By Gena Mangiaratti, Vermont Country
As I write this, it is “fool’s spring,” a muddy reprieve from New England winter. As a person not designed for temperatures under 70 degrees Fahrenheit, I am blissfully hopeful it will extend into real spring.
This foolery helped me get in the proper mindset for this issue, which focuses on actual spring in Southern Vermont and the surrounding area. With the cold temps lifting and the days getting longer, more people are inclined to go out in the evenings, including to see live music. In this issue, staff writer Tory Rich profiles the Basement Music Series, a popular program in Bennington back from a two-year-hiatus, and points us to other venues around the region. Also, be on the lookout for Thus Love, the new punk sensation out of Brattleboro, with whom reporter Bob Audette sat down as the group prepared for its European tour. For those who love music but would prefer to enjoy from the couch, film critic Dan Tebo has you covered with a list of music biopics.
For those looking for a timeless, quintessential New England experience, our friend Bob Audette also chatted with the new owners of the Guilford Country Store.
Many people — organized and disorganized — see spring as a time for renewal (I am among the disorganized; we’ll see how my brethren and I do). For ideas to beautify your yard with the help of local businesses, correspondent Makayla-Courtney McGeeney spoke to a local landscaping company and a stone assemblage artist. Staffer Gordon Dossett visited with local nurseries to learn some of their tricks for vibrant plants, and reporter Chris Mays introduces a new flower business in Dummerston. Speaking of new growth, contributor Kathleen Hawes takes us along on a journey to procure mushrooms — yes, those mushrooms — in Vermont.
Whether you mourn the end of ski season or are grateful for the warmer temps, and whether spring is a time for cleaning or a time for messiness while the sun shines, there is a place for you here.
Gena Mangiaratti is the editor of Vermont Country magazine. You can find her running around town, slipping on ice and mud on the same days.
