Maybe because of the drought, peak fall foliage in Vermont has come early this year. It’s spectacular, but the dry, brittle leaves are coming down fast. These are from Albany and Craftsbury, in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. 
Not too Late to Paddle
We’ve had some frosty nights, followed by summer-like weather, so the water temperature in Lake Champlain has plummeted into the low 60s, but it’s still paddling season. 
Posted in kayaking, Lake Champlain, Vermont
Tagged kayaking, Lake Champlain, Vermont
Apple Time
Apple time at Burtt’s pick-your-own orchard, Cabot VT. Burtt’s plants the trees in intensive rows, supported by cables, more like a vineyard than a traditional orchard, so the trees are closer together, the apples easier to harvest. Definitely doesn’t look like an old-time orchard with trees, pruned to be low and to gather the sun, dotting a hillside.
NEOWISE Come, NEOWISE Go
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. 
Posted in comets, NEOWISE
Tagged comets, NEOWISE, Vermont skies
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.
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged 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.
Posted in Lake Champlain, summer, sunsets, Vermont
Tagged Burlington, Lake Champlain, summer, Vermont
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.
Posted in Black Lives Matter
Tagged Black Lives Matter, demonstrations, protests, Vermont
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!
Posted in birds of prey, eagles
Tagged birds of prey, eagles, Vermont
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.
Posted in East Montpelier, Spring, Vermont
Tagged East Montpelier, spring, Spring colors, Vermont
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. 
Posted in East Montpelier, Spring, Vermont
Tagged East Montpelier, spring, Vermont