8am Saturday

Between putting the espresso machine together for the day, filling the brew pots and baking I started to hear a loud, kind of snorting noise outside somewhere. It sounded like a deer or a moose when you come up on them in the woods. Like they're blowing air forcefully through their nose but their nostrils are just so much bigger than our own. I heard it first outside the east window and looked out to the driveway, up to the scaffolding next door where they're painting the old Vermont Studios building... nada.

Walking past the sink, I heard it again outside that west window. Looked outside. Nothing. But I could see Penny and Ron on their porch with their necks crinked up to the sky. Even the roundish kind of fellow who lives next door to them and who never really walks the greyhound he rescues but just puts him on a short leash and walks in circles the size of a golf cart.... even he was on his porch looking skyward.

From the sink window I still couldn't see anything so I walked out to the side porch and above the building next door, practically dragging their toes along the metal roof, was a rainbow striped hot air balloon.... firing firing firing.....(snorting snorting snorting)..... to keep the balloon in the air. By the time I ran back inside, grabbed my camera and made it back out, I had to run out to Main Street to see it more. It landed, emergency-like, in the parking lot of the Grand Union.... seein' as how there aren't any pastures here in the village and there's never any cars in the parking lot of that dusty gross store anyway.

I dunno. They're gone now. A half hour later. But what a great way to start the day. The card on my camera was "blocked" but one of my regulars was out there with her camera. I'll be sure to post a pic if I can get a copy.