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February 2026
A Valentine's message from my Grandpa on the barn. February was cold, and a bit snowy, but mainly cold. The waterfalls everywhere around us are partially frozen and majestic looking. Giant sections of the rivers have frozen a foot or more deep, and then the water has thawed just enough to cause them to break into massive blocks that are stacked along the shorelines, or floating downstream with fallen trees and brush ingrained in them. It reminds me of my winters in Hyde Park,

Melissa Smith
Feb 2810 min read


January 2026
Oh the promise of a new year, and yet, every year we end up in a month where the time seems to speed by, and stand still. For personal, political, and professional reasons, this month has been a challenging one to say the least. I’ve tried to stay positive, to not spend days in the fetal position, to not explode with rage and frustration, to find gratitude in every day, but it’s been hard. I’m still not in a rhythm here, mainly for reasons out of my control, but many are thin

Melissa Smith
Jan 307 min read


Yup, that's us in the New York Times!
So never in my wildest dreams did I imagine the first piece of press on Plas and our Vermont chapter would be on the lifestyle page of...

Melissa Smith
Apr 10, 20253 min read


Raclette Party Round 1
I have been fantasizing about throwing a raclette party for months now. The main question was if I should buy the matching that requires...

Melissa Smith
Feb 10, 20252 min read


Winter in Vermont
I grew up in California, my dad is from a dairy farm outside of Buffalo, and did everything he could to get as far away as possible from...

Melissa Smith
Feb 10, 20253 min read


Welcome to Plas!
Celebrating a successful tour of what is now Plas with a maple syrup tasting at the New England Maple Museum right up the road! It's hard...

Melissa Smith
Feb 10, 20252 min read
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