I am delighted to be the next stop on a blog tour through northern New England featuring a new book by my friend Elizabeth Gauffreau, a lovely little volume that holds not only her beautifully crafted haiku, but exquisite nature photos as well, one enhancing the other.
“Simple Pleasures: Haiku from the Place Just Right” is a delight to savor one poem at a time, or pour a cup of tea and immerse yourself in rural Vermont, New Hampshire, and the Maine Coast. It’s a lovely little trip through our area, with lots of interesting stops along the way.
I love the inspiration for this book. Elizabeth and her husband often travel the back roads of our New England, and although not normally a writer of haiku, on one of their drives, a scene before her sparked a haiku. She wrote it down and snapped a photo, and one scene after another led to more poems, a total of 53 pairs.
Travel the backroads with her, you’ll find those simple pleasures in sunsets and birches, road side springs, stones and steps, butterflies and snow storms, the sea and fog, a Jezebel maple tree, gravestones and even couple of ghosts! Seasons, landscapes, and the modest words of haiku offer insight to those marvelous moments in time of the natural beauty in the world around us.
Introduction from Elizabeth:
Thank you, Dorothy, for hosting me on my blog tour for Simple Pleasures: Haiku from the Place Just Right! On today’s tour stop, I’m taking readers to one of my favorite places in Vermont: the Calvin Coolidge Historic Site in Plymouth.
I particularly like this 2024 view of Plymouth because it gives a good sense of how close the Green Mountains are.
Plymouth, VT in the Time of Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge was Vice President of the United States for Warren G. Harding from 1921 – 1923. While vacationing with his family in Plymouth in August of 1923, Coolidge received word that Harding had died of an apparent heart attack. Coolidge’s father, a notary public, administered the oath of office to his son in the sitting room of the Coolidge farmhouse. (Source: https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/warren-g-harding)
Sitting Room Where Coolidge’s Father Administered the Oath of Office (as it appeared in 2016)
One historical tidbit I get a big kick out of is that Coolidge’s Summer White House was located above the general store.
Coolidge Farmhouse, 2024
Behind the Coolidge Farmhouse, 2024
General Store, 2024
Summer White House, 2024
Summer White House Preservation in Progress, 2024
I’ll leave you with a video featuring my favorite presidential speech, delivered when Coolidge toured Vermont in 1928 as the state was recovering from the catastrophic Flood of 1927.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KoVbJ0QeCE]
Here is “Vermont Is a State I Love” in its entirety:
(Source: https://coolidgefoundation.org/resources/vermont-is-a-state-i-love/)
(Image Credit for All Postcards: https://archive.org/details/vtpostcards_mc_00703)
‘Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free
‘Tis the gift to come down where I ought to be . . . .
~ Shaker song attributed to Joseph Brackett
Author Biography
The simple pleasures of our favorite places in nature are gifts of the spirit to be shared with others. In this collection of 53 haiku, each paired with a photograph, poet Liz Gauffreau invites readers to come with her to some of her favorite places in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Some places are long-time favorites going back years; others have become favorites by virtue of inspiring poetry.
Elizabeth Gauffreau writes fiction and poetry with a strong connection to family and place. Her work has been widely published in literary magazines, as well as several themed anthologies. Her short story “Henrietta’s Saving Grace” was awarded the 2022 Ben Nyberg prize for fiction by Choeofpleirn Press.
She has published a novel, Telling Sonny, and a collection of photopoetry, Grief Songs: Poems of Love & Remembrance. She is currently working on a novel, The Weight of Snow and Regret, based on the closing of the last poor farm in Vermont in 1968.
Liz’s professional background is in nontraditional higher education, including academic advising, classroom and online teaching, curriculum development, and program administration. She received the Granite State College Distinguished Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2018. Liz lives in Nottingham, New Hampshire with her husband. Find her online at https://lizgauffreau.com.
Book2Read Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/SimplePleasures
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BookFunnel PDF Purchase Link: https://buy.bookfunnel.com/gef1ili6qd
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Copyright 2024– or current year, The New Vintage Kitchen. Dorothy Grover-Read. Unattributed use of this material and photographs is strictly prohibited. Reposting and links may be used, provided that credit is given to The New Vintage Kitchen, with active link and direction to this original post.
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Thank you very much for hosting me today, Dot! I greatly appreciate it.
It was my pleasure Liz! I love your trip to Vermont, and I especially adore your new book!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the book! I do love going to Plymouth. Those steadfast Green Mountains!
Yes, those mountains are so close to all of us, physically and emotionally!
🙂
What a fascinating concept for a book I!
Thank you for your comment, Mimi!
It works so well Mimi! A beautiful book.
This looks so interesting, and I enjoy learning more about our country.
Thank you, Mary! I get such a kick out of seeing a president of the United States in his barn clothes.
I’m really pleased that her tour of Vermont included this site; a lot of people know little about Coolidge and his humble beginning as president!
Such a delightful review, Dorthy. I’m delighted Liz’s book is doing so well👏
Happy to see Liz’s blog tour continuing here, Dorothy. Good luck to her with the book!
Best wishes, Pete.
I’ve enjoyed the change of pace and place here, featuring the home of Calvin Coolidge and observing the president greeting the public on a train stop. How wonderful to see this public official up close and personal–and not via the intrusive TV and text message ads common these days.
Thank you, Dorothy, for hosting and Liz for featuring another historical aspect of Vermont.
Thank you, Marian. I’m so glad you enjoyed the Calvin Coolidge information. Every time I read that “I love Vermont” speech I get choked up. That’s what love of country is all about. And who knew “Silent Cal” was such an eloquent public speaker!
It always gets to me too Liz!
🙂
You are most welcome Marian! I love the illustrations she chose for this stop on her tour. So much fun.
This bit of history is so interesting. Thank you, Liz for sharing, and thank you, Dorothy, for hosting!
Thank you very much, Jan! I’m glad you found the Calvin Coolidge history interesting.
I was delighted to host Jan! Thanks for stopping by.
Another fantastic stop, Liz. I’m enjoying the tour!
Thank you, Grant! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the Simple Pleasures tour.
Thanks for stopping by this spot on the tour Grant, it is a lovely journey!
Very nice review of “Simple Pleasures,” Dorothy! And, Liz, those are terrific present-day and vintage photos!
Thank you, Dave! I get such a kick out of Coolidge’s Summer White House. No delusions of grandeur for that president.
In many ways Dave, not much has changed in Vermont rural communities!
Nice of you to host Liz and help spread the word on her fantastic book, Dorothy. This history of former President Coolidge is fascinating, and the pictures sure add to the story.
Thank you, Tim! I’ll admit that I had to hold back on the pictures.
These stops along the way have been nicely done, and most enjoyable!
It is so nice to see Liz here, Dorothy. Congratulations to her and thanks to you.
Thank you, John!
Thanks John! It’s a lovely book.
Another wonderful stop on Liz’s book tour!
I love the “then and now” photos, and the history of place in this post. Coolidge was apparently more eloquent and passionate about Vermont than he was about being president.
I’m glad you enjoyed the post, Merril! From everything I’ve read about Coolidge, he took his service to country seriously, although I don’t think he cared for the ceremonial aspects of the presidency.
You’re welcome, Liz.
😊
He was passionate about his hone state!
Another great stop on this blog tour. I love seeing the home of Calvin Coolidge and surrounding area.
Thank you, Darlene! I’m so glad you enjoyed the Plymouth, Vermont photos.
Thanks for stopping by Darlene!
Thank you, Dorothy, for featuring Liz today. I greatly enjoyed Simple Pleasures. Heartfelt congratulations to Liz!
You are very welcome. It was my pleasure to feature it.
Thank you, Gwen!
Dorothy, I’ve been following Liz all over Blogsville to celebrate her books, so know that you are supporting a wonderful author. Thank you. 📚👍
Thanks GP! I love her style, and these haiku are a new facet to her talents!
Thank you, GP! I greatly appreciate your support.
This is the second time today that I have heard about this lovely book. Haiku is my favorite form of poetry. This collection is definitely going on my TBR list.
Thanks Laurie! I think you’ll enjoy both the poetry and the photos.
I’m so glad to hear it, Laurie! I hope you enjoy Simple Pleasures.
This is such a gorgeous post, D, and what’s sure to be a stunning book, Liz! Thank you for sharing with us today.
Thanks N.! I was delighted to host this stop on Liz’s tour.
Thank you for stopping by and commenting!
Most welcome, Liz. Lovely book!
Wonderful feature Dorothy and Liz… fabulous photos and do love the cover of Simple Pleasures…. hugsxx
Thank you for your comment! I’ve been very pleased with how people have responded to the cover.
I also enjoyed learning that Coolidge’s Summer White House was above the general store. If he ever got hungry, he could just go downstairs.🤣 I was curious how many Vice-Presidents replaced the President after their deaths and was surprised to learn it had happened eight times.
Terrific photo of the Green Mountains.
Wow! Eight times. That’s more than I would have guessed Pete.
And if he got thirsty, the general store had a ready supply of Moxie! I didn’t realize that eight Vice-Presidents had replaced their presidents.
The book sounds wonderful, now I want to go there!
It looks like so many other rural Vermont villages, lots of the old still there with a few convenience stores thrown in!
I hope you get the opportunity some day. It’s such a beautiful place.
Thanks for sharing all the information and the wonderful video of the speech. Some of those photos are just like ones I have of my mother’s family in southern Ohio.
Coolidge is not the most-admired president, but the speech reveals his humanity. We could do worse than having a president who has good things to say about his fellow citizens and his home.
You’re welcome, Kerfe. From what I’ve read, Coolidge may have made some unwise policy decisions, but he was a decent man. These days, that would count for a lot.
This is a great blog book tour stop.
Thank you, Dorothy!
I love that Liz is sending everyone different pics for their hosting.
It is a unique tour for the book, and I adore all the images of Vermont on this stop.
I have the book and will be hosting on the 20th! What fun.
Thank you, Resa! I thought readers would like some variety in the tour.
It’s terrific. I’m thinking on a surprise for you!
I’ll be sending you some art photos this weekend. I love your surprises!
Okay!
It’s been quite an entertaining tour!
I’ve read that Coolidge was a man of few words, but he was certainly eloquent in praise of Vermont!
Thanks for hosting this, Dorothy!
The last time I went to the Coolidge historic site, I saw photos of him actually smiling (not grimacing). Gee, Mr. President, what happened to your face?
Smiling wasn’t as much of a requirement for public figures then as it is now, so would have been even more surprising, I’m sure.
I think he followed the Yankee tradition of not saying anything unless he had something to say and not smiling when he had nothing to smile about.
You got that right Liz!
😀
You are very welcome!
Wonderful.
Thanks, Gigi!
Those are such wonderful pictures, Liz. Thank you, Dot, for hosting. I am intrigued by America’s former Presidents so this is perfect.
Wonderful! The museum at the Coolidge site has done a fantastic job over the past few years with exhibits to bring Coolidge to life.
My pleasure!
I saw New England and of course thought it was our New England rather than yours :=)
cheers
sherry
We share!
Thanks for hosting Liz, Dorothy, and Congrats to her for another wonderful stop on the tour. I enjoyed this history and loved the photos.
It’s been a fun tour, for sure!
Thank you, Lauren! I’m glad you enjoyed the history and the photos.
I love all the old photos!
Jenna
They are really interesting, and so very Vermont.
I’m very glad to hear it, Jenna!
These places are ‘gifts to the spirit’ for sure. This is a lovely book.
Yes, it is indeed!
Thank you!
Absolutely love those vintage photos. And your book cover is gorgeous!
Thank you on both counts, Becky!
You are so welcome, Liz!
Beautiful photos and poignant haiku! Can’t wait to read.”
“Such a lovely menu . Sounds like a perfect dutchbrosemenu.com read for a cozy .”
Savor it all!