This weekend, I enjoyed seeing Shakespeare’s The Tempest staged by a talented group of teenagers who were part of the two-week theater camp Get Thee To The Funnery in Chelsea, Vt. The kids’ ability to learn their roles in such a short time is so impressive! My daughter is looking forward to returning next summer for her third year.
On May Day, I was invited back to teach a photo class at the Orange Windsor Supervisory Union’s third annual Arts Day in Chelsea, Vt. Middle school students from the district’s five schools signed up for classes in calligraphy, dance, drawing, painting and photography. I had ten students in my class, with two exchange students assisting me. After I showed them my work, we roamed around town to do photos — their work, shown below in a slideshow, was most impressive!
(If the slideshow isn’t displaying, follow this link to see it on another page.)
On Town Meeting day, I received delivery of a smart phone. Since then, the phone has become an amazing tool — I didn’t think I would enjoy using its camera as much as I do. It’s easy to grab pictures here and there with it and quickly upload them to Instagram (follow me @geoff_hansen)!
Clockwise from upper left: Ice jams the White River in Sharon, Vt.; my teenage daughter multitasks while eating lunch in West Lebanon, N.H.; finished maple syrup is ready for bottling in Tunbridge, Vt.; winter’s last gasp forms ice crystals along the roadside in Tunbridge, Vt.; a poster for the World’s Fair hangs from the Cilley covered bridge in Tunbridge, Vt.; Rev. Deadra Ashton wishes everyone a Happy Easter at the end of the sunrise service in Tunbridge, Vt.
It sounds crazy to get excited about junior high school basketball, but it’s been fun to follow my daughter’s play on the Tunbridge Central School girls team this season. Their improved skills and play as a team culminated with a championship win this past weekend — it was a proud moment!
My traveling photo show All Around the Barnyard has found a new home — it is on display on the second floor of Oakes Hall at Vermont Law School in South Royalton, Vt. It blends nicely with the school’s new Center for Agriculture and Food Systems, established to teach agricultural law and to be a resource for food producers. The show is a collection of photographs from my visits to Vermont farms over the years — it was previously on display at the Vermont Agency of Agriculture in Montpelier and the Windsor County State’s Attorney offices in White River Junction. Follow this link to see the photos online.
In addition to Town Meeting, I feel most connected to my community this time of year — my daughter’s holiday concert at Tunbridge Central School drew so many people it was difficult to find a place to park! Lots of proud parents, friends and family were there to encourage the kids — even Santa in flannel attended.
Santa and Mrs. Claus made their annual visit to the Tunbridge Library yesterday — Euclid and Priscilla Farnham have upheld the tradition for decades. I’ve been volunteering to photograph the event for a few years because it’s so fun to document!
The other day, my neighbor picked me up at 5:30 a.m. to see how our beagle puppy’s littermates are doing in their training. They’re learning to track scent at the Randolph Fish and Game Club’s 20-acre rabbit grounds. My neighbor laughed when I told him our hound was still in bed, under the covers with his head on the pillow!
We just returned from a camping vacation in New Hampshire’s Connecticut Lakes region. Located in the northern tip of the state, Pittsburg, N.H., is a quiet town not only known for where the Connecticut River begins, but also for its abundant moose population. We just saw one moose grazing on the side of the road, but we really enjoyed the hikes, rest and relaxation.
This weekend I saw an amazing performance of Shakespeare’s Macbeth by actors who are a part of the Get Thee To The Funnery two-week camp in Chelsea, Vt. Open to teens from 12- to 19-years-old, it was incredible to see how they mastered the language in such a short time! My daughter attended for the first time and is looking forward to returning next summer.
