After a sweet morning with the herd, we left Stowe with an eye on lunch. And what better to have for lunch than ice cream? Our first visit was to Ben and Jerry’s in Waterbury.
This is the site of the original Ben and Jerry’s factory. Though it’s closed for tours until later this month (still from Covid), the place was still buzzing with visitors and happy faces. We explored the flavor graveyard first which was amusing and, according to Harper, quite logical (Who likes pina colada flavored ice cream? Ewww, one with raisins? Sah-weeeeet potato flavor?).
It was a beautiful sunny morning. We grabbed our scoops (the new favorite: half-baked), and took the obligatory pictures inside the lid.
After licking our lips and saying goodbye to Ben and Jerry, we settled into the car for a couple hour’s drive toward southern Vermont. When we visited last summer, we did not get to explore this part of the state but were eager to.
As we left Waterbury, we lost any type of cell reception to be had. As the daughter of a dad who still carries an atlas in his car, I made him proud by navigating an old fashioned paper map down Vermont route 100 to Weston. The drive was scenic, quiet, and beautiful – two lanes down and no traffic. This route skirts the Green Mountain National Forest so it’s nothing but rolling hills and pastures and little towns littered amongst the landscape.
We chose to stay in Weston for a couple of reasons: it is home to the original Vermont Country Store and for this airbnb. I told my family ahead of time that this day and night of our trip was reserved for quiet, rest, reading, puzzling, exploring, and whatever else they may feel like doing when based in a farmhouse built in 1835.
And it was great! Now, to be fair, this farmhouse may have been standing for almost 200 years, but it also comes with wifi, heated tile bathroom floors, an electric car charger in case you need it, and modern appliances. So, I am not entirely sure I gave my children a proper historic experience, but it sure was comfy.
Behind the house was an expansive property and to the side, a steep slope down to a river. The kids helped us build a fire in the pit and took turns on the tire swing. We read and played.
We slowed down.
We left the house only to visit the famed Vermont Country Store. My parents took me here to this same store when I was a young girl, and I only have vague memories. Since then, I have periodically ordered odds and ends from their catalog. This store is a hodge podge of random, sometimes hard to find, goods that span from specialty foods to farm equipment to clothing to toys. We bought a few gifts in addition to pancake mix and syrup for breakfast.
We loved our visit here. We awoke to sun and pancakes, coffee, and a country jog, and before we were ready, it was time go head off.
In my memories, I will return to this day fondly. Simple things are so good.
Next, it was on to Woodstock.
