Summer 2010
Update
Moving Forward
INBOX
GENERAL IMPRESSIONS
From Sylvia Fagin, Montpelier, Vt.
Thanks so much for the piece about Vermont’s young people (“Minding the Store: Teenagers keep our general stores from becoming relics,” Spring 2010). It is nice to see them portrayed in a positive light and for the eager, capable young people they are. Maybe more of this kind of press will convince more of them to stick around — or return here to raise their families!
From Elizabeth A. Kutsche, Kalamazoo, Mich.
Love those general stores and the wonderful young people — all “apple pie, mother and the flag” — who make them possible in our modern world. Now that’s Vermont to me!
PICTURE PERFECT
From Dexter and Sally Ovitt, New Smyrna Beach, Fla.
Born and raised in Bakersfield and Richford, we loved the [Spring] issue. The article by Matt Crawford was excellent in capturing the feeling of first landing a trout after a long winter season. The photos by Stefan Hard were also well done. In “Spring Delivery” we noticed some new photographers ... [Photography] brings a great perspective that cannot be captured by any other medium.
From Maria Scotti, Port Washington, N.Y.
I have enjoyed your magazine and its beautiful photography for years. But the photo by Diane Bousquet of the baby lamb (“Spring Delivery”) touched my heart. I have kept that page open on my night table so I can go to sleep and wake up seeing that precious face.
MOVED BY VERGENNES
From Dennis Marquardt, Portland, Maine
Thanks for reminding us about the wonderful city of Vergennes (“Vigilant Vergennes”)! My wife and I moved there in 1978 to begin a new church ... We loved the place so much we stayed as pastor for 24 years, raised our family, helped as a church with projects. One of the best moves of our lives.
PRIDE OF PLACE
From Jim Moore, Proctor, Vt.
I just received the Spring issue and detected a change in the air! These past years our magazine hasn’t given me the kick that it once did. Oh, I figured it was just me getting older and crankier — “Vermont Life just isn’t as good as it used to be.” But this spring’s issue was a real hoot. Thanks, I’m proud again.
From Jo Ann Geer, Canyon Lake, Calif.
I can’t begin to tell you how much I enjoy your magazine. I am a native Californian but have been going to Vermont since the early ’80s. It is such a beautiful state; we have driven all through it and we try to make it twice a year. My favorite cities are Burlington and Woodstock. I just love Vermont.
BACKCOUNTRY TO THE FUTURE
From Jim Pease, Morrisville, Vt.
Congratulations to you and Tom Slayton for the ski trail article (“A Thousand Cuts: As backcountry skiing goes mainstream, secret trail making poses a 'moral dilemma’ for the sport,” Winter 2009-2010). The best way to resolve this issue would be for the land managers to provide direction and guidance — to those who wish to create new ski routes — on where and how to cut trails in an ecologically sustainable way. They would tap into the volunteer energy available at no cost and create new recreational opportunities for all who enjoy the Green Mountains. In other words, with no place to go and create new ski routes, there will continue to be a proliferation of illegal cuts and trails.
In the 1930s, Perry Merrill, Charlie Lord and many others provided the necessary vision and created an alpine ski trail network legacy. Why can’t this happen for the backcountry today?
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E-mail: editors@VtLife.com
ALRIGHT ALREADY
When our Spring 2010 issue hit the streets, guardians of grammar quickly mobilized against our spelling of alright in our cover story. “Incorrect,” “huge faux pas,” “shame,” “egregious” — these were just a few of the remarks tossed our way.
“The Kids Are Alright,” as we used it, refers to the 1960s song recorded by British rockers The Who. We thought the phrase was a fun way to describe our feature on the bright, hard-working young people employed in our general stores.
But we also checked our usage sources. The Merriam-Webster Unabridged Collegiate Dictionary online said: “Since the early 20th century some critics have insisted alright is wrong, but it has its defenders and its users. It is less frequent than all right but remains in common use especially in journalistic and business publications. It is quite common in fictional dialogue, and is used occasionally in other writing.”
So with the blessing of Merriam-Webster, we decided to go with the cultural reference. Besides, according to The American Heritage Dictionary, well-known writers such as Langston Hughes and James Joyce also opted for the spelling that we chose. Which makes it alright in our book.
— The Editors
