7/16-30, 2026
Our drive from Auburn, NY, to Vermont took us through the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. The road carried us through rolling green mountains, deep forests, small towns, and long stretches where the landscape seemed to open and close around us.
Even with a bit of haze in the air from Canadian wildfires, the Adirondacks have such a rugged beauty — not dramatic in a sharp western-mountain way, but vast, wooded, and calming. It was the perfect prelude to Lake Champlain: first the mountains, then the water, then Vermont waiting on the other side.
We have arrived this year, as in past years, expecting beauty… but each year it feels like we are standing at the edge of something that seems almost impossible to take in. That is how we feel at Chippen Point, our son’s property on South Hero, Vermont.
The house sits right along the edge of Lake Champlain, with the water stretching wide and bright in front of us. Across the lake, the Adirondack Mountains of New York rise in the distance, soft and blue against the sky. It is the kind of view that changes by the hour. Morning light, shifting clouds, evening shadows, and the movement of the water all keep rearranging the scene.
From this shoreline, we can also see Valcour Island, a quiet shape in the lake with a remarkable place in American history. We learned more about Valcour at various National Park Sites we have visited on this trip. In 1776, near Valcour Island, Benedict Arnold led a small American fleet against the British during the Revolutionary War.
The battle itself was not a clear American victory, but it slowed the British advance and bought precious time for the struggling colonies. Standing in such a peaceful place today, it is almost hard to imagine warships, cannon fire, and the urgency of a young nation’s fight for survival. Lake Champlain looks serene now, but its waters carry a great deal of history.
The shoreline, the open water, the mountain views, the changing sky, and the quiet sense of distance all come together in a way that feels intimate here. We are SO fortunate that Todd/Leela have allowed us these weeks each summer.
Chippen Point is the kind of place where you find yourself saying, more than once, “Can you believe this?” And the answer is no…not entirely! We simply stand at the edge of the lake, look across to the mountains, let the breeze come in off the water, and feel grateful to be here. We were alone for several days before we started welcoming our amazing friends… so we had the best of all worlds!
7/17 Today we hiked the Burns and Ledges Trails at Niquette State Park. The Ledges Trail turned out to be less of a pleasant senior stroll and more of an obstacle course with trees, rocks, roots, and uneven footing all conspiring against us! Pete’s hip found that this “trail” meant full-body negotiation! At least we could report one important success: neither of us fell!
7/19/26. Bill and Jackie arrived…..we know we are in for a good time!
A bit of Happy Hour.… then the boys cooked hamburgers and corn on the grill.
Then, of course, the sunset…it NEVER gets old! and it’s a new experience every day!
We ended the evening learning a new game called SLIDE. It was quite fun!
Shelburne Farms
This place, located in nearby Shelburne, VT, is really amazing. It is a grand country estate, working farm, nature preserve, and architectural showplace all rolled into one. The lake views, rolling fields, barns, and Adirondack backdrop make it feel almost unreal.
At one point, we realized the very interesting connection to another stop we did on this trip… the home of William Seward in Auburn, New York!! From 1886 to 1902, Dr. William Seward Webb (William Seward’s grandson, daughter of Fannie Seward Webb) and his wife Lila Vanderbilt Webb consolidated 32 farms into this 3,800-acre agricultural estate.
The landscape was designed by Central Park creator Frederick Law Olmsted. In 1972, the Webb descendants decided to open and share Shelburne Farms with the world and give it a new purpose. In 1984, the family contributed the property to the nonprofit educational organization that owns it today. What a gift!!!
This visit gave us a very satisfying taste of Vermont—literally.
We started with the cheesemaking demonstration, where we learned how fresh milk is transformed into Shelburne Farms’ famous cheddar. It was interesting to see the process, although the part that held my attention most firmly was the tasting!
We sampled several varieties of cheddars; some were mild, some sharper, and we can confirm that even as Cheeseheads from Wisconsin, Vermont clearly knows what it is doing when it comes to cheese.
Afterward, we headed out to explore the beautiful trails. Shelburne Farms is a remarkable place to walk, with open fields, old trees, handsome farm buildings, views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondack and Green Mountains rising in the distance. It was one of those classic Vermont settings.
Along the way were various barns with animals, children’s summer camps, and hothouses.
The walking itself was fine. We were doing well, enjoying the scenery and feeling quite energetic—until we attempted, after about 3 miles in the sun, to hail down the hay wagon that carried visitors. The wagon rolled right past us without stopping😅😅😅. (We learned later that there were specific stops where we were supposed to stand.)
Still, the trails were lovely, and the farm was well worth exploring on foot. Shelburne Farms is much more than a tourist attraction.
This once-grand country estate is a working farm and educational center focused on conservation and sustainable agriculture— really helping us modern creatures connect with the land.
7/22/26 Ann Marie and Mahala have joined us today.
7/23 The girls ran into Burlington to pick up a UVM shirt for Mahala’s sister. We also spent a little time roaming Church Street Marketplace in downtown Burlington. It was one of those places that was simply fun to wander. I have always liked pedestrian streets—there is something so inviting about being able to stroll without watching for traffic, stopping whenever a shop window catches your eye. Church Street had plenty of cute little shops, cafés, and interesting storefronts, along with people just enjoying being outside. We didn’t spend a great deal of time there, but it gave us a pleasant taste of downtown Burlington and its lively, easygoing personality.
Andrea Arrives!! The Sicily Travelers are almost complete now, but we are very sorry that Judy will not make it this year. This is our third year of our “Chippen Experience”!
We ended the evening by playing a couple of games of Blank Slate….
7/24/2026 Sister-in-Law Patty Wochinski arrived today…We are now up to 8! It is warmer today, with less wind, so it was time to hit the water with kayaks and noodles.
And then…..not a bad way to spend our evenings!!! Happy Hour, Sunset and a campfire…….Another very fun year with the Sicily group….am so grateful for these friendships.❣️❣️
Family Fun….
As the girls were getting ready to return to Boston/Florida, we had Kala coming in from Minneapolis, Jeff, Beth, Rachel from Wisconsin, and Mike from Oregon. Combined with Patty Wo…that made for a great family reunion!!! And their could not be a more beautiful place to do it!
We had five days of Chippen fun! Games every night of course, and this year we included the new game SLIDE with poker and liar’s dice.
Lots of hiking, especially on the part of Beth and Rachel who racked up many miles!
There could not have been a better way to end Leg 5 of our trip!!