Pool Progress:
(We found the pool heater! Looks like R2D2.):
Many, many thanks to everyone who helped us muck, haul, and scrub – and to Andre Patenaude especially.
If you’d like to help those in Woodstock still in need of basic necessities (food, shelter, medicine), Sustainable Woodstock is an excellent place to contribute.
We had a huge, awesome, fabulous wedding at the Blue Horse last weekend. I’ve got a big post coming up about the shindig, but I first wanted to let our Bostonian readers know about an upcoming benefit for the MSPCA-Angell. If you’re unfamiliar with the organization, the MSPCA-Angell “is a national and international leader in animal protection and veterinary medicine and provides direct hands-on care for thousands of animals each year. Founded in 1868, we are the second-oldest humane society in the United States. Our services include animal protection and adoption, advocacy, humane education, law enforcement and world-class veterinary care.”
The Blue Horse has donated a couple of room nights for the raffle, and the event promises to be a fun evening.
We are proud to support institutions like the MSPCA-Angell. If you’re in the Boston Area and are interested in joining in the fun, visit the MSPCA-Angell event page for tickets and more information.
Last Friday, Ben and I attended a fundraiser for Zack’s Place, Woodstock’s community enrichment center. The theme of the evening was “Highland Games.”
We competed in the games with our friends, Mark Knott and Rachel Hochman; together, we were Team Glenfiddich. Here are a few shots of Mark and Rachel during the first event, trying to wrangle a note from a set of bagpipes.
Avid swimmers, we knew that Mark and Rachel would be able to work some bagpipes. But try as they might, nary a noise could be piped from those bags. The judges ruled the bagpipes defunct and awarded us full points for effort. Go Team!
Then it was on to the Wellie toss.
Points were awarded for distance and placement, and the men of Team Glenfiddich did us proud.
Then it was on to the infamous Dress-in-a-Kilt-and-Play-Speed-Croquet event.
In his enthusiasm, Ben tied his belt in an impossible knot, but no points were docked for the breach of dress etiquette.
The men gave another strong performance on the golfing event, while Rachel and I kept the team spirit (and juggled four highballs of scotch – thank you, Dennis).
Though Team Glenfiddich performed well on all major events, Ladder Ball was where our team really shone.
And so Team Glenfiddich took first place at the Scottish Highland games. Well done, Team.
Afterwards, we celebrated at the Tupelo with Jay Nash and Garrison Star. They put on a fine, fine show, and it was the perfect way to end an excellent day. Thanks, y’all.
In other news, someone turned two last Sunday.
He has appreciated all the good wishes but is really looking forward to the gifts of catnip and jerky that are sure to arrive shortly.
We’ve had a couple of big events here lately.
The first was a fundraiser for the Lucy Mackenzie Humane Society. Lucy Mac does a wonderful job of caring for abused, neglected, and stray animals in the Upper Valley, and we were proud to host their benefit dinner. Chef Eli of Morsels provided the delicious eats.
A few shots of the evening taken by our intrepid iphone photographer, Deana Rocco:
Last Thursday, we hosted a reception for Pentangle Arts Council and Harbor Mountain Press before the Bruce Cockburn show at the Town Hall Theater. We’re big supporters of Pentangle, and this was our second event with Harbor Mountain Press. Both of these organizations bring excellent arts and cultural events to the Upper Valley, and we so appreciate their work. I was busy helping Chef Eli in the kitchen, so kudos to Deana for snapping a great shot of the gorgeous flowers provided by The Little Flower Shoppe.
A big thank you to everyone who helped make these events fun and successful.
I’d hoped to post new pictures of daffodils and crocuses to go along with this post, but, oh-so-sadly, it’s 38 and stormy today. Much like it was yesterday and will be tomorrow and the rest of the week. I’m not whining; I’m being descriptive. The daffodils have refused to bloom, and the sodden, frozen crocuses look particularly regretful, which is surely pushing the boundaries of floral emotions. So, here’s a shot from April of 2010, to assure us that spring does, eventually, come to our neck of the woods.
Armed with the belief that conditions must improve, this summer, the Blue Horse Inn is hosting several groups from Great Freedom Adventures, a bike tour outfit that offers six-day, fully supported road bike tours through the loveliest landscapes and towns in Vermont. What could be nicer than biking over covered bridges and through working farms during the day, and then coming back to the Blue Horse for an evening swim and a glass of something restorative? The start dates for the tours staying at the Blue Horse are July 24th, July 31st, and September 25th, and you can find out more about all the tours here.
So, we hope we’ll see you then, or at any point in the future when things are warm and sunny. It will happen.
Because February was a month of events here at the Blue Horse Inn, and because we love good music, last Saturday we hosted our inaugural Blue Horse Chamber Music event – a piano performance by Diana Tetzlaff. (I know, I know, “chamber music” does not usually refer to solo instrument performances, but the Blue Horse Inn scoffs at such conventions.)
The concert was excellent; Diana gave our piano quite the workout. She performed pieces by Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, Liszt, and Ginastera, and a lovely evening was had by all.
Many thanks to Diana for getting our concert series off to such a stellar start and to her husband, Jonathan Tetzlaff, for helping us keep our piano in fine form. We’ll keep you posted about future Blue Horse Chamber Music events and hope you’ll be able to join in on the fun.