Goodbyes and Hellos

Last morning with Hardy dawned with Alan running out for more eggs to prepare for "Cajun Breakfast" super-charged by Dawn's andouille sausage. The morning was already too short -- and gorgeous. Yet another calm Averill dawn with colors of mauve and rose.

Following breakfast, Hardy packed up shop and went with Alan down to the ponds for one last casting session. Hardy landed three brookies and Alan had four (such an over-achiever) in the short time before the long drive to Burlington.

As the deadline loomed for departure.....Carole arrived at the ponds with a 10 cast limit, strictly enforced. In this case, training and prior shock therapy prevailed and Alan reeled right up. Hardy, however, was not so well oriented as to how things were going to be and required further cajoling (we don't shock guests--yet). Alas, despite everyone's best wishes, it was time to go and we set off for BTV.

Amidst strains of banjo and fiddle, we sailed southward. Within about 15 minutes, young Reichel was horizontal and snoozing hard. Alan and Carole enjoyed tunes from Mecuen & Salazar and Leo Kottke down into Johnson. Stopped at Edelweiss for lunch -- nice sandwiches enjoyed in one of the loveliest gardens we had ever seen (with a water feature). Sweets purchased included eclairs, ginger snaps, "gnomes--??," raspberry shortbread, almond croissant, and a peanut-butter chocolate cookie sandwich. Hardy was begging surrender as we approached Burlington airport.

Airport logistics worked through, we said fond goodbyes, and waved behind glass as Hardy got onto the plane.

Returning a less traveled route, a bit longer, we still got in in time to take a nice canoe ride around the lake with Priscilla from the Lakeview Store. As we circumnavigated a deliciously calm Lake Averill, we talked and we visited and we looked and we wondered where were the loons.

The answer appeared on our own beach as we returned from the ride -- a mature loon hanging out about 15 feet from shore. S/he didn't bat an eye as the canoe drifted in -- just gave a couple of warning 'coots' -- and ignored us as we first watched in wonder and then (as mosquito feeding frenzy set in) banked the canoe. Such calm, such beauty, hello.