We’re back from a week on the West Coast and it was the perfect combination of sunshine and family time. When we left for the trip I couldn’t have been more ready to get the heck out of Vermont. It was so nice to go to the beach, eat my weight in fish tacos, and go for a swim (outside). And as much as we love spending time with our West Coast family, I was so happy to be back in Vermont. Even when it was cold and raining upon our return. Did I complain about that? Definitely. But pulling back into our small town with no stop lights, no billboards, and not a chain store in sight, I could feel my nervous system reset. Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of things that are not easy about living in Vermont. There’s no DoorDash or shopping malls. The closest airport is hours away. A lot of the times it’s inconvenient, but maybe that’s part of the appeal?

Vermont forces you to slow down and be present. The simple act of paying attention becomes its own reward. There’s a quiet kind of magic in Vermont, so subtle, sometimes you don’t even notice until you’ve been away. And when you return you have the profound sense, there’s no place like home.