Surprise and Disappointment

Autumn is a time for wonderful walks or rides along back roads where maple trees gleam red and gold in the sunlight, and when the sun goes down, there are church suppers and corn roasts, gorgeous sunsets viewed from Cabot Plain, or star-lit boat rides on the quiet waters of Joe's Pond. So much beauty, so many things to do before we say goodbye to warm weather and embrace the splendor (and some hardships) of winter. It's a fall ritual - and no small part of that is the suppers.

There are two I always look forward to. Fred and I began getting take-out chicken pie dinners from the North Danville Baptist Church years ago, and I have continued doing that. Hard on the heels of that dinner, we always looked forward to Cabot's turkey dinner - also an exceptional meal that we ususlly enjoyed with friends.

So here's the surprise part. I just found out that Cabot's Fall Foliage Day begins on September 24th this year! That's about a week earlier than usual; therefore (here's my disappointment), the turkey dinner in Cabot falls on the same night as the chicken pie dinner in North Danville. I've already made plans for the North Danville dinner, fully expecting the following weekend I could then have the turkey dinner. (BIG sigh!) I'm considering getting the turkey dinner, too, and freezing it for later. It might work! It is really good!

I can't help thinking that starting Fall Foliage Week that early is a mistake. There is barely a tinge of color anywhere in our maple forests, and I'm certain nothing much will change by the 24th. Imagine how disappointed visitors will be to get here and find it's still summer. I think someone isn't considering the changing weather patterns we've experienced in the past several years. Fifteen or twenty years ago, the first week of October was pretty likely to bring snow squalls, and sometimes the foliage was past peak, so earlier might have worked better. I used to do tours of historic sites around town, when Cabot's  day to host usually fell around October 1,  and more than once I've stood with a group of shivering tourists on Cabot Plain, peering into the distance at Camel's Hump or the Woodbury Quarries as rain turned to snow and one by one, numbed by the biting wind and driven snow, we had to retreat into our heated vehicles and cut the tour short. But that would be a very rare event now. There may be advantages to being first in line for Fall Foliage Week - but there also are some distinct disadvantages, too. Given a choice, I'd go later rather than earlier, I think.

Still, foliage color or not, there's a lot to see and do, and so much good food! Here is the schedule for Cabot's day and beyond:

 Cabot's Fall Foliage Day is part of the NEK Fall Foliage Festival.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 CABOT

Celebrate Fall Foliage season in Cabot where you will find delicious home-cooked food, beautiful vistas, interesting tours & presentations, first-rate entertainment, a gallery of work by local artisans and The Den, exclusively featuring Vermont craft beer.

Special events include The Cabot Art Barn open 10 am – 4 pm. www.cabotartbarn.com.

Turkey Dinner with all the trimmings at the Cabot Church from 5-6:30 pm, $15, take out only, with outdoor dining on the Town Common.

Molly Brook Farm - the 2022 Vermont Dairy Farm of the Year - offers tours from 10 am - 3 pm and hayrides at 11 am and 1 pm, 39 Cow Hill Rd.

Live music from 6 - 8 pm at The Den featuring The Shugarmakers, playing their blend of "Eclectic Americana," for a fun night of listening and dancing.

Learn about all the day's events at http://www.CabotVermont.org or call 802-279-4309.