About two miles up the road, there’s a big hayfield that offers one of the best views in central Vermont. It was saved from development by the farm family that owned it, working in conjunction with local conservationists. It looks out on a big sky and the ridges of the main Green Mountains and the Worcester Range. Last week, it was the best place around here to see the comet NEOWISE, on its trip around the sun. I don’t have the experience of people who photograph the sky and stars regularly, but I was able to photograph NEOWISE from a tiny tripod on top of a car roof. The comet is fading as it moves away from us. So long, NEOWISE, until something like 8820. If you know Vermont mountains, you’ll recognize Camels Hump barely squeezing in on the far left of the top photo. 
Down But Not Out
All was going well in the summer of COVID, but then I fell off a bridge on my mountain bike back on June 23, dislocating the heck out of my foot and breaking my ankle. It’s all back together again, but this is the view I’ve been limited to for the past three weeks. Getting more mobile now, but I’m going to be on crutches for another month and not too likely to be posting many photos for a while, unless I go into the archives. I’ll be back. If you can stand looking at the x-ray, it’s on Instagram: @lazenbyphoto.
Light on the Lake
Lake Champlain never disappoints, whatever its mood. These are from Burlington’s waterfront a few days before I broke my ankle.
Black Lives Matter, VT
Thousands attended a demonstration Sunday at the Vermont State House in Montpelier to protest the killings of people of color by police around the country. Click here for a full gallery.
Eagle Eye
Remember when the only place you ever saw an eagle was on a quarter? Now they are not uncommon visitors to central Vermont. This one was leaping into the air from the downstream side of the Wrightsville Reservoir dam, near Montpelier. Those talons are sharp!
No Leaf Unturned
It seemed as though real spring would never arrive, but overnight, the leaves popped and it was here. Most of these are in the town of East Montpelier, VT.
Spring & Snow
A funny spring so far: warm and then cold with snow sweeping across the highlands. Now we have the leaves ready to pop and the mountaintops are white. Makes for a nice contrast of green and white, but warm temperatures are coming and in about a week it will really look like spring. These are all in the stately rolling town of East Montpelier, VT. 
Spring Starts
I have been posting mostly on Instagram these days, so I have fallen behind on posts here. Now I’m catching up.
Even the COVID-19 stay-at-home order can’t stop spring’s slow arrival in northern Vermont. Right now it’s just at the muted brown and gray stage, but every day the greens of May are a little nearer. These are all along the North Branch of the Winooski River, about a half-mile down the road.
If you want to follow on Instagram, I am @lazenbyphoto.
COVID Days, Quiet Streets
Vermont’s stay-at-home order has brought eerie quiet to the streets of Montpelier, the capital. The most activity seems to be at the hardware store, still open because it’s considered essential, and the post office. It’s funny though: The less there is to look at, the more there is to see. Has to do with slowing down, I think. 
Trapps’ in Snow
It’s been an off-and-on winter, but snow returned on March 1, and people turned out at the Trapp Family Lodge trails in Stowe, VT, to enjoy it.
