Vermont Strong: Joy In Seeing Businesses Reopen After Horrific July Flood

This is a sad scene inside Bear Pond Books in 
Montpelier during the devastating floods in July.....

 I'll be the first to admit Vermont has a long way to go to fully recover from the catastrophic floods we had in July. 

The rallying cry after the flood has been Vermont Strong, and I don't think I've ever heard of more accurate catchphrase. 

We have been working together to clean up, repair, and get people back in homes, and businesses reopened. Keep it going Vermont!

A case in point is downtown Montpelier. The whole downtown was flooded, and dozens of stores, restaurants and other enterprise were devastated. But these businesses are reopening, and that is bringing joy to everyone, I swear.

A perfect example is Bear Pond Books. It's been there in Montpelier since 1973, and over the years has become a beloved independent book store and gathering place.

 Back on July 14, I posted a sad photo from inside Bear Pond Books, showing a ruined copy of climate activist Greta Thunberg's book, "The Climate Book" dejectedly floating in muddy waters inside the flood-destroyed store.

I was delighted today to see Bear Pond Books post on social media with much happier photos. The store re-opened on September 1, and a giant flood of shoppers - not water - invaded the store. 

....and here's the much happier scene inside 
Bear Pond Books when it reopened September 1.

One Bear Pond Books reopening photo really struck me. It showed a crowded store, its restored old hardwood floors gleaming. 

In the foreground, a smiling shopper looks thrilled to be there. Off to the left, a man and a woman appear to be having a joyful conversation. In the background, a sales clerk is happily ringing up what looks to be a woman's many purchases.

It's a wonderful photo, both emotionally and artistically. It shows a piece of Vermont community the way it's supposed to work. The image actually makes me a bit verklempt. 

You can't escape the climate change angle, though. In that new, happy photo, you see a book on display on the lower right. It's called "How To Live In A Chaotic Climate."

Will these newly climate charged severe storms keep flooding Montpelier again and again? 

 If so, what's the future for what I think is the most charming capital city in the United States. Not just Montpelier, but all of us. 

I'm not going to spoil the joy right now. I just need to drive down to Montpelier to stock up on some books, and see what else is open and interesting. For now, I'll celebrate the ongoing recovery.