tasha tudor

Tasha Tudor. Covered Bridges. Mountain View Lunch.

Posted by Barbara Techel

Posing in front of one of the covered bridges that is so Vermont.  A little over 100 still exist when over 900 existed at one time.

Today was about as perfect as could be.  Really the first day of full sun, along with warm temps that peaked at 72 degrees.   We started with a visit to the Tasha Tudor Museum in West Brattleboro, VT.  It is housed above the historical society with two small rooms dedicated to this most eccentric, delightful woman with much to teach us modern day people rushing here and there trying to accomplish all that we can.

Though the museum was small, Tasha’s life was big in richness of joy, living authentically, and truly living to the beat of ones own drum.  This was told in the 45-minute documentary that Tasha did– the only one she allowed anyone to interview her or to be in her home.  I was utterly fascinated and lost in the documentary, hanging on Tasha’s every word.  I loved how she said that her whole life has been a vacation.  She didn’t have any regrets. Though she lived as if she was from the 1800’s, dressed in frocks and without electricity, I really think she knew how to truly live.  She also talked about how getting older is such a joy, as well as she said that death she felt would be “quite exciting.”  She also had plans that when she died of going back to live in the 1800’s, married to a sea captain, sure of that is where she was before.  I have no doubt she did when she passed at the age of 92 in 2008.  Even John said he enjoyed learning about Tasha and that was just icing on the cake for me.

Then off we went to find a place to eat lunch, which was kind of an adventure in itself.  The town was quite busy but we couldn’t find a place where we could eat and enjoy an adult beverage.  Well, the walk and the wait was worth it when we found the Bier Garden up on the roof top that looked over the river and the mountain as the back drop.  I have photo album of it on Facebook.

Then as we traveled back home we made sure to stop at at least one covered bridge.  After visiting the Covered Bridge Museum yesterday I was eager to see a piece of this most nostalgic part of history up close and personal.  More photos on Facebook of two covered bridges we stopped at.

We have been traveling 1 1/2 to 2 hours every day to various places, so tomorrow we are going to stick close to home and just explore whatever we run across.  Though we will take a half hour ride to The Vermont Store that promises to be a step back in time where they sell everything and anything– the hard to find– the things of yesterday– the practical– and fun.  I have a feeling I can spend a few hours there!

 

My Obsession with Tasha Tudor. A Lesson In Living Your Truth.

Posted by Barbara Techel

My obsession with Tasha Tudor began only a little over a week ago. I’ve checked out just about every book from the library eager to learn more about her.  I keep wondering how it is I never knew of her before—this woman I am now utterly fascinated with.

She was quite eccentric for her time, but the more I read about her the more I understand it is why she illustrated and wrote such sweet children’s books.  She truly lived her stories in a sense and recreated them in her illustrations. She seemed to somewhat live in a world of fantasy of the life she envisioned she wanted hers to be.

She lived a self-sustaining life and died at the age of 92 in 2008.  The photograph to the right is my favorite photo of her.  She went barefoot often. Well as often as one can when you live in Vermont with the changing seasons.  She had goats which she raised for goat cheese, chickens, fifty or more birds, doves, a cat, and corgi’s– having up to 13 or 14 at one time!  Now change them to dachshunds and that would be right up my alley!

What fascinates me about her is how she lived a lifestyle of the 1830’s even though she lived in the 20th & 21st century.  She was always seen in frocks of which she made herself, her hair tied back with a scarf and if she could help it, no shoes.  She told people that she was the wife of a sea captain from the 1830’s and when she died she planned on going right back to the 1830’s.  I have no doubt she did.

It is a lesson in living your truth and it’s why I know she intrigues me.  She loved being surrounded by her stunning garden, her animals, her art, and nature… and she did just that.  No matter what.  She simply lived the life that made her feel best, though it was not always easy.

I’m so glad to have discovered her.  She is a mentor I’ll never meet, but someone who will continue to inspire me.  And I can’t wait to visit the museum dedicated to her, which just opened in 2010.  Its only an hour from where we are staying in Vermont.  I’d just have to say this was all meant to be.’.. and how  I love when things like this happen.

Worrying About Things I Can’t Control

Posted by Barbara Techel

My ottoman just the way I like it.  Books, magazines, pen and notebook and a good cup of tea… and me curled up in a blanket on the sofa savoring it all.

 Our little cottage is booked for October for our vacation to Vermont.  The anticipation is building each day. This is the trip we wanted to take for our 25th wedding anniversary.  Well, it is now three years later and we are finally making the trip. Life happens.

I ordered a book from Amazon and one from my local library about Vermont.  That is half the fun, I think, reading about where you are going before you get there.  One of the reasons I’ve so badly wanted to visit Vermont is because of the spectacular show of fall that they are known for.  Besides, it is also known to be a state with many artists and writers. That’s right up my alley.

Fall is my favorite season. The colors nature displays always gives me a feeling like no other- the whole earth just seems to dance and come alive.  Some of our trees here in Wisconsin have begun to turn, which is about a month early. It has had me fretting wondering what is happening in Vermont.  On Rolling Dog Ranch blog two days ago I felt a wave of worry as Steve showed a photo of some of their trees already turning, too.  They are located in New Hampshire.  My heart sank.  I don’t want to miss the colors, I thought.

I was in a stupor about this since then.  But today I decided no sense in worrying about something I can’t control. It is going to be beautiful no matter what.  We are going to have a fantastic vacation no matter what.  I have control in my attitude and how I approach this and I’m going to be joyful, no matter what.

Something else I discovered about Vermont is that it was the home of children’s author/illustrator Tasha Tudor.  She passed way in 2008 at the age of 92. For the life of me I don’t know why I never heard of her.  I just recently discovered her in a 2008 Victoria magazine I was reading that a friend loaned me.  Now you can’t tell me this wasn’t meant to be. I learned of her and her eccentric lifestyle just this past Friday and have been ordering all I can from the library to learn about her.  I’m utterly fascinated by her.  And the coolest part?  There is a museum only one hour away from where we are staying in Vermont dedicated to her.

So while I can’t control Mother Nature and when the colors will turn, I am taking great delight in learning about Tasha and can hardly wait to visit the museum.  It is the unexpected surprises that make life fun to embrace. I’m choosing to do just that as I continue to explore and learn more before we head to Vermont.  How fun life can be when we don’t try to control it, right?