Vermont

 Vermont is a beautiful state with only 647,000 people. The economy is somewhat depressed. The only sources of revenue are hog farming, blueberry raising, maple syrup production and tourism. There is skiing in the winter. Fast food restaurants are prohibited and there is no industry. Most people work gig jobs, three or four at a time. Liquor stores are state run and heavily taxed, Lots of pot farms.

Our first stop was the town of Guilford. There was a nice visitor center there.

Then we visited Hildene, the summer home of Abraham Lincoln.

They have a fully restored Pullman train car from 1923 on the property. The Lincoln family made all their money by investing in the Pullman railroad. I stayed in a hotel in Indianapolis that had Pullman cars for their rooms.

Hildene is a huge property.

Pa's bedroom, drawing room, library, office, parlor.

                                                     

In 1908, Pa Lincoln got Ma this player piano, and she got him this observatory for a landmark anniversary.

                                                    

Dining room, Ma's bedroom, pantry, kitchen, servants' quarters, servants' dining, child's room.

Lincoln's stovepipe hat, and his death mask.

There were big formal gardens out back.

Upstairs we have guest bedroom, laundry room, art room, sundial, and a cheese making shed sits out back.

The house from the front.

Then we went to the town of Manchester for shopping and dining. It was an adorable town with lots of traffic circles and a great thrift shop called Zippy Chicks.

There was a lake side path with a waterfall made by the mill, and a beautiful mural.

Check out this traffic sign!

I made a friend!

Then we went to the Vermont Country Store. It is one of my favorite places to shop online, and so it was nice to see it in person. It was huge inside, but I didn't take any pictures because it was very crowded. I got Tigress perfume and some snacks for Doc and a gift for Mary.

                                      

 Then we went back to the Grand Killington Resort. We went to a restaurant called Charity's 1887 Saloon. I had a pork ribeye with cherry glaze. It was the best thing I have had in a long time!

More Vermont in the morning!