Peggy Smith

The Stowe Land Trust just release an informational video about their cause. The idea was to show what it is they (and we all) love about Vermont and also to showcase a number of the properties they’ve been able to protect over the years.

In honor of Earth Day they released the video in order to raise awareness about the Earth’s environment! Go to their website to check it out and learn more about the Stowe Land Trust. (Stowe Land Trust Video, Click Here)

The light is low and blue these winter mornings as the sun rises. There are other days Mt. Mansfield glows like an old time cream popsicle. The snow coats the trees like a woolen scarf. The dogs snuggle closer into the comforter hoping that I will roll over and go back to sleep. But that will not happen because I want to get to the mountain and ski before I have to go to work. Can I really be so lucky to live in a place where a coffee clutch with my girl friends means meeting in the parking lot at the mountain, throwing on my boots and heading up for the first run? Or getting to the office at 10 AM knowing I have five runs under my belt? Who can beat that? For me, ”this place I live” is paradise.

Stowe Mountain is running a great ticket special for Vermont students who are now on spring break. The deal also extends to their families. A 3 day lift ticket for the price of $99! Even if you only go 2 days, you get your moneys worth.

Here are details: Adult or Child 3-Day Consecutive Lift Ticket for $99 (includes VT Sales Tax). Available Monday Feb. 23 through Friday Feb. 27, 2009. You must present a valid VT ID. This promotion cannot be combined with any other offer, promotion or discount.

For more information visit www.stowe.com or call 800.253.4SKI

The word is out in a BIG way about the Stone Hut located just off the top of the quad lift at Stowe Mountian Ski Resort. The NY Times is writing about the already hard to book Stone Hut, so if you want to get in next season, maybe submit your lottery request NOW! You can do so on the Vermont State Parks site here: http://www.vtstateparks.com/htm/stonehut.cfm

It is a great article, check it out “Spending the Night Atop Mt. Mansfield”, NY Times, 1/23/09

Image from NY Times article, Spending the Night Atop Mt. Mansfield, 1/23/09

If you are looking for a great breakfast spot, stop by and visit McCarthy’s. It is located off the Mountain Road, next to the Stowe Cinema 3-plex. My husband Shap and I have breakfast or lunch at McCarthy’s about once a week! You’ll find a full breakfast menu with everything from the original Harwood Union (a bacon, peanut butter sandwich served on an english muffin) one of my favorites, to healthier options.

It also has an extensive lunch menu that is worth checking out. They have healthy wraps and salads, as well as burgers and dogs. McCarthy’s is a great place for the whole family too, tons of options for the kids. Even my picky grandchildren can find something they like.

You’ll likely be greeted with a smile by Diane McCarthy herself! It’s a fun setting with a St. Patrick’s Day theme. In fact you’ll find it abound with locals on St. Paddy’s Day and you will want to be dressed in green! Don’t forget a heath-bar cookie on your way out. They’re amazing!

You can view their menu by clicking here.

When it comes to skiing my daughter keeps saying “Yes, Mom, I know Mom!” or “Mom, I do this every weekend, I’ve got it”. These comments usually follow me trying to lend her a face mask on below zero days or when I suggested she wear a helmet if she insisted on skiing the trees. WELL, I finally get to respond with, “See Mother knows BEST!”.

After her first face first digger into the snow she finally started wearing the helmet that a few of her friends and I insisted she wear. And can I tell you how happy this makes me…. very. And if you take a look at the above photo of her helmet, cracked, post crash #2, you’ll see why!

She lost control after hitting an ice patch on Hayride at Stowe with no edges, going at a high speed. Thank god she was wearing her new helmet, it was only the 2nd day it made an appearance! While she is claiming the helmet made her feel like it was OK to go that fast, I can tell she’s very thankful she was wearing it.

Now my “Slow down” and “Get your ski’s tuned” comments are followed up with, “Already on it Mom”.

I am often asked for a restaurant recommendation and one of my favorite places to recommend is Harrison’s. Yes, it is right below Coldwell Banker Carlson in downtown Stowe VT, and owned by very good family friends, but it really is worth checking out. Most nights you will find the Mother-Son team, Kathy & Andrew Kneale present. Kathy will meet you at the door and Andrew is usually behind the bar serving up creative cocktails. He also has a very good knowledge of wines, so do ask for his opinion.

You can find anything from a perfectly cooked steak to the more creative seafood like, Scallop and Ravioli Scampi. The menu has a great selection and varies from season to season…. Although you will find you favorites consistently on the list. If you are a mussel eater, come hungry and order the Salad, Mussels and Bread entree. It’s delicious and while it is done in a cream sauce it is surprisingly light. The Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos are also a nice little treat; but if meat is your thing, the burgers are juice and tasty. You can check out the menu at Harrison’s in Stowe VT here!

So the next time you are in Stowe and looking for a cozy place to grab dinner, maybe a good bar for the single dinner, stop by and say “Hello, to Kathy and Andrew”, tell them I sent you, you’ll be sure to get a smile and maybe a few good stories!

Here’s a photo of Andrew with his younger brother Bebo when they were kids, taken from the Kneale Family Album on the Harrison’s website:

There are only a few occasions when my daughter wakes me up, usually I am awake before she is. One is Christmas morning (yes, she is 31 and it still has not changed). The others are those rare times when nature does something you just can’t miss. This happened last Saturday morning. Maggie’s alarm woke her up, and as she rolled over to catch just a few more zzz’s before skiing, something caught her eye. It was the moon, glowing over Mount Mansfield. It was a stunning view to behold at 7AM. After she snapped a photo with her cell phone and failed to find my camera she woke me up so I wouldn’t miss it.

It was -3 degrees outside on Saturday morning, but a sight like this reminds us why we live in Vermont.

In case you did not hear, live under a rock or at least somewhere that snowfall is not such an important topic, we are getting SNOW tonight. Stowe is expecting 6 to 12 inches of snow starting this evening and continuing into tomorrow afternoon.

With the bizarre early season weather we’ve been having, I am not all that surprised! This past Sunday afternoon brought snow, around 2 to 4 inches. Monday brought below zero temperatures and Tuesday night to Wednesday morning brought RAIN. Then it decided to snow a few more inches yesterday afternoon and right now, it feels like a storm is on the horizon. So we wait…

If there is any question about winter being here to stay, I think tonight will be the final nail in that coffin. I am hoping this storm brings enough cover to open the xc trails at Trapps! See you out there.

If you are looking for a great gift idea and want to support our local community, I have the best suggestion! Katherine Washburn, owner of Washburn Ceremics makes the most wonderful hand painted ceremics. Her stuff is the most fun! She will do custom images too, you just have to send her a picture of your favorite pet. I had her do a clock and lamp of my daughter’s dog, Gizmo, a few years ago. He is still one of her best sellers!

So if you have a animal lover on your Christmas list this year, check out Katherine’s site! WashburneCeremics.com, Hand painted ceremics from Vermont!