Drive Slow and Don't Hit the Brakes

It's 9 degrees fahrenheit, and I can see snow in Stowe Village outside my window, with snow predicted to keeping coming right up through Christmas. It's snowing in Boston, in New York, and very possibly where you are. Which means that you're of one of two minds: You're really not happy, because you're cold, the roads are snowy, the walk needs shoveling, the windshield needs scraping.





















Or you may be of Mind #2. Snow is softly falling, it's peaceful and magical as Christmas approaches. A walk along Main Street in our village brings an encounter with someone you don't even know, but there's eye contact and recognition that this is a good thing, a lovely moment.

For those of Mind #1, we can help:

• The cold: Here in Winter Playland, we layer. Everything from those itchy, wooly, drop-seat long johns to silky, barely-there undies. Any of Stowe's outdoor shops can help you stay warm. Or sit in front of one of the dozens of fireplaces that our lodges feature. And lots of these fireplaces can be in your room. With you, drink in hand, lolling in front of it. Or, do as we do: Play in the snow! Make friends with winter by skiing, riding, snowshoeing, mushing with dogs, riding a horse. Try extreme sledding in Smuggler's Notch!
  
• Snowy Roads: Road crews in a resort town know which side their bread is buttered on, and boy are they diligent in keeping the roads plowed, sanded, salted. (one of my fantasy jobs is driving a plow truck--all cozy, music cranked, steamy cuppa joe in the cupholder, saving the day...) The best advice was imparted to me when I moved here years ago: Drive Slow and Don't Hit the Brakes. T'was told to me by the guy who is now the chief of the Stowe Fire Department, so I trust 'im.
  
• Shoveling Snow: Hire a kid, or shovel yourself and call it "cardio", or buy a snowblower. Or stay with us for awhile, and you won't even have to worry about it. Someone else can do it!
  
• Scraping Ice: No one likes this, there are no easy solutions (although there is a can of something in my car that I've never used, s'posed to work, maybe I should try it), you're on your own.

With all apologies to those of you in tropic climes (I lived in the Virgin Islands for 3 years, and at Christmas we cranked the AC to 55 and huddled around the absurdly-priced tannenbaum, singing songs of the season to get in the mood), Christmas is meant to be white! Everyone from Bing Crosby to Audrey Landers (Afton Cooper on DALLAS!) and Twisted Sister to John Schneider (Clark Kent's Pa and pilot of Duke of Hazzard's GENERAL LEE!) have sung that they dream of it, just like the ones they used to know, so it must be true. And looks like we'll have it.
A White Christmas.

The Snow Gods Awake!

(Photos: Main Street, Stowe Village, 10am December 12)

The Snow Gods conspired and concocted, and this morning Stowe awoke to nearly a foot of new snow. And it's still snowing, hard.


Oddly enough I get pretty psyched to get outside and clean off my car (the adult version of putting on your snowsuit, and just getting out there), and this morning required the use of The Snow Broom. Don't know where it disappeared to; maybe it was tired from a summer of sweeping pine needles off the deck, so I used the current household broom, which ended up looking like a frazzled kitchen witch. This exercise is all part and parcel of living in snow country, and today finds Stowe folks dancing like hamsters and high stepping like those nine- ladies-dancing that will be referenced this time of year ad nauseum.

The news that we want you ALL to know is: Stowe is snowy and up and running. And with the 10-day forecast heralding colder temps and snow, we're in great shape for that Currier & Ives holiday. That term is so overused, but it's accurately descriptive. You'll see.

Stowe Mountain Resort is open for awesome skiing and riding. Gondola opens this weekend on Mt Mansfield, and Sunny Spruce and Sensation Quad on Spruce Peak, too. And the brand-spanking-new Spruce Camp base lodge, which is, no joke, jaw-droppingly fabulous, is warm and will welcome you with open arms. My friend & associate at SMR, Jeff Wise reports that they expect six more inches from this storm, and anticipate 57 trails open tomorrow, with all three peaks open for business.

Dogsledding, xc skiing, snowmobiling (or 'chining, as in snowmachine...take your pleasure with either term) snowshoeing, extreme sledding, romantic sleigh rides--you can revel in it all now, as the snow keeps falling.

Take a shopping break and come see a few of my friends and I carol (yes!! 12 Days of Christmas is one of our greatest hits!) at Stowe Mercantile in the village. We're there on Sunday from 2-4pm. Kids can visit Santa there on Saturday, too, from 12-2, and they donate $10 to the food shelf for every child who visits Santa. Scads of holiday events are underway now, too, including our Shop Savor Sip Ski