Archive for the ‘Weather’ Category

Stick Season Begins

Tuesday, November 1st, 2011

We’ve had a wonderful autumn here at the Blue Horse.  It’s been a busy one, and we couldn’t have asked for a nicer group of guests.  Many thanks to everyone who stayed with us during this foliage season – it was truly our pleasure to meet you (or see you again!), and we hope that your travels will bring you back our way.

Today is the first quiet day we’ve had in a long time.  Though I love making armies of gruyere biscuits and towers of cornmeal pancakes, this morning my breakfast preparations were limited to microwaving a bowl of Grape Nuts (delicious with a dab of honey – try it!) and while sorting through the mementos of Snowtober.

Luckily, I was able to take a stroll through Pierre’s gardens last week, little thinking it would be my final snow-free visit.

Though we didn’t don Halloween costumes this year, we were able to have fun with the Snor’s sartorial statements.  Here he is as a jester:

And here he is as Monkey:

And here’s Monkey in a gender-bending ensemble:

Snorri also found a new girlfriend this October.  Her name is Daisy. She’s not so sure about Snorri’s romantical overtures.

But who wouldn’t want kisses from this handsome devil?

We’ve enjoyed our surprise snowfall.

While it’s a smidgen on the early side, I’m pretty much a snow enthusiast until mid-February.  And P.S. – some of the runs on Killington are OPEN!!!

Snow on pumpkins!  Festive!

And, just so I won’t succumb to BHI breakfast withdrawal, here’s a shot of yesterday morning’s dessert breakfast – cardamom french toast with gingered Grand Marnier apples and maple whipped cream.  Enjoy!

How tweet it is.

Wednesday, October 12th, 2011

If you don’t yet follow us on twitter, you may be wondering about the recent happenings at the Blue Horse.

For instance, you may be curious about how much butter we’ve used this week.

Answer: Over twelve pounds, my friends.  Wowza.

And you may be wondering what Ben and Snorri are doing.

Answer: They’re being lazy.  Incurably, predictably, cutely lazy.

Or perhaps you really need to know about our egg consumption.

Answer: The chickens are exhausted.

Mostly, though, I’m sure you want to know about the foliage.

Answer: It’s gorgeous.

Thanks for stopping by to see what’s going on at the Blue Horse.  If you’d like to follow us on twitter (It’s easy!  I promise!), click here to sign up.

A little news…

Wednesday, October 5th, 2011

The American Planning Association just named the downtown Woodstock streetscape one of the top ten great streets in America.  Well done, Woodstock!

Check it out here.

In other news, the temperature is expected to dip into the 20′s for the next two nights.  As a girl from Georgia, I find the first taste of real cold quite exciting.  I’m less fond of freezing nights in May, mind you, but right now a hard chill seems charming, invigorating and seasonally appropriate.

In other, other news, we’ve been working hard in our apartment, which is affectionately known as The West Wing.  Stay tuned for some before and after shots of our progress.

Image from here.

Blue Waters

Tuesday, September 6th, 2011

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.

Good night, Irene, Good night.

Thursday, September 1st, 2011

As you probably know by now, the creek did rise.

And it kept rising.

And rising.

The water never reached the inn – even our basement stayed completely dry – so we were incredibly lucky.  We know many who have lost everything.

We were left with a muddy mess.

And mother nature had rearranged things.

She is not, apparently, an enthusiast of recreational swimming or tennis.

But she did leave us with an amazing view of the covered bridge, which survived the pummeling with remarkable poise.  Our river bank now feels kind of beachy.  Bring on the tiki torches and make me something with rum!

We’ve had wonderful, wonderful friends and volunteers pitching in with cleanup.

And we’re making great progress.

In the village, people have come together to speed the recovery effort.  It is an honor to be part of such a resilient, compassionate community.  Woodstock, Vermont, is the best place to live.

The farmers who could make it even showed up for Wednesday’s market, and the days have been the most beautiful of the summer.

We’ve been so grateful to all of you for your calls, emails, and tweets of support; thank you, thank you, thank you.  We’ll be open again next week (though the pool and tennis court will take a bit longer) and hope to see you here soon.  All this rain should make for a spectacular autumn.

If you would like to help Vermonters who have been affected by Irene, several sites are accepting donations.

Vermont Food Bank

American Red Cross of Vermont

United Way of Vermont

Ottauquechee Watch 2011

Sunday, August 28th, 2011

As my old advisor Anne E. Monius would say, “Lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise.”

So true, Anne.  So true.

For regular updates on Irene and the Blue Horse Inn in general, follow me on twitter: @thebluehorseinn