From a junk email: Should you have reasons to reject this offer, please destroy this mail as any leakage will be too bad for us.
–
I remember when I went drumming.
–
I remember gravity when it’s often too late.
–
I remember the anger on their faces.
–
I remember all my splinters.
–
I remember the smell of epoxies.
–
A Short Note to My Fellow Vermonters:
Are any of you seriously thinking about Brian Dubie for governor?
I mean, come on.
Dubie would do onto Vermont as Bush did onto America.
Duh.
–
Speaking of Vermont politics, did Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Deb Markowitz really say that her kids won’t look for dates in Barre? That was weird.
–
Oh no, it’s file for an extension on your taxes time. Happens every year about this time. Somehow this must be the fault of my parents. No?
–
A man. A plan. A distraction. A rethinking of the plan. A rethinking of the man. Another day.
–
The garden is alive. Strangely early. Already eating the over-wintered spinach and chives. And already planted peas, spinach, lettuce, sorrel, chard, radishes and fava beans. Peppers, tomatoes, and basil are sprouting indoors. Cukes, squash, corn, and more await.
–
Speaking of food, below is my new creation, the kitchen-garden jump-starter. Rough-sawn (and horse pulled) 6×6’s, some well-composted horse manure, and a handy-dandy removable hoop frame. It’s seeded in an assortment of greens and herbs and will soon have a plastic lid.
Place your orders now.

As you know, I’m trying to keep Barre from being flooded by undesirables, so having kids from Montpelier loitering about here looking for ‘dates’ is something I will let my Special Taser Action Force handle. I won’t let Barre become another YuppieTown.
Markowitz can’t say that, can she? I guess, yeah, when you’re running for guv as an authoritative figure (SoS) with all the answers in mainstream Vermont politics.
I have wondered for years what it is you, snarky boy and others have against Barre City. We are more green here than in your little kitchen garden plot and country acreage. Most of us walk and if it wasn’t for all you country folk driving through hither and yon, our air quality would prove it. We buy local and if it weren’t for mega development and big box stores outside of Barre City, our downtown would be thriving, as it used to be. We are one of the lowest income communities in the state grappling with the social ills that accompany poverty yet our youth volunteer more hours per week (from YRBS) than others. We are the canaries in the coal mine, what is happening here will be happening everywhere, higher unemployment, aging, dilapidated housing stock due to inability to handle upkeep, and all the rest. Maybe the advantage for us is that we are ahead of the game and will be better equipped to survive this economic depression.
The farmlands of Vermont have been gentrified impacting towns and cities by the next generation’s need to move to them for economic reasons and then, when they get there can’t find work. Their parents and grandparents who may have been farmers, loggers, or other so-called back country folk have sold off their land to pay their bills and taxes while trust fund farmers and nga’s grow organic foods poor can’t afford.
We all can take responsibility for Barre City’s woes, we are all culpable, because society, like the planet, is a closed system. Instead of putting down potential romantic interests in the youth dating pool, Middlesex, Plainfield or, for that matter, Montpelier could collaborate more on helping each other. L.A.C.E. is a great example, the community based group is making connections between hunger and safe, healthy and locally produced foods.
Good comment, Joelen!
Don’t forget 4/20, man. No horse, man. Bring a big log.