A changing winter landscape

#madshedlove in Winter!

Friends launched the newest version of our #madshedlove photo and story challenge back in April of 2020 as a way for this community to keep connected to each other and the Valley we love, to keep us socially together even as we had to be physically distant. The challenge is all about the MAD River Valley, the WaterSHED that connects us together, and the LOVE we have for this amazing place. Over the last year we have had dozens of people send us photos, videos, and stories – and we have turned around and shared them with you through our e-news, on Facebook, and Instagram.

Kimberly Canarecci for #madshedlove

When the snow flies across the Mad River Valley, the mountainsides come alive with skiers, snowboarders, fat-tire bikers, snowshoers, wildlife trackers, outdoorspeople of all kinds, and the spirit of adventure. We can see our own breath and feel the sting of cold air on our cheeks as we brace the elements, bundled up in our favorite snowpants and wool hats. When we come in from a day in the powder or on the ice, winter offers a quiet calm, a moment of reflection, as we roast root vegetables, make a cup of tea, and snuggle under a heavy blanket with a good book.

Winter life in the Valley so often delivers these joys, but not without our fair share of hard work. We split the wood for the stove, shovel the snow in our driveways, and rise up early in the morning to plow the roads and groom the trails. In the age of Zoom, many of us miss the in-person gatherings but are glad to do without the long trips on icy roads. And for those still taking those trips, the delivery drivers, the business owners keeping their storefronts open, the healthcare workers scrubbing in each day, we are thankful!

Each winter brings its own story, its own challenges and triumphs, joys and difficulties. Share what makes this winter unique and the memories of your favorite winters past;

• Send photos, videos, and stories to madshedlove@friendsofthemadriver.org 
• Follow @friendsofthemadriver and tagging #madshedlove and #friendsofthemadriver on Instagram and Facebook

Valerie Dearing for #madshedlove

As we move into 2021, we are focusing #madshedlove on the changing winter landscape and inviting you to send us pictures, videos, and stories of what winter in the Mad River Valley means to you and how your sense of winter here has changed over time.

Here are few ideas to inspire you;

• Back in the mid 1990’s, Friends of the Mad River partnered with the Vermont Folklife Center to gather stories of a changing valley in a collection titled Crucible of Change. Listening to these voices, you can hear stories that stretch back to the early 19th century. A quarter century since these stories were recorded, how far back does our collective memory stretch? Do you have photos or stories of winters of yesteryear?
  
  
• Vermont winters are getting warmer, which means fewer days of snow cover each year. Campaigns like Protect Our Winters bring the outdoor community together to tackle the question of climate change. How have you experienced warming winters? How have winter activities changed in your lifetime (did you know the first snowboard was patented in 1939, but snowboarding didn’t start gaining popularity until the 1980’s)?
  
  
• The landscape is changing as well; over the last century many old farms have turned to forest, roads have been paved and wooden bridges replaced with steel and concrete. Explore the University of Vermont's Landscape Change Program to dive deep into photos of the days when dog sledding was a more common occurrence in the Mad River Valley. 
  
  
• Who are your wildlife neighbors? How do you think they have experienced the changing landscape? When was the last time you saw a moose around these parts?
  
  
• Read a Winter Poem and write your own!

The cold earth slept below;
Above the cold sky shone"
Percy Bysshe-Shelley