Ah…beautiful Woodstock. Mesmerizing even during a rainy, spring season. The whiff of greenness, dewy leaves and buds – misty air enveloping one’s soul, glimpses of blue sky introducing a smile and sigh with an overwhelming feeling of contentment. This is home.
We are so fortunate to live in these parts of New England, having made the choice to live in this “country” village that so many others flock to for a week, weekend, or day’s reprieve. In essence, the attraction is instantaneous: a precious pace of life within a place filled with both antiquity and luxury. Mind you, not the kind of luxury that city folk may be accustomed to, but the luxury of a quiet spring walk at dawn, culture and the performing arts at one’s fingertips, a safe haven for children, playgrounds, hidden watering holes, forests that reach up to cerulean blue skies. A stage set for a performance our town’s forefathers would be proud of, as they keep a watchful eye on this Woodstock, Vermont with its rich landscape and quiet murmur of history in the background. Curtain up – let the show begin!
The quintessence of our living roots begins with a visit to Billings Farm & Museum, showcasing Vermont’s rural heritage for its celebratory 34th year. The season opens April 30, with horse-drawn wagon rides and ice cream to usher in a stellar program of events, films, summer camps, the ever-popular introduction to baby animals recently born in Woodstock – and so much more. Refer to an amazing calendar of happenings: www.billingsfarm.org
For the outdoor, flora and fauna enthusiast, Mount Tom and Mount Peg will lure you to a series of paths, trails and historic carriage roads. Walk to Mountain Avenue to access Tom, with its gradual ascension to various levels of elevation, and bestow at its peak, The Pogue, a man-made 14-acre pond. A more Zen-like, leisurely hike, Mount Peg, with its trailhead on Golf Avenue, will thrill you with sweeping overlook views of the Ottauquechee River, Billings Farm, and its companion, Tom. Further research and plan your nature sojourn: www.nps.gov
The Village Green offers a poet’s view of life in Woodstock. Bring a blanket and picnic and perch yourself center stage. The surrounding architecture will amaze you, the whisper of daily musings will calm you; greetings and smiles will give you a sense of belonging. Soon, the Wednesday farmers’ market will add music, food, and the fruits of our local farmers to “the Green.” Lively brown bag concerts will dot the summer season, and alumni day will reunite classmates, friends, and family. There’s nothing like a parade in Woodstock!
Whether experiencing the history of the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park and Billings Farm & Museum, venturing out for a day’s hike through our beautiful pathways, or just savoring an afternoon relaxing on the Green, remember to stop by F.H. Gillingham & Sons, a historic Vermont general store that is steeped in the same history as our village landmarks. Get to know us, pick up snacks for your hike, the fixings for a bag lunch, or a blanket to stake out a place of your own.