[happeemommee]

Stole this question from another state, lol. Would love to hear what you like about Vermont!

[LisaMc46]

Here are a few of my favorite things:
1) The natural beauty.
2) The mountain views from every window in my house, even though it's a modest house on a simple lot.
3) The laid-back vibe
4) The fact that there's no pressure to "keep up with the Joneses"
5) The outdoor activities
6) The focus on and respect for local food and local food producers
7) As a reporter, I like the fact that people---even high-level politicians---are very assessible.
8) It's a low crime state (the second lowest murder rate in the U.S. last year)
7) Virtually no traffic, at least compared to N.J. where I used to live.
8) Lots of fun, free and cheap stuff to do.
9) Caring school community where people instantly know who my child is when I call to say she'll be out sick.
10) Cows and alpacas. I see both on my way to work and for some reason it always puts a smile on my face.

[harpoonalt]

*No matter where you are, you're only ten minutes away from somewhere quiet and peaceful.

*We have fewer life threatening weather events than most of the country.

*We have maple syrup

*We don't have billboards or skyscrapers

*We have great beer!

*Farmers markets

*

[happeemommee]

Thanks, ya'll! These are some great reasons to love Vermont! Harpoon - maple syrup is a wonderful reason! Lisa - I like the fun and free / cheap stuff to do!

[joffficer]

People you just met are genuine in nature when they offer to help.
-they don't get in your business, though

The grass grows (sometimes to fast) with little work.

Green everywhere!

[isis297]

Ok, you guys are making me want to add VT to my list of places we should consider putting on our list of where to buy our forever home. What towns/school districts do you suggest? We are looking for decent cost of living, LAND, large home as we have 4 children and take care of my mom and aunt as well hence the cost of living being so important, great healthcare (especially cardiac and neuro/ortho/spine stuff), SAFETY, GREAT schools. I am looking for schools like where we are: the teachers/principal are accessible, people don't get offended - for being a public school, they did a whole section on the holidays including Christmas from both representations, Hannakuh, and Kwanzza and even played a couple of Christian songs at their winter concert. People come together to help each other and our doctors are amazing...the type who do their own research and are supportive of a combination of treatments such as I had a doctor talk to me about ways to help my post partum depression in addition to just medicating me a number of years ago.

[isis297]

Ok, here's a couple more things comparing where I live now in upstate NY to where I used to live in MD. We've considered moving back to MD, but the thought of these things is something I don't know I can go back to in MD.

1) I once left my wallet in the grocery cart in the store parking lot. When I realized it and called the store a good hour or more later, it was STILL there and nothing had been taken out of it. In MD, it would have been gone in minutes.

2) Traffic/congestion/crazy drivers. I know if it takes me 20 minutes to get to someplace here, it will take me 20 mins. MAYBE 25 if for some odd reason I should hit every light or some traffic but that is rare. In MD, 2 hours to get what should take 45 mins on MANY occasions. Pretty much morning and between 3 and 6 were the times to avoid the highways there. Plus, there are accidents all the time which scares me having preteens.

How long do the winters last there? They seem to last so long here and summer so short so while it's easy to get out in the winter, it still makes things a bit gloomy after so long.

[Vermonr]

To add to your grocery cart wallet story, back when I was in High School I was staying late after school and had set my backpack down in the main lobby to help carry some fundraising packages outside. Well I ended up forgetting my backpack in the lobby that night.

In the mornings, everyone getting off the bus had to wait in the lobby for the first bell to ring. When I went in the next morning there was close to 100 people standing around in the lobby. My backpack was sitting right in the middle of everyone. I had about 15 dollars in it, my house keys, all my books, etc. and absolutely nothing was stolen or even touched. Got to love Vermont.

[MRVphotog]

Amazing cheese and more recently award-winning wine. There are actually some smaller cheesemakers like Vermont Butter and Cheese and Grafton Cheese, who have a bigger world wide rep than Cabot. Don't get me wrong I love Cabot cheese, especially the extra sharp cheddar and the bacon/horsradish flavors.

Creamies in the summer, not the imposters(regular soft serve), creamies made with over the top amount of butter fat, expecially a maple creamie. The fall colors, the farmers markets, the arts, the freshwater ponds and lakes and the amazing water that comes out of the tap from your own drilled well.

[Sherylcatmom]

I want to stay in Vermont. While I enjoy traveling to see family, for work, and on the occasional vacation, I never crave to "escape" Vermont, as I did everywhere else I've lived.

When I look around, I see beauty. Even in the middle of a small city (I live in Rutland), I can look up in nearly any direction and see mountains.

We've got everything we need in terms of the built and natural environment. We're 10 minutes from beautiful places to kayak and hike, or we could drive farther and have even more.

We generally treat each other well and care for each other. In times of need, even "hi"/"bye" neighbors and acquaintances reach out with substantive help.

The pace of life feels right for me here.

NO BILLBOARDS. I didn't appreciate it until I've lived here for a while. Now when I travel through billboard-blighted states, I can't believe we let commerce do that to our landscapes.

It's always such a relief to come home to Vermont.