprress a sneeze here - put yer Kevlar shields up !!

[MeekOneGOP]

It appears it is warming up nicely in your neck of the woods. Wouldn't a trip to Vermont be nice? It has GOT to be cooler up there!

Hey, I could be tempted.

Hmmmm? Do ya reckon Vermonteers would like my Bar-B-Q chicken ? I have some on the grill outside now. It's within 10 minutes of ready to take up right now. Whoops! Better go check on it now !

97 degrees right now . . .

[Mama_Bear]

97 degrees right now . . .

Ha! Gotcha' beat by 2 degrees........99 here. But, it's very dry, so it's not bad.

BBQ'd chicken sounds good. :-)

[Diver Dave]

Afternoon, MB. Thanks for the travelogue to Vermont. Those fall colors sure present a tempting invitation to visit. I've been in over half the states, but Vermont is in the "never been there" column.

Another day over 100 up here. Had to turn the temp down on the hot tub to make it a cool-off tub.

[MeekOneGOP]

Daddy jest checked it out. Mmmmmmmm-mmmmmmmmmmm!! Tis delicious !

[ST.LOUIE1]

Daddy jest checked it out.

You a papa? Kinda quick. LOL

[ST.LOUIE1]

You have no pupils....

....that scares wolfie. : (

[Aquamarine]

I did a quick search and didn't see anything on it. There will probably be an afteraction report on the book signing FReep.