VermontVibes

Vermont Vibes New Home

2010-11-29T15:16:00.002-05:00

This current site for the Vermont Vibes Blog has moved!!! The new site is www.VermontVibesBlog.com and is also the online road diary of Rachel Carter's exploration around the State of Vermont as the new co-author of VERMONT: AN EXPLORER'S GUIDE along with respected travel writer and guidebook founder, Christina Tree! Please visit and subscribe to the new blog and thanks for your patience as all of this came together!!!

VermontVibesBlog.com

2010-11-02T22:24:00.005-04:00

Ok, so my summer hiatus from blogging lasted a lot longer as there aren't any leaves on the trees while I write. To diffuse the rumors of me off chasing butterflies and rainbows, I still worked this summer, I just didn't put in 80 hours every week and I stopped writing my blogs and social twittering and face cracking so I could actually see some of Vermont beyond looking longingly out of my window.

After The Mitch and I's darling vacation in our own dear cabin on Lake Willoughby in the middle of August, I was back at it in a fervor - trying to make up for time off and trying to figure out where it was I am going...

And now I know...

And you have to wait! Wahahahahahaha! Besides the fact that some fellas bought the URLs vermontvibes.com and vtvibes.com while I was dipping my toes in Willoughby's aqua waters - they weren't able to snatch up www.VermontVibesBlog.com. For now it links to my website which is also ready to disappear...

So, for a short time being (I promise!), enjoy the pictures of Lake Willoughby and please don't forget about my travels around Vermont, in my Vibe, reaching towards being a journalist, and spreading positive Vermont Vibes...

Vermont Vibes on Summer Hiatus

2010-05-19T11:53:00.004-04:00

I am taking my own advice to consolidate and prioritize and in doing so need to shift my energy to other areas right now. I am going to take some time away from my Vermont public relations business this summer and enjoy traveling in Vermont and elsewhere. I will also be updating my website to be more effective in streamlining all of the social media tools I use and in doing so will be getting up and running with mobile devices so I can reconvene the Vermont Vibes Blog with more frequent, quicker posts really showing interesting tidbits, landscapes, and explorations around Vermont. I have some really big news to announce officially in the fall in regards to Vermont Vibing and exploration and in doing so will reintroduce the Vermont Vibes Blog.

Thanks you all for your interest and please subscribe to the RSS feed so you can be quickly updated in the fall when Vermont Vibes reach a whole new level!! You can also connect with my business on Facebook: www.facebook.com/RachelCarterPR and follow me on Twitter: Twitter.com/RachelCarterPR

Where Is Spring?

2010-04-27T12:53:00.004-04:00

Fear Not! It will be back! As I spend this snowy day with The Mitch doing wedding errands and long term preparations for our 2011 extravaganza, I think of the lovely spring we are having - minus the white hiccup - and share some pictures I took Monday during an East Charlotte neighborhood walk.

MitchaRachia Insider Wedding Tidbit - the budding trees of a Vermont spring exemplify the color scheme of our wedding.

How MitchaRachia Celebrate Easter

2010-04-16T10:37:00.003-04:00

Usually, Easter is celebrated by attending a decadent Vermont brunch and this year we narrowed down the options to The Village Porch in Rochester, J. Morgan's at Capitol Plaza in Montpelier, Norma's Restaurant at Topnotch Resort in Stowe, or G's Restaurant at The Sheraton in Burlington.

However, the gorgeous, sunny weather that blessed Vermont that weekend changed plans around a bit. We spent Saturday waterfall hunting - always a favorite Vermont Vibes activity. We visited the East Middlebury Gorge first and were amazed to find three college students jumping into the April 3rd in Vermont water. Ah, to be young - no, forget that! I was never one for cold water jumping at any age.

Then we vibed down to Texas Falls and the Falls of Lana only to learn they were stilled closed from flood damage a few years ago. The nerve! We did manage to walk a bit of the Robert Frost Interpretive Trail where I interpreted in a very "Anne" voice to the point that The Mitch actually ran away.

We did swing by the reliable Moss Glen Falls where we snapped a few pictures like everyone else, but as you can see, we captured some orbs!

Saturday night we finally made our way to the Bluebird Tavern and enjoyed a warm patio dinner with good friends and the live music of the Vermont goddess of song, Myra Flynn. The Bluebird Tavern was worth the wait and I have never seen such a groovy selection of drinks!

Sunday was a glorious Charlotte Farmhouse day. Being believers of metaphysics, energy, and nature, The Mitch and I do not celebrate Easter in a traditional sense, but I do enjoy the giving thanks to spring, bunnies, eggs, and daffodils. Especially since spring is the season of my existence! We relaxed, enjoyed our beautiful yard, and I made a spectacular dinner in our newly rearranged dining room. I cleared out the freezer of the remaining frozen veggies from last year's harvest, combined that with an eclectic mix of canned items still hanging out on the shelf and some Vermont ham and made a three course brunch of our own! And I was able to use the very first fresh herbs of the season. The Mitch claimed it was a party in his mouth which is the highest culinary compliment I get!

A Friend to Tea

2010-04-02T12:14:00.004-04:00

I love tea. This probably stems from my mom and I's post homework weeknight chats when I was in high school when she would bring me tea and we would gossip about all sorts of things. My dad didn't really like the gossiping and I think my mom might feel guilty about it sometimes. However, I have realized how very important those chats were. They were the only time mom didn't hound me about things moms hound about. Instead we were girlish and giggly - just what you are supposed to be when having tea. Giggles caused by the simplicity on a friendship and a conversation, without the need for wine.

My delights in the thrills of tea also are steeped in Anne of Green Gables tradition and now that I am re-reading the entire series as a 34 year old, I am realizing just how much of an impact that Anne-girl has had on my life. In fact, I plan to shut down the Vermont PR office early today so I can frolic alone in the bountiful mirages of a budding spring.

There is nothing more special between friends than sharing the sanctity of kindred spirits and the always sought after bosom buddy; so on a sunny day in mid-February, I did just that...

Skipping work like a true manifestor of my destiny to be able to put aside the grind for when the truly important things in life present themselves, I vibed off to my fellow kindred spirit's farmhouse in Northern Vermont and we had tea. And we watched all eight hours of Anne of Green Gables and Avonlea.

We began with a tea spread which was complete with nice napkins, dainty finger pastries, a tea pot and fun cups, candles, rocks and crystals, fresh flowers, lady fans...

Half of the day we watched, cried, ate naughty little treats, and drank delicious tea from of dried spearmint, peppermint, and chamomile from my garden last year. We also decided I was Anne and Christine was Diana, determined we most definitely are bosom friends, and Christine (aka Diana) shared a lock of her fine, black dreads - sigh....

Of course I forgot to mention the day started with Christine's nub tailed little kitten climbing to the roof of their barn, walking the ridgepole, and then falling to the ground where he bounced up, quite proud of himself. Christine was in hysterics. I was in total amusement as it was, well, so Anne!

The second part of the day we completed watching Anne and enjoyed sushi and some more tea - tea and sushi also do create quite the spread!

I have a few blogs in my queue to write and was sparked to get to this one when I saw a Yankee Magazine Teahouse article written by another blogger who writes all about tea! Check out the Tea Pages Blog - http://teapages.blogspot.com.

PS - To Katrina of the Tea Pages Blog and other tea enthusiasts who enjoy Vermont Vibing - please check out the Harmony English Tea Room at Brandon Music! Perhaps it can be considered to be in the tea anthology!

Kitty Spa Day: Avoid Taking Cats to the Vet

2010-03-08T19:45:00.012-05:00

A crazy cat lady is another talent to add to my interesting assortment of activities and shenanigans. In addition to relishing in this role with my award winning beast Fee, my vocal sour puss Tela, and my naughty bombing around Bonhan (The Mitch made us get Bonham so he wouldn't just have step-cats), I have also had my share of costly run-ins with the vet and have learned the disheartening lessons of the sometimes shifty business of making money off of the aching hearts of pet owners. So, I thought it was high time I share some of my expertise in the area of cat health management...

Overall Wellness Tips:

1.) Whenever you bring a new kitty into a home or move a kitty from a home, take it immediately to the bathtub and wash it with a high gloss flea bath shampoo. This will do two things:
- Kill off any possible fleas before they can infest your home (no matter where meow meow comes from, this is WAY better than having to deal with an infestation - even if you are told there are no fleas).
- Immediately conditions your cat to want to be clean as it territorializes its new home.

2.) Share bathroom positive time with kitty. Many cats already like running water and allowing them to hang out in the bathroom with you should be considered a bonding experience. This serves a variety of very useful purposes in communicating with your cat:
- Cats respond to bathing and grooming - owner grooming encourages cat grooming. The bathroom is a great place to brush your cat, check kitty over for signs of health issues, and other "spa" activities (see below).
- Water drinking (like sips from the sink) encourages water drinking which is very important for cats, especially with so many prone to urinary tract infections.
- The steam from the shower is great for respiratory infections and cat herpes (when a cat has a cold).
- Water and bathroom noises are good for cats to feel less skittish and being used to the bathroom will help matters greatly for when kitty might need first aid and keep him from being so freaked out.
- And in my experience, the most important reason for consistent and positive bathroom bonding with kitty is when your cat does not feel well, they will go into the bathroom and act weird when you are not in the bathroom. It's their way of telling you they don't feel well and it is time to check them over or actually make a trip to the vet. People say they wish their cats could tell them when they don't feel well and if you engage in bathroom time, they will be able to tell you when.

3.) If you want your cat to be able to travel in a car, it must start as a kitten by bringing them on trips that do not involve going to the vet. It is easy for cats to learn and adapt when given the chance while they are young. Bring them to a friend's house or home for the holidays with a smaller litter pan and food bowls. Set up the items as soon as you enter the visiting house and kitty will love the exploration. Then he will equate traveling in the car with visiting a new home. This will also help your cat be more social with people and less skittish in new environments.

Remedies:

1.) Runny eyes, puss in eyes, aka pink eye - other wise known as conjunctivitis. Before you go to the vet, purchase some basic saline solution with boric acid as an ingredient. Drop one drop in each eye twice a day. Should clear it up!

2.) Sneezy kitty, cat has a cold - most likely this is cat herpes - highly contagious and it seems cats can get it from the human cold - weird. Do a few things:
- Run the shower without the fan on and let kitty have a sauna! If you have been hanging out with your cat in the bathroom like suggested above, this won't freak them out and it will really help clear them out - just think how much better you feel when you breath in lots of steam when you have a cold!
- Give kitty Lysine. Lysine is recommended to help reduce flair ups in human herpes and works for cats too (remember, we have lots of the same diseases at kitty)! Lysine comes in big white pills and cats can't handle the same dosage as humans so what I do is crush it up and make a mixture of one pill and water in a little container where I can extract the liquid with an eye dropper or liquid use syringe. Then I squirt a mouthful or two in my cat's mouth twice a day until well over the cold.
- I keep kitties eyes cleaned out with a warm, wet Q-tip. You should clean out your cat's eyes of sleepy seeds daily - it will help prevent eye problems and help your cat be used to you poking around its face for when he really needs it!
- Force feed water - using the eye dropper or liquid syringe, I give cats with colds lots of forced extra water when they have a cold. They need prompting just like we do!

Cat Spa Day:

A proactive way to take care of your pet and to limit vet visits overall is to not simply engage in at home emergency management, but be proactive and keep tabs on kitty. So, every couple of months (I should do it more), I have kitty spa day. It consists of:
- Using an over the counter ear mite solution and cleaner to clean out kitty ears. This doesn't work if your cat has mites - for that you need to go to the vet, but it does help ears from getting infected and more prone to mites. So, I make sure I carefully clean out any gook from the ears.
- Brush their teeth! Yes, they hate it, but it is so good in the long run. I have cat tooth brushes and toothpaste and scrub their little teeth (The Mitch has to help with this). My two older cats have gingivitis and I am trying to avoid the several thousand dollar charges to clean their teeth, so I have been cleaning them. If the gums bleed, I also carefully apply hydrogen peroxide to them to help fight infections. And, I will tell you, Fee's teeth are starting to clear up - it's working! Hydrogen peroxide is also great to use in any open cut or wound - but very very careful in the mouth as it's not meant to be swallowed. I dab with water after and rinse their mouth with the eye dropper/water syringe after brushing and before using the hydrogen peroxide.
- Clip the nails! They have gotten used to this and I am now comfortable with where to cut (BEFORE the pink - that is tissue!).
- Bath them! Ok, Fee is weird and likes the water and a bath, but for the most part, I use cat bath wipes and wipe them all over. Then I brush them which they LOVE! The they are soooooo happy and purr and rub all around and of course I finish with tarter control cat treats.
- The Vet - I am not a vet avoider - just a minimalist since half the time they don't even know what to do or just prescribe stuff to get you to spend money. But, it is important for cats to have their yearly check up and be up to date on all shots - this I definitely do!

I hope this helps some folks and cats who need it!

Deb Markowitz - She's Got the Vermont Vibe

2010-03-02T18:38:00.006-05:00

Why?

I'll tell you why...

I am not political, although I do know how the world should be run :). But my energies have to be on my life purpose and mission: to help people think out of the box by being me (not being a politician). So I have to find other kindred spirits out there to support in a world where politics basically suck ass and an apathetic public whom I am just tapping my fingers along with for a nationwide coup. I think I would implode with irritation if I hadn't started my own business to make a difference where I actually can so I have to give it up to folks like Deb Markowitz with her optimism, integrity, and realness.

I don't give two flips about this view or that view and think political parties need to be abolished along with people who live off the system, overpopulation, and puffy faced old politicians who claim to love America but who hate Americans. Besides, this political fiasco we live in doesn't let anything get done anyway since checks and balances have turned into "let's just fight with each other until these stupid Americans actually step up and do something about this mess."

So why Deb Markowitz? Because:

~ When I worked at a marketing agency pretending to by a stereotypical PR chick and was working on a project Deb was involved in, she was so very nice to me and I will never forget someone's kindness even if I was too little and stereotypical to be remembered.
~ Every time she has spoken at an event, she has lingered and chatted with people about things regular people chat about and when annoying little PR chickies like me try to introduce themselves to her, she was nice - not acting like so many other prominent people have - oh, you know how they act.
~ When I started my business I found her office very, very, very easy to deal with and was immediately impressed.
~ When I heard her speak at an event this summer she told her story in an interesting, compelling, and funny manner which made me feel very good about some of the abrupt decisions I have made and actions I have taken.
~ Following that event, we left the parking lot together and she told me some of the best business woman advice I have received in a long time (and as a women who started her business at age 30, I need a LOT of advice) - don't flop around with lots of handbags and accessories - it makes you look scattered. And, no - she didn't tell me that, she was simply telling some funny stories of things she learned, but from that I made a concentrated effort to try to be less scattered with all of my crap. Flashbags gals - you need a Deb Markowitz for Governor Bag and I will buzz it all over the place! Deb's entire way of communicating is impressive and the type of story telling I strive for with my PR clients.
~ And lastly, Deb Markowitz actually called me on the phone, took the time to listen, chat, laugh, and not be pushy about money.

In Vermont, it is about community, truth, honesty, and being real. And I bet Deb Markowitz read Anne of Green Gables as a girl because she knows about being a kindred spirit - hey, maybe she'll comment on my post!

Deb - I have no money, but I have a voice and I am in!

Vermont Vibers - forget about politics - think about community and good people - www.debforvermont.com.

Valentine's Week

2010-02-15T09:46:00.007-05:00

I made similar commentary to Valentine's Day last year (and you can check out the post here), but basically I think Valentine's Day sucks for single people and having been a single person for many, many years in the past, I can say that without being too big for my britches. But, now I am finally not single and I can say that Valentine's Day is a great reason to focus on your sweetie since the hum and drum of everyday life often makes your sweetie more of a punching bag than a lover. This doesn't mean having to buy dumb crap at the drug store, but flowers are a necessity this time of year (especially ones you can plant later) and the scope of the Vermont restaurant landscape and the Valentine's Day menu performances are silly to skip out on if you have someone to dine with.

The punching bagness I sometimes feel as a Vermont public relations professional, sadly gets bounced over to The Mitch on occasion. He is never slow to point this out and I am always quick to know it is not fair and a few weeks ago I decided I would celebrate The Mitch for the entire week leading up to Valentine's Day. Beginning with dinner at Tourterelle's last Friday, I spent the week making The Mitch his favorite dinners, doing extra chores that he usually does, and giving him a massage with the magical oils I made from lavender in our garden.

I am so infatuated with Vermont dining right now. Maybe it's because of all the Twitter activity local restaurants are so good at or maybe it's because I really am quite a chef myself and experiencing cuisine created by the professionals makes me feel like a palette connoisseur. As my last blog mentioned, we were headed to Tourterelle's which we did indeed do. I reviewed the menu online and knew I was getting the escargot and the bouillabaisse and wondered how adventurous The Mitch would be. He is not the biggest fan of interesting looking things on his plate and does not approve of anything that creeps along the floor of the ocean. But alas, That Mitch got the hamburger and while he savoured the bullish American classic, I enjoyed the artwork - the same design captured in various frames - while feeling very connected to the bottom of the ocean.

As the week wrapped up I felt a bit under the weather and rest, vitamins, fluids, and herbs kept me in the game while The Mitch graciously took over the final days of celebrating Valentine's Day. Always up in the trends, we spent Saturday shopping for records since we decided to return the Wii we got for Christmas and get a record player and surround sound system to compliment the awesome array of old records we "inherited" from my dad. And on Valentine's Day I awoke to a healthy breakfast snack in bed with an English Primrose, a Tulip plant, and a CW Creations necklace.

A day of Vibing began with a neighbor's lovely wooden heart but was ruined by a young Vermont state trooper who thought it funny to follow us through a multiplicity of backroads, slowing down and then racing up behind us. Congratulations to continue to make people not like cops - he was a complete dickhead. When someone flashed us to warn of another enforcer of the law, he happily squealed his wheels to ruin someone else's day. Looks like someone has no Valentine. And it ruined our afternoon of Vibing through the Bristol area looking for potential love nests for our future.

But all came out alright when we arrived at Mary's Restaurant at the Inn at Baldwin Creek very early, but were greeted with warmth even though we knew we were throwing off the reservation schedule. It gave us ample time to relax at the bar with a glass of wine and complimentary hummus - thank you. The Mitch and I enjoyed a plethora of bar-side reading and sharing and when our five course dinner table was ready, we were led to the coziest table in the barn board small dining room where every couple spoke at a whisper. Several hours later we made our way to the fifth course - the Chocolate Fest - and closed our week of celebrating our very special love for one another. In addition, Mary's Restaurant was right up The Mitch's ally. No frolicking ocean artforms on his plate, just a solid representation of hearty meat and potato type meals with a savoring twist of elegance and palette perfection that makes me smile. Plus, they have an annual poem contest we knew nothing about and I wrote up the days events in a verse of prose I think is at least a contender - I'll keep you posted and once they announce the results, will publish my romantic, yet deep and honest masterpiece!

Love and Light!

The Waybury Inn & The Pub

2010-02-04T17:27:00.006-05:00

Hello Vermont Vibers! I have been one bad blogger - I admit it! I need to write shorter and more frequent blog posts - especially since I have been doing a ton of Vermont Vibing lately! Dining in the winter is a special favorite.

A few weeks ago, The Mitch and I drove the 116 route to The Waybury Inn - this is because I am most recently obsessed with Bristol and want to buy a house there after this mysterious wedding I continue to not talk about! So, down to The Waybury Inn we went because our great pals the Birongs (also owners of 3 Squares Cafe in Vergennes) got married there last summer and were off to enjoy a little winter love reunion. As The Mitch and I are often looking for things to do outside of the Burlington bubble and Charlotte does not have a happening social scene (besides chillin' with Carrie and friends at Spear's Corner Store), we happily joined our friends for dinner at The Pub at The Waybury Inn.

We whisked in running late as we usually do (this is because I have transitional disorder and have not yet found a cure) and sat down to a lively dinner - both in conversation and taste. Leek soup, trout, quail, salmon, tapenade, seafood mountains - no wonder it's Hi Ho, Hi Ho, Off To Tae-Bo I Go. Publicity quote for the cuisine - The Pub at The Waybury Inn is located at a crossroads of many potential Vermont Vibes outings and I energetically suggest a casual meal that livens your taste buds and strengthens Vermont's position as the nationwide leader in the best localvore cuisine.

Using the cuisine setting on The Mitch's old digital camera, we enjoyed pretending to be food critics:

We got a quick tour of the Inn after dinner before heading into Middlebury for a little apres dinner and took this fantastic press shot of the Birongs loving their room. I personally thought the romantic CDs and CD player was a classic touch - be sure to include the new Sade CD!

I can't remember a time I had a more enjoyable evening with friends and dinner - The Mitch and I are really digging this double date dinner thing at nice Vermont restaurants and there are so many we haven't hit up yet! Tonight we are finally heading to the long awaited Tourterelle's in New Haven - the escargot has been wafting up Route 7 and into my Vermont PR office for months now. If anyone has a restaurant they want to try and are looking to Vibe a bit with us - let me know! Let's be inspired by social media and then act on it like real Vermonters and support this groovy state!

New Year's in Vermont

2010-01-19T17:11:00.005-05:00

Some folks like to spend New Year's in Vermont "getting away from it all." But what if you live in Vermont? The Mitch and I learned we could get away from it all just a few towns over at Bolton Valley Ski Resort. We got fed up with movies showing ski getaways that we always want to take and early in the fall made the decision to forget the rock concerts, parties, and hype-that-leads-to-letdowns of New Year's and get away from it all ourselves. We booked a room for two nights at Bolton Valley and as a PR person who often works with travel writers - here is my take:

Bolton Valley has made a lot of great improvements over the years. No one is immune to hearing about the years of management and financial turmoil they have gone through and I always rooted for the smaller mountain because I learned to ski there and always liked lots of different folks who have worked there. The hard work and Redstone collaboration seems to be working well for them. There is still strange communication issues between marketing/events and folks who work there - for instance not everyone being in the know of pass holder discounts and annoying housekeeping things like the shower water temperature controls. I guess to some out-of-state travel folks this would be a huge irritation, but to us Vermont folks happy to get away, it wasn't that big of a deal (but should be noted, that's why I mention them).

The procedures for picking up your pass have vastly improved and the mountain overall has gone through some needed enhancements. Seems like the windmill is more trouble than it's worth, but an A+ for being bold and trying!

The biggest improvement I saw was the food. I dined at Bailey's several years back and was actually rather horrified at the food - and that was before I considered myself and decent chef. I had the most critical eye going into dinner, but both The Mitch and I were very, very pleased - we had melt-in-your-mouth cuisine and very pleasant service, Bailey's was like a separate intimate experience far removed from the rest of the mountain activities and we both highly suggest it to others.

We were joined for New Year's Eve skiing by our good pals who celebrated into the New Year with us - check out the "eskimo costumes" us ladies wore! Then The Mitch and I relaxed New Year's Day followed by our delicious dinner and then another day of skiing.

I think we might have to go back next year - this Vermont ski resort thing is just the "get away from it all" I need.

Julie & Julia in the Snow

2010-01-06T17:24:00.008-05:00

Wow. I just watched that last night. I have been told by countless people that I needed to see that move - I LOVED IT! I knew I needed to see it and that fabulous The Mitch brought it home last night since we've had the Hannah Montana movie from Netflix sitting around the house WAY too long. He also made me homemade chicken pot pie which I am going to crave forever now.

Anyway, with a new year, I need to bring this blog back to its roots of Vermont Vibing which includes positive exploration and energy vibrations and also stay pertinent to the activities in my life which are living at the Charlotte Farmhouse and planning the MitchaRachia Wedding Extravaganza. I will keep my sometimes charged commentary to my PR Blog and steer away from complaining about personal relations which does take away from the positive nature of this blog. That said, I do ask everyone to keep in mind what a blog is - a public diary - and if there's something you want to discuss - by all means, leave a comment, drop me and email, or let's get together in person!

As for snow - how about it??? Yeah Vermont! Here's some photos I took during a snowshoe this Sunday at the Charlotte Farmhouse in the middle of the white blasts from the sky:

Vermont Music for Holiday Gifts

2009-12-14T14:15:00.006-05:00

One of the things I love most about Vermont during the holidays is how easy it is to buy gifts for people out of state - everyone loves the Vermont brand so you really can't go wrong with Vermont product gifts. Last year I wrote about some Vermont product gift ideas and this year I will again - only this year I ask you to think about Vermont music gifts!

Support a Vermont artist and buy some CDs for folks you love - plus CDs are wonderful gifts that fit in that difficult "under $20 mark."

Gordon Stone - who cannot know of Gordon Stone now that his fab tunes are on satellite radio!? The newest CD - Night Shade - is an uncanny rhythm bound exploration of Gordon's pedal steel and banjo second skins folding in the shadows with the lurid sounds of a variety of other musicians to create the well entitled - Night Shade. A much different sound of Gordon Stone than while picking blueberries in the summer twilight and a very welcome sound to hear on the stereo while eating holiday leftovers and contemplating returning other gifts. www.gordonstone.com

Cody Michaels - Vermont's best solo piano artist who combines raw, earthen beauty with glorious piano chords and progressions. The newest CD, Winter Suite, is full of threshold moments like finding the gem of unfinished business with others. While listening to a live performance of Winter Suite with my eyes closed, I envisioned swirling around in a blaze of colors capped with white, filled with awe, and exhaling sharp breath and compassion for life. I even created the new design for my garden next summer. While the CD does skip the lovely musings between songs found at live performances, it is the best companion music I can think of for nature visions on a cold afternoon inside. www.codymichaels.com

Myra Flynn - Joni Mitchell and Carly Simon meet
Alicia Keys and Erykah Baduh - in Vermont. Pick up Vermont's vocal siren's debut CD - Crooked Measures and enjoy the soulful, mature, and creative sound Myra seduces audiences with. She performs extensively around Vermont and catching a live performance would be in your best interest and a CD in a friend or relative's hands would be in theirs.
www.myraflynn.com

If you're looking for a bit of a Vermont Vibe adventures to go along with your music shopping, visit Vermont's Classical Music Haven, Brandon Music in the former Warren Kimble Gallery in Brandon, VT for a cup of tea and an eclectic mix of classical music CDs from the Divine Art Recordings Group.

Peace, Love, & Light Throughout the Season...

2 BIG NEWS FLASHES!!!

2009-12-04T17:19:00.005-05:00

I MUST be quick because The Mitch and I are supposed to be leaving to have a weekend of dinner with friends (I did post a while back that's what I really wanted to spend my time doing and now that The Mitch and I have manifested it, I am being bad and blogging!)

So.......in case you all didn't know, The Mitch and I are getting married! Of course we got engaged on September 3, 2008 - not this fall, but last - oh how time flies. So we are WELL on the way of planning our wedding - in fact, we are so planned the wedding might as well be this July. That's how I roll. But, instead, the wedding is in July 2011 so I can spend a year and a half telling you about all of the awesome components to our localvore wedding while the stressful planning parts have already been completed.

To start, the wedding is at The Sleepy Hollow Ski & Bike Center in Huntington - just a town and a half away from us located deep in a mountain hollow on a couple of well-trodden dirt roads. Check out their wedding gallery to get a glimpse.

Next piece of Big News is that my beloved band moe. - whom I sometimes can squeeze in commentary about even though they are not a Vermont band, are playing the most fantastic ski festival this March in Rutland, Vermont and Killington - Snoe.down. Stay tuned to the Vermont Vibes Blog for some groovy insider scoop to Rutland and Killington and if you've ever wanted to experience the rock star life I love so much - in a Vermont atmosphere of skiing and riding - this is your big chance!!! Check out all the details at www.moe.org/snoedown and by golly, buy tickets and book a room!

A Blessing of Thanks

2009-11-23T19:02:00.005-05:00

Without wordy prose from this chatty Vermont PR gal, I give thanks and offer gratitude to:

Truth
Honesty
Paying It Forward
Ex-Boyfriends
Being in My 30's
Fee for His Loyal Devotion
Tela for Her Sneaky Love
Bonham for His Engagement of Tela and Fee
People From the Past Re-Emerging
Scarves
My Daily Walks
My Bridal Mamas
The Mitch for Wanting Me to Be Me and for Being The Mitch
Unfinished Business From Past Lives
Kindred Spirits
Energy Vibrations

Peaceful and Thoughtful Holidays to All..Love and Light

Vermont Vibes Event Invite

2009-11-15T18:46:00.002-05:00

Hey blog readers! This coming Saturday, November 21st, The Mitch and I are going to head down to Vergennes for a Vermont Vibes Night Out. We'll start with dinner at 3 Squares Cafe between 5:30 and 6:00 pm. Chef owner Matt Birong serves up some tasty and hearty meals with a perfect atmosphere for chillin' and chattin' while watching the lights along the main street in Vermont's oldest city twinkle in the long November evenings.

Then we're heading over to the Vergennes Opera House for a concert by Cody Michaels - the creative pianist who tunes up the gentlest of Vermont Vibes theme music. We went to see Cody last year and were blessed by one of the most peaceful evenings we have ever experienced and have been enjoying the CD we bought ever since. We're going to stock up on CDs Saturday so we can have some great Vermont music gifts for folks as well as have a wider variety to listen to ourselves.

For further exploration into our experience last year, you can read a review I wrote in the retired Vermont Music Blog here.

If there are any blog readers who are interested in a Vermont Vibes outing - please join us! The concert is at 7:30 pm and tickets are $12 and can be purchased at the door by cash or check. Bring extra to buy a CD! And if interested in dinner prior, head over to 3 Squares Cafe between 5:30 and 6:00 pm and you'll see us!

Those Pesky Vibe Depletions

2009-11-06T15:01:00.002-05:00

I have them right now. My recent Facebook comment that I think it's amazing how differently people treat you based on whether someone speaks on your behalf in a negative or positive manner. I believe in positive, unfortunately jealousy tarnishes that ability in too many people. Sad. says it in a nutshell.

Friend drama sucks. Sometimes I wonder why I go out of my way to introduce people, and make sure I include people because that is one area that does not come back around to me in the circle of friends. It most certainly does in my business and I have to say, I love my work and I love the people I work with - clients, vendors, collaborators.

But I am sad and hurt. People shouldn't believe everything they hear and people shouldn't assume just because someone has a strong personality that they are automatically at fault. The people who cause drama among friends are the ones who you would least suspect. Does anyone else notice this or am I just losing it?

I think a lot of this is why I went into PR in the first place. Working with clients to tell what really is positive is a skill I love being able to share. Being upfront and honest is a quality I respect in others above all else and while that quality may be threatening to those who are not that way, I feel it is one of my strongest attributes. Guess I answered my own quandary - those who feel threatened create drama. If they were just honest with themselves and others they probably wouldn't feel threatened.

Peace.

Between the Sunflowers

2009-10-27T15:44:00.003-04:00

It is not often I take an entire day to do nothing. But one late summer day, I did just that and I actually wrote a poem - a very rare occasion indeed. Before the snow comes, I thought I would share this one last glimpse into the summer we barely had. To help paint a picture, below the poem are some pictures of my first ever sunflower garden in my first ever stone walled garden...

Not planning to sit in the grass
Playing with horses across the field
As they play with the heron
Between bites of apples
I gather for them between observations

Between reality and dreams
A lazy September day in the sun
With plump cats supplying never ending greetings of peace
Purrs and bees - a song of harmony on the farm

Possibly woodpeckers flit
Between tree trunks and sunflowers
Cats disturb peace with mouse captures
Miniature frogs and baby snakes escape
I pull sage from the garden
And place it in last night's smoldering fire
All stands still for the aromas floating between sunflowers.

Rainbows, Farmhouses & Apples Oh Wow!

2009-10-21T13:38:00.007-04:00

Last week was a glorious week of Vermont Vibing. On my way home from getting a roof rack on the new Vibe (where I passed by my old Vibe sitting sadly in the lot), I followed a rainbow home. I think a lot of Vermonters followed that rainbow and I was warmed by the other kindred spirits out there pulling over and taking pictures as I did. I had to scoff at those who wanted to be annoyed - where are your blood pressures at? Check out my route home following the rainbow!

Interesting how a few days before, The Mitch and I had a fire and I proceeded to sing both "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and "The Rainbow Connection" and we listened in love as they reverberated across the farmlands we live amidst.

This weekend The Mitch and I were Vermont homesteaders with an unstoppable force. We cleared out the gardens, finished that all important "fall weeding," added compost and mulch, and turned our compost for use next spring. Then we came inside and washed all windows, finished some basement insulating, and weather proofed the outside of our crazy windows. Now I just have to do some patchwork inside from last year's weather proofing. This was only Saturday...

On Sunday my most excellent friend Tay came over and we held our long tradition-ed "apple day!" We Vibed over to Boyer's Orchard & Cider Mill and bought already picked apples. Apple Day is a baking day and we have long learned our lesson that if we try to pick apples, we are baking until midnight. Here I am at Boyer's after we bought our apples as well as some cheese, onions, tomatoes, and potatoes - we can't help ourselves! Notice my groovy hat and hand warmers I am sporting which I purchased Saturday morning at the CVU Craft Fair (to benefit Access CVU) before I even began my house projects - serious motivation!

Tay and I then headed back to the Charlotte Farmhouse and rolled dough, peeled and cored apples, and baked and baked and baked. I must say the organizational skills of my crazy Vermont public relations business are definitely seeping into my cooking and baking alter-ego. I spent Sunday morning getting everything ready for when Tay arrived and even managed to make some local beef handmade meatballs for The Mitch and I for dinner while all the apple crapple was baking. This type of insanity keeps peeps like me sane! And check out the glorious results!!!!

My Pontiac Love Affair

2009-10-12T20:17:00.005-04:00

I am still wallowing. The new Vibe is cute, faster, easier to drive, and the XM is the bomb!

But...I miss the style of the old Vibe.

So, in an effort to say goodbye, I will reminisce on all of my previous Pontiacs...

First, there was the 1988 Pontiac Bonneville. I drove this beast in high school and on and off during times in college when I needed a car (as determined by my parents). This car probably has the most stories of fun so I'll list a few faves:
~ It only had and AM/FM radio so I bought a funny little tape player and tons of batteries and had it sit on the bucket seat in the front with me and I blasted The Indigo Girls, Tori Amos, and The Cranberries.
~ One day a crew of gals drove around in "Big Black" as we called it with Barbie Dolls stuck in the windows, flapping in the wind.
~ Another time a group of probably the same gals dressed in all black and played Spy Girl at the homes of cute boys we knew - we left Big Black idling for a quick escape.
~ My parents were very clear that is was THEIR car and I had to earn the privilege to drive it over and over and over. So, when I got pulled over for expired registration when I was 17, I told the police officer it was my father's car and the ticket needed to be made out to him.
~ Pictured here was a sweetheart the year between high school and college just before we embarked on my first Vermont weekend getaway without parents.

Then there was the 1993 Pontiac Bonneville (I LOVED the sedans). This one I bought from my dad for an undisclosed low budget amount after I convinced him I could not move to Nashville, TN after graduating from college and hope to find a job if I was all sweaty before each interview because the '88 Bonneville didn't have air conditioning. I think my mother also told him she would not have me driving from Massachusetts to Tennessee in a 1988 car in 1998. Whatever the reason, I got the '93 and cruised off to Nashville. The car made the trip back North two times - the second being when I moved to Vermont. It also had the most drastic transmission issues ever. I got the transition fixed by a horrific transition chain (hey - I was 22 - still a baby) for which I had to take out a loan. The transmission casing fell off one week later and the chain said my warranty wouldn't cover it - one week later! Nothing like getting played like a chick! So, I asked the women at work who seemed to be the types whose husbands worked on cars what I should do and was told to get the transmission casing welded in place. I found a welder and for a couple hundred bucks got the casing welded in place, knowing that when the transmission went again, the '93 Bonneville was done. It worked - made it to Vermont the next summer and the car lasted a whole year later...

In September 2001 I was heading out for a singing gig (back when I was in a real band) and the transmission wouldn't start. I had a breakdown and was furious that none of the boys watching me across the street offered me a ride as I stood there all decked out with a mike stand in hand. So I clippity clopped my way to the cab building in Burlington's North End - and now I was all sweaty. The next day I got a ride to Shearer Pontiac in South Burlington as they were the closest Pontiac dealership and I knew nothing else about cars. My 25 year old self couldn't exactly afford a Bonneville, but I could afford to lease a 2003 Grand Am. It was red (ick) and had manual windows (sigh), but within three hours I had myself a new car and haven't had an issue ever since. The lease was great because I didn't have to deal with welders and the miles worked because I had a short commute.

But I really didn't like the Grand Am - not my style at all. So I waited patiently and when they introduced the Vibe in that timeframe I became obsessed and when I had the option to end the Grand Am lease a bit early for good behavior, I jumped and Shearer really worked the numbers with me to be able to afford the Vibe for which I am very grateful. And I vibed, and vibed, and vibed (noting the "vibing" outings started in reality living on the backroads growing up and "bushwhacking" in the car looking for land with my parents to build a house on). And before I knew it, this lease was up and the 2006 Vibe which made me famous is now the 2010 Vibe - last line of Vibes, last car on the lot, last make of Pontiac made. What will the future hold???

PS - If you are interested, the famous 2006 Vibe might still be for sale at Shearer!

Breaking News!!!

2009-10-01T22:52:00.004-04:00

In a quick, last minute, crazy development, I have sold the famous Vermont Vibe which has made the Vermont Vibes Blog famous across the country! I can't believe it! I even shed tears - I mean it! My lease was drawing to a close and I had the option to buy my beloved Vibe which is what I have been planning since I started Vibing in it in 2006. But my favorite car dudes at Shearer in South Burlington offered me a deal I couldn't ignore to purchase the very last Pontiac Vibe on the lot and one of the very last Vibes that will ever be made!

With the country in economic drama (anyone else who is my age Gen-Xer will say, "So what? We've been in recession since we graduated from college!"), anyway, the drama caused Pontiac to shut it down and make their last line of cars in 2009. But because the Vibe is so awesome they made a limited number of Vibes only in 2010. And financially speaking, with long term planning realities, the decision to buy a new 2010 Vibe as opposed to the 2006, well, it'll be wiser in the long run. I am sad about my passed along Vibe and I will have to get used to a new look and feel without any preparation to do so (and if you know me, you know I plan, and plan, and plan). But.....when I look at the fact that I have purchased my first brand new car EVER ~ AND ~ I have one of the last Vibes made EVER, I feel pretty groovy knowing I will be able to continue Vermont Vibes for a long time to come...

But beware, the new Vibe is black, sleeker, quieter, and all around sneakier - meaning just when fame was about to catch up, I am now back in incognito mode, Vibing around with the Mitchezzzz - on your guard Vermont....heeheehee.

To Spa or Not to Spa

2009-09-28T13:30:00.008-04:00

That is NOT even a question!

Vermont Vibes Spa Disclaimer: Please understand that a pure, "spa experience" that reflects the photos you see which describe a spa experience cost money! The facilities cost money, the wide array of treatments and their trained practitioners cost money, and to be able to operate them at resorts for day spa packages without the guarantee of hotel accommodations cost money as well! I will put it in terms Vermont Vibers can relate too - if you buy the cheap hiking boots or the cheap air mattress, they break and pop before you even have the chance to break them in. Cheap spa packages completely destroy the whole concept of a spa experience. Plus, if everyone had a spa day whenever they wanted, the experience would be dumb. Too many people, loud people, not enough cucumbers, and an annoying experience. That is counterproductive to the whole purpose of a spa experience.

With that said, I highly suggest all Vermont Vibers take the splurge and have a spa day! Save a couple hundred bucks per person and treat yourself to a day living on the other side of your daily routine. You will love it and then will be committed to budgeting for it so a spa experience becomes a cost item, not a complaint.

The Mitch and I did it!!! The weekend before The Mitch started both work and grad school we took to getting pampered. Every week is like the start of some new chaos for me, so the timing made no difference for my spa-ness. We booked our spa day at Stoweflake a few weeks prior so we wouldn't have to deal with any stress of not being able to have the treatment we wanted on the day we wanted.

Friday night we each did one of our favorite foot spas while watching Netflix (we give Netflix 100 stars - LOVE IT!). This way we classified our feet for being able to step foot into a Vermont spa and it got us in the mood. Saturday we took a hike, did garden work, and spent quality time out in the Vermont outdoors. Saturday night we listened to the spa channel on internet radio, made a very healthy dinner, and went to bed early so we could fully embrace our spa experience. Sunday morning we woke early, took a power walk, and had a healthy breakfast. These simple choices of making our weekend focused on our health and well being cost us no money to this point and we already felt wonderful and relaxed. We were ready to take it up a level and really indulge...

Off to Stowe - we arrived at Stoweflake several hours before our treatments so we could enjoy the facilities. We both enjoyed the lavish changing rooms and I rocked the cucumbers! We each spent quiet time by ourselves before meeting in the coed spa room. In addition to cucumbers, I enjoyed spending time in the hot tub, steam room, and my personal long time favorite - the sauna. There was no one in there and I had the whole facility to myself which was absolutely fantastic. The Mitch got a little lost in the men's area, but managed to find his way to the coed area where we both enjoyed the waterfall pool and then languished in the mineral bath. We both rested and neglected our reading on the lounge chairs and taking photos until it was time for our treatments...

The Mitch had the Men's Eucalyptus Wrap and I opted for the Reiki. Both treatments were amazing an while I know I should explore other treatments in the future, I really love reiki. The Mitch is a little more adventuresome than me - maybe he needs the Mountain Man Massage. Following our treatments, we both spent more time in the changing rooms for more hot tubbing, steam rooming and of course the sauna! I then fully enjoyed the women's shower facilities (The Mitch said he enjoyed the men's as well) and we met back in the lobby to head off for a spa dinner. After a cleansing weekend like that, the only food I can imagine eating is sushi, so we went to the Hani Hibachi Japanese Steak House in Stowe (The Mitch gets the steak - he is anti-sushi - sigh). Perfect ending to our spa weekend.

Spa Suggestions:

There are multiple levels of spa experiences in Vermont, but my suggestions for a true "spa" indulgence include:

The Spa at Stoweflake - With a side entrance solely to the spa and all of the facilities, Stoweflake is divine for a full day of spa and their treatment selections are fun to choose from and include fascinating options such as sound therapy.

Topnotch Resort & Spa - Located on it's own island of sorts deep in the mountains of Stowe, I would have to say an overnight experience would definitely enhance a spa day if for nothing else but to see the sun both set and rise in this glorious mountain notch.

The Spa at Equinox - While the treatment lists are not as extensive and diverse as those in Stowe, the Equinox completes the gentile Vermont image of a sprawling estate with the spa in its own building and is certainly the day spa outing option for those in Southern Vermont.

Spa at The Essex - Moving its way into Vermont's premier spa options with an amazing marketing force, The Essex offers some intriguing spa options with a unique culinary twist. I haven't checked out The Essex beyond large events, but it's definitely offering some performances on Vermont's spa channel.

Stepping Stone Spa & Wellness Center - I'm always intrigued by the Northeast Kingdom's twists on the rest of Vermont's intriguing experiences. And the spa department does not disappoint. I've come across the Stepping Stone Spa & Wellness Center and thought I would share. While I haven't been there in person, it does seem to offer the unique spa experience that is in line with the magical Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.

In closure, while the Vermont Vibes Blog is dedicated to backroad experiences in Vermont (including those at the Charlotte Farmhouse), sometimes a pampering is necessary to your well being no matter where you live and it's always an eye opener to see what the folks I pass in the Vibe spend their money on!

Love and Light!

The Vibe Makers Recognize Vermont Vibes!

2009-09-16T14:27:00.004-04:00

Many of you may know by now that Pontiac Performance Magazine featured the Vermont Vibes blog in their quarterly magazine this summer with fantastic photos taken by Andy Duback out at the Charlotte Farmhouse. Recently several area media outlets have shared this news with their readers - thanks to The Charlotte Citizen, The Charlotte News, The Addison Eagle, and the Burlington Free Press. This is all so much appreciated - thank you.

Now for the insider scoop - the best part of the whole adventure was how The Mitch worked very, very hard at detailing the Vibe because I was way too busy being Miss PR do take care of beautifying my Pontiac Vibe (note - this blog was ENTIRELY my idea and it took quite some time to get Pontiac to notice, so don't anyone think I'm getting anything out of it except for being me). Anyway, The Mitch did a fantastic job cleaning the Vibe and when Andy Duback showed up for the Vibe photo shoot, it was sparkling - just like Pontiac requested...

Then we had the photo shoot - car close up, car far away, holding computer, sitting with picnic basket, reading atlas, gazing across the Vermont landscape. As I am more goofy looking than photogenic, the picture taking process involving me was definitely secondary to having The Mitch be the photo assistant. The Mitch ran inside to grab props, adjusted the wind in my hair, and best of all got skilled in using the big gold light deflector - that was an absolute hoot!

But the kicker was after we finished at location A, we needed to move the Vibe to Location B. While I was floating in Vibe/The Mitch/Photography/PR heaven, I carelessly drove across the farm and got majorly stuck in the mud. Oops. Then I got really stuck, tore up the lawn, and worst of all, made a complete muddy mess of the Vibe! The Mitch had to go running around gathering towels while I tried to make sure Andy wasn't mad at the botched shoot. We wiped the car off a bit, but then collectively decided it was much more real for the Vibe to be covered in mud since we live in Vermont and the article is about Vermont Vibes after all! Plus, I don't really drive around with a computer! Seriously! I drive around with a Vermont atlas!

In Honor of The Mitchezzz

2009-09-03T13:42:00.004-04:00

I love getting emails from folks who read the blog commenting on how they feel like they know The Mitchezzz! Thank you (and The Mitch thanks you too!)!

So, in honor of my beloved and in tribute to our engagement as today is our one year anniversary of getting engaged, I would like to share a story...

The Mitch is a teacher at an elementary school. At teacher in-service prior to the start of the new school year, The Mitch was hanging out with all the ladies and they were discussing their husbands and baseball and one gal asked,

"Mitch, are you a baseball fan?"

The Mitch responded with...

"I have been known to attend a game or two, but I am really much more a fan of rock-n-roll."

This is why I love The Mitchezzz! Rock on everyone, I am heading to moe.down where The Mitch and I will be on fire with our inflatable guitars!

The Long Awaited Emerald Lake State Park Post!

2009-08-28T12:12:00.014-04:00

This is how summer in Vermont for folks like myself and The Mitch rolls:

We love Vermont. We love Vibing in Vermont. We love the seasons of Vermont. But, this summer had the stupidest weather I have ever seen and every single vacation we planned was afflicted by it. By this point in the summer, I am over it and in fact today am wearing a snowflake shirt. In the middle of the summer I was bitter and mad and had a few temper tantrums over the fact that the weather rained on my parade every single time I planned for something outside. But at the beginning of the summer (even though the rain had already been ridiculously intense), I was optimistic and cheerful that I can have fun in any situation....

The Mitch and I aim to take a vacation to a Vermont lake every summer of our lives. One day that will involve renting a cottage for a week or two, but until the perpetual recession Gen Xers like us live in ends, it involves camping for a few days. This year we did decide to make it an actual vacation and planned for a five day camping trip to Emerald Lake State Park down in Southern Vermont near Manchester over the Fourth of July holiday. We chose Emerald Lake so we could enjoy the beach, swimming, canoeing, fishing, and some sunbathing! We also chose Emerald Lake so we could attend the Vermont Symphony Orchestra performance at The Hildene.

We arrived with the large canoe on the small Vibe and got prepped for camping...

We set up our fantastic camp and prepared for the nasty weather we were in for...

We made yummy food (camp tacos are the best!) and made good use of the park's picnic areas...

While the wet weather canceled out plans for swimming and sunbathing, we managed to canoe and fish quite a bit. Canoeing and fishing for The Mitch and I involves The Mitch fishing and me paddling him around while conducting photo shoots...

We also missed out on The Hildene and had to see the VSO inside without our heady spread, wine, and cheese. But, the music was lovely and we had a fine time staying dry afterward at The Perfect Wife and grooving to the tunes of The Battenkills. They even forced us to stay longer by playing a few Phish tunes as we were leaving causing us to buy another round and chill a bit longer. Thanks fellas!

By the time the Fourth of July came around, we had been camping in the rain for four days. I had had it. The Girl Scout in me tore free and I used all skills I could remember to make the most intense fire ever. Then the hippie in me put on Jimi Hendrix's Star Spangled Banner from Woodstock in the Ipod cooler and as the final notes climaxed to the famous finish, I dumped all of our sparklers in the fire and cursed the rain and celebrated my freedom to be me. The Mitch claims he fell in love with me all over again at that moment. Hmmm...

Regardless of the rain, my affinity for Vermont State Parks grows and I'd also like to give a shout out to Rochelle Skinner, the Sales & Service Manager for the Vermont State Parks who was just named the Vermont Hospitality Council's Allied Member of the Year!!! Congratulations Rochelle - you have earned it!!! Offer your kudos by becoming a Fan of Vermont State Parks on Facebook!

Don't Let the VT Mozart Festival End!

2009-08-21T15:32:00.003-04:00

I have been meaning to submit a post of the lovely evening The Mitch and I spent at Shelburne Farms several weeks past for the Vermont Mozart Festival. But before I was able to post our fantastic experience, news came out of the major struggles the festival is having especially due to the stupid rain and how many shows have had to go inside and the revenue loss that accounts for. I know firsthand - I have been to my share of concerts, Mozart festival ones included, where the rain has forced concertgoers inside and I have to admit, if I didn't have a ticket, I probably wouldn't go either. It simply cannot compare. But if we want these magical musical experiences to continue, we must continue to support whether by donation or pre-ticket sales.

For more information please visit both the Vermont Mozart Festival's website at www.vtmozart.com and also check out the recent Vermont Edition on VPR where host Jane Lindholm chats with Mozart Festival executive director Tim Riddle about these issues - they even have a podcast!

As for our experience? Check out our pics! We vibed off and got to Shelburne Farms in plenty of time to see the dressage (missed it last year due to rain of course) and set up our color coordinated spread! The music was beautiful as usual, although the long wait in was more than questionable. I was also rather horrified by the talking and so many folks leaving early - probably due to the long wait in. Come on people who go the the festivals! These are my most favorite, classy, distinguished, and beautiful events and I know many others feel the same way - don't be so selfish! Save that for a country concert at the fairgrounds - not classical music in Vermont's outdoors - especially when there is so precious little of it this summer! But when we shut our eyes and leaned back in our chairs, we were taken away to that place the Vermont Mozart Festival brings us - I guess it's the same indoors, except you can't smell the trees.

Fear not Vermont Symphony Orchestra! I know you are having similar issues, and next week I will finally post of my adventures earlier in the summer that centered around you and the rain!

Foot Spas with The Mitch

2009-08-11T17:20:00.003-04:00

Two Days Ago While Preparing to Vibe off on Mini-Phish Tour (MitchaRachia Tour this time, not the Tour Ladies)...

Rachel: Mitch! Let's do a foot spa and get our feet ready for all the dancing we'll get to do on Phish Tour.

The Mitch: Don't call it that. Last time you got made fun of by all the dumb dudes on Phantasy Tour for calling four shows a tour.

Rachel: Whatever. That's only because they can't count. Mi-atch...FOOT SPA!!!!

The Mitch: Fine. Only if we can use our heady herbs from the garden and if we can listen to Phish while we spa.

Rachel: Ok, here are the 18 products you have to use on your feet and here is the order you have to use them. Oh, and these ones have lavender and rosemary from the garden.

The Mitch: But I want my hands and feet to be mangos!!!!!!

Rachel: Like, stop being so cliche! Gawd.

The Mitch: But I have to jive and strive to stay alive with all the chores you give me!

Rachel: You act like you're CinderMitchie!

The Mitch: Watch it or you and your garden can be like a plow in the field while this lawn boy heads into town.

Rachel: Anyway....after soaking in deep, heady, lavender water, scrub with non-heady Avon sloughing cream and spray some foot spritz. Now lather up with this warming cream and I'll paint my toes for tour.

The Mitch: HELP!!!!!!!!!!!

At this point The Mitch zones out to Phish tunes while Rachel prepares her feet for tour and makes lists of things to bring.

Now, two days later, they are printing maps, still finalizing campsites, stressing about finances, packing outfits, trolling Phantasy Tour, and getting stoked. But, most importantly - their feet are ready to rock-n-roll!

Photo courtesy of Andy Duback Photography.

Cooking from your Garden

2009-08-06T12:34:00.005-04:00

I just looked at all of the pictures I have taken over the past month and there are so many good ones, I feel my words don't do justice! So here are some of my most recent gardening adventures and then cooking from the garden with ingredients I grow and those from the farmer's market. I follow no recipe - just cook and experiment and taste. mmmmmmmmmmmmm.............

Here are some of the garden...

And the veggies...

And the meals!!!

The Mitch's Fishing Tips

2009-07-31T11:00:00.004-04:00

Hey all! As I wake up on yet another rainy summer day, I am reminded once again that I have not been able to enjoy one of my favorite things in life as much as I want to......fishing! And, I have the day off and Rachel is too busy being busy to notice I am busy writing on her blog. I have had a couple of chances to go this season and have had some great outings. Most of my fishing has taken place this spring and early summer as the clear sky and cool temps allowed for some amazing small mouth and trout fishing. I don't know how many of you out there are into fishing, but I thought I would share some helpful ideas and tips that might improve your wet late summer fishing! Here are some of the things that help me have a fun and peaceful experience.........

1. We live in Vermont. Lots of great places to go. Open your atlas and search for an interesting river system that feeds into a pond or lake. These types of places are great for small mouth bass fishing and allow for a day full of bushwhacking and adventure. This may not be the ideal situation for those who are looking to hang out on the shore with a beverage and play the waiting game for their fishies!!

2. For those who are interested in relaxing while fishing, I highly suggest looking into hanging out at a State Park which has beach and trail access. This will allow for a relaxing time with the fam or yourself while you kick back and just see what happens. This is the perfect time to use live bait (night crawlers, shiners, and various types of grubs).

3. If walking or sitting is not your bag, try canoe or kayak fishing. This is the best way to access key areas on a lake or pond and will give you the best chance at finding some tasty dinner! Look for over hanging trees, rocks, logs, or any type of cover near the shore line. Our friends with gills love to camp out under or next to these types of cover.

4. No matter where you go, always bring a selection of gear. Try to bring a variety of tackle, proper clothing (depending on location), food and water, sunscreen, bug spray, a container to keep fish in if you are keeping your catch (be sure to keep them cold), if you are not keeping them but want to have evidence of the "big one" bring a camera. REMINDER - If you are taking your catch, please be sure to examine the health and size of your catch. If it seems small, put it back and let it grow, we do have a responsibility to keep the population growing!!

5. A very important thing to remember is when using live bait, especially shiners or minnows, is to NEVER ok to dump left over bait into Vermont's water systems. These bait fish are not native species and have the potential to invade ecosystems and disrupt natural fish populations and feeding habits. PLEASE TAKE THIS TIP SERIOUSLY!!!!!

6. Last of all, no matter where you go, or who you go with, have fun! I have to admit I get a little frustrated when I am out all day and nothing happens, but I have to remember what I am doing......fishing! We live in one the greatest places in the country for outdoor and natural recreation, so even if it is a tough day, just be thankful that we are blessed with such bountiful opportunities!! I hope everyone has the best of late summer experiences! Peace, The Mitch!

PS - Best Tip for Having Someone Paddle You Around - make it seem like a romantic canoe trip and get your honey to chauffeur you around the lake - heeheeheeheehee.

Oh, and click HERE to get your fishing license online!

The Garden in the Rain

2009-07-18T08:14:00.007-04:00

The rain has got my vibes down too. At times I feel grumpy and irritable as if it were March! But, instead of lamenting over the state of the weather, I thought it was high time to share a bunch of Charlotte Farmhouse pictures! Of course, many are from earlier in the summer, but always worth sharing! The Mitch and I realized the hard work of last year's gardening season has definitely paid off this year. And after our initial mini-catastrophe with the clay/dirt, we added some great topsoil, fish emulsion, and landscaped some flower beds. It really looks fabulous! We're in for some weeding, cutting back overgrowth, and weed whacking tomorrow and then I'll get some more pictures up.

The veggies are doing well despite the rain. The tomatoes are slow and some are cracking, but our soil is rich, well drained, and in a 100% south facing field, so that has saved them. The peppers are slow, but we've had some. The cucumber, zucchini, and melon plants have been loving this rain and the plants are huge. They are all flowering and fruit is starting to appear. The celery is the champ!!! I hear it is hard to grow and failed at it a few years ago, but it looks spectacular! And the herbs, peas, leeks, onions, garlic, and lettuce have been plentiful. The peas have made for some great stir-fry's. The broccoli bolted due to the weather, but we still got some and I am cutting those back tomorrow - even though I know the bees love the flowers - I've left them up for a while and they'll come back! Oh, and I better thin those carrots!

Here are some Charlotte Farmhouse pics, garden pics, and some of bringing the outdoors in and indoors out...

Music in July

2009-07-09T11:03:00.006-04:00

So much is going on this July with music I guess it's as good an attempt as any to make up for the horrific weather! While I usually try to write about my Vibe adventures, I fear I will not get a chance to write about all of these and since I no longer write the Vermont Music Blog, I want to share some of my musical adventures coming up this month!

Without further ado...

Ween! I actually have never seen Ween. Most of my friends are in love with them and well, when you love music as much as I do and are NOT a trust fund kid (as some idiotic Phish boys insisted I was after reading my Phish blog - they also thought I was 18 - bwah!), you have to pick and choose what music you spend money on and Ween just never got in the shopping cart. Once I found out they are playing at the Burlington Waterfront as part of the multi-faceted Lake Champlain Quadracentenial Celebration, The Mitch and I made the decision that we did indeed need to attend. I have enjoyed the music of Ween in numerous social situations when friends have been playing it, am told by many of these same friends they cannot believe I am not a huge Ween fan, and after receiving a Ween coloring book that was even too strange for my taste, knew I could put off this musical experience no longer. So a group of us are going to camp at North Beach for the weekend and celebrate 400 years of Lake Champlain being called Lake Champlain. Maybe we'll see Champ!
Ween, Burlington Waterfront, Saturday, July 11th

Vermont Mozart Festival! The following weekend The Mitch and I will be heading to Shelburne Farms for the opening night of the Vermont Mozart Festival. Last year it was canceled and was held at the Champlain Valley Expo Center which was irritating because half of what you pay for (in my opinion) is the outside experience, but at least we could bring in our picnics and wine. This year I am crossing my fingers that it will be outside because our Vermont Symphony Orchestra experience last week was already brought indoors and for that picnics and wine were not allowed. Anyway, regardless the music is lovely and we purchased tickets some time ago and are sending out Vermont Vibes for the sun and a lovely evening of classical music.
Vermont Mozart Festival Opening Night, Shelburne Farms, Sunday, July 19th

Speaking of classical music, the North American headquarters of the British classical music record company, the Divine Art Recordings Group, has officially opened their English Tea Room - Harmony and is in the process of setting up a variety of classical music events at their United States headquarters in Brandon, Vermont! Easily named Brandon Music - Vermont's Classical Music Haven is in the former Warren Kimble Gallery and is home to a very diverse CD store selling music from a collection of labels under the Divine Art umbrella. Quite a lot going on and in the works - check it out by visiting when in Brandon and check out the brand new website at www.brandonmusicvt.com!

And finally, the weekend of July 24th, before The Mitch and I head out of state to rock out with moe., I'll be paying my respects to Michael Jackson at the One Glove Michael Jackson Tribute being held at Higher Ground. Hosted by Vermont's most innovative news outlet, Seven Days, the One Glove event is presented by Woodchuck Draft Cider - the country's most widely distributed hard cider which is made in Vermont and is naturally gluten free! Higher Ground will officially be switching to Woodchuck Draft Cider as their hard cider choice that evening and I can't wait to check out the karaoke competition and dance away while Top Hat Entertainment plays hopefully every Michael Jackson tune I can think of.
One Glove: A Michael Jackson Tribute, Higher Ground, Friday, July 24th

And look - it's sunny out!!!

Kettle Pond for another kinda Fishin'

2009-06-30T15:39:00.010-04:00

Catching fish fishing! The Mitch and I scooped up our dear friends over Memorial Day weekend for a four day camping trip in the Groton State Forest. We had planned to perhaps visit some of the other state parks while camping in the forest, but were so keen on our glorious spot and so full of the fish we kept eating that we pretty much stayed put in the one remote tent site at Kettle Pond State Park.

I skipped my yearly expedition to the Groton State Forest last year and was so happy to be returning to this magical crevice of the Earth. With two canoes and the infamous party barge, we paddled across Kettle Pond to our remote site where our closest neighbors were the Loon Family. Equipped with enough stuff for a week, we spent most of the first afternoon setting up camp where I continued to amaze everyone with the copious amounts of camp stuff I consume. I admit, I am addicted to material things. I love toys and camp toys are some of my favorites. Hey, at least I use them all! We had a kitchen, great room, bedrooms, and a library. Oh, and a boat garage - how could I forget?

The fishing began right away and continued throughout the weekend. One day the gals walked the lake while the fellas canoed the lake bringing us back several delicious appetizers. I learned you should always bring a ton of lemons when you camp! Not only are they excellent for flavoring your fish, but they do the best job at cleaning fish off your hands afterward. Check out all this fish activity!!!

We definitely braced some high winds trying to get back across the lake the day we actually left to check out the Groton Forest Store. The Mitch and I really had to work together as a team and definitely mastered some great teamwork canoeing skills - it's good to get scared in nature - makes you feel alive! Our friends also got lost in nature searching for the patch of old growth trees they was yearning to experience somewhere west of Kettle Pond. They did indeed find them and the smiles and energy they exuded was a treat in itself!

The natural landscape in the Groton State Forest and especially around the backside of Kettle Pond is intensely alive, lush, and mystical...it made me think of this lovely passage written by John Muir, Founder of the Sierra Club:

"Gain health from lusty, heroic exercise, from free, firm-nerved adventures without anxiety in them, with rhythmic leg motion in runs over boulders requiring quick decision for every step. Fording streams, tingling with fresh brushes as we slide down white slopes thatched with close snow-pressed chaparral, half swimming or flying or slipping - all these make good counterirritants. Then enjoy the utter peace and solemnity of the trees and stars. Find many a plant and bird living sequestered in hollows and dells - little chambers in the hills. Feel a mysterious presence in a thousand coy hiding things. Go free as the wind, living as true to Nature as those gray and buff people of the sequoias and the pines."

From the fairy hideouts along the edges of Kettle Pond we could only see when in the water to the star splashed evenings we spent beside the orange blazed fire listening to the loons, we felt that mysterious presence John Muir so elegantly speaks of and we drank it in to charge our souls for the summer we are adventuring in at this very moment.

And now I close up shop of my Vermont public relations firm for another several days as The Mitch and I are heading to Emerald Lake State Park for yet another endearing escape to the wonders of the Green Mountain's most precious gems of history and nature - the State Parks - www.vtstateparks.com.

Was Out Phishin'!

2009-06-24T12:32:00.025-04:00

My apologies for the lack of posts - see my Vermont public relations blog for those details. And thank you for voting for the Vermont Vibes Blog to be a Seven Daysies Best Blog! If you haven't yet - vote here!!!

I have been waiting to post about my adventures with Phish so here goes...

It was AWESOME!!! One of my closest friends, Rachael, and I bounced off for our Rachel's Phish Tour in early June. We left on Wednesday evening, June 3rd, for a night at my parent's house in the Berkshires to get a chunk of the drive taken care of so we could arrive earlier rather than later in Jones Beach, Long Island for the June 4th show.

Of course, the reason I feel this post is appropriate for the Vermont Vibes Blog is because Phish is a Vermont band, Phish has been one of the top five influences on my entire existence, and we drove the Vibe for it's most phantastic (out-of-state) Vibe adventure ever!

So, Thursday, off to Jones Beach! En route we stopped for lunch at a rest stop on 84 where an older gentleman commented, "What great traveling clothes you ladies are wearing - you look lovely." This comment was just the start... We met up with our most awesome friend The Grizz, girlified his hotel room, and headed to the Jones Beach lot to meet up with all of the birds of a feather who flock together.

Then off to the show where we had great seats overlooking the entire venue from the balcony. Jones Beach is a wonderful venue! From the minute the sky divided every single conflicting feeling I had about Phish's return dissipated and they split open and melted right into my heart like a lover you finally realize is a best friend soulmate, not a hubby prospect.

There are two things about Phish's return I am mesmerized by:

1.) That they have been listening to their very, very, very demanding fanbase (myself included!) and really took their music back to it's core, played the heck out of it, didn't worry about major improvisation, played multitudes of songs, and played them well!
2.) After playing a grouping of faves, they'd bust into a new song. Watching the crowd that night was one of the highlights of the entire experience. People were listening. The band demanded the respect they deserved with cleaning up, listening to fans, and playing what folks want and in return said, "Now you listen to us, and where we're at, and where we're going." And people did. Never has something made me smile so much. And personally, I love Times Turns Elastic - I even have my own dance to it.

Post show, Rachael and I started being referred to as tour ladies and started to really like this description as opposed to chicks, bitches, or girls - it grew on us...

We had an early night and due to the limited parking lot, had a sleepover with The Grizz, where we tried to not be too girly (although being tour ladies, we soon learned this was not possible).

We awoke with hopes of the sun and a day at the Long Island beaches, but learned it was more of a drenching rain day. Bummer. So us tour ladies packed up and vibed off to a local bakery and coffee shop where we chatted with locals and bought all sorts of treats to compliment the Healthy Hippie tour food we brought in our picnic baskets. Destined to enjoy the beaches, we drove along one of the millions of parkways (everything on Long Island is parkway this or island that - it is very confusing to mountain mamas). We found one beach and while it looked closed due to the rain, learned it was actually open. So we busted out the IPod, beer, and tuna sandwiches and started to hang out in the pavilion. Our fabulous friends Tabar and Seth joined us for some beach fun and were actually invited by a sympathetic police officer to visit the next beach down which he said had a much bigger pavilion and better views. So, we followed him in a private police escort to another beach and sure enough - way better pavilion. Tunes, tuna, and beer have never been sweeter!

Soon the day had past and we were ready for the second night of Jones Beach! And this night the Rachel's had the best seats I have ever had at a show! With our sneaky sally ticket stub moves, Rachael and I, surrounded by all the dudes, rocked out to one stupendous show. (I comment on "all the dudes" because I am always amazed at how many hysterical posts there are on Phantasy Tour about chicks at Phish shows compared to the number of dudes.) I left once at set break to use the ladies room and otherwise didn't move from our terrific seats. Further clarity of the conversation between Phish and its phans was spoken - an understanding that we both need to listen to each other because we have both grown up. I felt a relaxation on Phish's end as they brought some killer funk, understanding that we don't want them to bring us back - we want them to bring us forward because we've all moved forward too. My life was saved by rock-n-roll and I'm gonna lap that up the rest of my life!! At some point I even turned to Rachael and said, "I want to lick Trey." She said, "No kicking!"

By then the glow sticks were cruising overhead and one dropped by our feet. As this unexpected movement caught her eye, Rachael picked it up and tossed it out to the crowd and then whispered, "That was my best throw ever!" A moment later a fellow behind us said, "Did you mean to hit that guy in the head?" And the Rachel's had a case of the giggles to which the fellow flirtingly responded, "I didn't mean to ruin your night ladies." Ladies - bwah!!! We continued rocking out to the show and well...wow. Oh, yeah, it rained most of the show. We didn't care, we had plastic bags in our shoes and thermal underwear under our hippie dresses. While gathering up our belongings after the show, a group of dudes past by and one said, "Nicely done ladies." This was all the ammo we needed - Tour Ladies! We were on fire!

We headed to the lots once again to meet up with friends and figure out how we were all getting back to the same hotel - yeah crew!!! While sharing our exuberance over the show, the most unfortunate experience took place with some completely tooled out noob cops. One of our buddies got arrested and thrown down on the ground by the police for relieving himself against a fence (let's count how many people do that shall we?) Absolutely wrongful use of police force and totally wiped out any positivity we felt towards the Jones Beach PD from our experience earlier in the day. Luckily, he was released from the makeshift cop shop in the middle of some bushes in the parking lot due to the humiliation the noob cops received from the vets. Onward to the hotel with the hilarious assistance of a GPS!

The Rachel's then retired to the Vibe in the hotel parking lot - just like the advertisements said, we laid out the seats where we had a lady tour fort I created before departing Vermont - complete with a tapestry pinned to the ceiling! No time to be foggy rather groggy Saturday morning! We bounced away in the opposite direction of most and enjoyed an absolutely glorious drive across Long Island - what gorgeous farms and wine country - I never thought Long Island was so beautiful. The Mitch and I might need to return for a romantic getaway! Speaking of The Mitch - he and Caitlin were waiting for us in Mansfield, so no time to see if the roses were free!

We got to the Cross Sound Ferry at Orient Point just in time for our 12 noon reservation into New London, CT. We parked the car, met a heady brah who offered, "I can offer you a ride to Camden if you'd like ladies." We responded, "No thanks, we're gonna be Rachel's on Trains, NOT Snakes on Planes" and took naps in the sun while enjoying the ocean views we missed while on Jones Beach.

Less than two hours later, we were Mansfield bound where the biggest contingency of our crew of hippies of good stock were prepping to bounce around the lawn. After two nights of great seats, sights, and sounds, the Rachel's were looking forward to dancing with our friends and getting in a little blow up guitar action! We arrived at the hotel and were ready in a jiffy for night three of Phish!

And we rocked! And Phish rocked! And I saw the Phish ex out of the corner of my eye. And I loved my fiance more than ever! And I loved my friends more than ever! And I realized I cannot rock the blow up guitar at Phish - my Phish dance it too deep in my bones and I must do it. The blow up guitar is saved for moe. and I came to peace with the fact that the two bands I love so much can co-exist happily in my life. Yay!

We caught up with friends in the lot once again, prepared for more upcoming music fun, and had an early night in preparation for our uber lady tour trek to Camden...I kissed The Mitch farewell and we cruised on out in the Vibe Sunday morning, very much looking forward to being Rachel's on Trains, NOT Snakes on Planes to arrive at my 30th show! We left the Vibe at the New Haven, CT train station and took the three and a half hour ride down to Philly where we slept and learned how to use our lady tour fans, since Camden was gonna be a hot one.

The crew was substantially smaller in Camden, but we got to see some great friends we hadn't seen at the previous shows and danced like no one's business. The minute they played Fee (my first place award winning cat), I was in song listening heaven and by the time they played The Lizards, I danced until I ran like an antelope and reprised a tweezer.

With the Vibe safely in Connecticut and the Rachel's in between Jersey and Philly, we quickly departed our beloved friends and bounced off with another crew for some late night snack machine attacks at their hotel following an extensive tour of Philly's historic district without a GPS. We slept in our friend's car, got a ride to the train station, bought some lady magazines, and relaxed on our ride back to New Haven. The Vibe was in good shape and we made the farewell drive back to Vermont while excitedly discussing the possibility of a Tour Lady RV rental and out west excursion next summer...hmmm......

Thank you Thank you Thank you Phish!!! And for all other tour ladies out there - yeah mamas - we all rock!!!!!

Addison Adventures Continued!

2009-06-03T19:37:00.012-04:00

And I'm back! So, before The Mitch and I departed the Viskup's lakeside estate in Panton and departed for our Addison County farm adventures, we spent a glorious weekend in the Viskup's Lake Cabin overlooking Lake Champlain on the south side of the Basin Harbor Club. This idealistic property is also home to the Nature Cabin situated on its own lovely pond and the Estate Property, home to the Viskup's and also a newly available luxury rental with five bedrooms.

The Lake Cabin is located next to the Estate Property and is tucked amongst a collection of gorgeous pine trees, offering a serenity The Mitch and I relished in for the weekend. Complete with a state-of-the-art kitchen, The Mitch and I actually opted out of major cooking and instead brought easy-to-make food so we could basque in the relaxation of the weekend.

That Friday night we actually ventured over to the Estate Property for dinner with John and Julie Viskup which was not only delicious, but provided quite the enjoyable evening of conversation and kindred spirits between generations. We marveled at the amazing stonework John has created throughout the home - stones he actually brought across the lake himself over a series of years to make both the waterfront decor and that within the home. And this was before we learned of the tree farm escapades! I highly suggest anyone looking for a property to rent on Lake Champlain to check out www.lakeparadisevermont.com.

Saturday The Mitch and I awoke to a perfect day and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast on the three season porch followed by a bike excursion compliments of the Viskup's bikes. Now, I am not much of a bike rider and actually enjoy mocking cyclists whom I always feel take up more of the road than needed, but now was my chance to be in the opposite seat. I have never felt more like a tourist in my own state than I did that day riding bikes down to Button Bay State Park. I am sure I had my share of passerby ridicule. But, it was a terrific experience and exploring Button Bay is always a treat!

The views of the lake were astounding and my favorite was seeing a few eggs distinctively placed on high ledges in the sun to bask in preparation for hatching. I have yet been able to determine what type of bird lays such eggs and welcome any feedback anyone has! Check out some pics...

Upon returning to the Lake Cabin, The Mitch and I enjoyed a picnic on the Viskup's private beach where The Mitch cast a few lines and tried his hand at early season fishing (he was just getting warmed up for a more recent Vermont Vibes adventure I can't wait to blog about!). Being that is was the first really warm day in late April, the bugs got the better of me and I retreated to the screened in porch for a nap followed by watching the sunset through the tall pines.

That evening we enjoyed a fire, checking out the complimentary satellite TV (which we don't have) and finally getting busy with the Legos we found in the cabin - I made a cabin and The Mitch made a helicopter!

Thank you John and Julie for spreading your positive Vermont Vibes to us and hope we did the same! This was a weekend very much cherished and much needed as a true break from our daily life. And once again, anyone looking for Vermont relaxation, a Lake Champlain vacation, or a retreat from the world - this is where to start - www.lakeparadisevermont.com.

Happy Vibing!

Addison Adventures: 2 Part Series!

2009-05-28T13:27:00.008-04:00

The Mitch and I had the most amazing experience the last weekend in April - also a weekend which was blessed with a sunny Saturday in the 80's. I am not one to complain about the wet and colder weather, but that doesn't mean I will not rejoice in the most glorious of weather! The Mitch and I spent the loveliest weekend in Panton, at John and Julie Viskup's gorgeous Lake Champlain property - www.lakeparadisevermont.com.

Vibing into Panton for the weekend was met with one of my most favorite Vermont sights - a general store - and the one in Panton most certainly did not disappoint! Farm views and fishing supplies galore (The Mitch's favorite!):

At this point I am going to fast forward to the end of the weekend when we toured farms. Stay tuned next week for a fabulous photo show and the details of our stay in one of the Viskup's delightful Lake Champlain cabins!

John Viskup, let The Mitch and I tell you, is one of the most interesting and inspiring people we have ever met! Business owner, entrepreneur, dentist, vacation owner proprietor, and tree farmer? That's right! And it's the tree farmer part I want to chat about...

John bought an old dairy farm in Addison a few years back and cleaned it up, recycled everything he could of the scraps, trash, and farm equipment left piled on the landscape. Then he started planting trees - maples for sugarin' and hardwoods for lumber. Being the daughter of a lumber salesman and forestry expert, I have a huge affinity for the entire lumber and sustainable forestry industries and touring the tree farm was absolutely fascinating!

I think most fun was learning of the trials and errors John continuously experiences with rodents, the weather, cultivating baby trees, and how he finds so many trees in the first place! I think The Mitch was freaking out while he watched my interest grow thinking, "Oh, no, please don't let Rachel want to start a tree farm too! I can barely handle thinning the carrots!"

But, That Mitch sure changed his expression when John showed us the barns. What used to hold cows and hay now holds every kind of tree farm equipment you can imagine - translation = man toys. Check it out:

After we departed our Viskup Tree Farm tour, we headed over to Audet's Blue Spruce Farm, home of cow power - an exceptional creation of renewable energy by entrepreneurial spirited farmers. Blue Spruce's cow power operation provides electricity to over 1000 homes in Addison County through their biomass production in conjunction with Central Vermont Public Service. While were weren't able to make it for an actual tour, we did get to check it out:

Vermont is an amazing state and I am so glad the Charlotte Farmhouse is located so close to Addison Country - a fine working example of how amazing the Green Mountain State truly is!

The Garden's Back!

2009-05-18T11:52:00.004-04:00

Thanks to The Mitch for all of his awesome work working the soil this week and de-clumping that clay!

Thanks to Perennial Pleasures in East Hardwick, Vermont for some fantastic herbs!

Thanks to Plainfield Hardware in Plainfield, Vermont for a second year of hardy veggie packs.

Thanks to the Vermont Spring for your beauty!

Thanks to Red Wagon Plants for saving me from the woes of the clay, for giving great advice, for selling the most gorgeous plants, for operating my dream greenhouse, and for treating me like a fellow gardener!!!

Here's some photos from the past two weeks out at the Charlotte Farmhouse!

And, my beasties!!!!

Agro on my Agri

2009-05-13T19:28:00.004-04:00

Oooohhh, I am mad. The Mitch is mad. I don't know if the cats are and I don't care - that's how mad I am!

So, The Mitch and I work our asses off in our garden. See? Here are two pictures from last year soon after we planted and then again in mid-summer.

We have turned that dirt, gotten out every rock, piece of clay, and root and put more love, hard work, and effort into that garden than many people that I know. NOT that it is a competition! I just want to set up the scale of the amount of work we have put into it. So much that we didn't really have a summer last year because of the never ending work. This summer we planned for more work time, more relaxing time, and well planned travel time.

And today we got to see that go to crap.

You see, we so smarty-pants sent in the ten bucks and soil sample to the UVM Extension Center for our soil report. It came back off the charts. Our PH is 7.4 and the organic matter and all levels are pushing excessive. We knew our soil was good, we also knew we needed to build up the soil levels again - the ground dips probably due to the large amounts of clay and rocks we have removed. So we took our soil report to a place in Hinesburg and patiently waited our turn to ask about what we should buy. We thought we would get compost, but wasn't sure if we should choose topsoil instead since our organic matter was already so high.

One of my biggest pet peeves is being treated like a kid who doesn't know what she's doing. And at this place that's how we were treated. Instead of having a serious conversation with us about what would be best for our garden, we were treated like little bouncy bounce bounces who, like, want to, like, have a garden because it's, like, so cool. We were even told we'd have to pay for delivery when we rolled in there with The Mitch's bad ass truck. Duh.

Regardless, we stupidly did not follow our instinct (which we would have for sure if we hadn't gotten that damn soil test) and instead of getting compost, spent a good penny on a yard of topsoil. Big mistake - BIG.

Now the just-last-week beautiful mound of dirt, excitingly awaiting the plants I purchased this weekend (on a very vibalicious vibe which I will have to talk about when I am not so agro), is a gross palette of clay. And impossible to work even with it being dry. Kiss so much of our hard work goodbye and hello more time having to work. Needless to say, I am pissed.

Sometimes I really have issues with getting older and losing my receding hotness, but other times (like right now) I look forward to being older so I can experience less situations like the one I just went through. As I have said for years - everybody judges.

Vermont Maple Vibes

2009-05-06T11:49:00.008-04:00

Spring is here!!!!!!! This is so exciting and May is by far my most favorite month. The Charlotte Farmhouse is opened up for spring. The porches are all decorated and our gardens are started and we've gotten in some fantastic landscaping. I have been taking pictures and my list of blog topics continues to wonderoursly grow, but before I get ahead of myself, I need to wrap up a few Vermont Vibes loose ends...

The glorious spring does not come easily in Vermont and between the white chill of winter and the green, yellow, pink, and red foliage of spring is our fifth season - mud season to some and maple sugarin' season to others. Every March (when my bones get a year older) I make sure I get in some maple sugarin' vibes - driving around checking out sugarhouses, buying Vermont maple products, and chatting with different folks I meet along the way. I try to follow the billows of smoke, but sometimes I get distracted by Vermont's backroads and all the beautiful, fun, and sometimes downright funny things to look at.

The Mitch and I were graced this season with the presence of our good friend who follows anything awesome and we were determined to show him Vermont Vibing is awesome!

Anyway, The Mitch, Shawn, and myself piled into the Vibe and headed East - we traversed some of our favorite Vibe routes in attempts to follow the billowing smoke. We took the backroads through Middlesex (definitely some "funny" out that way) and through the outskirts of Montpelier onto the beautiful Route 12. While we were immensely enjoying our "vibe," at one point our buddy said, "Guys, this is so awesome. I am having an awesome time. But where is the maple sugar?"

Luckily I knew the creme de la creme of maple sugarin' - Morse Farm - was somewhere in the vicinity so we really backroaded it and made it to Morse Farm in enough time to walk through the woods a bit, check out the neat displays and exhibits, chat with Burr Morse himself about the season and watch him boil some sap, do some maple shopping, and sit down for some sugar-on-snow.

I have had the doughnut and pickle before, but The Mitch and Shawn had not. We all opted to exclude the pickle and afterward realized what a bad mistake that was! You see, sugar-on-snow (pouring hot maple syrup over snow) and the doughnut on the side is like maple crack overload. When we got in the Vibe with our tummies we all groaned, "Now I know why they have the pickle!" Why a pickle? Well, looking in my own cabinet of what is the last preserved food leftover from the harvest - always a few jars of pickles. So I would imagine when Vermonters had their fill of maple sweetness, they probably grabbed the first sour thing they saw and my guess is it was the last jars of pickles sitting on the shelf. This sparked a great discussion about life in Vermont years ago and we soon forgot about our ailing stomachs.

Our friends approve: "Guys, Vermont Vibing is so awesome - I approve!"

For additional Vermont maple sugaring stories, check out the recent New York Post article I helped arrange!

33 Year Old Bones: Shopping & Parties

2009-04-29T09:20:00.005-04:00

I feel old. My bones feel like they're getting older. I can't bounce around like I used to. It takes me longer to recover from rocking out. I love that I have so many friends in different ages, but sometimes that makes me feel old. I think I really need more entrepreneur friends who are NOT looking for advice/help from my Vermont PR services.

Yes, the Vibe energy level is low and mostly because running a business really takes it all out of me and leaves little for anything else. I am really working on that.

Yesterday I went to a great conference and planned to do a major grocery shopping after, something which is usually a very irritating activity for me. Being that it's a year since The Mitch and I moved into the Charlotte Farmhouse and that we finished a gigantic spring cleaning last week, our shopping list of non-grocery items was quite high. So instead of distressingly rushing through the shop so I could race home and work, I took all afternoon. I went to five stores:

Cheese Traders was the first stop for the most discounted food items. Then Ace Hardware was paid a stop for some gardening supplies, a fan, and a new supply of energy efficient light bulbs. The Christmas Tree Shops was next - and I don't care if it's not "heady" to shop there. I love it and it always makes me feel good so tough noogies. I got all the supplies I need to re-freshen closets, cat litter area, and the areas where stinky mouse and bat poo filters in from the next door attic. I also restocked my candles and a few more gardening supplies. Then I made my way to Walmart (again, when I get slammed for thousands in self employment taxes, I can shop wherever I need to pay the bills), filtered through my coupons, and bought all of my personal/cleaning supplies. And finally I made my way to Shaws (with more coupons) for food, produce, and meat - and yes, I get all Wild Harvest meat until I get my act together and me a big hunk of local meat. I also shopped so extensively so we can be prepared for gardening and farmer's markets (we attend in Shelburne) where we focus on in season and local foods.

And while I look at my old bones, I also am thankful for my great friends and wanted to share some birthday pics from my dinner celebration at Koto - Japanese Steak House back in March - thanks for coming everyone!!!

Suburban Homesteading

2009-04-23T16:39:00.008-04:00

I can't say that life at the Charlotte Farmhouse can be considered "suburban," however, since The Mitch and I rent the farmhouse we call home to MitchaRachia and Rachel Carter PR, we could sort of fall into that category, because all of this glorious land we are surrounded by isn't ours. Not that any land really "belongs" to anyone but the Earth, but that is another discussion for another day. I am not feeling politically and environmentally charged today, just want to share a great experience The Mitch and I had back in March at the Honey Dew Homestead in Williston.

The Honey Dew Homestead is the home of entrepreneurs, Markey Read (of Career Networks) and Tim King (of Tupelo Group). To some they would be considered part time farmers, but they have coined the term (as far as I am concerned) of suburban homesteaders. They have a glorious property in Williston that you wouldn't guess would be a convenient drive to Boxwood Drive. On this property (which we toured extensively in March for the Vernal Equinox) are extensive veggie gardens, a chicken tractor, bee hives, a small orchard, solace areas, a water garden, a greenhouse, and even a snakepit (it attracts the owls). The Honey Dew Homestead produces eggs, honey, veggies, and excellent expertise. A few weeks before The Mitch and I headed over to the Honey Dew Homestead, I bought some eggs from the basket Markey carried into a WBON networking event while dressed in her business best. I love this stuff!

Markey and Tim created a series of Suburban Homestead Gatherings during traditional seasonal celebrations throughout the year. The first was held in February to celebrate Imbolc - the return of light. Unable to attend this gathering, I eagerly awaited the March event to celebrate the Vernal Equinox, connect with other "part-time" farmer types who live more sustainably off their plots of land, and plan for the arrival of spring and what The Mitch and I have in store for our second year being "suburban" Charlotte homesteaders.

We had the most delightful day with about a dozen other folks dining on the last preserved food of the season, exploring the Honey Dew Homestead, planting a few tomato seeds Markey cultivated last year, swapping stories of success and woe with others (The Mitch was hysterical with his descriptions of his first gardening experience last summer - weeds, and rototillers, and making salsa oh my!), and enjoying Markey and Tim's fantastic collection of gardening books to help plan our own next steps. We were so fired up after the day, we raced over to Gardener's Supply for some seeds and a lovely amaryllis bulb that a month later is almost ready to pop!

For those interested in future Suburban Homestead Gatherings, the schedule is as follows:
Beltane: May 3
Summer Solstice: June 21
Lammas: August 2
Autumnal Retreat: October 2 & 3
Samhain: October 31
Winter Solstice: December 19

For more information or to register, please contact:
Markey Read, 802-373-7789, markey@careernetworksvt.com
Tim King, 802-598-7333, timking@tupelogroup.com

I am glad we have found this great outlet to share and learn from others. Even though we live on a farm, we aren't really farmers, but considering we yielded an average of 600 tomatoes last year and grew over 20 crops, we are most definitely homesteaders and a definite portion of our food comes from living sustainably off the land. As for suburban - well, we can see our neighbors and for some Vermonters that is suburban!

Corporate Vibing to Manchester

2009-04-13T20:02:00.005-04:00

So, since I have decided I am a corporate hippie (for more please see my Linked In profile), I have realized my Vibing expeditions can fall into two categories - the corporate or the hippie. For the most part my Vibes are spread over weekends when I have my favorite hippie outfits on (for those who do not know, outfits completely define who I am - even The Mitch wears outfits!). But sometimes my Vibes are spread when Rachel Carter PR bounces away in the Vibe for an adventure of the corporate variety. Last week was the most perfect example of this so I MUST share!

Two of the most respected people in the Vermont travel scene - Carrie McDougall of Cultural Crossroads and the former Stowe Area's Association PR Queen, Jo Sabel Courtney recommended me to teach two social media workshops at the Vermont Travel Industry Conference held at The Equinox Resort last week. What a vibetastic experience! And thank you Carrie and Jo!!!

I raced through the week leading up to get all of my client work in a row so I could take the time to attend the conference (hence no recent blog posts). With final touches finished and a willing-to-come-back voice (I was at rock concerts over the weekend), I closed up my Vermont PR firm for the week and vibed down Route 7 to Manchester.

The first super groovy thing that happened was after emerging from Rutland, finding myself reverting back in time along Route 7. By the time I was deep in Mount Tabor, I started to feel those wonderful mountain vibes only felt when in a natural energy vortex and couldn't wait to tell The Mitch how we'd have to get down this way again and Vibe around. Before I could finish that thought I drove by Emerald Lake State Park - where The Mitch and I have already booked five days over the 4th of July for our first of many Vermont lakeside vacations (one per year). I won't talk about it anymore because it will most certainly be a fantastic blog post come July, but, man - was I excited!

It is rare that the Vibe gets way down to Southern Vermont, but when it does, I always love it - will I find myself living in Southern Vermont at some point? I always wonder if that will be in the cards. I gawked all along Route 7A until I parked the Vibe at its two night destination - The Equinox. Back in my earlier days as Vermont's PR Mama (before I could be considered a mama), the Woodstock Inn & Resort was a client and to this day I have a love like no other for the Woodstock area. I think I can actually credit that work on the true origins of Vermont Vibing - I was always looking for all of the story angles I could find to share with media folk I pitched on behalf of the Woodstock Inn. As Woodstock's friendly competition, I was fully aware of, yet had never visited The Equinox. Until last week.

Kudos to The Equinox. I wish now I snapped some pictures of my room (this is from the press room). I felt like I was in a movie (one of my most favorite feelings!) - I worked at the desk on the computer, slept so well in the king size bed with delightful turn-down service, LOVED the glass door shower and bathrobe, played make-up lady with the mirror selections, and marveled at a view of the courtyard as opposed to the parking lot. I was also into the lacquered decor look - definitely not my style under my normal hippie circumstances, but when I get to be a Vibing corporate hippie? Most definitely!

The conference itself was terrific and my workshops went great. I think my favorite part was just spending time with people in Vermont's travel industry. They are real, fun, and quite frankly, the type of folks who "get it." Rock on!! I felt renewed, rejuvenated, excited for summer, excited for work, and excited for new friends all after one conference. Now THAT is what I call success!

I spent an extra day heading further south into the Berkshires to have dinner with my father who I referenced multiple times in my presentations followed by lunch the next day with my grandmother. The return trip to Vermont was on the usual 91 to 89. I was wishing my route could have taken me back up Route 7, but I know that trek is waiting for me July 4th weekend. Plus, The Mitch was patiently waiting for his corporate hippie to return home to the Charlotte Farmhouse where I knew he was making me dinner. I Love You Mitch!

I way prefer Vibing than the 91 to 89 drive, but timing so had it that most of my drive was in gorgeous blue skies with high floating clouds and a sea of red and purple on the trees - just waiting for the cold weather to diminish so they can snap into the most glorious foliage on the Earth (springtime in Vermont that is). I was again filled with elated feelings from the experience of the Vermont Travel Industry Conference, spirited tunes on the IPod, and a car ride to myself filled with reflection, compassion, and promise. And then the sun started to set. Besides two irritatingly irritating rednecks who threw three beer cans out in front of me (between exits 8 and 9), I was completely zen - something I am usually only able to experience hiking and gardening. And then I started snapping pictures. I went slow and when the cars would pass I would get real slow and shoot and then speed back up again. I know that is sort of bad, but it was also sort of sneaky (which is more fun than bad), and well, just perfect. Here are the results:

Thanks to all who helped create and manifest the experiences of last week and can't wait to see some of my new friends again soon!

Mud Before Spring

2009-03-25T19:52:00.003-04:00

Spring in Vermont is fantastic! It would be nicer right now for me personally if my PR business wasn't running every facet of my life so I could do something besides work. I am working on that - believe me...

But, spring is still fantastic. I heard a great commentary on VPR driving home from a day of meetings today that made me smile. The mud, the "sugar snow," the red trees, the drastic shifts in air temp - they are all a part of spring! Here's a few pictures I took while driving through Lincoln Gap after meeting with my fantastic clients at The Round Barn Farm in Waitsfield. Beauty is in the honesty and promise in photos like these!

Before those spring greens can bud, the sun needs to warm up the trees which melts the snow which makes the mud. In honor of this process and the beautiful mud Vermont produces, I am attending the Mud Season Madness Event at the Old Lantern this coming Saturday, March 28th. The Mitch and I will be donning our best mud season outfits for the event's fashion show. Music will be provided by the Gordon Stone Band and Brett Hughes' Wrecking Ball. Check out the poster to the right and come rock out with Vermont Vibers of all ages at the Old Lantern this Saturday night!!!

Vermont Vibers Need Some Myra Flynn

2009-03-17T19:06:00.005-04:00

If you are a Vermont Viber, you need to vibe your way to a Myra Flynn show. I guess now that I have abandoned the Vermont Music Blog (time, my friends, time), I can still write about fantastic Vermont musicians on the Vermont Vibes Blog. And I will.

So, yes, Myra Flynn. This woman is amazing. I seriously need to urge all Vermont Vibers and Vermonters period to make a definite effort to go check out a show. She is playing everywhere on many nights so it shouldn't be difficult to find a time to see her. Check out her upcoming shows and pick on to attend! You will be knocked off your rocker.

This soulful Vermont singer is truly in a league of her own and we as Vermonters are lucky she hasn't whisked away to the lures of big music cities. I had the chance to chat a bit about this with Myra when we had lunch a few weeks ago (she is also a talented writer and journalist). She said she sometimes does the New York thing, but there is nothing like playing to the intimate, cozy crowds of music loving Vermonters. And she said this in such a humble, honest way, I could do nothing but admire her and be grateful I really got to have such a conversation with the best singer I have ever met. (And I have actually met a lot as I was a singer in a former life and even performed with Natalie Merchant and Kenny Rogers if you can believe it.)

Watching Myra perform is magical in itself. Her vibes are so pure and she can bring you in so small and delicately and than wallop you like a diva who means business. It's great fun to see her perform. And her voice - well, it's sheer brilliance. I am happy to say Myra is off in Boston as I write recording a CD which I can't wait to get my hands on. This will be a fabulous addition to the Vermont Vibes repertoire. For all who vibe, check out Myra's website - www.myraflynn.com - to learn more about this Vermont rock star where you can see her perform, and how to get a CD for your own positive vibes as you rock out across the state!

Dinner Vibes, Starving for Friends

2009-03-09T14:12:00.003-04:00

While vibing around Vermont is an excellent adventure, sometimes I am starved for the positive vibes of good friends. The Mitch and I have been discussing recently our collective need to spend quality time with friends away from rocking out to a band. We are needing to reconnect with folks for good conversation - sometimes if even to confirm why we are friends!

We have started making this a priority lately and are finding the going out to dinner concept our favorite. While I love to entertain at the farmhouse and love visiting others, there is something alluring about being out to dinner and having no distractions while you conversate over a glass of wine and no prep time before you actually eat a meal together.

As I approach 33 (which I turn in two days) I am more and more aware of the constraints of time and the most cherished exchanges with the people I love and how imperative it is to fit them into the life schedule. Squabbling over dinner price and paying is soooo 20's and not being able to plan get togethers is so married with kids.

The Mitch and I recently enjoyed a "heady" dinner with our BFF, Caitlin at Starry Night Cafe in Ferrisburgh - the venue I think we want to plan our rehearsal dinner for our wedding! Check out some pics:

We also had dinner just this weekend with good friends Christine and John at A Single Pebble, followed by a sleepover and Saturday at the Vermont Flower Show - talk about great phriend times! (The PH is because during the evening hours, we were tracking the Phish shows being played in Hampton all weekend for Phish's reunion.) I have never been to the Vermont Flower Show before, although I have always wanted to. What an absolutely fantastic event! Christine and I even rocked the live auction! The Faerie Garden was my absolute favorite - every woman in there was turned into a ten year old for a few minutes. Here are a few pictures of our flowering adventures:

Back to our hunger - The Mitch and I are on a mission to dine with friends! We are looking for a couple to join us for our first Kitchen Table Bistro experience in Richmond. As a gardener and localvore cook myself, I am dying to check this place out! We also feel reconnecting with friends at local restaurants is not only a great way to rekindle friendships after a long winter, but a great way to directly support a local economy during the financial drama of the century.

Now that we live out in Charlotte and many of our friends live in Burlington, we feel the best reasons for us to visit Burlington is for the food and friends, so if you're looking to reconnect - let's make some dinner plans!!!

Love and Light All!

Sneaky post by the Mitch

2009-03-02T16:55:00.002-05:00

Man, it has been a long time since I have caught Rachel away from the slave owner that is her computer! Thank goodness for snowy Vermont vacation days so I can sneak on here while she is not looking...he he! I have to take this moment and share what truly has been a great experience over the past few days. Since I am a teacher I am blessed with a few glorious weeks a year of vacation. This is a time for me to get caught up on much needed rest, work, and fun! My vacation weeks are always kind of a problem for Rachel as she is endowed with work everyday and can't take the time as I can to relax. I admire her determination and success so very much. I for one could not handle her job!! It is the nature of her beast however that never affords her the time to just simply be. I have to say folks, please every once in a while give your self a "mental health" day or a few if you can. At the start of my vacation week, Rachel came down with a cold. This forced her to just sit and take care of herself. Because of her sickness, we were able to sit as a couple and get back to basics. After some much needed rest and relaxation, we were able to play a little bit and forget work, school, household projects or anything else that ties us to life. This has been an eye opening week for both of us because we have regained some spirit and life back into us. My desire to all is, as winter slowly comes to a close, be sure to take what ever moments you can and give yourself a break. It really is okay to do this. No matter what you are doing in your life from day to day realize we all have the right to take a much needed "mental" vacation!! You just never know what you might rediscover about yourself when you take that much needed break. Looks my time here is done, I hear the pitter patter of PR feet coming my way!! Peace and much deserved rest to all, the Mitch!!

Valentine's Vibes

2009-02-17T13:02:00.012-05:00

The Mitch and I had a whopper of a Valentine's Day. It was a vibing adventure to rival them all - and we helped save the world by spending money on local products!

Ah, the love of the valentine. I have said before and I will say again, I am a fan of the Hallmark holidays. Not because of the ridiculous spending on junk, but rather creating an opportunity to spend and support local businesses, which is just what we did. And, most importantly, the occasion to be rather coerced into being nice to your loved ones, because in the grind of life, going the extra step to buy someone something nice, give flowers, or have a lovely dinner are unfortunately forgotten more often than not. It's politically correct and all to say, "Well, you shouldn't need to have one day to do something special, you should do it every day." Great, but how many of us are really that virtuous? It's good for American consumerism to whip us into shape every once and a while and in this "economic situation" what a better way than to find a reason to spend locally?

The Mitch and I decided a while ago that we wanted nothing more than to activate Valentine's Vibes on February 14th. Valentine's Day on a Saturday? Woohoo! We decided a traverse into Addison County, south of our beloved Charlotte would make for a great day of vibing. We made reservations at the Bobcat Cafe in Bristol and figured we would just vibe around all day until we got there. On Friday, I got on a sneaky kick and found a local florist in Bristol - Just Because Flower Shop - checked out their website, and decided to get a plant delivered to the Bobcat Cafe to surprise The Mitch. So, I ordered the lowest priced ficus tree thinking it would be nice to have a small tree placed on the table to surprise Mitch and bring home and grow into a big tree.

Saturday morning The Mitch and I got up early, went for a long walk, and then got ready for our vibe outing. We bounced off in the Vibe on some of our favorite roads in Charlotte bringing us to Route 7. We bought some blueberry buckle and cookies at Vermont Cookie Love. What a neat little place this is - and they have cookie dough you can buy - forget that non-local crap in the stores when you're in a rush - stock up on Vermont Cookie Love! Then we stopped in the Ferrisburg Bake Shop & Deli where we gaped at some of the intense Valentine's sweets and bought some local maple syrup (to stock up of course) and a few baguettes for the potluck we were having the next day.
We poked into Honey Gardens as I am addicted to the raw honey and needed to stock up. I decided it would be smart to get some plant therapy rejuvenation syrup and beeswax candles as well. I also wanted to see for myself this drama of the proposed truck stop that has everyone down that way all up in arms. I could care less what all the pros and cons are. All I know is directly across the street from Honey Gardens is a huge open field which I am sure is covered in wild flowers in the summer. Yes, let's rip it all out, put in concrete crap, and help kill off more bees. Idiots. Why is this even a debate?

Anyway, after leaving some positive vibes with the bees, we kept south and pulled into Vergennes where we finally visited Kennedy Brothers. Um, yeah, neat Vermont stuff!!! What a cool, huge warehouse type of feel to a variety of indoor shops and kiosks. I grabbed a basket and bought all sorts of fun things for the farmhouse and for my beauty. The Mitch even loved it! But, that's not hard because he is the most easy-going guy who loves vibing and Vermont shopping! No wonder we're so happily in pre-marriage bliss! In fact, I loved it so much, I am fitting it into the itinerary of my mother's visit this weekend (please don't ask why my mother needs an itinerary, perhaps something to do with the fact that I write a ridiculous amount of To-Do Lists?)

After all this shopping, The Mitch and I needed to do some actual driving in the Vibe, so we took out the trusty Vermont atlas and bounced all around the Hodgback Mountain Range. What a neat vortex of energy! We drove through some of these roads in the early summer checking out fishing and canoeing spots and even in the dead of winter were reminded why we need to get out this way more in the spring and summer. I was also infatuated with so many neat houses - I have a house addiction. We traversed through Monkton, New Haven, Weybridge, through the outskirts of Middlebury and then into Bristol.

I think vibing is the only way I can be on time to something because of the fact that there is no schedule. We arrived in Bristol two hours before our dinner reservation and bought a fantastic piece of art with pressed tree greens made by Green Angel Arts at Art on Main in Bristol. Then we headed into Bristol Cliffs Music where The Mitch (who is also a drummer) got into a fun conversation with owner, Allen Bilson, and I obsessed over the guitars (as I am a mean air guitar player). Mitch even bought a new little drum seat!

At this point we had only used up an hour and decided we would head over to the Bobcat Cafe early for some pre-dinner drinks. However, when we got there and gave them our name, the waitstaff could not control their giggles and said our table was very ready. I glimpsed out of the corner of my eye to see our table. There was no small tree/plant on the table, but rather an enormous tree sitting next to the table taking up actual traffic space. Oops. So, we took our table and it took The Mitch a hot minute to realize the overcrowding tree was actually his gift of love. The moment was quite endearing and while we knew the tree was in the way, the waitstaff were awesome and even gave us some tips on taking care of it. The food was delicious and I even decided to be cheesy and drink Cosmos. Of course now that I am writing this blog it seems the new owners are making it more into a brewery as well as a great restaurant. My bad, I totally should have drank dank beer.

Please comment on this Vermont Vibes Adventure!

The Gorgeous Charlotte, Vermont Winterside

2009-02-06T16:11:00.004-05:00

The cool thing to do at the Charlotte Farmhouse is go snowshoeing. The Mitch and I knew this when we first discovered this magical property almost a year ago. Our best friend, Caitlin, and major Vibe enthusiast (she even vibes on her own even if it is in a Subaru) is also an avid snowshoer out at the farmhouse. And as my neighbor, more often than not, Caitlin and I take daily snowshoe treks through deer, moose, and bobcat country. The grooviest thing about snowshoeing out here is that we can walk on terrain that we cannot walk on any other time of year. And since this is swamp, marshland, and major vernal pool territory (woohoo - my favorite!!!), that means there is a lot of terrain to cover and explore by snowshoe.

I have been taking pictures on and off, although I forget more often than not. But that Caitlin, well, the other day she vibed off without me as I was in Burlington for meetings and took the best winter pictures I have seen thus far! So, to help the Vermont Vibes Blog transition back to vibing adventures and away from the exuberance of Phish for the time being, I thought I would share some of Caitlin's work:

These last few were taken at the Charlotte Town Beach, after Caitlin removed the snowshoes and went for a drive to engage in the beautiful sunset.

Phish Tickets Update

2009-01-30T17:36:00.002-05:00

Thanks for the insane amount of people who have read this blog post!!! Hopefully you'll keep checking it out and learn more about "Vermont Vibes." Just a quick update for all - thanks to great friends, karma, and sheer willpower, I was able to get tickets to the four shows I wanted to go to and will definitely do some blogging on the Rachels' Vibe Tour to Phish (my tea buddy Rachael will be hitting up the shows with me and we'll hang with many, many friends along the way).

Off to Dead Sessions at Higher Ground tonight for some long overdue musical release and hanging with my great friends! Then back to some more Vermont Vibes explorations!!!

The Serious Feelings Phish Invokes

2009-01-26T09:10:00.002-05:00

I completely understand that many folks out there cannot fully grasp the concept of the spiritual awakening, presence, and power Phish has over a unique mass of individuals who truly consider Phish their form of religion. But the inability to grasp does not mean it does not exist. It exists oh too real.

I woke up in the early hours of the morning today from a series of unpleasant dreams that weave in and out of being on the brink of unknown knowledge and acceptance of something unpleasant. I haven't had dreams or more specifically the feelings upon awakening like this since coming to the realization of a significant others infidelity or newly loss of interest - something I have always been psychically sensitive too. So needless to say, my vibes this morning were not depleted, they were in pain.

And this is due to not getting pre-order Phish tickets yesterday. For some this may seem silly and even stupid, for me and many others it is real and painful. And as I said in the Phish video clip, Phish is a relationship...

I first heard of Phish in high school and was intrigued by the small number of kids who were Phishheads. I was more of the drama and music queen and any of my "hipper" qualities were spent with kids from other schools - experiencing music and life. I guess you could say my youthful need to fit in, stand out, and develop a sense of self led me to occupy two dual personas - one at school and one out of school. And I would learn from each.

College was a fantastic time to become somebody else, or better yet - embody both of my high school personas into one. I could still stand out in my headstrong motivation, but I could be the inner hippie I always felt deep inside and could further explore music. By sophomore year I was finally introduced to the music of Phish and listened to it heavily for two years before attending my first show. A show where I found the music to so intricately match emotions, inflections, and feelings in me I couldn't imagine my life without it. But it also brought me to a new place - a place where once again I felt like I didn't really fit in, yet I did fit in. My young soul and certain deep rooted insecurities, propelled by the growing judgment in the Phish scene (which of course I knew nothing of then), spurred a burning need to develop my individuality further.

I moved to Nashville, Tennessee when I graduated by myself to spread my wings. It never occurred to me to go on tour and from the beginning shows were a very personalized and individual commitment for me - something I learned and experienced very much by myself, never with the same group or crew. Throughout my twenties I saw Phish as much as I could when they were in the area I was living in with whoever I knew at the time who would go - from boyfriends, to random friends, to strangers. As I developed myself more and more into an adult, without increasing financial stability as a member of the Generation X "poorest generation," I grew bitter and sometimes downright angry that I didn't go on tour with Phish or travel the country as a young 20-something and have those few years of freedom and life that so many of my friends have had. I would justify it by saying I would continue working hard in my public relations career so that one day I could be financially independent - the only way I could see the music I wanted to see, when I wanted to see it, and travel where I needed to go.

In 2000 I moved to Burlington, Vermont like so many others because of the power of the music that was created there and the vortex of energy which exists in this Northern Vermont mecca of creation and as I learned after the move, the cost of living challenges. This move shifted again the people I saw Phish with and also kept me plugging along the career path. Sometimes I felt like I was back in high school - seeing the people I wanted to be hanging out with, but hanging out with others who besides our "corporate work similarities" had nothing in common. Again I used the different personas to cope - being a corporate type at work, a hippie at Phish shows, a hottie on the town as a lonely single chick, and a homebody cat lady - but never just myself with the friends and music I had always craved. Sometimes the only times I felt completely whole and alive was at Phish shows - talking, connecting, dancing, laughing, and experiencing with people everywhere who were also dancing to release, listening to remember, and shining their brightest lights.

And then Phish ended. And how I cried. It was the end of a relationship. It was devastating. I still lacked financial independence, my debt was huge, jobs paying crap, I had a small group of friends I had seen the last several Phish shows with, but many lived far away. I still lacked the friendships I craved for, was still floating in and out of doomed relationships, and worst of all was just heading into my Saturn Return.

But Phish left its mark - heavily. Phish ending left me no reason to not make some major changes in my life. I knew the loneliness and relationship shuffle must end. I knew the lamenting about my career needed to stop. I knew I needed to find those friends who were out there because the next Phish show wasn't going to provide me with an opportunity to maybe connect with them.

In the two to three years since Phish ended and I completed my Saturn Return and fully embarked on my life as a 30-something, I started hitting any show at Higher Ground I could and would go by myself and started meeting people. Not people boozing at a downtown bar, but people who lived for music. I shlopped through my last and final dumbass relationship. I quit my job and vowed to never, ever have an identity crisis between being corporate and being a hippie again.

And now, as the excitement of Phish has been growing and the band has returned, I am engaged, I am financially independent running my own Vermont public relations company as a corporate hippie, and I have the most amazing and fantastic friends who all live for live music I could have ever wished for. Phish returning caused me a lot of anxiety and mixed emotions - the financial commitment attached to seeing Phish, the schedule crunches, and purely the mixed emotions of having a relationship you ended return with promises of feelings and experiences which made you who you are. I thought about these things, listened to the music, talked about the experiences and expectations, and most importantly of all, engaged in these things with my fiance and friends who I smiled at from afar at every show, only now to be smiling at each other face to face.

So why do I wake up this morning in painful disillusionment? Because of the stress of even being able to go. Scoring a ticket is ridiculous. I tried for the four Northeast shows in the pre-sale and got denied everything. This is a lottery system that leaves it all to chance and I have watched the majority of my friends get tickets. How can I not be jealous? How can I not take it personally? When the Phish machine is such a personal, spiritually manifested journey? Of course I know the reality of being happy for my friends and that a lottery system is generated by a computer, but that doesn't change the dreams I had and the feelings I awoke with this morning.

Of course I have the chance to purchase tickets on Friday which is quite the several hour commitment of sheer luck and manifestation. But at what expense? I don't want to feel jealousy of the friends I want to dance with for the first time not as strangers to the band we all love. Is that what it means to see Phish now? And how will the difficulties to get tickets affect the experience? If it is so corporate, can it still be organic? How dark is the scene going to be? How many people still remember the magic and how many want to force it? Does my not getting tickets when so many others have mean I am not meant to go? Does that mean I am in for another shift in my life? These are the questions Phish raises and I know I am far from alone in these thoughts. And once again, you may not be able to grasp all of these thoughts, but that doesn't mean that they are not very real for many people. Experiences such as Phish are what we live for - they give pure meaning to our lives.

Frigid Temps? Time for Tea

2009-01-17T13:22:00.003-05:00

My grandmother gave me the sweetest gift when I saw her at Thanksgiving. It is a book all about the history, traditions, and how to's on tea parties. I have long been a fan of tea and have only every sipped coffee twice - ick. I love tea and of course love tea parties. From tea with my stuffed animals when I was little to acting out the famous tea scene in Anne of Green Gables with friends in college to making tea with chamomile and peppermint I grew and dried from my garden.

But it is since reading this book that I have decided to start having more formal tea parties with my friends. I had my good friend Rachael (same name, we just spell it differently) over the other night for sewing and girl time (The Mitch cooked us dinner!) and decided it would be a great opportunity for tea!

I also have realized that having tea is an excellent Vermont Vibes activity when it's just too damn cold to do anything that involves leaving the house! While I love winter, the below 0 temps suck and are a force working directly against creating positive vibes! So, create vibes indoors by inviting a good friend or a few to tea!!!

I have learned that tea is served between 3:00 and 6:00 pm and the food goes from baked treats and tea sandwiches to more elaborate spreads the later tea is served. Tea served closer to 6:00 is considered high tea and replaces dinner! I have also learned that tea should be served in a tray with cloth napkins and tea cloths, a vase of some flowers, and Rachael and I decided a few rocks or crystals - to Vermont Vibize it of course. This is all in addition to the tea accessories. And did you know you are supposed to put the cream in the cup first, followed by the sugar and then the tea itself? Who knew?

Most important is that tea time is a gentle time where friends give themselves their full attention and talk drifts in and out of themes that remind you why you are friends in the first place. Absolutely lovely. Rachael and I took tea around 4:00 pm and enjoyed the peppermint and chamomile concoction I made from my dried garden herbs and some homemade vegan chocolate chip cookies Rachael made. We kept it light as we were going to enjoy Mitch's fabulous dinner - made with tomato sauce we made from the garden too! And we talked of life and love - perfect tea talk themes!

Don't let the cold take away your vibes - have a tea party! And thanks Grandma for the inspiration!

Happy 2009!

2009-01-10T10:20:00.003-05:00

Cheers to the New Year and more Vermont Vibers than ever before! Thanks for the break I needed from blogging and just about anything else involving the computer. The holidays provided some much needed time off of the technical and PR world and I was able to spend time with lots of family and enjoy the other rooms at the farmhouse and leave the office to my parents (it doubles as a guest bedroom when Rachel Carter PR is closed).

Now heading into its third year, Vermont Vibes has so taken off! I get emails all the time of folks taking the concept and integrating it into their own life - some even from other states! Yay!

Earlier in 2008, Vermont Vibes was featured as top outdoor blog by Mild To Wild - a whitewater rafting and jeep tour company out West - thanks!

I also write a Vermont Vibes article in the Healthy Hippie Magazine which has been a great way to pick up Vibers - woohoo!

And, most recently, I was featured on a New England Cable News clip. While it wasn't about Vermont Vibes, it was about something which greatly helped create some of the Vibe concept and it shows the Music Room at the farmhouse and my famous, award-winning cat Fee! Check it out:

And, while I have had no luck yet, I continue to try to get the Pontiac Vibe magazine to write about Vermont Vibes since they feature people who have great Vibe stories. I really can't figure out why they don't think my writing a blog about creating positive vibes in my Pontiac Vibe isn't a great story (as well as free publicity for them). And with the automobile industry market - um, are they stupid or something? Well, as one of my heroes, Forrest Gump would say, "Stupid is as stupid does."

Anyway, I am off on a Vermont Vibes adventure right now with The Mitch and TaraDan (the publishers of the Healthy Hippie Magazine - Taraleigh is also featured in above said video!). We will be snowshoeing, but who knows what else is in store when you get MitchaRachia and TaraDan together - many-a-things can happen!

Kitty Vibes are the Best!

2008-12-21T12:49:00.004-05:00

I have officially determined the best Christmas present you can get or give this year is a new kitten or a mature cat. The Mitch and I got one last weekend from the Rutland County Humane Society who did an exceptional job with their PR and letting folks know they were over inundated with cats and kittens. As a supporter of all things PR (um, probably because I run a Vermont public relations firm), I hopped on this bandwagon and The Mitch and I vibed down to Pittsford, Vermont to pick up Bonham, the newest addition to the MitchaRachia farmhouse family.

Bonham (named after late Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham - and The Mitch's favorite musical idol) is a 12 week year old tiger striped kitten (now thirteen). We got a kitten because we already have Fee (age 8) and Tela (age 7) and a mature cat would tear the farmhouse to shreds with these big beasts in a non-vibalicious way. So a kitten was the only way to go. I have been against getting another cat for years as I do not want to add on any more crazy cat lady qualities, but The Mitch insisted he have a cat he can raise instead of just his two lumpfish stepcats. When The Mitch puts his foot down about something, even me on an overload of Bossios for breakfast cannot argue.

So, down we went to Pittsford, home of the Vermont Maple Museum. While vibing our way down, we stopped at Hannaford's in Middlebury to get some more cat supplies and cat food to donate where in my exuberance to further escalate my crazy cat lady status, left my wallet in the bathroom, only to arrive at the Rutland County Humane Society without it and to great dramatic effect called Hannaford's, learned to my most delighted and belief-in-the-good-of-people spirits that my wallet was indeed turned in, even with the $50 cash inside. Woohoo! Anyway, Bonham sang out to us the minute we walked in the door and it took less than ten minutes to cuddle him up and bring him home, along with a very well put together packet of cat information - sure to further my escalation of a cat know-it-all - watch out Green Mountain Animal Hospital - my fantastic vets who have so awesomely taken care of the fee extensive Fee (even though he was named after a Phish song).

So, here we are a week later...Bonham and Fee have become close to friends and Tela - well that brat of a princess is having some issues, including a new sound she has created that is part growl, part groan, part meow, and part purr. She even does it in her sleep (she too is named after a Phish song). Here are some pics to share...

PS - Please, if you do not have a cat, and would like one, rescue one from the Rutland County Humane Society - they are so nice there, the drive is very Vermont Vibes worthy, and those mature cats will give you fantastic vibes!!!!

The Vibe Got Around

2008-12-14T13:15:00.007-05:00

Last weekend she sure did. The Mitch and I packed it up in the Pontiac Vibe fresh with her new snow tires and sped off with Vergennes as our first destination. We spent an evening in our now neighbor town of Vergennes where we started out with a casual dinner at 3 Squares Cafe downtown. This place is fantastic. Chef owner Matt Birong has created a casual relaxed atmosphere where you order from a counter, but are provided with a cheerful and colorful waiting environment that certainly encourages a dining in option but without the feeling of weirdness that can come at other establishments when you choose to carry out. But that is just an added bonus, it is the food that makes 3 Squares Cafe a delectable Vermont treat. The Mitch and I both opted for one of the specials - a pulled pork quesadilla which was absolutely delicious. Be sure to check them out next time you're vibing through Vergennes or on the web at www.3squarescafe.com. 3 Squares serves alcohol so you can bet some vibes we enjoyed a local brew and got some baked goods to go which were perfect for an after dinner snack at our next destination.

And that would be the Vergennes Opera House for an enchanting solo piano performance by Cody Michaels called "Winter Suite." The seasonally magical music lifted my heart and spirit and I believe I have found Vermont Vibing theme music. Please visit www.codymichaels.com and consider checking out this enlightening Vermont musician or buying a CD for your Vermont Vibes adventure - I did! Following the concert, we headed to Antidote - Vergennes classy bar - for fancy drinks and cheer with my good pals Jeff and Carrie - Jeff was the bass player in the band I used to sing with and now rocks out the 80's cover band Hot Neon Magic.

The next day after a leisurely morning enjoying the farmhouse, The Mitch and I poked our way up to Smuggler's Notch for the Brewfest with our groovy Magic Hat friends Jen and Russ and their clan. I love the concept of the Brewfest - good Vermont beers (and Woodchuck Draft Cider), bad 80's music, wicked cheesy people, and lots of fun Magic Hat peeps! We had a blast and after swilling our ticketed amount of brews (heehee), we bounced off to the Morse Mountain Grille & Pub for some terrifically terrible Karaoke (I can say that because even I sang an awful song). But what was fantastically fabulous was that the sneaky blow-up band, The Shwilly Spunions, made a surprise guest appearance and then continued the show at the Magic Hat condo - completely blowin' it up! I must give it up to Smuggs for offering their two weekends a year (another Brewfest is held at the beginning of April) of adult mayhem as they are most certainly Vermont's family resort - and that is a slogan that is certainly true!

Rock On and Peace Out Vibers!

PS - Pontiac - you should definitely feature the Vermont Vibes Blog in your Pontiac Performance Magazine - we've got a whole contingency of folks up here living and loving the Vermont Vibes concept which was purely created from my bouncing around Vermont in my Pontiac Vibe - unsolicited public relations should not be ignored - especially in this marketplace! And as a Vermont PR professional by day, I can even hook up your press visit! Word.

Dancing, Shopping, & Dancing

2008-12-05T09:52:00.006-05:00

The weekend before Thanksgiving was vibalicious! It started on Friday night when The Mitch and I urged our closest neighbor friends from Hinesburg to go contra dancing at the Hinesburg Town Hall. I have been wanting to go contra dancing for a few years now and every time I think my plans will allow, there is some reason I can't go. But two Fridays ago, there was nothing in our way so we headed off to the Hinesburg Town Hall dressed in our best contra dance outfits (complete with a pair of Healthy Hippie legwarmers). We were all excited for some community cheer and to meet some folks in our community and were immediately amused by the mix of ages - definitely an equal distribution of all generations which was super cool. Now as I have never been contra dancing before, I was not sure what to expect. We were soon swept into the dance with minimal instruction which made it pretty difficult to keep up. This would have been fine with us except there were definitely a few folks there who wanted no part of beginners in their dance circle and let's just say their vibes were far less than friendly. Some folks were nice, but all in all I didn't feel too welcome and I know The Mitch was giving me dagger eyes across the dance floor. We were thanked at the end for coming, but were advised to switch partners with other dancers which would help with our lack of contra skills. Perhaps someone should have mentioned that to us before and perhaps a friendlier atmosphere would be less intimidating. I guess there are some contra dances where the beginners go at the beginning to learn and then other folks come. Maybe that should be the case at all contra dances? If not the listing in the local paper could say "For Experienced Contra Dancers." Anyway, I still had fun and it's always good for your ego to be out of your comfort zone! Here are some pics to share:

After contra dancing we went to our friend's house in Hinesburg for well deserved beers and a sleepover consisting of playing Rock Band on the big screen. The next morning Patty and I headed off the the Hinesburg Holiday Bazaar. I bought a ton of Christmas decorations as well as a few presents and had some fun conversations with the friendly church volunteers (they were not at the contra dance). Check it out:

By mid-day we parted ways with our pals and The Mitch and I headed to the Charlotte Artisan Fair which has quite a different flair from the bazaar. A bazaar is typically held at a church by the church and has a collection of used items being sold at exceptionally awesome prices. The concept of a holiday bazaar I believe even precedes the tag sale, but don't quote me on that. An artisan fair however is usually much more upscale and expensive - as it should be since the products are hand made by the artisans selling them. Artisan fairs are typically out of the budget of a developing Vermont business owner and a special educator.

After some more holiday shopping The Mitch and I had just enough time to get into honky tonk costume and head to The Old Lantern for the the Old Lantern LIVE series with Girl Howdy and the Starline Rhythm Boys. But before we got to more dancing we were treated to a delicious venison pie dinner made by owner, Chef Roland - YUM!!! While The Mitch and I are very dedicated fans of honky tonk, we've only seen the Starline Rhythm Boys a handful of times and never in such a large space on Vermont's best dance floor. It was wild! And once again we were out of our element. Definitely in the younger portion of the crowd, we watched folks show up with dancing shoes and wow were they good! Everyone was dancing as couples and The Mitch and I had to spend a good time watching and getting up the nerve to try our own moves. We have officially decided we need to take ballroom dancing classes so we can learn the basics. We may be good dancers in our hippie scene, but our moves sure need some polishing. Plus, we spend so much time pretending to be rock stars, I think we have forgotten how to shake our hips. We did manage to pull out a few air guitar moves and ended up having our own private rock concert to Star 92.9 when we got home (this was before the holiday tunes started). Vibing sure is fun!!!

Vermont Vibes Winter Gear Up

2008-11-21T16:39:00.006-05:00

It is cold and I love it! Every season (except fall) is my favorite season. And when winter comes, it is no exception. I love the cold air, bundling up, breathing hard. Winter to me is just so clean and being out in Charlotte is going to allow me to enjoy every beautiful little bit of it this year - and I will! Winter has also turned the concept of Vermont Vibes into its own belly flop. What I mean by this is before The Mitch and I moved to Charlotte, vibing was a way to get out of town, meet new people, experience new things, and do what is not done. But in the winter we vibed much less and went straight to the mountain to ski and ride.

Enter MitchaRachia is created and the Farmhouse Comes Alive! The warm weather is no longer spent running away from town to get into the woods and small towns. The spring, summer, and early fall was spent right here on our farm, growing the most gorgeous and tasty veggies I have ever grown or eaten, harvesting those veggies, and then putting them up for the long Vermont winter. When we weren't growing, weeding, or cooking we were gallivanting around Charlotte enjoying our new home and our new town. As much as I loved it, I was also sometimes sad that I wasn't vibing as I used to and sharing the good word of the Vibe with all of you Vermont Vibes fans.

In creeps winter in Charlotte and the stupid economy. And, in creeps the fact that we live on 500 acres of farmland and woods - a lot of the open space being on hills. Catch my drift? Snowshoeing, cross country skiing, and making our own downhill trails and jumps! So this year we didn't buy ski passes and our winter weekends aren't committed to one ski area - leaving more options to hang with friends and more options to ski or not to ski - woo-hee! Which leads to WAAAYYYYY more opportunities for WINTER VIBING!!!!!!!!!!!!

We started this past weekend! On our way back from a sneaky birthday trek to New Hampshire which surprised The Mitch out of his newly-learned-how-to-wear scarf, we went - you guessed it - VIBING!!!

We went to the Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) and checked out the birds of prey. I fell in love with the gorgeous snowy owl which I swear was a stunt double in Harry Potter and The Mitch stared in awe at the bald eagle (I think the bald eagle was staring at his scarf). For those who don't know, VINS is seriously one of the coolest places I have ever been. They care for injured birds of prey and raptors in huge habitat cages that all differ based on the bird's natural habitat. These birds can never live outside of captivity again because of damage done to them so it's not like creating a zoo for the heck of it (of course I am anti that concept). Back in the day, before I owned my own Vermont public relations business, the Woodstock Inn & Resort used to be a client. As area attractions are what makes a travel story, I got to hang quite a bit at places like VINS (which is in Quechee, next to Woodstock). It was really cool being able to go back - and on a day when no on was there (I love that so many people do not understand that wearing five layers is fun - leaves more of everything for those of us who do).

After we gawked at, talked to (well, I did), and chatted with another fellow enjoying the birds, we took the nature walk behind the huge cages where two of my most favorite natural habitats are - vernal pools and wetlands!!! It was so neat seeing them in their off season and of course I took some pictures to share!

So Vibers - if you have the chance - go to VINS (www.vinsweb.org)!!!!! It's very close off the 89/91 exits by White River Junction and you don't need to spend a ton of time there to enjoy and appreciate. There is some inside stuff as well that The Mitch and I had fun with too - hey - we like to warm up also!

Love and Light Vibers and get out there! I am off for another weekend of Vibing - contra dancing, holiday bazaars, artisan fairs, venison dinners, local music, and the annual Friendsgiving Celebration with my peeps!