Irene : Middlebury a haven of mountains , Lake Champlain , clapboard houses , covered bridges . Bad weather comes in three decades , he says , with ice bending trees and snow blocking roads . Now , Brattleboro deep under water , ruined covered bridges and homes , Parini says . Parini : Vermonters left to clean up in the calm , bright weather The lovely town of Brattleboro , once the home of Rudyard Kipling , was deep under water , and people are still trying desperately to clear away the mess . Jay Parini left behind .
Irene : Middlebury a haven of mountains , Lake Champlain , clapboard houses , covered bridges . Bad weather comes in three decades , he says , with ice bending trees and snow blocking roads . Now , Brattleboro deep under water , ruined covered bridges and homes , Parini says . Parini : Vermonters left to clean up in the calm , bright weather Jay Parini left behind .