The Queen Has Spoken

Susan Rousselle, our Sales Manager, and more importantly--at least this time of year--our Queen Leaf Peeper, has decreed that Thursday, October 2 at 5:17pm was absolute Peak Foliage Color this year. Notably, this is nearly two weeks earlier than last year, when Peak was October 14. The Queen states, "My AHA! moment was on Stagecoach Road. I was driving north, the lighting was spectacular. It honestly looked like a painting instead of real life; the color was brilliant. It's the moment when you know nothing could look prettier."

And so, we close the Stowe book on fall, and proceed to lifting the cover on Winter. To continue the metaphor (please bear with me, it's Friday...), the first page in this book is snow-covered. As of this writing, there are FOURTEEN inches of snow at Stowe Mountain Resort. Now that I write that, it seems rather paltry when I realize that HUNDREDS of inches fall in the heart of winter, but we're pretty psyched to have fourteen before the onset of November. Intrepid (and very fit...) skiers/riders are hiking up and sliding down. See some cool photos and be inspired! The Mountain opens on November 22.

Spooky, Snowy Stowe

Stowe has gone from Fire on the Mountain to Snow on the Mountain in pretty short order, folks. Wednesday morning found enough snowfall on Mt Mansfield to whet the appetite of winter sports buffs. Skiing/riding at Stowe Mountain Resort opens in just a few short weeks, on November 22nd. Starting November 1st, snowmaking will begin, adding to Mother Nature's lode. But the stuff--known as White Gold around these parts--has begun its descent. Last winter was epic in the amount of snowiness, and winter sports boomed. Snowshoers plodded happily along, dogsledders mushed at a rapid clip, snowmachines roared through the glades, skiers-- both Nordic and Alpine--swooshed. I think we deserve two great snow years in a row...we begin praying right about.....now.

However, should you have a hankering for fall color, it can still be found..but hurry. Some color is apparent in the hollows deep in the forest, and some on the hillsides. But officially, we're in Stick Season. Soon those sticks will be frosty and white, but for now they're rightfully recovering from their summer and fall glory. Well done, leaves!

Hallowe'en is what we're focusing on now. Stowe can be a pretty spooky place, if you look in the right places! We've got Emily's Haunted Bridge, Stowe at Night Lantern Tours, and a steady stream of wee characters roaming the streets in search of sugar-laden treats. Actually, Hallowe'en is a pretty cool day for kids. It starts with the Stowe Elementary School Ghost Parade on Main Street in Stowe Village. (FYI: the guy with the pumpkin on his head is Mr. Smiles, the principal...yes, our principal's name is Smiles, and he wears a pumpkin on his head every year). Our offices at the Stowe Visitor Info Center are right in the line of fire, so we load up on candy and put ourselves at the mercy of passing ghouls, goblins, skeletons, and more topical and timely costumed characters (let's bet on how many Sarah Palin/Tina Feys we see this year! Do I hear Heath Ledger/Joker?) We're alerted to the impending invasion by the sounds of the local radio station, WDEV-AM playing "Monster Mash", which resonates as a music worm in my head for many hours. Then kids go home and rest up for the Big Event: Trick or Treating on Main Street and the big party at the elementary school, all in the village.

Many years ago the idea was hatched that in order to have a safe place for sugar-solicitation, the cops would block off Main Street, the Boy Scouts would ask for candy donations and the candy would be distributed to the households that would be descended upon for trick or treat. From 4:30 to 6pm the elementary school Parent Teachers Organization hold the perfect Hallowe'en party. With games, food and free Glo Stick Necklaces from the Stowe PD, you can't go wrong. Having nurtured a Shy Little Kitten, a Killer Whale (I was up all night for that one), Calvin (w/ Hobbs), Waldo (as in "Where's ...?" --my total favorite) and countless others, I have a pretty good idea of how special Hallowe'en can be in Stowe.

Kids are ready to hit the hay by 7pm. Bring in the babysitter and Hallowe'en-oephile grownups can don their costumes and head out to revel the night away. It's a FRIDAY!

In The Thick of The Arts in Stowe

We're in the thick of it: Stowe and summer arts. Everywhere you turn, there's the creative energy of actors, musicians, crafters, sculptors and other visual artists. Stowe is rife with creative types, and it's easy to find their wares, be it singing, dancing, acting, glass blowing, watercolor artistry, or jazz and blues guitar. Coupled with a perfect summer day or evening. the arts enhance the charm of Stowe. Here's your menu: (speaking of menu--dozens of places for a leisurely meal, a quickie cocktail, all of the above, and all al fresco, if you chose. I would so chose--summer, and life are short)

Starting with visual arts and crafts
EXPOSED! 2008 Outdoor Exhibition, presented by Helen Day Art Center, Stowe's non-profit arts organization. This is a walkable outdoor art exhbition that entertains and provokes the age-old question "what is art". Ho hum. Just enjoy. Their current indoor exhibition is Mexican master painter and muralist Rafael Caudero. Helen Day Art Center is also a part of one of the 4th Annual New Taste of Stowe Art Festival, This is a great culinary AND arts fest. Best of all worlds! Plus, 150 juried crafters--no junk here, folks--to quote their website, "All three dimensional media are represented including clay, glass, leather, jewelry, metal, wood, wearable and non-wearable fiber, sculpture, and other categories The ensemble makes for creative shopping and the region’s best art/craft show."



Little River Hotglass's Michael Trimbol is the creator of vivid and memorable blown glass art. You can see him at work here: http://www.littleriverhotglass.com/visit-process-video.html You can see Michael live and in person and puffing away by visiting the studio. Really fun for kids as they see bags of sand turn into something they can drink juice out of.



West Branch Gallery is an exceptional place. Right on the Little River, large scale sculpture to browse among, exquisite art from both emerging and established artists, both out and inside the indoor exhibition hall. Founders /owners Chris Curtis and Tari Swenson are enormously talented scultor andwatercolorist, respectively, and the heart and soul they bring to their art is apparent the moment you enter.

Lest you think that art is something that you hang and gaze upon, you may want to expand your knowledge at Cotswold Furniture Makers, where craftsman John Lomas makes your piece by hand. A sure-fire guarantee your heirs will end up with an heirloom.



Can't possibly omit Stowe Craft Gallery. Susan Bayer Fishman is an artist in her own right--breathtaking stained class is her medium. She and her husband Stephen Fishman are advocates and promoters of American craft, and their gallery is a testiment to that mission



Regional visual artists are featured at the Green Mountain Fine Art Gallery--you can definitely afford to invest in a collectible from a Vermont artist! Check out owner Sandra Noble's watercolors. Sandra and her husband Scott are also the driving force behind Third Thursdays gallery hop.



On to Performing Arts!

Since its humble beginnings in 1995, the Stowe Theatre Guild has presented oh, a zillion shows-- musical, comedy and a little Arthur Miller and Edward Albee for good measure. The Town Hall Theatre right in historic Stowe Village summer offers BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL; A DELICATE BALANCE (that's the Edward Albee part...), and an original comedy written and directed by Stowe Theatre Guild vet Carole Vasta-Folley.



Now this is REALLY historic: The Lamoille County Players began trodding the boards in 1954. This summer they will present GREASE and later this fall, 1776 (it's an election year! as director Dean Burnell qualifies).



New kid on the block Waterbury Festival Players consistently gives us first-rate comedies (sorry, but summer is made for laughing), including ANTON IN SHOW BUSINESS; INDOOR/OUTDOOR, and later this fall WAIT UNTIL DARK. Wait...that's not a funny show. Oh, well.

The Vermont Mozart Festival gives you the opportunity to wine and dine in one of the most beautiful and music-friendly venues anywhere: Trapp Family Lodge Concert Meadow. Picnics underscored by fabulous music (or, music underscored by fabulous picnics...) are a huge summer tradition in Stowe. BTW, Beethoven RULES this summer.

Stowe Performing Arts is our non-profit arts presenter, and now that their Trapp Family Lodge Music in the Meadow concerts have run their course they've moved on to the smaller village venue, The Gazebo on the Helen Day Memorial. Picnics again are encouraged, and you can't miss a New England tradition, the Morrisville Military/Waterbury Community Combined Bands. Our friends and neighbors from the towns both north and south of Stowe bring a concert of favorites. And, because the Stowe Free Library shares the Helen Day Memorial Building, you can browse the hugely popular Porch Book Sale! A total of four concerts in the Gazebo, all presented by Stowe Performing Arts and The Friends of Stowe Free Library.

Cheers, and seize the summer!

Stowe Weekend of Hope Hosts Hundreds of Cancer Survivors

As happens the first weekend of every May in Stowe, we hosted the 8th Annual Stowe Weekend of Hope. As far as we know, there is no other event that a.) Offers complimentary hotel rooms for first-time attendee cancer survivors and their families/loved ones; b.) Is an event that involves people challenged by any kind of cancer (in fact, there were an astounding 46 different types of cancer represented) c.) Involves an entire business community led by Stowe Area Association and working with a regional hospital (Fletcher Allen Health Care) in the planning and execution.

Nearly 1,000 cancer survivors (called survivors because we believe that if you're living with cancer, you're a survivor!) and their companions took advantage of the free workshops facilitated by specialists from around New England and organized by The Vermont Cancer Center. Visitors to Stowe from both far and near attended the inspirational events, with 21 states, the US Virgin Islands and Canada represented. This year's program celebrated diversity, with packed houses at Equine Therapy, Macrobiotic Cooking, and Writing to Heal seminars as well as Signs of Spring Nature Walks-just to list a few. Experts expounded on Health Benefits of Yoga, Reiki and Massage as well as instructing on diet, reading pathology reports, empowerment, healing, new technologies, stress and connecting—again, just to list a few.



Getting a jump on the proceedings were the passengers of the Amtrak Train of Hope, which arrived on Thursday evening. Amtrak donates an entire car of The Vermonter, which runs from DC to Stowe along the Eastern Seaboard. (We LOVE Amtrak! Take the train! Save energy and give ‘em a boost!) The Train of Hope started because of a need, in 2002, and every succeeding year Cynthia Werth from Stowe has been our official ambassador on the train. This year her two teen-aged kids, Adam and Emily joined her. Cynthia speaks to each and every passenger on the train, learning their story, their struggles and their hopes. She informs them about the weekend and what's in store. Stowe Area Association’s Chris Osmond also reaches out by phone and makes sure that each passenger’s needs are met

On Friday afternoon at our Opening Ceremony Governor Jim Douglas presented us with an official proclamation stating that May 2-3, 2008 is The Stowe Weekend of Hope. U.S. Congressman Peter Welch also offered warm words of welcome to the gathered crowd. Warm words were welcome indeed, because the Courtyard at Stoweflake Mountain Resort & Spa, our gracious hosts, turned chilly when the sun decided to take a powder. But, in truly hospitable style, Stoweflake offered up blankets to huddle in, and we lost nary a soul to the Vermont spring coolness. The crowd warmed further to the Keynote Speaker, larynectomee Marianne Koojiman from the Netherlands. Despite losing her vocal chords to cancer, Marianne has spoken internationally about the challenges she has overcome since being diagnosed in 1989. The audience was terrifically appreciative of Marianne's courage, jumping to their feet to applaud when she finished.

Attendees had the option of having their name tag labeled with the type of cancer they had, and were also offered the chance during the "Matchmaking" session, to connect with others with similar cancers. Networking at the Stowe Weekend of Hope should NOT be underestimated. Learning to reach out or allowing yourself to respond to someone reaching out to you is so important.

Saturday morning the attendees all got to work, educating themselves, buttonholing the experts, visiting the Health Fair and chatting up the vendors. Saturday evening we held the Chicken Pie Supper and Closing Ceremony at the iconic Stowe Community Church in the village. This all-volunteer effort (thank you, volunteer coordinator Leslie Anderson!) was undertaken for the Amtrak Train of Hope passengers, as they needed to leave on Sunday morning and would miss the “official” Closing Ceremony. U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders visited us and spoke briefly. Bernie (as he is known in our little state) stopped by last year as well, but has never had time to sit and sup. Maybe next year, Bernie?

After doggedly monitoring the weather--with thanks to weather guru extraordinaire, Roger Hill, for all his help—we made the difficult decision on Sunday morning to stay indoors for our Closing Ceremony and Dedication of Flags of Hope and Healing. Six out of the past seven years we’ve been able to hold the ceremony in the glorious surroundings of the Trapp Family Lodge Concert Meadow. This year it was not to be. But hey, you know what? It really didn’t’ matter! Holding the ceremony inside the warm and cozy Stowe High School Auditorium was rockin’! As befits the close of an event with “HOPE” as the operative word, we went out with joy and celebration, thanks to our musical guests. Our “house band” Primitive Soul drives up from New Jersey every year and anchors the festivities. These are MAJORLY talented pros, who have played with the best. Vermont singer-song-writer Jon Gailmor joined us, bringing down the house with his completely appropriate song “Say It Now”, with the chorus:

Say it now, say it now, anytime, anyhow Grab the moment, while you got it. Let them hear it. Say it now! How you're feeling-just set it free. Don't wait till it's a eulogy
Right now, say it now, say it now!




As they do every year, the Dance Academy of Stowe’s T.R.I.P. Dancers brought their young energy, grace and talent to 3 numbers, exquisitely directed by Helena Sullivan. And making their debut this year was The Stowe Community Chorus, directed by Jane Harissis. Jane and her group learned the back-up vocals on Simple Minds’ ALIVE AND KICKIN’, and Primitive Soul led us all in a dance-inducin’, hallelujah-evokin’, spirit-elevatin’, soul-jubilatin’ life-lovin’ DANCE OF HOPE! (A nod to The Boss for that rant, and a side note of memorial to E Street Band keyboardist Danny Federici, who succumbed to melanoma last month) With the annual reading of the Lakota Prayer of Healing to dedicate the Flags of Hope and Healing created throughout the weekend, we began to close in on the end of our time together. But not before Primitive Soul and all of our musical performers led the crowd in singing YOU RAISE ME UP. Tears, hugs, and an exchange of contact info, well-wishes, and lots of “We’ll see you next year: RIGHT??”

How is Stowe able to offer this? Well, it's probably no surprise that one in three people are living with cancer in one form or another, and cancer has certainly touched many of us here. Stowe also has a history of humanitarian giving. We offered R&R to emergency workers at Ground Zero directly after the horrific attacks. Our town has held fundraisers for community members in need over and over again. A small town in numbers, but a town with a big heart. We’re extremely fortunate to live here, and we don’t take it for granted. This gratitude translates into the action of giving

Oh, and the 9th Annual Stowe Weekend of Hope will be again the first weekend in May. Registration will commence at http://www.stowehope.org/ sometime in February.