Excellent Equinox #AtoZChallenge #MusicMovesMe

It's Monday, and it's time for music!  It's also time for E day in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.

First, the A to Z Challenge: 

Mount Equinox lies between Arlington (where Norman Rockwell lived for years) and Manchester Center, Vermont.  It is the tallest peak in the Taconic range, some 3,855 feet above sea level.  It is the second highest point in southern Vermont.  The name supposedly originates from 1823 and a visit around the autumnal equinox by one Captain Alden Partridge.

From its peak, on a clear day, you can see Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and New York.  It is said that, on an especially clear day, you can see all the way to Montreal, Quebec.

Currently there are only two ways to get to the peak .  The first is to drive up a well maintained toll road and then take a short walk to the top.  Or, you can hike up and back, which is about a six mile (9.6 km) round trip.  Back in the 1800's, hiking up the mountain was a popular pastime.

The views are beautiful, as are exhibits in the (free) visitors center.

The mountain, some surrounding land, and the toll road is privately owned by the Carthusian order of Roman Catholic monks.  Founded in 1084 C. E. by German born St. Bruno, who died in 1101, these monks live an austere life in silence.  They eat one meatless meal a day (bread and water only on Fridays), wear hair shirts, and spend much of their lives in prayer.  The monastery is not open to the public.

Let me show you some of the beauty of the mountain.

Taken on the drive up the toll road.

I think this was from the summit.

Love those clouds.

Religious art in the visitor's center.

 Goldenrod along the road.   These pictures were taken in early September.

 

Now, it's time for Music Moves Me, brought to us by Cathy of Curious as a Cathy, Stacy of Stacy Uncorked, Marie, and me:  

 

Keeping with my theme of the Beauty of our Land, Everything is Beautiful, from Ray Stevens.

Finally, the opening scene from the movie The Sound of Music.  This scene was filmed in the Untersberg Mountains of Austria.  What a beautiful land, a land that I hope to visit one day.

"E Day in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.  My theme: Beauty of Our Land.

Joining up with Marie, Cathy, and Stacy for #MusicMovesMe.   We are a group of music loving bloggers who blog about music each Sunday or Monday (or even later in the week). If you have music to share with us, you are most welcome to join! (Music Posts Only-meaning at least one music video, please! Otherwise, your post link may be labeled "No Music" or even removed.)   We have occasional theme weeks, but you are welcome to ignore the theme and use music of your choice.  Why not join us?  You don't have to sing, or play an instrument.  All music lovers are welcome.   

And that's an Easy wrap! 

Join me again tomorrow for more of the Beauty of our Land.

The Historic Hearth #WordlessWednesday

A memory of what may be our last trip for a while, as winter closes in.

This is a hearth in the summit's viewing center at the top of 3,848 ft  Mt. Equinox near Arlington, Vermont.  We visited Mt. Equinox in early September.

If you think you see writing carved into stones on some of the stones (most visible in the lower right) you would be right.  That writing dates from the 19th century, left by hikers who hiked up the mountain before it became private property.  The mountain is currently owned by a monastery.

You can read more about this history in this (religious) blog post.

Joining Sandee at Comedy Plus for her #WordlessWednesday.

The Mountain of Peace and Joy #SkywatchFriday

I had known about 3,855 ft above sea level Mt. Equinox in southern Vermont for the last four years but we had never visited it.  This year, during a brief visit to Vermont over Labor Day, we decided to do it.

The only way to get up Mt. Equinox is via a privately owned toll road.  I thought the entrance fee was a bit steep (no pun intended) but spouse and I decided to drive to the top, anyway. 

I blogged about approaching the mountain last week.  

It was clouding up fast and I didn't know what we would find at the top.  How about coming along with us?

But first, a little background, much of which we didn't know when we started the drive.

The mountain, some surrounding land, and the toll road is privately owned by the Carthusian order of Roman Catholic monks.  Founded in 1084 C. E. by German born St. Bruno, who died in 1101, these monks live an austere life in silence.  They eat one meatless meal a day (bread and water only on Fridays), wear hair shirts, and spend much of their lives in prayer.  The monastery, needless to say, is not open to the public.

This charterhouse, as they call it, is the only one in North America.

But, as you climb the mountain on the beautifully maintained toll road, there is an overlook where you can see the monastery if your vision is sharp.

Continuing on the road.

But I know you want to get to the top and see if the clouds had closed us in, so let's do it.

But first one more photo, with goldenrod.

Here we are at the top.

We can see for miles and miles!  To be exact, we can see the states of Vermont, New York, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.  On a really clear day, if you are fortunately, you might see into Canada and Montreal's Mt. Royal.

Even more treats await us at the top.  There is a welcome center, a gift from the monks,  named after Saint Bruno.  Here's the sign that welcomes you, wishing you peace and joy.

The trip was worth the toll on the private road.

As for what else awaited us at that building, that is worth its own post. Maybe one day.

Joining Yogi and other skywatching bloggers each Friday for #SkywatchFriday.