The Londonderrys

Saturday June 22, 2013
Site 27, Winhall Brook COE Campground
South Londonderry, Vermont

 

 

The Winhall campground’s address is South Londonderry.

 

 

  This is a town with one store and a post office which is open regular hours unless the postmaster comes in late, leaves early or has errands to run.

The “big” town, using the term very loosely,  is Londonderry which has not only a post office but a very nice IGA supermarket, 2 gas stations and a fantastic Saturday Farmer’s market.  As you can see, it has a very large Chamber of Commerce.

 

 

 

 

 

This morning we drive through South Londonderry on our way to the Londonderry Farmer’s Market. 

 

It’s about 2.5 to South Londonderry and six miles in total.  We pull in and park next to this “motorcycle”. Well at least it has a motorcycle license plate.   Ruby doesn’t know what to think.

 

 

 

 

 

I am very surprised and pleased to see so many vendors in such a small town’s farmer’s market.

 

 

 

The produce is nearly all organic, gorgeous looking and reasonably priced.

 

 

 

 

 

What a beautiful setting for the market.

 

The market is located on the beautiful West River which is also the one that flows through Winhall where we are staying. 

 

 

First order of business is to check out the bakery goods of course.
Breakfast at the farmer’s market is a must.  Grandma Miller does not disappoint.

 

 

I have been LONGING, seriously, for a pecan roll for what seems  like forever.  Every bakery has the cinnamon rolls buns whatever you call them but no one until Grandma Miller has the pecan roll. But they are going fast.   SOLD!

 

 

 

They also have macaroons and as a coconut lover I cannot pass these up especially the ones with chocolate chips.  How great is that??

 

 

David chooses a wonderbar and something else which I didn’t get a picture of.   He declares it to be totally WONDERful.   Actually everything in their booth was delicious looking and everything we bought was delicious tasting.  If only we were going to be here for a month or two of Saturdays.   SIGH………..

 

 

The market has other food vendors as well and a great place to sit and enjoy your breakfast or lunch with fine music accompaniment

 

          

 

 

We check out all the booths, probably 40 of them,  before making our vegetable selections. There are booths with home made soaps and lotions, with pottery, grass fed beef and pork, plants and herbs, just to mention a few.   Although I don’t buy anything from the Itsy Bitsy Farm I do love the name. 

 

 

 

On our way home I spy this clever idea.

What a great setting for a fire hydrant.  Talk about Yankee Ingenuity, just put it right by the river and you’re set for water.

 

 

 

 

After the market we stop by one of the local outfitters to get a trails and kayaking map. 

 

They have a lot of gear for summer and winter, this is a BIG ski area, but they seem to have even more clothing and furniture it seems to me.

  

 

 

The most interesting thing I see is this kayak that can be stored in pieces and put together for single or tandem kayaking.  I like my Sea Eagle but prefer my hard sided kayak since it can go many more places and when I’m in a new area, I don’t always know what I may find especially in the rivers.  This one might be easier to cart around IF I had a totally empty basement.  It would be great for a solo RVer who mostly kayaks alone but wants the possibility of bringing a guest along.  Or for a couple where one is a big kayaker and one not so much.

 

 

 

 

As we turn down the road to the park, I notice the wildflowers and the old cottage back from the road. 

What a lovely picture I think. It looks like something from a fairy tale.  We stop.  We seem to have  stumbled into wildflower season here in Vermont or perhaps they have lovely wildflowers all spring and summer long.  But I’m really enjoying these.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

In the afternoon we take the short 1/2 mile hike just a short distance down the park road from our site.

 

You can take it one way and walk back the road or just turn around and come back.  Bet you can guess what we did.  It took us over an hour to walk this mile and you’ll see why.

  

 

The forests around here are just simply beautiful.  Tall old trees many of them conifers.  Fern covered floors with mountain streams, babbling and gurgling and yodeling or whatever it is they do.

 

 

 

 

 

Yes this is one of those streams nearly covered by ferns but you can certainly hear it as you walk along.

 

 

 

 

There are wildflowers here too.  I think the first one is some sort of wood sorrel based on its leaves but this is a different flower here from what I am used to seeing.   The second is a GIANT trillium and I am SO sorry I was too late to see its amazing red blossom.  I’ve included a picture from the internet so you can see what I missed.   Earlier next time!!

 

 

 

 

 

What a beautiful tranquil place just steps from our campsite.

 

 

      And wildlife too.

THE END