The Warmth of Vermont’s People

I trust that you, like me, are stuffed with turkey and pumpkin pie and are warmed by the memories of a wonderful Thanksgiving spent with loved ones. And now many of us have returned to work after a long, holiday weekend. My absence was even longer as I took the entirety of last week as a vacation week. And now I am back in the office, but I don’t mind because I have a wonderful job.  I get to promote Vermont and Rock of Ages.

When I appear in travel shows to promote the Rock of Ages’ attraction, I and other members of the Vermont delegation are regarded with envy. I’ve had many a marketer confide in me over the years that Vermont is such a great state that it must be amazing to have such a wonderful product to promote. Invariably, I agree.

Now I confess as a native Vermonter that our state is not quite as inviting in mud season when the skies are still a dreary gray, the deciduous trees are still denuded and the temporary thaw makes each of us yearn for the still-too-distant spring. But even during these periods I am cheered by the warmth of Vermont’s people.

Now I love visiting the Big Apple, taking in all of the sights, a play or perhaps a concert. But I never fail to notice the lack of eye contact as I walk down a busy Manhattan thoroughfare. The suspicion is palpable. Such experiences make me all the more appreciative of the warm smiles and friendly greetings that bombard me as I go about my day’s business in my own little section of Vermont, a place where almost everyone knows everyone. I am thankful for the sense of place that such interactions provide, and I can’t envision living anywhere else. So I give thanks for getting to tell others about this wonderful Green Mountain State and the people who make even mud season seem not quite so troublesome.

But while mud season is still far off, Christmas is just around the corner. I hope you’ll visit us online. Our 2011 calendars are now on sale. They serve as a great way to grace a family member or friend with the great beauty of Vermont all year long. Or perhaps a finely crafted granite gift or some delicious Vermont-made jams are in order—just the things to bring a little Vermont warmth to someone you love:

http://vcshop.rockofages.com/