Vera Szumowski isn't afraid of snakes. On a sunny April day, she found a nest of the harmless garter variety seeking warmth by the old well at Burlington's Ethan Allen Homestead. The 6-year-old, who was visiting the park with her mom, held a writhing black serpent in each hand as if she had been doing it her whole life. Children are often drawn to critters and plants, according to Zoe Richard, who cofounded and now leads Burlington Wildways, which links the urban park with a larger... Read this story
