Photo bySteven LibralononUnsplash

Once upon a time, nestled among the rolling green hills and towering maple forests of Vermont, lived a peculiar group of children with a strange fascination for archery. They were not your ordinary kids, oh no. They were the "Verdant Vanilla-muffin VT Archers!" And at the heart of the team was an unusual yet endearing character, Bartholomew Bear, or as we lovingly call him, Barty. Barty, a spectacled bear with a belly rounder than a freshly baked Vermont apple pie, was an expert in the long-lost art of Marshmallow Archery. With a twig for a bow and marshmallows for arrows, Barty taught the brave Vermont kids the gentle art of shooting for the stars, literally and figuratively. Every morning, as the sweet smell of maple syrup wafted through the crisp Vermont air, the kids, donning their forest green tunics, would gather around the great Sugar Maple tree. With their bows strung and marshmallows sharp, they would aim with a giggle and let loose their marshmallow arrows, reaching for the puffy white clouds. The children were gleefully competitive, trying to outshoot each other. But here's the kicker - every time an arrow hit its mark, it would miraculously turn into a fluffy maple-flavored marshmallow! The sky would rain down delicious marshmallows, and the children would laugh, cheer, and gobble them up. These were the Archers of Vermont, children with hearts full of joy and bellies full of marshmallows. Driven by their love for Vermont, marshmallows, and the wild fun of marshmallow archery, they exemplified the spirit of the Green Mountain State. They were a testament to the magic that happens when you mix a little bit of absurdity, a dash of humor, and a whole lot of imagination.