A Big Thank You.
Susie Caron (c) 4/28/21

As you can see from this photo, I am happy and grateful. You helped make the re-opened Vermont Maple Festival and the Sappy Art Show a success and me too!  Here's the good news.

Success of the Vermont Maple Festival
The Vermont Maple Festival and The Maple Themed Sappy Art Show and Photo Contest successfully re-opened this year, 2021. Whew! After such a looooong year it was fun to get back to even a mini resemblance to life pre-Covid. Because of good weather, masks on and social distancing St. Albans restaurants opened for sidewalk dining. Maple Donuts and take out menus abounded. And there was more. 

Success of the Sappy Art Show.
The Village Frame Shoppe, St. Albans Vermont, once again hosted two contest categories of Maple Themed Art: Paintings and Photographs. These exhibited in the giant front window of the store for all to see. Professional judging for awards and voting by customers and those attending the festival, were completed by 4/25/21 and the results are in. I am so excited, and grateful for your part.

Sappy Art Show Success
Two of my paintings received awards. Maple Rain (above right) received an Honorable Mention. My painting, Maple Horses Watch (above left) received the ‘Best In Show’ award. In addition, it received the most customer and fan votes to win the “People’s Choice” Award! What a wonderful endorsement from you! Thank you! I treasure your support, encouragement and I could not have done this without you.

​Here is a list of  the Maple Themed paintings and winners for the Sappy Art Show:
Best of Show: Maple Horses Watch, Susie Caron
1st Place: Sugarhouse Road - Charlotte Parot
2nd Place: Spring Fever - Fred Johnson
3rd Place: Sugaring - Nicole Gadouas
People Honorable Mention: Sugarmakers - Charlotte Parot
Scenic Honorable Mention: Maple Rain - Susie Caron
Process Honorable Mention: A Good Year's Work - Claire Payne
Peoples Choice: Maple Horses Watch, Susie Caron

Here is the viewable and clickable list of Maple themed Paintings and Artists.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BWIPfZpj39421d6-5jsuBsVIUqRlEmE-?usp=sharing

Thank you for reading and for being part of making this re-opening successful. I enjoy the awards, but you made it special.
Many Blessings,
Susie

PS
Here is a list of winners for the  Maple Themed Amateur Photo Contest:
Best of Show: Every Drop Counts - Jessica Sweeney
1st Place: A Leaf Waffle with Vermont Maple - Michelle McNall
2nd Place: Who Needs a Bucket - Jessica Sweeney
3rd Place: Contemporary Spout - Barbara Tenney
Scenic Honorable Mention: Waiting - Carolyn Lewis
People Honorable Mention: Not Ready Yet - Tammy Menard
Process Honorable Mention: Sweet Success - Tammy Menard
Process Using Maple: Maple Meringues - Barbara Tenney
Peoples Choice: Vermont Babies - Gene Ann Kinney

If you'd like to see the  Maple Themed photographs click here: 
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BWIPfZpj39421d6-5jsuBsVIUqRlEmE-

To learn more about the Vermont Maple Festival and the Sappy Art Show,
or perhaps how to enter or participate? Click on these links:

https://vtframeshop.com/blog/2021-sappy-art-show

https://www.vtmaplefestival.org

Here’s Some Fun for You!

Now you have an opportunity, no matter where you live, to participate. Beginning this year, you can vote online for your favorite in each of three Maple Themed Categories: 1. Fine Art Paintings, 2. Photographs, 3. St. Albans Window Displays. The winner in each category will be awarded a “People’s Choice Award.”
Voting is fun and besides you can see some great Maple Themed art, photography and window displays.

Vote Today because Voting Closes Saturday, April 24,2021 at Midnight.
These 3 links take you to each individual category.

1. To vote for one - your favorite Painting:  

 Vermont Maple Festival Sappy Art Contest (google.com)

1. To vote for one - your favorite Photograph:

 Vermont Maple Festival Photo Contest (google.com)

1. To vote for one- your favorite Window display.

 Vermont Maple Festival Window Display Contest (google.com)
 
If you prefer to vote for one in each of three categories, here’s the link for that.
PEOPLES CHOICE | VT Maple Festival
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​Susie: Wow. Quite a career change. Do you or have you had any interesting pets or animals? Tell us a bit about your pet & animal interests and any stories you may want to share.

Phoebe: I’ve always loved animals, especially cats. The cat I had before my current one was rather special. His name was Snicklefritz, he was found in a parking lot as a kitten with head trauma. A friend that is a vet, fixed him up and then gave him to me. The head trauma left him blind in one eye. He was very docile and loved being around people. He was my best friend for 17 years. After I lost him I didn’t think I would get another cat.  Six months later I started looking for a kitten. My requirements were that it had to be the opposite of Snicklefritz. My current cat, Velma couldn’t be more different! She used to be rather a wild child but has calmed down a lot. While Snicklefritz was my friend, Velma is my baby. She’s a rather spoiled kitty that brings me so much joy.

​Susie: It's wonderful you've enjoyed two cat buddies who are very different. Do you do anything in your current occupation or hobby that includes pets or wildlife?  

Phoebe: I’ve made a few art quilts that have featured animals and would love to do more.  There are just so many projects I want to make and not enough time to make them all. I love modern quilts although I can appreciate all types.​

​Susie: Yes, your story touched me deeply.
Tell everyone how you first got into writing.
 
Vonnee Lee: My autobiography Mother, Me and Mantel is something I have wanted and needed to write for some time. For me, it proved to be a cathartic experience. Allowing me to face and banish any remaining demons from my past. I want the book to be a testimony to God's goodness, love and grace. I hope it will encourage whoever reads it.
 
Susie: I believe it does and will continue to help others heal. Thank you for sharing this. 
As you know I am posting this interview during my annual Susie Caron’s Pets & Wildlife Inspirations Group on Facebook hoping  to share how people use their love of pets and animals to inspire others. “Do you or did you have any interesting pets and stories you may want to share?”

Vonnee Lee:  I have had some great pets in my life, but I have to say, fancy rats have been my favorites. I wasn't sure about them at first, I was scared. However, that quickly changed when a friend asked me to look after her rats while she went on holiday. At first, I was terrified of them, but that soon changed. They were so friendly and such fun, I hadn't laughed so much in years. Needless to say, when she took them home, I missed them so much I had to have some of my own. Then began my foray into breeding and showing, them which I loved and made many new friends.


​Susie: I enjoy how excited you get when you talk about your Pet Rat Friends. How delightful to discover this about you. Will you share what you did with your experience and love of these pets?

​Vonnee Lee: I began writing books, two of which were inspired by my rats. It was great to be able to write from experience. The first was called, A Rat and a Ransom the second was called Rat Run. Both are popular with children. My other books are more for Y/A. ​

*An Interview with Tracy Crump, author, editor and contributor to All God's Creatures, Guide Posts Daily Devotionals for 2021
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​​Susie: Tracy, tell us a little bit about you, your family, faith and occupation.
 
Tracy: My husband, Stan, and I were high school sweethearts and have been married 44 years. We live in north Mississippi and homeschooled our two sons, who are grown now, and each has two children of his own. Years ago, I worked as an intensive care nurse and now enjoy writing articles, devotions, and short stories. We’re both active in our church-(except during Covid-19 restrictions)-and my 99-year-old mother-in-law lives with us.
 
Susie: Tell us a bit about your pets or pet/animal interests and any stories you may want to share.
 
Tracy: Except for grandchildren, we are currently pet-less, but we’ve shared our home with a variety of cats, dogs, gerbils, hamsters, finches, and parakeets, some of which have taken center stage in my writing. Our Siberian husky became ecstatic whenever it snowed (which it seldom does in the Mid-South). He would jump into my husband’s lap and sled downhill with him. We also had a golden retriever who had two sets of nine puppies. That’s when we learned there’s nothing sweeter than puppy breath.
 
Susie: What do you do, or have you done because of your interest in pets and wildlife? 
 
Tracy: When we homeschooled, I jumped right into whatever my children were interested in. One son considered becoming either a veterinarian or a park ranger, and the other wanted to keep bees. Both boys volunteered at wildlife rehabilitation centers and the Memphis Zoo. I’ve taught school children about wildlife, put on puppet shows, worked at a butterfly exhibit, and sloshed through ditches at night hunting frogs for an amphibian monitoring program.
In one of my more daring moments, I allowed my son to keep a rehabber’s pet kingsnake in our home for use in a school program. Unfortunately, the weather turned bad, and the streets became too icy to do the program or take the snake back to her owner. I had failed to add frozen mice to my grocery list that week, so we were left with a hungry snake. She latched onto my son at one point, but thank goodness, she was too small to swallow him!
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