In this set, we travel up a through Smugglers’ Notch, I road that is closed every winter. Large icicles and some caves are present. Perfect for a photoshoot! Thank you to Kira for being the subject!
words & images by aryk tomlinson
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Caverns, Icicles & Orbs
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A Spontaneous Drive to Calais, Vermont
On Thanksgiving Day,
I didn’t have much going on until 6pm. Having the entire day off for the holiday meant I’d have to find something to do. Since everyone else was busy with family, I decided to go for a photo drive with Brixton, while also finding places to let him run around along the way. I feel like this is Vermont at it’s core, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Driving for many miles on dirt roads, seeing different areas of the state, and just wondering what actually goes on in these towns kept me interested. There are always surprises along the way
One of the first actually stops was a brook to the side of the road. Brixton and I were there for about 20 minutes, slowly traveling upward. It was neat to see the new ice formations and getting close up with them. The way light interacts with the glimmering clear solid can be fascinated. Navigating the brook can be tricky at times with the secretly iced over boulders, but we managed just fine.
I really like older the look of older vehicles. There is something about them that is genuine in nature. New ideas were being tried out for the first time, and they just rolled with it. The Saab in off white parked center with the barn really caught my eye. The three vehicles lined up in the slideshow were apart of a classic car graveyard that was fenced in. If I could have gone down there, I would have spent way too much time taking photos, I know it. I think it would also to use the cars and a model for a photoshoot. Maybe one day it can happen, I’d just have to get the courage to ask the landowner, who seems pretty strict his gated drive and No Trespassing signs with images of security cameras on them.
I drove by one of the many bodies of water in the area. I’m not sure if they were deserted because of thanksgiving or the lack of summer. Nice reflections though!
While on a dirt road and unsure if I was in the right area, I saw a large pond coming up. As I got further, I saw this building with water streaming down beside it. I immediately thought it was amazing, so instead of driving on past, I pulled over I felt good about it. It is the Robinson Saw Mill, built in 1803. It’s one thing I know I’d like to see again, because of how one of a kind it is.
Further down this same road, I saw the snowcapped mountains of Northern Vermont in the distance. In the field before me were some quite clean and happy looking cows. I kept driving since there was a truck behind me, but once I got a chance to turn around, I did. I wanted to get a photo of the cows grazing with the mountains in the background.
Instead, when I pulled up next to their fence and got out of my car, the came over and greeted me. So interested in whatever I was doing at their fence, they just stood and watched while I took photos.
After doing a lot of stopping but not being able to let Brixton out, I saw an old wooden sign that read “Maple Parking.” I looked to the other side of the road and saw there was a trail that led up into the woods. It seemed like an ideal spot to stop, so again I turned around and pulled into this “parking spot.” I had to slowly make my way into this pull-off, not to skid off down the hill, since it was large enough for one.five cars at most.
The woods called Maple Hill, had were nice to be in after being on the road for awhile. The clouds were unique, being able to look straight up made for a cool perspective with the trees and branches.
Go out and see something new, now matter what it may be! There is a world unknown to you out there, might as well check it out! You don’t know what you might find.
P.S. On my way home, I grabbed some eggnog from a store that was open. I had a nice thanksgiving dinner with my family a couple hours later to end the night.
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Dobrá Tea – Burlington, VT
What a pleasant experience it was!
I’ve seen this place off to the side of Church Street in Burlington so many times but never thought to step through the door. While running an errand in Burlington with Emerson, we decided to visit Church St. with our first stop being Dobrá Tea.
I was a tad unsure about it at first, considering I had never been to a tea house before, but after looking around a bit and getting a feel for it I was quickly immersed and comfortable in the new setting. The staff were very pleasant (especially with Emerson being a regular) and down to earth which really fits in with the vibe of tea itself in general. The options for seating were unique as well, with there being partially enclosed and elevated pillow seating with calf level tables, or alternatively, regular height tables with tea-light candles, and some with classic looking wall mounted lamps.
The menu itself was thick like a sketchbook. When I first approached the table I was unaware that it was actually a menu. Inside, it has many many varieties of teas – hot and cold, with their detailed descriptions. These include the style, origin, components, and other factors to help you make an appropriate selection. After many minutes of looking through the menu, we each decided on some Cold Brew Bubble Tea of two separate varieties. Emerson raised the tiny bell and rang it gently. One of the staff promptly came over to take our orders…
…They were out of bubbles for the day, our fault for visiting in the evening. We now needed more time with the menu. I don’t drink tea often so I don’t have the best knowledge of it, but Emerson was helpful on that note. A couple minutes later, we were ready to ring the bell again. This time, I gave it the back and forth. Emma came over seconds later and took our order this time. Emerson with her Rose tea, and myself taking a chance with the Jasmine Pearls.
Between five and ten minutes later comes Emma with my plate that had evidently fresh poured tea in a cup and a separate lidded teacup of tea leaves. I’m was slightly confused by it, ignorantly attempting to figure out what was in front of me. Then, to the rescue comes the young lady sitting by herself at the table a few feet away. Penny, not Penelope (we later introduce ourselves to each other) told me that my hot water would be coming soon in it’s metal kettle, which cleared everything up. Soon enough, the kettle came. Once Emerson and I both had our tea, I had a taste of mine. It turned out to be the best tea I’ve had, with such amazing flavor. I told Emerson this, and she sensed sarcasm in my tone, but I was serious. It was that good.
During our drinking of our tea and conversing about the wonders of life, Penny joins in and we talk about several relatable topics, beginning with Net Neutrality and ending on Darn Tuff Socks. All this time, I had my camera bag in the third chair at our table. I (we only had a tea-light at ours) would look over at Penny’s table and see her steaming tea with the wall mounted light shining down. Since Emerson and I were talking with her for a good while, I decided it would be appropriate to ask, “Hey Penny, can I take a photo of your tea?”
She allowed it one photo close up and vertical, but was not quite satisfied with it. I took a second photo, horizontal and a bit wider. I called it there, and told her “I can’t be taking photos of your tea all night!” (lol).
We each steadily kept drinking our respective teas, with Emerson and I chatting, and Penny joining in here and again. Then there was the honey that Emerson requested. Honey and tea pair together immensely, so when I saw it and she offered me some, I couldn’t refuse. I added the honey to my tea and stirred it in, of course adding to the flavor and feeling of the tea.
After awhile, Emerson brought up how satisfying the tea dripping from the spoon is. Since I was thinking the same each time we would put tea into our hot drinks, I thought it would be neat to try photographing the “phenomenon”.
So again, I grabbed my camera and worked the settings around while Emerson picked up the spoon full of honey. Being dark in the area, and only the tea-light nearby, I had some trouble getting a clear photograph, but in the end I achieved a couple of decent still images of the honey drip. My goal was to get the “mother-drop” of honey, but no success.
All in all, Dobra Tea is a wonderful little place to visit any time you are around Church Street in Burlington, Vermont. With plenty teas to choose from, as well as snacking and other options for food, it is sure to become a go-to spot.I didn’t plan to write this much initially, but I hope you enjoy and get to visit this special tea house very soon. It’s a whole experience in itself, and needs to be experienced!
P.S. Try the tea biscuits!
TL;DR: I’m thankful for being able to help out friends, experiencing tiny genuine moments, and having good conversations with people you met 5 minutes ago.
Happy Thanksgiving!
-Aryk
art.of.a.rock 