Cherries and Ferries

An outing to pick cherries at Douglas Orchards in Shoreham, VT is a rare event in northern parts. Totally weather dependent, the sweet cherries do not always bear fruit in this northern climate. This year, even as other crops failed due to late season frost and snow, the sweet cherries survived.  Close to Lake Champlain, tucked into Vermont’s rolling hills,  and cooled by the lake breezes, the orchard was a slice of heaven on a humid June morning.  Trees studded with sweet ruby red jewels tucked in among shiny green leaves, invited climbing when we had picked all that we could reach from the ground. When the breezes swinging through the trees failed to cool us and we had picked our fill, the outing naturally segued into a ferry ride. A drive north along the lake on the New York side, with a brief pitstop for wood-oven-baked treats at the Crown Point Bread Company, led us to ice cream cones and another ferry crossing in Essex. As a mode of transportation, ferries can’t be beat. The air on your face, the soothing waters beneath your feet, majestic vistas, a moment to be savored. A perfect outing – a ferry ride with a cherry on top.