WINTER is slowly giving way to SPRING in Vermont!!

WINTER is slowly giving way to SPRING in Vermont!!

Note: Now that VT is getting into Spring (and mud season) a lot of local establishments take a vacation before the Summer rush of visitors. Be sure to call before you head to a restaurant to check their days open and hours and make a reservation to be sure of enjoying your dine out experience!

It’s time to register for summer camps for your kids!! Check out these near Leave No Trace Cabin!

1. Vermont Institute of Natural Science http://vinsweb.org/…/…/02/vins-nature-camp-schedule-2018.pdf
2. Billings Farm
https://billingsfarm.org/billings-farm-museum-summer-camps…/
3. GMHA https://www.gmhainc.org/event_d…/junior-horsemanship-clinic/
4. Artistree https://artistreevt.org/summer-camps.html
5. Montshire Museum of Science https://www.montshire.org/programs/summer-camp
6. Farm & Wilderness camps https://farmandwilderness.org
7. Soccer Camps https://www.hartlandrecreation.com/…/…/program_details.aspx…
8. Theatre Camp at Northern Stage https://northernstage.org/…/calling-6-12-year-olds-for-jun…/
9. Athletics https://www.woodstockinn.com/resort/event-calendar/kids-camp
10. Rec Center – games & hikes http://www.woodstockrec.com/…/activit…/program_details.aspx…
11. Splash Camp https://uvacswim.org/swimming/splash-camp/
12. Dance and Performing Arts https://pentanglearts.org/class/
13. Art https://avagallery.org/summer-art-camps/
14. Lots of options at these camps http://www.ultracamp.com/info/upcomingsessions.aspx…

Besides skiing, snowboarding, sitting in front of the wood stove at the cabin, there are other fun activities in the area. Try dogsledding with Braeburn Siberians at the Artisans Plaza in Windsor, VT next to the Harpoon Brewery. Book it through Great River Outfitters (802) 674-9933. (If you’re calling from the cabin you don’t need to dial the 802 but I suggest booking before you arrive as they are in great demand). One of my favorites is Sculpturefest which continues even into Winter (if you want to snowshoe the farms!). It’s an outdoor exhibit of various artists unique sculptures covering two farms. It’s free and a wonderful place to walk, take your dog and enjoy the beautiful countryside. Find directions on their website: www.sculpturefest.org. Also there are fat bike trails on Ascutney Mountain in Brownsville, Woodstock Inn’s Nordic center and now at River Outfitters at the Artisan Plaza in Windsor, VT.

SPECIALS: Prince & Pauper Restaurant in Woodstock offers a special $40 Dinner Special!
Sunday through Thursday evenings our $51, 3 Course Prix Fixe Menu is offered at a special price of $40. This includes Appetizer, House Salad and Entrée. Promotion ending April 30th!

Apr. 7 – Woodstock, VT – The Billings Farm in Woodstock offers a selection of films – check them out on https://billingsfarm.org/filmfest/

Apr. 22 – Woodstock, VT – HAIR, the Tribal Rock Musical, Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 4:00 pm, www.pentanglearts.org

Apr. 26-28 – Woodstock, VT – HAIR, the Tribal Rock Musical, Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 7:30pm, www.pentanglearts.org

Apr. 29 – Woodstock, VT – HAIR, the Tribal Rock Musical, Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 4:00 pm, www.pentanglearts.org

Apr. 28-29 – Woodstock, VT – Glad Rags Sale, Masonic Lodge, 9-3pm(28th) and 10-1pm (29th)

Apr. 29 – Windsor, VT – Music and (Bloody) Marys at Silo Distiller in Artisans Way, 1-3 pm

May 4-6 – Lebanon, NH – Alice in Wonderland, City Center Ballet, Lebanon Opera House, CityCenterBallet.org

May 5 – Woodstock, VT – Kentucky Derby viewing and Derby Hat Contesst, Bentley’s Restaurant

May 12 – Woodstock, VT – East End Eats, Food Truck Festival

Biking and Hiking – New last year is the Ascutney Outdoors organization. They have worked to make Ascutney Mountain in Brownsville, VT a place for all to enjoy various activities.In addition to all the Winter activities held there the trails are great for biking and hiking. There is no charge to use the trails. Check out their website for events planned and future improvements. www.ascutneyoutdoors.org/new-events/

Below are places of interest – dining – touristy – entertainment:

Some fairly new restaurants in the area! Check them out but remember in the Winter and Spring call to check days and hours of opening since they vary as they try to fit in some time off:

New in downtown Woodstock are these restaurants:

Mangalitsa restaurant (for dinner) and Soulfully Good Cafe (for breakfast and lunch).

The Hartland Diner in Jessup’s Plaza at Hartland 3 Corners – open 7 days a week for lunch and breakfast (served all day!).

The owners of the former Stella’s restaurant have opened a restaurant in Windsor at the railroad station (Windsor Station Restaurant and Barroom)serving dinner with lots of music events as well!

Opened in Quechee, Singleton’s Market and Jake’s Market with food items, deli, Vermont products and clothing. It has almost everything you could need from fresh fish, homemade sausages, wine, beer…the list is endless!

Another popular restaurant in Woodstock – The Worthy Kitchen where the Eastender used to be (on the East end of Rt. 4)! Very casual atmosphere, limited menu but the specials change and the food is great (highly recommend the steak!). Draft Beer choices are endless and there is also a token wine selection. The bartenders/wait staff are great fun too!

Another new restaurant on the West end of Woodstock on Rt. 4 is the 506 Bistro in the fancy On the River Inn. In Quechee, The Public House, near the putt-putt golf, offering food and craft beers and they have also just opened the Public House Diner in Quechee. A new restaurant in White River Junction is Piecemeal Pies serving English savory pies.

If you are returning to the area from previous visits please note there are lots of restaurants in the area you may wish to try: Trap Door Bakery and Deli in Quechee, and in Woodstock: Melaza Bistro, Pi Brick Oven Trattoria and Pi Martini Tapas Bar(with Jazz music every Wed. at 7pm), Anchor Wat and Mon Vert Cafe. Of course, many of my “old” favorites are still there: Kedron Valley Inn and Tavern(S. Woodstock)-every Sun. is Burger and Beer night; Keeper’s (Reading), The Black Rock Restaurant (Springfield), Long Trail Brewery(Bridgewater) for lunch, Harpoon Brewery (Windsor), Simon Pearce restaurant and The Parker House Inn(Quechee) and many more!! The Kedron Valley Inn is only 3 mi. from the cabin. Bentley’s restaurant in Woodstock offers dancing to their DJ on Friday and Saturday nights at 10 pm. Harpoon Brewery (at Artisan’s Place in Windsor) is open some evenings for dinner – check first as their schedule changes. In the summer there is often Oven-Fired Pizza offered outside.

Another food “establishment” which has garnered a big following is the “elevated food truck” called Chef Brad’s Crazy Side. The food truck has relocated from Hartland to Rt. 4 near the Fat Hat on the way to Quechee. They now have an actual building which is open after October when they close up the food truck. It will reopen inside Nov. 1 for lunch 11:30-2:30. Brad is a fantastic chef, thus the big following. You can follow the restaurant specials on his Facebook site. People rave over his fish in a basket. I personally like his hamburgers or lamb-burgers and sweet potato fries. When the temperatures are cool I always try one of his homemade soups.

Harpoon Brewery – Windsor – don’t forget live music on Thurs. evenings. And visit Farmstead Cheese (Sustainable Farmer) next door! They offer lots of local products. During the summer they have oven fired pizzas for sale to eat on the picnic tables outside. Also in the same complex there is the Silo making Vermont’s own Vodka/Gin/Whiskey/Moonshine. Often the Silo and Farmstead Cheese team up with some local musical talent and hold a special event at the Silo, serving cocktails and food bites. These places are located in Artisan’s Park in Windsor off Rt. 5 – home to many other interesting places such as Simon Pearce outlet store and Great River Outfitters who feature a lot of Water Activities – check out their calendar as well as an adjacent hiking area called Path of Life Garden http://greatriveroutfitters.com. Sometimes in the winter dog sledding is there – check with www.braeburnsiberians.com

Brown’s Tavern is also open for dinner at the Ascutney Resort in nearby Brownsville, along with their Maple Kitchen restaurant which features Prime Rib on Thursday nights.

If you stop at Mike’s Mobil just off Rt. 91 on Rt. 12/5 you’ll find some hot foods to choose from as well as deli sandwiches made to order, to keep you from needing to cook that first meal at the cabin! Large selection of beer,wine, and coffee. It’s also the closest place to get diesel and wi-fi.

Montshire Museum in Norwich, VT gets top marks for it’s displays for young and old including the outside grounds www.montshire.org

I recommend a visit to Sugarbush Farm (www.sugarbushfarm.com) where they have a wonderful educational display and video on sugaring, an animal petting area and a wonderful cheese and maple syrup tasting room with of course a gift shop full of goodies to take home or buy for gifts.

The Windsor Station Restaurant(Windsor, VT) has live music every Tuesday and Friday. Harpoon Brewery (Rt. 5 Windsor) has live music every Thursday and first Saturday. Browns Tavern (Ascutney Resort, VT) has Live music every Sunday. Skunk Hollow Tavern (Hartland 4 Corners) has live music every Wednesday and Friday. For details of who is playing check the links below.

For Windsor area entertainment information:
Windsor Station: http://windsorstationvt.com/live-music
Harpoon: http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/breweries/windsor
Brown’s Tavern: http://brownstavern.webs.com/apps/calendar
Skunk Hollow: http://www.skunkhollowtavern.com/Entertainment.aspx

For info on what’s happening at the Woodstock Town Theatre then check out: www.PentangleArts.org

For more cultural activities in the nearby area check out these sites:

http://www.woodstockvt.com/woodstockvt/events

The nearby Billings Farm Museum has an activity going on most of the weekends.

Home

www.hop.dartmouth.edu Hanover, NH

www.TupeloHall.com White River Junction, VT

www.ClaremontOperaHouse.com Claremont, NH

www.OperaNorth.org Lebanon, NH

www.NorthernStage.org White River Junction, VT

www.ArtistreeVT.org Woodstock, VT2016

2016-17 Winter Activities near the Cabin

2016-17 Winter Activities near the Cabin

New last year is the Ascutney Outdoors organization. They have worked to make Ascutney Mountain in Brownsville, VT a place for all to enjoy for various activities.There’s something for all winter outdoor enthusiasts at Ascutney Trails. Fat-bikers, snow-shoers and cross-country skiers can enjoy the vast trail network hugging the flanks of Mt Ascutney. Back-country skiers and snowboarders can hike up and ski/ride down some of the most unique and challenging back-country terrain in the area. The Ascutney Rope Tow was built in 2015, and welcomes skiers and snowboarders of all ages to enjoy lift-served skiing at Mt. Ascutney once again. There is no charge to use the trails but you do need your own equipment. Check out their website for events planned and future improvements. www.ascutneyoutdoors.org/new-events/

December Weekends & Dec 24–Jan 1- Woodstock, VT – 10am–4pm Christmas at the Farm at Billings Farm & Museum. (excluding Christmas Day) Learn how Christmas was celebrated in late 19th-century Woodstock in the farmhouse and linger in the cozy kitchen as treats are baked in the woodstove. Holiday programs and making historic ornaments. Don’t miss a winter visit to the farm. Horse-drawn sleigh ride or wagon rides, Dec. 26–Jan. 1(weatherpermitting). www.billingsfarm.org/

Jan. 7-8 – South Woodstock, VT – Sleighing Combined Test and Sleigh Rally, Green Mountain Horse Assn., weather dependent so check the website for more info: https://www.gmhainc.org/ecategory/combined-driving-pleasure-driving-events/ This is a great spectator event!

Jan. 14 – Quechee, VT – Winter Wildlife Celebration at VINS (Vermont Institute of Natural Science), www.vinsweb.org

Jan. 14–16- Woodstock, VT – 10am–4pm Sleigh Ride Weekend at Billings Farm & Museum. Horse-drawn sleigh rides, jack jumper sledding; dairy farm and restored farm house. www.billingsfarm.org/

Jan. 21 – Woodstock, VT – indoor Winter Farmer’s Market – Masonic Hall, 10-1pm

Jan. 21-22 – South Woodstock, VT – Sleighing Combined Test and Sleigh Rally, Green Mountain Horse Assn., weather dependent so check the website for more info: https://www.gmhainc.org/ecategory/combined-driving-pleasure-driving-events/ This is a great spectator event!

Feb. 4 – Hartland, VT – Annual Tiki Torch Trek, 6-8pm – check website for location & details – see below:

“A community evening of outdoor fun! Ski or snowshoe on trails lit by Tiki Torches, eat a great meal and enjoy the bonfire and music. Come and see old friends and make new ones! More information in January, on our website and on posters around town. The TTT will be held even in extreme weather conditions (below 0 temps/ice, etc), but the event may be moved to the Rec Center in this case. So please plan to join in the fun no matter what Mother Nature has in store for us!! ” www.hartlandwintertrails.org

Feb. 11 – Brownsville, VT – Ascutney Winterfest, 9-2pm, www.ascutneyoutdoors.org

Feb. 11 – 26 – Woodstock, VT – Sleigh Ride Weekends, Billings Farm & Museum, 10am – 4pm

Feb. 14 – Woodstock, VT – Jazz – Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 10am

Feb. 18 – Woodstock, VT – indoor Winter Farmer’s Market – Masonic Hall, 10-1pm

Feb. 17–19 – Woodstock, VT – The Vermont Flurry: Woodstock Snow Sculpture Festival. Woodstock Village Green. Presented by Pentangle Arts. www.pentanglearts.org /

Feb. 18–26 – Woodstock, VT – 10am–4pm Sleigh Ride Week at Billings Farm & Museum. Sleigh rides, sledding with jack jumpers; dairy farm and farmhouse; programs and hands-on activities, presidential cookie favorites and spiced cider. www.billingsfarm.org/

Feb. 25 – Quechee, VT – Owl Festival at VINS (Vermont Institute of Natural Science), www.vinsweb.org

Mar. 18 – Woodstock, VT – indoor Winter Farmer’s Market – Masonic Hall, 10-1pm

Mar. 25 & 26 – Woodstock, VT 11am–1pm March Maple Madness. Sugar on snow & maple butter popcorn, free on the Green. Maple Taste-A-Round, 6:00- 8:30 pm, $25. www.woodstockvt.com

Below are places of interest – dining – touristy – entertainment:

Some fairly new restaurants in the area! Check it out:

The Hartland Diner in Jessup’s Plaza at Hartland 3 Corners – open 7 days a week for lunch and breakfast (served all day!).Note: Hartland Diner in Hartland 3 Corners will be closed on Tues. & Wed. for the months of Feb. and Mar. Back to open 7 days a week April 1st.

The owners of the former Stella’s restaurant have opened a restaurant in Windsor at the railroad station (Windsor Station Restaurant and Barroom)serving dinner with lots of music events as well!

Opened in Quechee, Singleton’s Market and Jake’s Market with food items, deli, Vermont products and clothing. It has almost everything you could need from fresh fish, homemade sausages, wine, beer…the list is endless!

Another restaurant in Woodstock – The Worthy Kitchen where the Eastender used to be (on the East end of Rt. 4)! Very casual atmosphere, limited menu but the specials change and the food is great (highly recommend the steak!). Draft Beer choices are endless and there is also a token wine selection. The bartenders/wait staff are great fun too!

Another new restaurant on the West end of Woodstock is On the River Inn and in Quechee, The Public House, near the putt-putt golf, offering food and craft beers. A new restaurant in White River Junction is Piecemeal Pies serving English savory pies.

If you are returning to the area from previous visits please note there are lots of restaurants in the area you may wish to try: Trap Door Bakery and Deli in Quechee, and in Woodstock: Melaza Bistro, Pi Brick Oven Trattoria and Pi Martini Tapas Bar(with Jazz music every Wed. at 7pm), Anchor Wat and Mon Vert Cafe. Of course, many of my “old” favorites are still there: Kedron Valley Inn and Tavern(S. Woodstock)-every Sun. is Burger and Beer night; Keeper’s (Reading), The Black Rock Restaurant (Springfield), Long Trail Brewery(Bridgewater) for lunch, Harpoon Brewery (Windsor), Simon Pearce restaurant and The Parker House Inn(Quechee) and many more!! The Kedron Valley Inn is only 3 mi. from the cabin. Bentley’s restaurant in Woodstock offers dancing to their DJ on Friday and Saturday nights at 10 pm. Harpoon Brewery (at Artisan’s Place in Windsor) is open some evenings for dinner – check first as their schedule changes. In the summer there is often Oven-Fired Pizza offered outside.

Another food “establishment” which has garnered a big following is the “elevated food truck” called Chef Brad’s Crazy Side. The food truck has relocated from Hartland to Rt. 4 near the Fat Hat on the way to Quechee. They now have an actual building which is open for breakfast and lunch. Brad is a fantastic chef, thus the big following. You can follow the restaurant specials on his Facebook site. People rave over his chicken in a basket. I personally like his hamburgers or lamb-burgers and sweet potato fries. When the temperatures are cool I always try one of his homemade soups.

I recommend a visit to Sugarbush Farm (www.sugarbushfarm.com) where they have a wonderful educational display and video on sugaring, an animal petting area and a wonderful cheese and maple syrup tasting room with of course a gift shop full of goodies to take home or buy for gifts.

Harpoon Brewery – Windsor – don’t forget live music on Thurs. evenings. And visit Farmstead Cheese (Sustainable Farmer) next door! They offer lots of local products. During the summer they have oven fired pizzas for sale to eat on the picnic tables outside. Also in the same complex there is the Silo making Vermont’s own Vodka/Gin/Whiskey/Moonshine. Often the Silo and Farmstead Cheese team up with some local musical talent and hold a special event at the Silo, serving cocktails and food bites. These places are located in Artisan’s Park in Windsor off Rt. 5 – home to many other interesting places such as Simon Pearce outlet store and Great River Outfitters who feature a lot of Water Activities – check out their calendar http://greatriveroutfitters.com. Sometimes in the winter dog sledding is there – check with www.braeburnsiberians.com

Brown’s Tavern is also open for dinner at the Ascutney Resort nearby along with their Maple Kitchen restaurant which features Prime Rib on Thursday nights. Ascutney Mountain has been revived as Ascutney Outdoors which now has a ski tow rope and there is no charge to ski there. There are also trails which have been opened for biking and hiking.

If you stop at Mike’s Mobil just off Rt. 91 on Rt. 12/5 you’ll find some hot foods to choose from as well as deli sandwiches made to order, to keep you from needing to cook that first meal! Large selection of beer,wine, and coffee. It’s also the closest place to get diesel.

Montshire Museum in Norwich, VT gets top marks for it’s displays for young and old including the outside grounds www.montshire.org

The Windsor Station Restaurant(Windsor, VT) has live music every Tuesday and Friday. Harpoon Brewery (Rt. 5 Windsor) has live music every Thursday and first Saturday as well as brick oven-fired pizzas on the weekends(Summer and Fall). Browns Tavern (Ascutney Resort, VT) has Live music every Sunday Skunk Hollow Tavern (Hartland 4 Corners) has live music every Wednesday and Friday. For details of who is playing check the links below.

For Windsor area entertainment information:
Windsor Station: http://windsorstationvt.com/live-music
Harpoon: http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/breweries/windsor
Brown’s Tavern: http://brownstavern.webs.com/apps/calendar
Skunk Hollow: http://www.skunkhollowtavern.com/Entertainment.aspx

For info on what’s happening at the Woodstock Town Theatre then check out: www.PentangleArts.org

For more cultural activities in the nearby area check out these sites:

http://www.woodstockvt.com/woodstockvt/events

http://www.thevermontstandard.com

The nearby Billings Farm Museum has an activity going on most of the weekends.

Billings Farm and Museum

www.hop.dartmouth.edu Hanover, NH

www.TupeloHall.com White River Junction, VT

www.ClaremontOperaHouse.com Claremont, NH

www.OperaNorth.org Lebanon, NH

www.NorthernStage.org White River Junction, VT

www.ArtistreeVT.org Woodstock, VT2016

Mid-Winter 2016 at the Cabin

Mid-Winter 2016 at the Cabin

February and March in Vermont often offers a wide variety of activities – some snow related and some not. Of course, you can always just chill out in the cabin in front of a wood stove!

NEW: Dog-sledding on Fridays and Sundays (12-4pm) – check it out at the Artisan Way in Windsor (where Great River Outfitters, Harpoon Brewery and the Silo are located) or contact Braeburn Sledding www.braeburnsiberians.com Pre-booked 2 hour excursions are available on Tues.,Thurs., and Sat.

There is a free outdoor ice skate rink in West Windsor (Brownsville) at the Albert Bridge School on the Brownsville-Hartland Road. It’s open to the public on Fridays 3-4:30pm.

There is also free rope tow skiing on Mt. Ascutney in Brownsville, snow permitting!

Note: Hartland Diner in Hartland 3 Corners will be closed on Tues. & Wed. for the months of Feb. and Mar. Back to open 7 days a week April 1st.

What to do on a Saturday afternoon? Woodstock Vermont Film Series is hosted at Billings Farm & Museum – list of movies is posted at the cabin in the Current Events folder.

The Montshire Museum in Norwich, VT always has a multitude of interesting activities going on!

Windsor Winter Farmer’s Markets -runs the 1st and 3rd Saturday of every month through May from 11am-2pm at the Windsor Welcome Center (3 Railroad Ave). You’ll find these vendors:Backwoods Grove: Buy a citrus cleaner, scrubby, and a dishcloth for only $10 as a set! Get a jump start on the spring cleaning! Brookhaven: Spicy pickles, dilly beans, dried herbs, plus journals, notepads and pillows made from recycled materials. Contented Butterfly Farm: Limited quantity of eggs, USDA inspected lamb meat, leeks, canned goods (tomatillo salsa, cucumber relish and strawberry/rhubarb topping sauce), handspun yarn and knit hats. Max & Ozzie’s Homemade Crafts: Limited number of fresh eggs, plus freshly baked focaccia bread in new flavors! Try three cheese, sweet onion, bacon/onion/mushroom, rosemary/sea salt and Italian herb/parmesan. 100% cotton napkins and kitchen towels plus reusable snack bags available in a variety of prints.
Nada’s Notes & Photos: Photograph notecards and framed prints featuring local historical and natural scenes. Split Rock Farm: Beef, eggs, jams, relishes and pickles. The Tragic Whale: Makeup bags, pencil cases and *new item* coasters!

Jan. 30th – Pomfret, VT – 80th Anniversary Party for Suicide Six : Snowshoe race up and down the Mountain ($40 entry, 4:05pm) and Party ($36.80 6-9pm) Reservations 802 457-6665

Feb. 7 – Cornish, NH – Guided Family Snowshoe Adventure, Saint-Gardens National Historic Site, visitor center, 1-3pm, snowshoes available

Feb. 11-15 – Woodstock, VT – The Vermont Flurry: Woodstock Snow Sculpture Festival, on the Green

Feb. 13 – Hartland, VT – Annual Tiki Torch Trek, 5-8pm, A community evening of outdoor fun! Ski or snowshoe on trails lit by Tiki Torches, eat a great meal and enjoy the bonfire and music. www.HartlandWinterTrails.org

Feb. 13 – Pomfret, VT – Suicide Six, President’s Week Torchlight Parade & Dance, starts shortly after dusk

Feb. 13 – Woodstock, VT – Animal Tracking Workshop,Forest Center, Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park, 10-2pm

Feb. 13 – Hartland, VT – Roast Beef Supper, Brick Church – look for signage at Damon Hall, 5-7pm

Feb. 13 – Pomfret, VT – Boy Thayer Trio, Artis Tree, 7:30pm

Feb. 16 – Hanover, NH – Hirsch-Pinkas Piano Duo, Hopkins Center at Dartmouth College, 7pm

Feb. 11-21 – Woodstock, VT – Sleigh Ride Week, Billings Farm & Museum, 10-3pm

Feb. 20 – Woodstock, VT – Fatstock, check it out at http://www.vermontoverland.com/fatstock/

Feb. 20 – Pomfret, VT – Suicide Six Sledding Party(4-5pm) & Movie Night(5:15pm)

Feb. 20 – Hartland, VT – Country Dance, Damon Hall, 7pm

Feb. 21 – Cornish, NH – Guided Family Snowshoe Adventure, Saint-Gardens National Historic Site, visitor center, 1-3pm, snowshoes available

Feb. 27 – Woodstock, VT – Wildlife Tracking in the Snow, Forest Center, Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park, 10-noon

Mar. 6 – Woodstock, VT – Guided Family Snowshoe Adventure, Forest Center, Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park, 1-3pm, snowshoes available

Mar. 19 – Hartland, VT – Country Dance, Damon Hall, 7pm

Mar. 26-27 – Woodstock, VT – Maple Madness, Village Green, 11-1pm

Mar. 26-27 – Vermont – Maple Weekend, Open House at Maple Sugar Producers throughout Vermont

Apr. 18 – Hartland, VT – Country Dance, Damon Hall, 7pm

Below are places of interest – dining – touristy – entertainment:

Some fairly new restaurants in the area! Check it out:

The Hartland Diner in Jessup’s Plaza at Hartland 3 Corners – open 7 days a week for lunch and breakfast (served all day!).Note: Hartland Diner in Hartland 3 Corners will be closed on Tues. & Wed. for the months of Feb. and Mar. Back to open 7 days a week April 1st.

The owners of the former Stella’s restaurant have opened a restaurant in Windsor at the railroad station (Windsor Station Restaurant and Barroom)serving dinner with lots of music events as well!

Opened in Quechee, Singleton’s Market and Jake’s Market with food items, deli, Vermont products and clothing. It has almost everything you could need from fresh fish, homemade sausages, wine, beer…the list is endless!

Another new restaurant in Woodstock – The Worthy Kitchen where the Eastender used to be (on the East end of Rt. 4)! Very casual atmosphere, limited menu but the specials change and the food is great (highly recommend the steak!). Draft Beer choices are endless and there is also a token wine selection. The bartenders/wait staff are great fun too!

Another new restaurant on the West end of Woodstock is On the River Inn and in Quechee, The Public House, near the putt-putt golf, offering food and craft beers.

If you are returning to the area from previous visits please note there are lots of restaurants in the area you may wish to try: Trap Door Bakery and Deli in Quechee, and in Woodstock: Melaza Bistro, Pi Brick Oven Trattoria and Pi Martini Tapas Bar(with Jazz music every Wed. at 7pm), Anchor Wat and Mon Vert Cafe. Of course, many of my “old” favorites are still there: Kedron Valley Inn and Tavern(S. Woodstock)-every Sun. is Burger and Beer night; Keeper’s (Reading), The Black Rock Restaurant (Springfield), Long Trail Brewery(Bridgewater) for lunch, Harpoon Brewery (Windsor), Simon Pearce restaurant and The Parker House Inn(Quechee) and many more!! The Kedron Valley Inn is only 3 mi. from the cabin. Bentley’s restaurant in Woodstock offers dancing to their DJ on Friday and Saturday nights at 10 pm. Harpoon Brewery (at Artisan’s Place in Windsor) is open some evenings for dinner – check first as their schedule changes. In the summer there is often Oven-Fired Pizza offered outside.

I recommend a visit to Sugarbush Farm (www.sugarbushfarm.com) where they have a wonderful educational display and video on sugaring, an animal petting area and a wonderful cheese and maple syrup tasting room with of course a gift shop full of goodies to take home or buy for gifts.

Harpoon Brewery – Windsor – don’t forget live music on Thurs. evenings. And visit Farmstead Cheese (Sustainable Farmer) next door! They offer lots of local products. During the summer they have oven fired pizzas for sale to eat on the picnic tables outside. Also in the same complex there is the Silo making Vermont’s own Vodka/Gin/Whiskey/Moonshine. Located in Artisan’s Park in Windsor off Rt. 5 – home to many other interesting places such as Simon Pearce outlet store and Great River Outfitters who feature a lot of Water Activities – check out their calendar http://greatriveroutfitters.com. Sometimes in the winter dog sledding is there – check with www.braeburnsiberians.com

Brown’s Tavern is also open for dinner at the Ascutney Resort nearby along with their Maple Kitchen restaurant which features Prime Rib on Thursday nights. Ascutney Mountain has been revived as Ascutney Outdoors which now has a ski tow rope and there is no charge to ski there. There are also trails which have been opened for biking and hiking.

If you stop at Mike’s Mobil just off Rt. 91 on Rt. 12/5 you’ll find some hot foods to choose from as well as deli sandwiches made to order, to keep you from needing to cook that first meal! Large selection of beer,wine, and coffee. It’s also the closest place to get diesel.

Montshire Museum in Norwich, VT gets top marks for it’s displays for young and old including the outside grounds www.montshire.org

The Windsor Station Restaurant(Windsor, VT) has live music every Tuesday and Friday. Harpoon Brewery (Rt. 5 Windsor) has live music every Thursday and first Saturday as well as brick oven-fired pizzas on the weekends(Summer and Fall). Browns Tavern (Ascutney Resort, VT) has Live music every Sunday Skunk Hollow Tavern (Hartland 4 Corners) has live music every Wednesday and Friday. For details of who is playing check the links below.

For Windsor area entertainment information:
Windsor Station: http://windsorstationvt.com/live-music
Harpoon: http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/breweries/windsor
Brown’s Tavern: http://brownstavern.webs.com/apps/calendar
Skunk Hollow: http://www.skunkhollowtavern.com/Entertainment.aspx

For info on what’s happening at the Woodstock Town Theatre then check out: www.PentangleArts.org

For more cultural activities in the nearby area check out these sites:

http://www.woodstockvt.com/woodstockvt/events

http://www.thevermontstandard.com

The nearby Billings Farm Museum has an activity going on most of the weekends.

Billings Farm and Museum

www.hop.dartmouth.edu Hanover, NH

www.TupeloHall.com White River Junction, VT

www.ClaremontOperaHouse.com Claremont, NH

www.OperaNorth.org Lebanon, NH

www.NorthernStage.org White River Junction, VT

www.ArtistreeVT.org Woodstock, VT

WINTER in Vermont!!!!

WINTER in Vermont!!!!

FLASH! FLASH! Prince & Pauper Restaurant in Woodstock is offering a Prix Fixe special Sun thru Thurs. Nov. 1 to Dec. 17th. $39 for appetizer, salad and entree.

Some fairly new restaurants in the area! Check it out:

The Hartland Diner in Jessup’s Plaza at Hartland 3 Corners – open 7 days a week for lunch and breakfast (served all day!).

The owners of the former Stella’s restaurant have opened a restaurant in Windsor at the railroad station (Windsor Station Restaurant and Barroom)serving dinner with lots of music events as well!

Opened in Quechee, Singleton’s Market and Jake’s Market with food items, deli, Vermont products and clothing. It has almost everything you could need from fresh fish, homemade sausages, wine, beer…the list is endless!

Another new restaurant in Woodstock – The Worthy Kitchen where the Eastender used to be (on the East end of Rt. 4)! Very casual atmosphere, limited menu but the specials change and the food is great (highly recommend the steak!). Draft Beer choices are endless and there is also a token wine selection. The bartenders/wait staff are great fun too!

Another new restaurant in Woodstock is Ruth’s Table on main street where the Daily Grind used to be serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. On the West end of Woodstock is another new restaurant, On the River Inn.

Opening in Sept. 2015, The Public House in Quechee, near the putt-putt golf, offering food and craft beers.

If you are returning to the area from previous visits please note there are lots of restaurants in the area you may wish to try: Trap Door Bakery and Deli in Quechee, and in Woodstock: Melaza Bistro, Pi Brick Oven Trattoria and Pi Martini Tapas Bar(with Jazz music every Wed. at 7pm), Anchor Wat and Mon Vert Cafe. Of course, many of my “old” favorites are still there: Kedron Valley Inn and Tavern(S. Woodstock), Keeper’s (Reading), The Black Rock Restaurant (Springfield), Long Trail Brewery(Bridgewater) for lunch, Harpoon Brewery (Windsor), Simon Pearce restaurant and The Parker House Inn(Quechee) and many more!! The Kedron Valley Inn is only 3 mi. from the cabin. Bentley’s restaurant in Woodstock offers dancing to their DJ on Friday and Saturday nights at 10 pm. Harpoon Brewery (at Artisan’s Place in Windsor) is open some evenings for dinner – check first as their schedule changes. In the summer there is often Oven-Fired Pizza offered outside.

I recommend a visit to Sugarbush Farm (www.sugarbushfarm.com) where they have a wonderful educational display and video on sugaring, an animal petting area and a wonderful cheese and maple syrup tasting room with of course a gift shop full of goodies to take home or buy for gifts.

Harpoon Brewery – Windsor – don’t forget live music on Thurs. evenings. And visit Farmstead Cheese (Sustainable Farmer) next door! They offer lots of local products. During the summer they have oven fired pizzas for sale to eat on the picnic tables outside. Also in the same complex there is the Silo making Vermont’s own Vodka/Gin/Whiskey/Moonshine. Located in Artisan’s Park in Windsor off Rt. 5 – home to many other interesting places such as Simon Pearce outlet store and Great River Outfitters who feature a lot of Water Activities – check out their calendar http://greatriveroutfitters.com. Sometimes in the winter dog sledding is there – check with www.braeburnsiberians.com

Brown’s Tavern is also open for dinner at the Ascutney Resort nearby. Ascutney Mountain is no longer a ski resort but trails have been opened for biking and hiking.

If you stop at Mike’s Mobil just off Rt. 91 on Rt. 12/5 you’ll find some hot foods to choose from as well as deli sandwiches made to order, to keep you from needing to cook that first meal! Large selection of beer,wine, and coffee. It’s also the closest place to get diesel.

Montshire Museum in Norwich, VT gets top marks for it’s displays for young and old including the outside grounds www.montshire.org

The Windsor Station Restaurant(Windsor, VT) has live music every Tuesday and Friday. Harpoon Brewery (Rt. 5 Windsor) has live music every Thursday and first Saturday as well as brick oven-fired pizzas on the weekends(Summer and Fall). Browns Tavern (Ascutney Resort, VT) has Live music every Sunday Skunk Hollow Tavern (Hartland 4 Corners) has live music every Wednesday and Friday. For details of who is playing check the links below.

For Windsor area entertainment information:
Windsor Station: http://windsorstationvt.com/live-music
Harpoon: http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/breweries/windsor
Brown’s Tavern: http://brownstavern.webs.com/apps/calendar
Skunk Hollow: http://www.skunkhollowtavern.com/Entertainment.aspx

For info on what’s happening at the Woodstock Town Theatre then check out: www.PentangleArts.org

For more cultural activities in the nearby area check out these sites:

http://www.woodstockvt.com/woodstockvt/events

http://www.thevermontstandard.com

The nearby Billings Farm Museum has an activity going on most of the weekends.

Billings Farm and Museum

www.hop.dartmouth.edu Hanover, NH

www.TupeloHall.com White River Junction, VT

www.ClaremontOperaHouse.com Claremont, NH

www.OperaNorth.org Lebanon, NH

www.NorthernStage.org White River Junction, VT

www.ArtistreeVT.org Woodstock, VT

Must see activity: Sculpturefest 2015 which starts in June and last through the Fall Season. Free outdoor display of unique sculptures from various artist. Check out info and directions (just outside of Woodstock) at www.sculpturefest.org

Here’s a few of the recently advertised activities in the area:

Prince & Pauper Restaurant in Woodstock is offering a Prix Fixe special Sun thru Thurs. Nov. 1 to Dec. 17th. $39 for appetizer, salad and entree.

Nov. 26 – Woodstock, VT – The Turkey Trot, 5K run through Woodstock Village, www.zacksplacevt.org

Nov. 27-28 – Woodstock, VT – The Woodstock Inn Holiday Fair, perfect place to buy unique Christmas gifts from VT artists and crafters, free, 10-4pm

Nov. 27-29 – Woodstock, VT – Thanksgiving Weekend at Billings Farm & Museum, 10-3:30pm, horse drawn wagon rides

December weekends – Woodstock, VT – Christmas at the Farm, Billings Farm & Museum, 10-4pm

Dec. 5 – Plymouth Notch, VT – Coolidge Holiday Open House at the President Calvin Coolidge Historic Site, 10-4pm, craft demos, traditions, sleigh rides weather permitting, www.historicsites.vermont.gov

Dec. 5 – Brownsville, VT – Christmas activities in the village, craft bazaar, Christmas Holiday Carol Sing, Holiday Tree Lighting, Caroling, Fire Pit, Christmas Concert

Dec. 5-6, Woodstock, VT – Freelance Family Singers Concert, First Congregational Church, 7pm (Dec. 5) and 3pm (Dec. 6)

Dec. 6 – Heartland, VT – Holiday Concert, 3pm, Damon Hall

Dec. 11-13 – Woodstock, VT – Wassail weekend in Woodstock, numerous events, a special Winter weekend in Woodstock, google on you-tube to see past Wassail celebrations in Woodstock, to see a list of the events go to www.woodstockvt.com

December 11, 5:00pm-7:00pm,Wassail Open House,Woodstock History Center,hot cider, seasonal treats, Celtic harp music, and more. Free!

December 11-13, 10:00am-4:00pm,Wassail Weekend at Billings Farm & Museum,horse-drawn sleigh or wagon rides (weather permitting).

December 12, 9:30am-2:00pm,Pentangle’s 12th Annual Holiday House Tour,Starts at Woodstock Town Hall, www.pentanglearts.org

December 12, 12:30pm, A reading of A Child’s Christmas in Wales, Norman Williams Public Library
December 12, 2:00pm, Wassail Parade,Woodstock Village Green, Delight in the jingle of sleigh bells and the clip-clop of hooves as riders dressed in Victorian-era costumes ride through the village and around the Woodstock Village Green

December 12, 3:00pm,Lighting of the Memory Tree,Woodstock Village Green,Carol sing and Wassail bonfire on the Woodstock Village Green

December 12, 3:00pm & 4:30pm, Performance by The Ten – a cappella men’s choir, free, The Congregational Church
December 12, 4:00pm, Lighting of the Luminaries, Woodstock Village Green

December 12, 7:30pm, Pentangle Arts Wassail Weekend Featured Concert, Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, www.pentanglearts.org

December 13, 4:00pm, Annual Messiah Sing, Our Lady of the Snows Church,www.pentanglearts.org

Dec. 18 – Barnard, VT – Annual Winter Carols, holiday concert as well as audience sing-a-long in candle-lit church, First Universalist Church, 7pm, www.barnarts.org

Dec. 18-21 – Hanover, NH – The Christmas Revels, celebration of the Winter Solstice, Hopkins Center for the Arts, tickets at www.hop.dartmouth.edu/revelsnorth.org

Dec. 19 – Jan. 3 – Woodstock, VT – Christmas at the Billings Farm and Museum, learn about how Christmas was

Dec. 20 – South Woodstock, VT – Christmas service, South Woodstock Community Church

Dec. 26 – Jan. 3 – Woodstock, VT – Billings Farm Museum, horse drawn sleigh or wagon rides weather permitting

Jan. 16-18 – Woodstock, VT – Sleigh Ride Weekend, Billings Farm & Museum, 10-4pm

Feb. 11-15 – Woodstock, VT – The Vermont Flurry: Woodstock Snow Sculpture Festival, on the Green

Feb. 13 – Hartland, VT – Annual Tiki Torch Trek, 5-8pm, A community evening of outdoor fun! Ski or snowshoe on trails lit by Tiki Torches, eat a great meal and enjoy the bonfire and music. www.HartlandWinterTrails.org

Feb. 11-21 – Woodstock, VT – Sleigh Ride Week, Billings Farm & Museum, 10-3pm

Mar. 26-27 – Woodstock, VT – Maple Madness, Village Green, 11-1pm

Mar. 26-27 – Vermont – Maple Weekend, Open House at Maple Sugar Producers throughout Vermont

Fall/Winter in Vermont! What’s not to love!

Fall/Winter in Vermont! What’s not to love!

It’s a wonderful time to be in Vermont!

FLASH! FLASH! Prince & Pauper Restaurant in Woodstock is offering a Prix Fixe special Sun thru Thurs. Nov. 1 to Dec. 17th. $39 for appetizer, salad and entree.

Some fairly new restaurants in the area! Check it out:

The Hartland Diner in Jessup’s Plaza at Hartland 3 Corners – open 7 days a week for lunch and breakfast (served all day!).

The owners of the former Stella’s restaurant have opened a restaurant in Windsor at the railroad station (Windsor Station Restaurant and Barroom)serving dinner with lots of music events as well!

Opened in Quechee, Singleton’s Market and Jake’s Market with food items, deli, Vermont products and clothing. It has almost everything you could need from fresh fish, homemade sausages, wine, beer…the list is endless!

Another new restaurant in Woodstock – The Worthy Kitchen where the Eastender used to be (on the East end of Rt. 4)! Very casual atmosphere, limited menu but the specials change and the food is great (highly recommend the steak!). Draft Beer choices are endless and there is also a token wine selection. The bartenders/wait staff are great fun too!

Another new restaurant in Woodstock is Ruth’s Table on main street where the Daily Grind used to be serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. On the West end of Woodstock is another new restaurant, On the River Inn.

Opening in Sept. 2015, The Public House in Quechee, near the putt-putt golf, offering food and craft beers.

If you are returning to the area from previous visits please note there are lots of restaurants in the area you may wish to try: Trap Door Bakery and Deli in Quechee, and in Woodstock: Melaza Bistro, Pi Brick Oven Trattoria and Pi Martini Tapas Bar(with Jazz music every Wed. at 7pm), Anchor Wat and Mon Vert Cafe. Of course, many of my “old” favorites are still there: Kedron Valley Inn and Tavern(S. Woodstock), Keeper’s (Reading), The Black Rock Restaurant (Springfield), Long Trail Brewery(Bridgewater) for lunch, Harpoon Brewery (Windsor), Simon Pearce restaurant and The Parker House Inn(Quechee) and many more!! The Kedron Valley Inn is only 3 mi. from the cabin. Bentley’s restaurant in Woodstock offers dancing to their DJ on Friday and Saturday nights at 10 pm. Harpoon Brewery (at Artisan’s Place in Windsor) is open some evenings for dinner – check first as their schedule changes. In the summer there is often Oven-Fired Pizza offered outside.

I recommend a visit to Sugarbush Farm (www.sugarbushfarm.com) where they have a wonderful educational display and video on sugaring, an animal petting area and a wonderful cheese and maple syrup tasting room with of course a gift shop full of goodies to take home or buy for gifts.

Harpoon Brewery – Windsor – don’t forget live music on Thurs. evenings. And visit Farmstead Cheese (Sustainable Farmer) next door! They offer lots of local products. During the summer they have oven fired pizzas for sale to eat on the picnic tables outside. Also in the same complex there is the Silo making Vermont’s own Vodka/Gin/Whiskey/Moonshine. Located in Artisan’s Park in Windsor off Rt. 5 – home to many other interesting places such as Simon Pearce outlet store and Great River Outfitters who feature a lot of Water Activities – check out their calendar http://greatriveroutfitters.com. Sometimes in the winter dog sledding is there – check with www.braeburnsiberians.com

Brown’s Tavern is also open for dinner at the Ascutney Resort nearby. Ascutney Mountain is no longer a ski resort but trails have been opened for biking and hiking.

If you stop at Mike’s Mobil just off Rt. 91 on Rt. 12/5 you’ll find some hot foods to choose from as well as deli sandwiches made to order, to keep you from needing to cook that first meal! Large selection of beer,wine, and coffee. It’s also the closest place to get diesel.

Montshire Museum in Norwich, VT gets top marks for it’s displays for young and old including the outside grounds www.montshire.org

The Windsor Station Restaurant(Windsor, VT) has live music every Tuesday and Friday. Harpoon Brewery (Rt. 5 Windsor) has live music every Thursday and first Saturday as well as brick oven-fired pizzas on the weekends(Summer and Fall). Browns Tavern (Ascutney Resort, VT) has Live music every Sunday Skunk Hollow Tavern (Hartland 4 Corners) has live music every Wednesday and Friday. For details of who is playing check the links below.

For Windsor area entertainment information:
Windsor Station: http://windsorstationvt.com/live-music
Harpoon: http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/breweries/windsor
Brown’s Tavern: http://brownstavern.webs.com/apps/calendar
Skunk Hollow: http://www.skunkhollowtavern.com/Entertainment.aspx

For info on what’s happening at the Woodstock Town Theatre then check out: www.PentangleArts.org

For more cultural activities in the nearby area check out these sites:

http://www.woodstockvt.com/woodstockvt/events

http://www.thevermontstandard.com

The nearby Billings Farm Museum has an activity going on most of the weekends.

Billings Farm and Museum

www.hop.dartmouth.edu Hanover, NH

www.TupeloHall.com White River Junction, VT

www.ClaremontOperaHouse.com Claremont, NH

www.OperaNorth.org Lebanon, NH

www.NorthernStage.org White River Junction, VT

www.ArtistreeVT.org Woodstock, VT

Must see activity: Sculpturefest 2015 which starts in June and last through the Fall Season. Free outdoor display of unique sculptures from various artist. Check out info and directions (just outside of Woodstock) at www.sculpturefest.org

Here’s a few of the recently advertised activities in the area:

Prince & Pauper Restaurant in Woodstock is offering a Prix Fixe special Sun thru Thurs. Nov. 1 to Dec. 17th. $39 for appetizer, salad and entree.

Nov. 4 – Woodstock, VT – Of Mice and Men, Pentanglearts.org, Town Theatre, 7:30pm

Nov. 6-8 – Hartland, VT – Laughter on the 23rd Floor, www.artistreevt.org, Damon Hall

Nov. 7-8 – Woodstock, VT – November Wagon Weekend, Billings Farm Museum, 10-4pm

Nov. 7 – Woodstock, VT – Wrensong A small group choral acapella, with a particular focus on the vocal treasures of the Renaissance. Norman Williams Public Library, 2pm

Nov. 7 – Hanover, NH – Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra, Spaulding auditorium, 8pm

Nov. 7 – Woodstock, VT – Annual Red Flannel Hash Supper, Woodstock Unitarian Universalist Church, 5-7pm

Nov. 7-8 – Woodstock, VT – November Wagon Weekend, Billings Farm Museum, 10-4pm

Nov. 13-15 – Hartland, VT – Laughter on the 23rd Floor, www.artistreevt.org, Damon Hall

Nov. 14-15 – Woodstock, VT – November Wagon Weekend, Billings Farm Museum, 10-4pm

Nov. 17 – Hanover, NH – Handel Society of Dartmouth College, performing Messiah, Spaulding auditorium, 7pm

Nov. 21-22 – Woodstock, VT – November Wagon Weekend, Billings Farm Museum, 10-4pm

Nov. 26 – Woodstock, VT – The Turkey Trot, 5K run through Woodstock Village, www.zacksplacevt.org

Nov. 27-28 – Woodstock, VT – The Woodstock Inn Holiday Fair, perfect place to buy unique Christmas gifts from VT artists and crafters, free, 10-4pm

Nov. 27-29 – Woodstock, VT – Thanksgiving Weekend at Billings Farm & Museum, 10-3:30pm, horse drawn wagon rides

December weekends – Woodstock, VT – Christmas at the Farm, Billings Farm & Museum, 10-4pm

Dec. 5 – Plymouth Notch, VT – Coolidge Holiday Open House at the President Calvin Coolidge Historic Site, 10-4pm, craft demos, traditions, sleigh rides weather permitting, www.historicsites.vermont.gov

Dec. 11-13 – Woodstock, VT – Wassail weekend in Woodstock, numerous events, a special Winter weekend in Woodstock, google on you-tube to see past Wassail celebrations in Woodstock, to see a list of the events go to www.woodstockvt.com

December 11, 5:00pm-7:00pm,Wassail Open House,Woodstock History Center,hot cider, seasonal treats, Celtic harp music, and more. Free!

December 11-13, 10:00am-4:00pm,Wassail Weekend at Billings Farm & Museum,horse-drawn sleigh or wagon rides (weather permitting).

December 12, 9:30am-2:00pm,Pentangle’s 12th Annual Holiday House Tour,Starts at Woodstock Town Hall, www.pentanglearts.org

December 12, 12:30pm, A reading of A Child’s Christmas in Wales, Norman Williams Public Library
December 12, 2:00pm, Wassail Parade,Woodstock Village Green, Delight in the jingle of sleigh bells and the clip-clop of hooves as riders dressed in Victorian-era costumes ride through the village and around the Woodstock Village Green

December 12, 3:00pm,Lighting of the Memory Tree,Woodstock Village Green,Carol sing and Wassail bonfire on the Woodstock Village Green

December 12, 3:00pm & 4:30pm, Performance by The Ten – a cappella men’s choir, free, The Congregational Church
December 12, 4:00pm, Lighting of the Luminaries, Woodstock Village Green

December 12, 7:30pm, Pentangle Arts Wassail Weekend Featured Concert, Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, www.pentanglearts.org

December 13, 4:00pm, Annual Messiah Sing, Our Lady of the Snows Church,www.pentanglearts.org

Dec. 18 – Barnard, VT – Annual Winter Carols, holiday concert as well as audience sing-a-long in candle-lit church, First Universalist Church, 7pm, www.barnarts.org

Dec. 18-21 – Hanover, NH – The Christmas Revels, celebration of the Winter Solstice, Hopkins Center for the Arts, tickets at www.hop.dartmouth.edu/revelsnorth.org

Dec. 26 – Jan. 3 – Woodstock, VT – Billings Farm Museum, horse drawn sleigh or wagon rides weather permitting

Jan. 16-18 – Woodstock, VT – Sleigh Ride Weekend, Billings Farm & Museum, 10-4pm

Feb. 11-15 – Woodstock, VT – The Vermont Flurry: Woodstock Snow Sculpture Festival, on the Green

Feb. 11-21 – Woodstock, VT – Sleigh Ride Week, Billings Farm & Museum, 10-3pm

Mar. 26-27 – Woodstock, VT – Maple Madness, Village Green, 11-1pm

Mar. 26-27 – Vermont – Maple Weekend, Open House at Maple Sugar Producers throughout Vermont

Vermont Winter came storming in this year!

Vermont Winter came storming in this year!

Snow began falling in earnest the day before Thanksgiving and continued through the next few weeks making one wonder what the Winter in Vermont would hold this year! Hopefully lots of snow for skiing, sledding, and just chilling out in front of the wood stove.

If you’re looking for a place for dinner Christmas Eve – the Kedron Valley Inn (just 3 mi. from the cabin) is open. Make reservations at 802 457-1473

Some fairly new restaurants! Check it out:

The Hartland Diner in Jessup’s Plaza at Hartland 3 Corners – open 7 days a week for lunch and breakfast (served all day!).

The owners of the former Stella’s restaurant have opened a restaurant in Windsor at the railroad station (Windsor Station Restaurant and Barroom)serving dinner and lots of music events as well!

Opened in Quechee Singleton’s Market and Jake’s Market with food items, deli, Vermont products and clothing. It has almost everything you could need from fresh fish, homemade sausages, wine, beer…the list is endless!

Another new restaurant in Woodstock – The Worthy Kitchen where the Eastender used to be (on the East end of Rt. 4)! Very casual atmosphere, limited menu but the specials change and the food is great (highly recommend the steak!). Beer choices are endless and there is also a token wine selection. The bartenders/wait staff are great fun too!

If you are returning to the area from previous visits please note their are lots of restaurants in the area you may wish to try: Trap Door Bakery and Deli in Quechee, and in Woodstock: Melaza Bistro, Pi Brick Oven Trattoria(with Jazz music every Wed. at 7pm), Anchor Wat and Mon Vert Cafe. Of course, many of my “old” favorites are still there: Kedron Valley Inn and Tavern(S. Woodstock), Keeper’s (Reading), The Black Rock Restaurant (Springfield), Long Trail Brewery(Bridgewater) for lunch, Harpoon Brewery (Windsor), Simon Pearce restaurant and The Parker House(Quechee) and many more!! The Kedron Valley Inn is only 3 mi. from the cabin. Bentley’s restaurant in Woodstock offers dancing to their DJ on Friday and Saturday nights at 10 pm. Harpoon Brewery (at Artisan’s Place in Windsor) is open some evenings for dinner – check first as their schedule changes.

As of this time, the Prince & the Pauper restaurant in Woodstock is offering their Prix Fixe menu at $39. Great food and a charming atmosphere for a special holiday meal!

Taftsville Covered Bridge has reopened. It had been closed since “Irene” and it is a great relief to have that access to River Road re-opened!

I recommend a visit to Sugarbush Farm (www.sugarbushfarm.com) where they have a wonderful education display and video on sugaring, a animal petting area and a wonderful cheese and maple syrup tasting room with of course a gift shop full of goodies to take home or buy for gifts.

Harpoon Brewery – Windsor – don’t forget live music on Thurs. evenings. And visit Farmstead Cheese (Sustainable Farmer) next door! They offer lots of local products. Also in the same complex there is the Silo making Vermont’s own Vodka/Gin/Whiskey/Moonshine.

Brownsville General Store at the base of Ascutney mountain offers a daytime deli (sit down with the locals or take-out).

Brown’s Tavern is also open for dinner at the Ascutney Resort nearby.

If you stop at Mike’s Mobil just off Rt. 91 on Rt. 12/5 you’ll find some hot foods to choose from as well as deli sandwiches made to order, to keep you from needing to cook that first meal! Large selection of beer,wine, and coffee.

Montshire Museum in Norwich, VT gets top marks for it’s displays for young and old including the outside grounds www.montshire.org

Artisan’s Park in Windsor off Rt. 5 – home to many interesting places such as Harpoon Brewery, Sustainable Farmer (cheese making and other VT products), Simon Pearce outlet store, The Silo (manufacturer of Gin, Vodka and Whiskey) and Great River Outfitters who feature a lot of Water Activities – check out their calendar http://greatriveroutfitters.com

The Windsor Station Restaurant(Windsor, VT) has live music every Tuesday and Friday. Harpoon Brewery (Rt. 5 Windsor) has live music every Thursday and first Saturday as well as brick oven-fired pizzas on the weekends(Summer and Fall). Browns Tavern (Ascutney Resort, VT) has Live music every Sunday Skunk Hollow Tavern (Hartland 4 Corners) has live music every Wednesday and Friday. For details of who is playing check the links below.

For Windsor area entertainment information:
Windsor Station: http://windsorstationvt.com/live-music
Harpoon: http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/breweries/windsor
Brown’s Tavern: http://brownstavern.webs.com/apps/calendar
Skunk Hollow: http://www.skunkhollowtavern.com/Entertainment.aspx

For info on what’s happening at the Woodstock Town Theatre then check out: www.PentangleArts.org

For more cultural activities in the nearby area check out these sites:

www.hop.dartmouth.edu Hanover, NH

www.TupeloHall.com White River Junction, VT

www.ClaremontOperaHouse.com Claremont, NH

www.OperaNorth.org Lebanon, NH

www.NorthernStage.org White River Junction, VT

www.ArtistreeVT.org Woodstock, VT

Here’s a few of the recently advertised activities in the area:

Dec. 18-21 – Hanover, NH – The Christmas Revels, Hopkins Center for the Arts, www.RevelsNorth.org

Dec. 20 – Woodstock, VT – Indoor Farmer’s Market, Masonic Hall

Jan. 10 – Winter Trails Day – Enjoy free cross-country skiing and snowshoeing

Green Mountain Horse Association – South Woodstock, VT – free! Join us for winter fun on the snow! Spectators welcome.

January 10: Sleighing Combined Test

January 11: Sleigh Rally

January 24: Sleighing Combined Test

January 25: Sleigh Rally

Sleigh Rallies are pleasure driving shows on the snow. Classes include working, reinsmanship, cones, Currier & Ives, sleigh dog, and a cross-country pace (conditions dependent).

Sleighing Combined Tests include dressage and cones competition.

Remember, sleighing events are extremely weather dependent- check our website for status updates. www.gmhainc.org/driving/

Jan. 16 – Windsor, VT – outdoor ice skating party with music, free hot dogs and hot chocolate, State Street Common Rink, 5-7pm (bring your own skates)

Jan. 17-19 – Woodstock, VT – Sleighing at Billings Farm & Musuem

Jan. 17 – Woodstock, VT – Winter Farmer’s Market, Masonic Hall, 10-1pm

Feb. 7 – Hartland, VT – The Annual Tiki Torch Trek – 5-8pm -A community evening of outdoor fun! Ski or snowshoe on trails lit by Tiki Torches, eat a great meal and enjoy the bonfire and music. Usually starts across from the Hartland Fire Station on Rt. 12

Feb. 7 – Brownsville, VT – Ascutney Mt., Big Foot 5K snowshoe and bonfire,10:00AM; Day of Registration at 9:00AM, Pre-Registration at www.IMATHLETE.com registration fee ONLY $5!
5k Loop on Mt. Ascutney , Trail Illuminated with Tiki Torches!- Bonfire and S’Mores at the Finish! Snow shoes of all sizes available for rent and supplied by Great River Outfitters. Snow shoe rental is $10.

Feb. 7 – Woodstock, VT – “The Fiddler on the Roof”, Town Hall Theatre, www.pentanglearts.org

Feb. 13-15 – Woodstock, VT – Snow Flurry – Snow sculptures on the Green

Feb. 14 – Pomfret, VT – Annual Torchlight Parade and Dance, Suicide Six Ski Area

Feb. 14-22 – Woodstock, VT – Sleigh Ride Week at Billings Farm & Musuem

Feb. 20 – Woodstock, VT – Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars, Town Hall Theatre, 7:30, www.pentanglearts.org

Feb. 21 – Woodstock, VT – Winter Farmer’s Market, Masonic Hall, 10-1pm

Mar. 6-8 – Pomfret, VT – Special Olympics Vermont Winter Games, Suicide Six Ski Area

Mar. 21 – Woodstock, VT – Winter Farmer’s Market, Masonic Hall, 10-1pm

Mar. 27-29 – Statewide – Maple Sugar Open Houses

Apr. 18 – Woodstock, VT – Winter Farmer’s Market, Masonic Hall, 10-1pm

Winter is just around the corner in Vermont!

Winter is just around the corner in Vermont!

The Holidays are starting! Thanksgiving is just around the corner and then there’s Wassail weekend in Woodstock and Christmas and New Year’s and Feb. school Holidays! Let the fun begin! Check out the Nov. issue of Travel + Leisure Magazine for a wonderful article on the beauty of Woodstock, VT. Also a great article on Woodstock in the Equestrian Quarterly Magazine – it even has a picture of yours truly on her horse in the Christmas Wassail parade! ? The Woodstock Wassail celebration has been featured in numerous magazines in the past – it is truly a special weekend of events that will truly get you in the Christmas mood!

Some fairly new restaurants! Check it out:

The Hartland Diner in Jessup’s Plaza at Hartland 3 Corners – open 7 days a week for lunch and breakfast (served all day!).

The owners of the former Stella’s restaurant have opened a restaurant in Windsor at the railroad station (Windsor Station Restaurant and Barroom)serving dinner!

Opened in Quechee Singleton’s Market with food items, deli, Vermont products and clothing. It has almost everything you could need from fresh fish, homemade sausages, wine, beer…the list is endless!

Another new restaurant in Woodstock – The Worthy Kitchen where the Eastender used to be (on the East end of Rt. 4)! Very casual atmosphere, limited menu but the specials change and the food is great (highly recommend the steak!). Beer choices are endless and there is also a token wine selection.

If you are returning to the area from previous visits please note their are lots of restaurants in the area you may wish to try: Trap Door Bakery and Deli in Quechee, and in Woodstock: Melaza Bistro, Pi Brick Oven Trattoria(with Jazz music every Wed. at 7pm), Anchor Wat and Mon Vert Cafe. Of course, many of my “old” favorites are still there: Kedron Valley Inn and Tavern(S. Woodstock), Keeper’s (Reading), The Black Rock Restaurant (Springfield), Long Trail Brewery(Bridgewater) for lunch, Harpoon Brewery (Windsor), Simon Pearce restaurant and The Parker House(Quechee) and many more!! The Kedron Valley Inn is only 3 mi. from the cabin. Bentley’s restaurant in Woodstock offers dancing to their DJ on Friday and Saturday nights at 10 pm. Harpoon Brewery (at Artisan’s Place in Windsor) is open some evenings for dinner – check first as their schedule changes.

Taftsville Covered Bridge has reopened. It’s been closed since “Irene” and it is a great relief to have that access to River Road re-opened!

I recommend a visit to Sugarbush Farm (www.sugarbushfarm.com) where they have a wonderful education display and video on sugaring, a animal petting area and a wonderful cheese and maple syrup tasting room with of course a gift shop full of goodies to take home or buy for gifts.

Harpoon Brewery – Windsor – don’t forget live music on Thurs. evenings. And visit Farmstead Cheese (Sustainable Farmer) next door! They offer lots of local products. Also in the same complex there is the Silo making Vermont’s own Vodka/Gin/Whiskey/Moonshine.

Brownsville General Store at the base of Ascutney mountain offers a daytime deli and most Friday night a special dinner offering, often burgers (eat in or take out) from 5-7pm.

Brown’s Tavern is also open for dinner at the Ascutney Resort nearby.

If you stop at Mike’s Mobil just off Rt. 91 on Rt. 12/5 you’ll find some hot foods to choose from as well as deli sandwiches made to order, to keep you from needing to cook that first meal! Large selection of beer,wine, and coffee.

Montshire Museum in Norwich, VT gets top marks for it’s displays for young and old including the outside grounds www.montshire.org

Artisan’s Park in Windsor off Rt. 5 – home to many interesting places such as Harpoon Brewery, Sustainable Farmer (cheese making and other VT products), Simon Pearce outlet store, The Silo (manufacturer of Gin, Vodka and Whiskey) and Great River Outfitters who feature a lot of Water Activities – check out their calendar http://greatriveroutfitters.com

The Windsor Station Restaurant(Windsor, VT) has live music every Tuesday and Friday. Harpoon Brewery (Rt. 5 Windsor) has live music every Thursday and first Saturday as well as brick oven-fired pizzas on the weekends(Summer and Fall). Browns Tavern (Ascutney Resort, VT) has Live music every Sunday Skunk Hollow Tavern (Hartland 4 Corners) has live music every Wednesday and Friday. For details of who is playing check the links below.

For Windsor area entertainment information:
Windsor Station: http://windsorstationvt.com/live-music
Harpoon: http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/breweries/windsor
Brown’s Tavern: http://brownstavern.webs.com/apps/calendar
Skunk Hollow: http://www.skunkhollowtavern.com/Entertainment.aspx

For info on what’s happening at the Woodstock Town Theatre then check out: www.PentangleArts.org

For more cultural activities in the nearby area check out these sites:

www.hop.dartmouth.edu Hanover, NH

www.TupeloHall.com White River Junction, VT

www.ClaremontOperaHouse.com Claremont, NH

www.OperaNorth.org Lebanon, NH

www.NorthernStage.org White River Junction, VT

www.ArtistreeVT.org Woodstock, VT

Outdoor activities at Saint Gaudins, Cornish, NH www.sgnhs.org

During Fall – Pomfret, VT – King Farm portion of the annual Sculpturefest opens – www.sculpturefest.org

November – Woodstock, VT – Every Sat. and Sun is Wagon Ride Weekends at the Billings Farm Museum, 10-4pm

Nov. 14 – Claremont, NH – Bob Marley, Claremont Opera House, 7:30pm

Nov. 15 – Nov. 30 – Rifle Deer Hunting Season – fluorescent vests in the basement for your walk in the woods!

Nov. 20 – Woodstock, VT – Sayon Camara: The Drums of the Malinke Culture, Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 10am

Nov. 21 – Woodstock, VT – Vermont Butter and Cheese Creamery tasting! Woodstock Farmer’s Market, www.woodstockfarmersmarket.com, 4-6pm

Nov. 22 – Woodstock, VT – Indoor Farmer’s Market, Masonic Hall

Nov. 23 – Woodstock, VT – Farmhouse Truffle display – CHOCOLATE! Woodstock Farmer’s Market, www.woodstockfarmersmarket.com

Nov. 27 – Woodstock, VT – Turkey Trot 5K run/walk to benefit Zack’s Place, Woodstock Elementary School, 10am

November 28-30 – Woodstock, VT – Thanksgiving Weekend, Billings Farm Museum, 10-3:30

Dec. 4-6 – Lebanon, NH – Clara’s Dream – a nutcracker story, Lebanon Opera House, citycenterballet.org, Dec. 4 (7pm), Dec. 5 (7pm) and Dec. 6 (1pm & 4pm)

Dec. 6 – Brownsville, VT – Christmas Bazaar, Town Hall in Brownsville

Dec. 12 – Woodstock, VT – Hot Club of San Fancisco presents Cool Yule, Town Hall Theatre, www.pentanglearts.org

Dec. 12-14 – Woodstock, VT, Wassail weekend

Dec. 18-21 – Hanover, NH – The Christmas Revels, Hopkins Center for the Arts, www.RevelsNorth.org

Dec. 20 – Woodstock, VT – Indoor Farmer’s Market, Masonic Hall

It’s Winter…still…. in Vermont!

It’s Winter…still…. in Vermont!

New restaurants! Check it out:

The Hartland Diner in Jessup’s Plaza at Hartland 3 Corners – open 7 days a week for lunch and breakfast (served all day!).

The owners of the former Stella’s restaurant have opened a restaurant in Windsor at the railroad station (Windsor Station Restaurant and Barroom)serving dinner!

Opened in Quechee Singleton’s Market with food items, deli, Vermont products and clothing – check it out on Facebook. It has almost everything you could need from fresh fish, homemade sausages, wine, beer…the list is endless!

Firestone’s Restaurant in Quechee is now closed but River Stones restaurant is open in the same location with a lot of the old favorites on the menu as well as some new delicious sounding items.

Another new restaurant in Woodstock – The Worthy Kitchen where the Eastender used to be (on the East end of Rt. 4)! Very casual atmosphere, limited menu but the specials change and the food is good. Beer choices are endless.

If you are returning to the area from previous visits please note their are lots of restaurants in the area you may wish to try: Trap Door Bakery and Deli in Quechee, and in Woodstock: Melaza Bistro, Pi Brick Oven Trattoria(with Jazz music every Wed. at 7pm), and Mon Vert Cafe. Of course, many of my “old” favorites are still there: Kedron Valley Inn and Tavern(S. Woodstock), Keeper’s (Reading), The Black Rock Restaurant (Springfield), Harpoon Brewery (Windsor), Long Trail Brewery(Bridgewater) for lunch, Harpoon Brewery (Windsor), Simon Pearce restaurant and The Parker House(Quechee) and many more!! The Kedron Valley Inn is only 3 mi. from the cabin. Bentley’s restaurant in Woodstock offers dancing to their DJ on Friday and Saturday nights at 10 pm

Taftsville Covered Bridge has reopened. It’s been closed since “Irene” and it will be a great relief to have that access to River Road re-opened!

I recommend a visit to Sugarbush Farm (www.sugarbushfarm.com) where they have a wonderful education display and video on sugaring, a animal petting area and a wonderful cheese and maple syrup tasting room with of course a gift shop full of goodies to take home or buy for gifts. Call first during the Winter and Mud Season to make sure roads are passable.

Harpoon Brewery – Windsor – don’t forget live music on Thurs. evenings. And visit Farmstead Cheese (Sustainable Farmer) next door! They are expanding into cheesemaking at this location as well and offer lots of local products. Also in the same complex there is the Silo making Vermont’s own Vodka/Gin/Whiskey.

Brownsville General Store at the base of Ascutney mountain offers a daytime deli and a special dinner offering (eat in or take out) from 5-7pm every Friday night.

Brown’s Tavern is also open for dinner at the Ascutney Resort nearby.

If you stop at Mike’s Mobil just off Rt. 91 on Rt. 12/5 you’ll find a lot of hot foods to choose from, to keep you from needing to cook that first meal!

Montshire Museum in Norwich, VT gets top marks for it’s displays for young and old including the outside grounds www.montshire.org

Winter Activities at the Artisan’s Park in Windsor off Rt. 5 – home to many interesting places such as Harpoon Brewery, Sustainable Farmer (cheese making and other VT products), Simon Pearce outlet store, The Silo (manufacturer of Gin, Vodka and Whiskey) and Great River Outfitters who feature a lot of Winter Activities such as: dog sledding, sleigh rides and snowshoeing – check out their calendar http://greatriveroutfitters.com/winter-schedule

Dec. 4-31 – White River Junction, VT – Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, featuring a stellar cast of Broadway and regional performers, Northern Stage, www.northernstage.org

Dec. 13 – Woodstock, VT – Wassail Open House, Woodstock History Center, 5-7pm

Dec. 13 – Woodstock, VT – Pentangle Arts Wassail Weekend Featured Concert – Irish Christmas in America, Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 7:30pm

Dec. 13-15 – Woodstock, VT – 30th Annual Wassail Weekend, See the schedule of events at www.woodstockvt.com

Dec. 14 – Woodstock, VT – Wassail Tea, 2 seatings, St. James Episcopal Church Great Hall, www.pentanglearts.org

Dec. 14 – Woodstock, VT – some of the Wassail events:

Holiday House Tour – 9:30-2pm

Reading of “A Child’s Christmas in Wales”

Wassail Parade through Woodstock Village, 2pm

Lighting of the Memory Tree with Carole Sing and Lighting of the Bon Fire on the Green, 3pm

“The Ten”, A capella men’s choir, Congregational Church, 3 and 4:30pm

Lighting of the Luminaries on the Green, 4pm

Dec. 15 – Woodstock, VT –Annual Messiah Sing, Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church, 4pm

Dec. 15 – Plymouth, VT – Coolidge Holiday Open House, 10-4pm

Dec. 22 – Woodstock, VT – Judy Collins, Holidays and the hits, Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 7pm, www.pentanglearts.org

Dec. 31 – Ludlow, VT – Midnight Arrives Early at Okemo: Okemo Mountain Resort turns New Year’s Eve into a family celebration by moving midnight forward – allowing families with young children to ring in the New Year at a reasonable hour, 5-9 p.m. with bingo, dancing, wagon rides, a comedy show and trivia tournament.

Jan. 4 – South Woodstock, VT – Horse Sleigh Combined Test (competition), Green Mountain Horse Assoc. on Rt. 106, www.GMHAinc.org

Jan. 5 – South Woodstock, VT – Sleigh Rally (parade), Green Mountain Horse Assoc. on Rt. 106, www.GMHAinc.org

Jan. 11 – Woodstock, VT – Suicide Six ski area – NE Winter Wild http://www.newinterwild.com/index.php?doc=27_176

Jan. 11 – Statewide in VT – Winter Trails Day: Free Cross-Country Ski & Snowshoeing
Nordic skiing and snowshoeing are free at multiple locations during Winter Trails Day. Participating areas include: Bolton Valley Nordic Center, Bluebuerry Lake, Craftsbury Outdoor Center, Ole’s Cross Country Ski Center, Mountain Top Inn & Resort Nordic Center, Woodstock Nordic Center, Smugglers’ Notch Resort Nordic Center, Rikert Nordic Center and Strafford Nordic Center. Inventory and lesson space is limited.

Jan. 12 – Windsor, VT – Wine and Cheese tasting, Sustainable Farmer, Artisans Way – off Rt. 5 next to Harpoon Brewery, 11-3pm

Jan. 16 – Woodstock, VT – National Theatre Live from London, performance of “The Habit of Art”, Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 7:30pm

Jan. 18 – South Woodstock, VT – Horse Sleigh Combined Test (competition), Green Mountain Horse Assoc. on Rt. 106, www.GMHAinc.org (Based on snow availability)

Jan. 18 – Hartland, VT – Logging of a Bygone Era is a collection of films and slides narrated by Dick Nason, retired forester. Dick will take us to logging camps high in the woods and describe the living and working conditions of these hardy men. He has incredible footage of logs being skidded with teams of draft horses and early tractors. He then takes us to the log dams where men danced over rolling logs while moving them through the icy waters. Dick has plenty of stories to tell and loves audience participation. The event will be held at Damon Hall, Hartland, VT, 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM, and is FREE. A roast beef supper at the Hartland Church is a short walk away after the film, make an evening of it!

Jan. 18 – Quechee, VT – Winter Wildlife Celebration, Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS), www.vinsweb.org

Jan. 18 – Windsor, VT – Skating party on the Commons (assuming it’s cold enough!), 5-7pm, DJ, hot dogs, etc.

Jan. 18-20 – Woodstock, VT – Sleigh Ride weekend at Billings Farm

Jan. 23 – Woodstock, VT – National Theatre Live from London, performance of “The Habit of Art”, Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 7:30pm

Jan. 25 – Woodstock, VT – Winter Farmer’s Market, 10-1pm at the Masonic Temple near Mac’s

Jan. 25 – Lebanon, NH – “An Ode To Winter, Upper Valley Community Band, Lebanon Opera House, 7:30pm

Jan. 25 – Windsor, VT– ULLR Festival, Great River Outfitters, noon -7pm, Artisan’s Plaza off Rt. 5 next to Harpoon Brewery, dress up in Viking or Halloween type outfits, check out the schedule: http://greatriveroutfitters.com/component/content/article/272

Jan. 25 – Hartland, VT – Roast Beef Dinner, Hartland Congregational (Brick) Church, 5-7pm

Jan. 27 – Feb. 2 – W. Lebanon/Plainfield,NH – just across the Conn. R from the cabin – NH Wine
Week. The biggest names in the wine world will flock to N.H. for a week-long celebration of wine
Dozens of wine industry titans, boutique vineyard owners and local producers will participate.View a full
list of celebrity appearances and register for events online at www.NHWineWeek.com.

FEBRUARY SPECIAL!!

Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month
Month-long, Statewide
Many people vow to get active in the New Year, and what could be more fun than playing in the snow and learning a new sport to get you moving in 2014! January is Learn to Ski and Snowboard month and Ski Vermont offers $29 packages including professional lessons, equipment rentals and a beginner lift ticket. Sign up at skivermont.com/learn while supplies last.

Music near the cabin:
Feb 1st Larry Dougher, Harpoon Brewery http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/breweries/windsor
Feb 2nd Eeik Boedtker and Johnny O Brown’s Tavern http://brownstavern.webs.com/apps/calendar
Feb 4th: Matt Maserve Windsor Station http://windsorstationvt.com/live-music
Feb 5th Eeik Boedtker and Johnny O Brown’s Tavern http://brownstavern.webs.com/apps/calendar
Feb 8th Cliff Street Funk Essentials, Windsor Station http://windsorstationvt.com/live-music
Feb 11th Jim Yeager, Windsor Station http://windsorstationvt.com/live-music
Feb 12th Eeik Boedtker and Johnny O Brown’s Tavern http://brownstavern.webs.com/apps/calendar
Feb 14th Water Gomez til 8 Peter Concilio’s Latin Jazz Quartet till 11 http://windsorstationvt.com/live-music
Feb 18th Erik Boedkter Windsor Station http://windsorstationvt.com/live-music
Feb 19th Eeik Boedtker and Johnny O Brown’s Tavern http://brownstavern.webs.com/apps/calendar
Feb 22nd Suncooked Windsor Station http://windsorstationvt.com/live-music
Feb 26th Eeik Boedtker and Johnny O Brown’s Tavern http://brownstavern.webs.com/apps/calendar

For entertainment at Skunk Hollow Tavern in Hartland look here:http://www.skunkhollowtavern.com/Entertainment.aspx

Feb. 1 – Hartland, VT – 8th annual Tiki Torch Trek – cross-country ski or snowshoe on the Hartland trails lined with Tiki torches and enjoy food on the trek. More info in 2014 on www.hartlandwintertrails.org

Feb. 1 – Hartland, VT – Roast Beef Dinner, Hartland Congregational (Brick) Church, 5-7pm

Feb. 8 – Hartland, VT – Roast Beef Dinner, Hartland Congregational (Brick) Church, 5-7pm

Feb. 13 – Woodstock, VT – Studio 31 Presents A Baroque Valentine, Blue Horse Inn, 7:30pm

Feb. 14-16 – Woodstock, VT – The Vermont Flurry: Snow Sculpture Festival, The Village Green

Feb. 15 – Hartland, VT – Roast Beef Dinner, Hartland Congregational (Brick) Church, 5-7pm

Feb. 15 – South Woodstock – Pig Roast to benefit the local Snowmobile Club, South Woodstock Fire House on Rt. 106, 11 -3pm

Feb. 15-23 – Woodstock, VT – Sleigh Ride Week, Billings Farm

Feb. 22 – Woodstock, VT – Hello Pops! A Stage and Screen Salute to Louis Armstrong, Town Hall Theatre, 7:30pm

Feb. 22 – Quechee, VT – Owl Festival, Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS), www.vinsweb.org

Feb. 22 – Hartland, VT – Roast Beef Dinner, Hartland Congregational (Brick) Church, 5-7pm

Feb. 23 – Woodstock, VT – Satchmo! A Stage Meets Screen Salute to Louis Armstrong, Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 3pm http://pentanglearts.org/event/hello-pops-a-stage-and-screen-salute-to-louis-armstrong/

Music in March
Friday February 28th Skunk Hollow 9pm Lohn Lackard Blues Band
Saturday the 1st Windsor Station 8pm Gypsy Reel
Sunday the 2nd Browns Tavern 6:30pm Erik Boedtker and Johnny O
Tuesday the 4th Windsor Station 6:00pm Davey Davis
Wednesday the 5th 8:30 Skunk Hollow Open Mic
Friday the 7th Skunk Hollow 9pm Peter Concilio Jazz Trio
Saturday the 8th American Legion 7pm The Wild Women Of Windsor Snow Ball featuring The Vagabonds
Saturday the 8th . March 8th 8pm Windsor Station Roadtrash Band
Sunday the 9th Browns Tavern 6:30pm Erik Boedtker and Johnny O
Tuesday the 11th 6pm Windsor Station Jason Cann
Wednesday the 12th 8:30 Skunk Hollow Open Mic
Thursday the 13th 6pm Harpoon Jason Cann
Friday the 14th Skunk Hollow 9pm Sensible Shoes
Saturday the 15th 8pm Windsor Station Jester Jigs
Sunday the 16th Browns Tavern 6:30pm Erik Boedtker and Johnny O
Tuesday the 18th 6pm Windsor Station Johnny O
Wednesday the 19th 8:30 Skunk Hollow Open Mic
Thursday the 20th 6pm Harpoon Jason Cann
Friday the 21st 9pm Skunk Hollow The Stone Cold Roosters
Sunday the 23rd Browns Tavern 6:30pm Erik Boedtker and Johnny O
Wednesday the 26th 8:30 Skunk Hollow Open Mic
Thursday the 27th 6pm Harpoon Jason Cann
Friday March 28th Skunk Hollow 9pm Wherehouse
Sunday the 30th Browns Tavern 6:30pm Erik Boedtker and Johnny O

Mar. 6 and 13 – Woodstock, VT – National Theatre Live from London, performance of “Coriolanus”, Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 7:30pm

Mar. 19-22 – Ludlow, VT – 2014 US Alpine Masters Championships at Okemo Mtn.

March 22-23 – Statewide – Sugar Houses Open House – opportunity to visit the farms where your maple syrup comes from. I recommend Sugarbush Farm for cheese and maple syrup – year round tasting room and gift shop www.sugarbushfarm.com Lots of other activities offered in Woodstock: sugar on snow and maple butter popcorn on the Woodstock Green, a scavenger hunt at Suicide Six, and a bike ride to some of the area sugarhouses.

Woodstock Maple Madness
Woodstock Maple Madness Weekend, Celebrating Vermont’s Sweet Season, VT state Maple Open House weekend.Sat events, Pancake Breakfast at the Elementary school, on the Village Green 11am-1pm, tree tapping,maple goodies,ongoing-silent auction of local artists decorated sap buckets-place your bid on one or more of these wonderful sap buckets-VT Artisan Trunk Show/Library, Maple Taste around at Suicide Six Ski area Sat night 6-8:30 prepared by local chefs. Live Auction/entertainment-Cash Bar

Admission: maple taste around $25.00

Directions: Woodstock Village Green, Woodstock Village, Woodstock ARea, Suicide Six Ski ARea, Pomfret, VT

Maple Madness Scavenger Hunt
Find the Maple Leaf- area business have hidden a Maple leaf- pickup a card at participating businesses, have each stamp your card. Drop your card in the “Bucket” at the Welcome Center and be entered into a drawing to win a “Bucket full Maple Goodies”

Mar. 30 – Woodstock, VT – Carolina Chocolate Drops, Woodstock Town Theatre, 7:30-9:30 www.pentanglearts.org

November chill leads to Winter Wonderland – check out what’s happening in Vermont!

November chill leads to Winter Wonderland – check out what’s happening in Vermont!

New restaurants and bargains at familiar ones! Check it out:

The Prince and the Pauper – Nov. specials – Sun. to Wed. $16 for all Bistro Entrees including home made bread & house salad. Reservations are recommended 457-1818 www.princeandpauper.com

Melaza Caribbean Bistro – Sundays 3 course dinner for $16 from 4:30-7:30 www.melazabistro.com

The Kedron Valley Inn – closed between Nov. 3 and Nov. 20

The Hartland Diner in Jessup’s Plaza at Hartland 3 Corners – open 7 days a week for lunch and breakfast (served all day!). The owners of the former Stella’s restaurant have opened a restaurant in Windsor at the railroad station (Windsor Station Restaurant and Barroom)serving dinner!

Opened in Quechee Singleton’s Market with food items, deli, Vermont products and clothing – check it out on Facebook. It has almost everything you could need from fresh fish, homemade sausages, wine, beer…the list is endless!

Firestone’s Restaurant in Quechee is now closed but River Stones restaurant is open in the same location with a lot of the old favorites on the menu as well as some new delicious sounding items.

Another new restaurant in Woodstock – The Worthy Kitchen where the Eastender used to be (on the East end of Rt. 4)!

If you are returning to the area from previous visits please note their are lots of restaurants in the area you may wish to try: Trap Door Bakery and Deli in Quechee, and in Woodstock: Melaza Bistro, Pi Brick Oven Trattoria(with Jazz music every Wed. at 7pm), and Mon Vert Cafe. Of course, many of my “old�? favorites are still there: Kedron Valley Inn and Tavern(S. Woodstock), Keeper’s (Reading), The Black Rock Restaurant (Springfield), Harpoon Brewery (Windsor), Long Trail Brewery for lunch(Bridgewater), Simon Pearce restaurant and The Parker House(Quechee) and many more!! The Kedron Valley Inn (only 3 mi. from the cabin) has Beer and Burger night on Sundays! Enjoy dinner outdoors on their spacious porch or inside the Inn.

Taftsville Covered Bridge has reopened. It’s been closed since “Irene�? and it will be a great relief to have that access to River Road re-opened!

I recommend a visit to Sugarbush Farm (www.sugarbushfarm.com) where they have a wonderful education display and video on sugaring, a animal petting area and a wonderful cheese and maple syrup tasting room with of course a gift shop full of goodies to take home or buy for Christmas gifts.

Harpoon Brewery – Windsor – don’t forget live music on Thurs. evenings. And visit Farmstead Cheese (Sustainable Farmer) next door! They are expanding into cheesemaking at this location as well and offer lots of local products. Also in the same complex is Vermont’s Vodka store.

Brownsville General Store at the base of Ascutney mountain offers a daytime deli and a special dinner offering from 5-7pm every Friday night.

Brown’s Tavern is also open for dinner at the Ascutney Resort nearby.

If you stop at Mike’s Mobil just off Rt. 91 on Rt. 12/5 you’ll find a lot of hot foods to choose from, to keep you from needing to cook that first meal!

Montshire Museum in Norwich, VT gets top marks for it’s displays for young and old including the outside grounds www.montshire.org

Speaking of grounds…don’t overlook Saint Gaudens – a national park with outdoor sculptures just across the Conn. River in Cornish, NH

Nov. 2 – Hartland, VT – Turkey Supper, UU Church

Nov. 2-3 – Woodstock, VT – Wagon Ride Weekends at Billings Farm & Museum, 10-3:30

Nov. 9-10 – Woodstock, VT – Wagon Ride Weekends at Billings Farm & Museum, 10-3:3

Nov. 10 – Hanover, NH – Dartmouth College Glee Club, Rollins Chapel, 2pm

Nov. 10 – Woodstock, VT– Sara Groves, Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 7pm, www.pentanglearts.org

Nov. 13 – Hanover, NH – “Playing for Peace”, a concert by Sally Pinkas, Kinan Azmeh and The Apple Hill Quartet performing chamber music at the Spaulding Auditorium on Dartmouth College Campus, 7pm, www.hop.dartmouth.edu

Nov. 14 – Woodstock, VT – National Theatre Live from London, performance of “Macbeth”, Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 7:30pm

Nov. 15 – Claremont, NH – comedian Bob Marley, Claremont Opera House 8pm, www.claremontoperahouse.org

Nov. 15 – Hartland, VT – Winter Farmer’s Market, Damon Hall, 4-7pm

Nov. 16-17 – Woodstock, VT – Wagon Ride Weekends at Billings Farm & Museum, 10-3:30

Nov. 19 – Hanover, NH – Handel Society of Dartmouth College, Spaulding Auditorium, 7pm, hop.dartmouth.edu

Nov. 21 – Woodstock, VT – National Theatre Live from London, performance of “Macbeth”, Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 7:30pm

Nov. 22 – Woodstock, VT – “Choro da Manha”, salon-style concert, Blue Horse Inn, 7:30pm, pentanglearts.org

Nov. 23-24 – Woodstock, VT – Wagon Ride Weekends at Billings Farm & Museum, 10-3:30

Nov. 28 – Woodstock, VT – Thanksgiving Turkey Trot, 5K run thru Woodstock Village, www.zacksplacevt.org

Nov. 29 -30 – Woodstock, VT – This weekend is a chance to shop for Christmas at the Holiday Craft Fair (exquisite crafts featuring VT and New England crafts and art) at the Woodstock Inn on the Garden Level. 10 – 5pm, free and open to the public

Nov. 29 – Dec. 1 – Woodstock, VT – Thanksgiving Weekend at Billings Farm & Museum, www.billingsfarm.org

Dec. 6 – Hartland, VT – Winter Farmer’s Market, Damon Hall, 4-7pm

Dec. 9 – Woodstock, VT – Music at the Mezz at Norman Williams Public Library, “A Worldwide Holiday Season Celebration”, 6pm

Dec. 13 – Woodstock, VT – Wassail Open House, Woodstock History Center, 5-7pm

Dec. 13 – Woodstock, VT – Pentangle Arts Wassail Weekend Featured Concert – Irish Christmas in America, Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 7:30pm

Dec. 13-15 – Woodstock, VT – 30th Annual Wassail Weekend, See the schedule of events at www.woodstockvt.com

Dec. 14 – Woodstock, VT – Wassail Tea, 2 seatings, St. James Episcopal Church Great Hall, www.pentanglearts.org

Dec. 14 – Woodstock, VT – some of the Wassail events:

Holiday House Tour – 9:30-2pm

Reading of “A Child’s Christmas in Wales”

Wassail Parade through Woodstock Village, 2pm

Lighting of the Memory Tree with Carole Sing and Lighting of the Bon Fire on the Green, 3pm

“The Ten”, A capella men’s choir, Congregational Church, 3 and 4:30pm

Lighting of the Luminaries on the Green, 4pm

Dec. 15 – Woodstock, VT –Annual Messiah Sing, Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church, 4pm

Dec. 15 – Plymouth, VT – Coolidge Holiday Open House, 10-4pm

Dec. 22 – Woodstock, VT – Judy Collins, Holidays and the hits, Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 7pm, www.pentanglearts.org

Jan. 16 and 23 – Woodstock, VT – National Theatre Live from London, performance of “The Habit of Art”, Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 7:30pm

Mar. 6 and 13 – Woodstock, VT – National Theatre Live from London, performance of “Coriolanus”, Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 7:30pm

Winter 2013 – Activities

NEW in March! – The successful Stella’s Restaurant in Hartland 3 Corners has just closed and in April in its place the Hartland Diner will be open – 7 days a week for lunch and breakfast (served all day!). Don’t despair about Stella’s though as they are preparing to open a restaurant in Windsor serving dinner in the late Summer.
Opened March 1 in Quechee Singleton’s Market with food items, deli, Vermont products and clothing – check it out!!
Unfortunately those of you who are familiar with Woodstock and Quechee restaurants will be sorry to hear that Firestones in Quechee and Bentley’s in Woodstock have closed. Another restaurant is planned at the Bentley’s location in the near future. Stay tuned!
The New Year started off with lots of snow in Vermont – check on the status here: http://www.skivermont.com
NOTE: With all the new snow Sugarbush Farm (www.sugarbushfarm.com) is giving sleigh rides again this year. Here are the details:

Rides are only given with advance reservation- call Sugarbush from 9 to 5 to make a reservation- preferably the day before.

Rides are about 40 minutes long going out in the maple sugar woods where we give folks an explanation of how trees are tapped and sap collected

Charge is $50.00 for 1 to 5 passengers in the same reservation group, with $10.00 extra for each person over 5. Children under 2 free. Credit cards are accepted.

Fee also includes hot drinks and cheese and maple syrup samples inside the Sugarbush Farm cheese tasting room.

Rides are given between 11 am and 3 pm.

Please remember Sugarbush is on a “back ” road so best if folks at least have snow tires and some days when snow covered and not sanded 4 wheel or all wheel drive. Maple sugaring starts in March!
NEW: Outdoor Ice Skating in Windsor, VT on State Street and in Brownsville, VT at Albert Bridge School (to be ready in late Jan.) Bring your own skates – weather cooperating of course!

DOGSLEDDING: In Windsor, VT
http://www.thevermontstandard.com/2013/01/photo-gallery-dog-sledding-adventures/

Harpoon Brewery – Windsor – don’t forget live music on Thurs. evenings. And visit Farmstead Cheese next door!

Brownsville General Store at the base of Ascutney in addition to it’s daytime deli serves Friday night dinners – eat-in or take-out.

Jan. 12 – Vermont/statewide – Winter Trails Day, Nordic ski centers provide free ski rentals and lessons today!

Jan. 13 – South Woodstock, VT – (Horse) Sleighing Combined Test, Green Mountain Horse Assoc., Rt. 106, spectators welcome.

Jan. 18 – Woodstock, VT – John Mceuen and Alpin Hong, Woodstock Town Theater, 7:30pm, www.pentanglearts.org

Jan. 19 – Quechee, VT – VINS Winter Fun Day, special events, Off of Rt. 4, www.vinsweb.org
Jan.19 – Hartland, VT – Roast Beef Supper, Brick Church, Hartland 3 Corners
Jan. 26 – Woodstock, VT – Winter Farmer’s Market, Masonic Hal, Pleasant St., Rt. 4, 10-1pm
Jan.26 – Hartland, VT – Roast Beef Supper, Brick Church, Hartland 3 Corners
Jan. 26 – South Woodstock, VT – (Horse) Sleigh Rally, Green Mountain Horse Assoc., Rt. 106, spectators welcome, www.ghmainc.org
Jan. 27 – South Woodstock, VT – (Horse) Sleighing Combined Test, Green Mountain Horse Assoc., Rt. 106, spectators welcome, www.ghmainc.org
Feb. 1-2 – Claremont, NH – Rusty DeWees: Entertainer, comedic artist, actor, producer, writer, musician, master of duct tape…and the Logger of course!, Claremont Opera House, 8pm, www.claremontoperahouse.org

Feb. 2 – Hartland, VT – Annual Tiki Torch Trek, 5-8pm, Fun event with food along the trek, check for details in Jan. at www.hartlandwintertrails.org

Feb. 2 – Hartland, VT – Roast Beef Supper, Brick Church, Hartland 3 Corners
Feb. 9 – Woodstock, VT – John Jorgenson Quintet – Woodstock Town Theater, 7:3pm, www.pentanglearts.org

Feb. 9 – Hartland, VT – Roast Beef Supper, Brick Church, Hartland 3 Corners
Feb. 15-17 – Woodstock, VT – The Vermont Flurry – snow sculpture on the Woodstock Village Green

Feb. 16 – Hartland, VT – Roast Beef Supper, Brick Church, Hartland 3 Corners
Feb. 18 – Quechee, VT – VINS Owl Prowl, off of Rt. 4, www.vinsweb.org

Feb. 23 – Quechee, VT – VINS Owl Festival, 1-4pm, off of Rt. 4, www.vinsweb.org

Feb. 23 – Woodstock, VT – Winter Farmer’s Market, Masonic Hal, Pleasant St., Rt. 4, 10-1pm

Feb. 23 – Hartland, VT – Roast Beef Supper, Brick Church, Hartland 3 Corners
Feb. 23 – South Woodstock, VT – Pig Roast, S. Woodstock Fire House on Rt. 106, 11-3pm, food, music
Feb. 24 – Hanover, NH – Dartmouth College Wind Ensemble, “Glimpses of Love”, 2pm, www.hop.dartmouth.edu

Mar. 2 – Hartland, VT – Roast Beef Supper, Brick Church, Hartland 3 Corners
Mar. 9 – Woodstock, VT – Karan Casey and John Doyle, Woodstock Town Theater, 7:30pm

Mar. 9 – Hartland, VT – Roast Beef Supper, Brick Church, Hartland 3 Corners
Mar. 16 – Hartland, VT – Roast Beef Supper, Brick Church, Hartland 3 Corners
Come to Barnard Town Hall on March 16 to join in the Masquerade Jazz and Funk Winter Music Carnival put together by BarnArts Center for the Arts. Music begins at 6pm and runs until midnight! Four different musical groups will be performing including the WUHS Jazz-Funk Band. Jazz will start out the evening with Woodstock pianist Sonny Saul and bassist Bill Martin of Barnard. The upper valley funk band Green Room will get the groove going mid-evening and the headliner is singer Jenni Johnson from Burlington playing with her seven-piece “Junketeers”, include local musicians Mark van Gulden and Kathleen Dolan.Costumes welcome, masks encouraged, fun required!Tickets:$15 adults,$5 students
For more information:802-332-6020 info@barnarts.org http://www.barnarts.org
Mar. 23 – Woodstock, VT – Winter Farmer’s Market, Masonic Hal, Pleasant St., Rt. 4, 10-1pm
March 23-24 – statewide – – Open House at Maple Sugar Farms, I recommend www.SugarbushFarm.com