Vermont lives up to its name “Green Mountain State” this time of year, that’s for sure. We have been mesmerized by the rich green tones of the trees, ferns, and grass. Everything looks so alive.

The state of Vermont could also very well be known as the “Green State” for its dedication to the environment. We continually see examples of this all around us here in Stowe, and it warms our hearts. I loved seeing this electric vehicle charging station in the village parking lot,

and we have seen many homes and businesses using solar panels to generate electricity. At Cold Hollow Cider Mill, they had solar panels installed two years ago, and the cost is expected to be covered in ten years. After that, they won’t have to pay a penny for all of the electricity they are using in their large cider mill, restaurant, and corporate offices. (Don’t you just love this old truck parked next to the new solar panels? My, how technology has advanced over the years!)

 More on Cold Hollow Cider Mill later.

Our motel is located right next to the river, and the halfway point of the six-mile recreation path that follows the river was easily accessible. This was the way we started our day, since the mountains were too fogged in and rainy to visit the national park. We headed on the path upriver towards the mountain, taking in the scenery and shooting photos along the way. At the end of the path, we came across a covered bridge.
The six-mile roundtrip crisscrossed the river a few times along the way, and the view from each bridge was breathtaking, even on a cold and cloudy day.

After our walk, we went into town to enjoy the shops and see the other end of the recreation path that we missed earlier. What a quaint, cute town! There were some fabulous shops including Laughing Moon Chocolates where we watched Amelia make sea salt-topped chocolate dipped caramels. After tasting a sample, we just had to walk out of there with a box of our own.

Cold Hollow Cider Mill is where we ended up our day. Unfortunately, they had wrapped up apple pressing for the afternoon, but we did have an opportunity to sample their outrageously delicious apple cider while watching a video on how they process the apples. Tomorrow, on our way to Maine, we’ll stop back in and see it firsthand.

Vermont has been fabulous, so I’ll be sad to leave it behind. If it weren’t for the weather, I could live in this state! The entire state’s population is roughly half of the city of San Diego, so there’s plenty of room!