Woodstock Magazine - Winter 2013 by Mountain View Publishing

WINTER 2013-2014

Winter Traditions Ottauquechee Health Foundation US Alpine Masters at Okemo The New Taftsville Bridge

Vo l u m e 1 3 , N o . 4

Unique Holiday Shopping In Woodstock

37 Central Clothiers

Angkor Wat Restaurant

Encore Designer Consignment

37 Central Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-9300 37central.com

61 Pleasant Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-9029 www.angkorwatrestaurant.com

1 The Green Woodstock, VT (802) 457-9797 www.encoredesignerconsignment.com

Mon–Sat 10am–6pm Sun 11am–4pm

Tue–Sun 4-9pm

Please visit our website for our current hours.

Anything Printed

Crystal & Bark Designs & The Little Flower Shoppe

The Village Butcher 18 Elm Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-2756 Open every day.

2490 E Woodstock Road Woodstock, VT (802) 457-3414 www.anythingprinted.net Mon–Fri 8am–5:30pm

28 Pleasant Street Woodstock, VT (802) 332-6411 www.crystalandbarkdesigns.com Mon–Sat 9:30am–5:30pm

Teago General Store 2035 Pomfret Road South Pomfret, VT (802) 457-1626 teagostore.com

Ellaway’s Attic Selective Consignment 14 Central Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-1066 www.ellawaysattic.com Mon–Sat 10am–5pm Sun 11am–4pm

Gallery on the Green 1 The Green Woodstock, VT (802) 457-4956 www.galleryonthegreen.com

Shop Local for the Best Selection

Frameworks Studio of Woodstock 63 Pleasant Street Barn Woodstock, VT (802) 356-5235

Shiretown Books

Krystyna’s Stones and Sterling

9 Central Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-2996 www.shiretownbooks.com

20 Central Street (Behind Vermont Flannel) Woodstock, VT (802) 457-9438 www.krystynassilver.com

Open Tue–Sat

Mon–Sat 10am–5:30pm Sun 11am–5pm

Mollie’s Mercantile

Collective – the Art of Craft

Phlox

1 The Green Woodstock, VT (802) 457-9210

47 Central Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-1298 www.collective-theartofcraft.com

24 Elm Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-9119

Call for hours.

Mon–Sat 11am–5pm Sun 11am–4pm

Please call for hours.

Mon–Sat 10am–5pm Sun 10am–4pm

Who is Sylvia? Vintage Clothing, Lace & Linens 26 Central Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-1110 Please visit our Facebook page for current hours.

Unicorn 15 Central Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-2480 www.unicornvt.com Mon–Fri 9:30am–5pm Sat 9:30am–5:30pm Sun 10:30am–4:30pm

South Woodstock Country Store and Deli 4800 South Road, Route 106 South Woodstock, VT (802) 457-3050 Mon–Fri 6:30am–6pm Sat 7am–5pm, Sun 8am–4pm

Shop Quechee & Nearby this Holiday Season

Antiques Collaborative, Inc. 6931 Woodstock Road (Route 4) Quechee, VT (802) 296-5858 www.antiquescollaborative.com Open daily 10am–5pm

Deirdre Donnelly Jewelry Art Quechee Gorge Village 5573 Woodstock Road Quechee, VT (802) 432-1700 www.deirdredonnelly.com

Old Federal Shop East Woodstock Road (Route 4) Quechee, VT (802) 457-9411 Open daily.

Open daily 10am–5pm

Sharyn’s Quechee Country Store

Strong House Spa

Anichini Company Store

5967 Woodstock Road, Route 4 Quechee, VT (802) 295-9955 www.quecheecountrystore.com

694 Main Street Quechee, VT (802) 295-1718 www.stronghousespa.com

6931 Woodstock Road Quechee, VT (802) 698-8813 www.anichini.com

Open every day.

Open daily 10am–6pm

Game Set Mat

Whisper Hill Body and Home

VINS Nature Store 6565 Woodstock Road Quechee, VT (802) 359-5000 www.vinsweb.org

15 South Main Street, Lower Level Hanover, NH (603) 277-9763 www.gamesetmat.com

Open 7 days a week. Please visit our website for current hours.

Mon–Sat 10am–6pm Sun 12–5pm

Quechee Gorge Village 5573 Woodstock Road Quechee, VT (802) 296-SOAP (7627) www.whisperhill.com Fri–Mon 10am–5pm Tue–Thu 10am–4pm

CONTENTS

44 Features 44 The Need for Speed by Lisa Densmore

The US Alpine Masters Championships come to Okemo Mountain.

Ottauquechee Health Foundation by Meg Brazill Because good health care matters to us all.

60 N.T. Ferro

by Bridget Wiedl Estate and custom jewelers.

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60 Cover photo by Bill Hebden.

CONTENTS

34 In Every Issue

Departments

19 Editor’s Note 20 Contributors 22 Online Exclusives 88 Happenings 91 Ad Index 92 Last Glance

24 Celebrations

Tips for trimming.

26 Around & About by Cassie Horner

34 Local Flavors

by Linda A. Thompson-Ditch Vermont holiday cocktails.

Vermont Living by Meg Brazill The Taftsville Bridge.

69 Fantastic Finds by Dian Parker Eyes on Elm.

74 At a Glance

by Lauren Seidman Jake’s Quechee Market and Café.

80 Seasonal Foods by Susan Nye

It’s a winter wonderland.

85 Personalities

by David Cogger Bruce Maxham.

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Mountain View Publishing, LLC 135 Lyme Road, Hanover, NH 03755 (603) 643-1830

mountainviewpublishing.com Publishers

Bob Frisch Cheryl Frisch Executive Editor

Deborah Thompson Associate Editor

Kristy Erickson Copy Editor

Elaine Ambrose Creative Director

Ellen Klempner-Beguin Art Director

Brad Wuorinen Ad Design

Hutchens Media, LLC Web Design

Locable Advertising

Bob Frisch KEEP US POSTED. Woodstock Magazine wants to hear from readers. Correspondence may be addressed to: Letters to the Editor, Woodstock Magazine, 135 Lyme Road, Hanover, NH 03755. Or email us at: dthompson@mountainviewpublishing. biz. Advertising inquiries may be made by email to rcfrisch1@comcast. net. Woodstock Magazine is published quarterly by Mountain View Publishing, LLC ÂŠ2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is strictly prohibited. Woodstock Magazine accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, artwork, or photographs.

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E D I TO R ’ S N OT E

IAN RAYMOND

Welcome, Winter! It’s time to bring out the wool sweaters, scarves, mittens, and boots as we greet another cold-weather season. Firewood has been stacked in anticipation of cozy evenings by the fireplace, and the holiday shopping season arrives with excitement as we plan our lists, with lots of surprises for family and friends. The scents of fresh pine garland, pinecones, and cinnamon sticks welcome visitors, as does a plate of fancy home-baked cookies and a mug of hot cocoa. The Christmas tree sparkles with twinkling lights, and ornaments passed down through generations grace its branches. Packages are wrapped with beautiful paper of every color and pattern, and big fluffy bows and curly ribbons make them almost too pretty to tear into. As we take our mother’s and grandmother’s handwritten recipe cards from the recipe box, we recall the wonderful memories of our childhoods and think of those who created them for us, and we endeavor to carry on our family’s traditions for our own children and grandchildren. I find it comforting to be able to practice them every year and keep them alive. Now that I have grandchildren, it makes me very happy to see my sons and their wives shopping for a tree and decorating it beautifully, placing a wreath with a big red bow on the front door, hanging the stockings, and setting out a plate of cookies and a glass of milk for Santa and a carrot for Rudolph, all to the delight of squealing little ones. In Woodstock, Wassail Weekend is a great way to welcome the holidays. Bundle up and join your neighbors at the parade, take in the sights at Billings Farm, and attend a tea at St. James Episcopal Church. Or you may choose to greet the snow by heading out to go skiing, snowboarding, or sledding. No matter what traditions you observe during this special season, the rest of the staff and I wish you and your family a wonderful holiday filled with all the things you love. Enjoy!

Deborah Thompson Executive Editor dthompson@mountainviewpublishing.biz

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C O N T R I B U TO R S

Lynn Bohannon is a photographer with a studio in Woodstock, where she loves to photograph and create. Her specialties are people and products, but her current passion is flowers. Among her favorite things to do are kayaking, cross-country skiing, and being the number-one groupie for her daughter’s band.

Lynn Bohannon

Lisa Densmore

Meg Brazill is a regular contributor to regional New England magazines and teaches at the Writer’s Center in White River Junction, Vermont. A recovering punk rocker and performance artist, she lives with her daughter in South Woodstock. She is currently working on a book of short fiction when she’s not too busy living it.

Meg Brazill

A three-time Emmy-winning television producer and host, Lisa has been a familiar face around New England for her work on PBS and for various sports and outdoor networks. She contributes regularly to over 30 regional and national magazines on various backcountry, adventure travel, nature, and wildlife topics. She has written seven books, including Best Hikes with Dogs: New Hampshire and Vermont and Hiking the Green Mountains. To learn more, visit her website, www. DensmoreDesigns.com.

Jack Rowell

Lauren is the author of the children’s book What Makes Someone a Jew? (Jewish Lights Publishing), and her narrative nonfiction has appeared in Litro magazine. When she’s not writing or editing, Lauren enjoys birding, hiking Mt. Tom, people watching on the Woodstock Green, and supporting local eateries. She is a New Yorker by birth but a Vermonter at heart.

Lauren Seidman

A fifth generation Vermonter, Jack was born and raised in central Vermont. He has been a professional photographer for over 35 years, shooting documentary, commercial, and advertising photographs. His work has been published in People Weekly, London Independent, Time, Newsweek, the New York Times, The Economist, and the Times of London. In addition, he has worked with director John O’Brien as associate producer on the feature films Man with a Plan and Nosey Parker.

Food has been a central part of Linda’s life since she watched her grandmother create magical dishes in her Missouri farmhouse kitchen. As a freelance writer focusing on food and wine, her work has appeared in the Boston Globe, Dallas Morning News, Concord Monitor, Better Nutrition, Great Life, and Let’s Live.

Linda Thompson-Ditch

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MOUNTAIN VIEW PUBLISHING ONLINE THIS QUARTER @ MOUNTAINVIEWPUBLISHING.COM

ONLINE EXCLUSIVES » Score a Touchdown at Your Next NFL Party » Cook Up Some Delicious Chowders » Crochet Beautiful Gifts for the Holidays

LOCAL SPOTLIGHT For more information on local businesses, visit our website and don’t forget to shop local.

Featured This Quarter:

Norwich Regional Animal Hospital

The Lyme Inn Check out our new

weekly blogs full d

of interesting an informative ideas.

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Community, Culture, and Lifestyle in the Connecticut River Valley

ONLINE BUSINESS DIRECTORY Check out our Online Business Directory to see the latest listings for fine products and services in the Connecticut River Valley. ACTION GARAGE DOOR A.M. PEISCH & COMPANY, LLP ANNEMARIE SCHMIDT EUROPEAN FACE AND BODY STUDIO ARMISTEAD CAREGIVER SERVICES BARTON INSURANCE AGENCY BLANC & BAILEY CONSTRUCTION, INC. BLOOD’S CATERING & PARTY RENTALS BRAESIDE MOTEL BROWN’S AUTO & MARINE BROWN’S FLOORMASTERS CABINETRY CONCEPTS CARE PRO CARPET KING & TILE COLDWELL BANKER-REDPATH & CO., REALTORS COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT COVENTRY CATERING DARTMOUTH SKIWAY DATAMANN DAVID ANDERSON HILL, INC. db LANDSCAPING DEAD RIVER COMPANY DORR MILL STORE DOWDS’ COUNTRY INN DOWDS’ INN EVENTS CENTER ENGEL & VOELKERS, WOODSTOCK EVERGREEN RECYCLING GARY SUMMERTON PHOTOGRAPHY GILBERTE INTERIORS HANOVER COUNTRY CLUB HANOVER EYECARE HOLLOWAY MOTOR CARS OF MANCHESTER HOME HILL INN RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE JAMES R. PREDMORE, DDS JEFF WILMOT PAINTING & WALLPAPERING, INC. JUNCTION FRAME SHOP KEEPERS A COUNTRY CAFÉ LANE EYE ASSOCIATES LAVALLEY BUILDING SUPPLY LEDYARD FINANCIAL ADVISORS LEDYARD NATIONAL BANK L.F. TROTTIER & SONS LISTEN COMMUNITY SERVICES LIT-TECH, LLC LOCABLE

CLICK ON mountainviewpublishing.com MARTHA E. DIEBOLD REAL ESTATE MASCOMA INSURANCE AGENCY MERRYFIELD INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT MY BRIGADEIRO NATURE CALLS NEW LONDON INN & COACH HOUSE RESTAURANT NEXT STEP CONSULTING SERVICES NORTHCAPE DESIGN-BUILD NORTHERN MOTORSPORT LTD NORWICH REGIONAL ANIMAL HOSPITAL PELLETTIERI ASSOCIATES PELTZER CAPITAL MANAGEMENT PURPLE CRAYON PRODUCTIONS QUALITY INN QUECHEE QUECHEE COUNTRY STORE REVERED PAINTING PLUS RIVERLIGHT BUILDERS RIVER ROAD VETERINARY RODD ROOFING ROGER A. PHILLIPS, D.M.D. SIX LOOSE LADIES YARN & FIBER SHOP STONE DENTAL, PLLC SUMMER COURT DENTAL SURFACE SOLUTIONS SYSTEMS PLUS COMPUTERS THE GRANITE GROUP, THE ULTIMATE BATH STORE THE HANOVER INN AT DARTMOUTH COLLEGE THE LYME INN THE PAPER STORE THE TAYLOR-PALMER AGENCY THE WOODSTOCK INN & RESORT TOWNLINE EQUIPMENT SALES, INC. TWIN STATE DOOR VALLEY FLOORS VISITING NURSE & HOSPICE OF VT & NH VITT, BRANNEN, LOFTUS, PLC WHEELOCK TRAVEL WHITE RIVER FAMILY EYECARE WHITE RIVER YARNS WILLIAMSON GROUP SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY WISE WOODSTOCK AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

For more information about how your business can get listed on our ONLINE BUSINESS DIRECTORY or for other online advertising opportunities, contact Bob Frisch at (603) 643-1830 or email rcfrisch1@comcast.net.

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C E L E B R AT I O N S

Tips for Trimming Part of the fun of decorating your tree is deciding on a theme. Will you choose natural materials, sparkling glass ornaments, or a combination of baubles, old and new? Consider a color scheme that complements the room. Popular choices are traditional red and green, elegant silver and gold, or wintry blue and silver. 1. Place the topper first to avoid knocking off decorations as you reach up to secure it. 2. Next, string lights from top to bottom, spacing them evenly. Push them back into the branches to hide the cord. 3. Add garland next. Choose homemade stringed popcorn or cranberries, shiny metallic beaded strands, or medium-width wired ribbon. Space rows evenly as you encircle the tree. 4. Hang ornaments last. Place larger balls evenly around the tree, and then fill in with medium-sized balls. Hang smallest ones in spaces between. If you have small children or pets, avoid placing anything breakable near the bottom. Stand back and wait for the “oohs” and “aahhs.” Enjoy!

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Wassail Tea When the weather outside is wintry, nothing hits the spot quite like a freshly brewed pot of tea, some homemade scones and sweet treats, and little sandwiches. For the second year, St. James Episcopal Church and Pentangle Arts Council in Woodstock are hosting a Wassail Tea at the church as part of Wassail Weekend. Two sittings will be offered, at 2:30 and 4:30pm on Saturday, December 14. It is timed to follow the horse and carriage parade, inviting people in to warm up and socialize. “There is delightful food and happy conversation,” says organizer Fiona McElwain. “It brings locals and visitors together. It’s lovely to think of people coming in from the cold to escape into the warm, pretty, festive room at St. James.” The church’s Great Hall is beautifully set up, with tables for four and eight covered with white tablecloths and decorated with holiday flowers. Over 50 volunteers make the Wassail Tea a reality. “It is a traditional English tea,” McElwain explains. People in the community lend their china tea sets, so each table has special cups, saucers, and plates. There will also be silver teapots for each table this year. All of the tasty treats are made by volunteers, who also set up, serve, and clean up. The menu includes scones, sweet items, and tea sandwiches. There will also be double Devon clotted cream and strawberry preserves. Adding to the ambience is soft live music. The Wassail Tea evolved out of the Mother’s Day Tea given by St. James for several years. “We already had the framework,” McElwain says. “The Wassail Tea is a fundraiser for St. James and Pentangle. It is delightful that the two groups support each other.” Reservations are not required but are strongly recommended, since last year the first sitting and 80 percent of the second sold out ahead of time. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for children under 12 years old. To purchase tickets, call (802) 457-3981 or visit www.pentanglearts.org.

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Clockwise from left: Candace Vandouris with a pot of freshly brewed tea. Enjoying a sip from a beautiful cup adds to the ambience. The Rev. Norman MacLeod of St. James visits with Wassail Tea guests. Hugo Morel helps serve. The Great Hall at St. James Episcopal Church is the setting for the Wassail Tea.

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Shackleton Thomas Holiday Open House One of the eagerly anticipated annual holiday events is the Shackleton Thomas Holiday Open House, held this year on Saturday, December 7, from 3 to 6pm at The Mill in Bridgewater. Everyone is welcome to attend this festive party that helps set the mood for the season. There will be refreshments as well as live music provided by the jazz band Green Room. Visit the beautifully decorated store and explore the workshops to learn how the furniture and pottery are made by skilled artisans. You can also decorate your own ceramic tile, and there will be a fun crown-making activity for the kids. This annual open house is an opportunity for locals and visitors to see firsthand the work going on in The Mill year-round. Shackleton Thomas is the union of furniture maker Charles Shackleton and pottery maker Miranda Thomas, both known nationally and internationally for their designs. The extensive workshops are abuzz with the creative efforts and hard work that go into creating the beautiful pottery and furniture. In the words of the company’s mission, “It is one of the last companies of its size in the country that still makes products one by one using extensive handwork.” The old traditions are carefully guarded at Shackleton Thomas. The Shackleton Thomas Showroom and Workshops are located in the Bridgewater Mill at 102 Mill Road in Bridgewater, Vermont. The retail showroom can be reached at (802) 672-5175, through email at store@ shackletonthomas.com, or online at www.ShackletonThomas.com.

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A RO U N D & A B O U T

Vermont Flurry The Second Annual

Photos by Lynn Bohannon

Last year, the First Annual Vermont Flurry on the Woodstock Village Green was a big hit. Small wonder, since even passersby were drawn in

by the gorgeous snow sculptures. A walk through this open air “gallery” gave visitors a chance not only to talk with the artists but also to watch them create large works of art destined to slowly melt away as winter waned. This year, the Vermont Flurry is back under the auspices of Pentangle Arts Council in collaboration with Artistree and set for Friday, February 14 through Sunday, February 16. The three-day event will showcase the artistry of at least six teams sculpting six snow sculptures. Spectators can vote for their favorites on the last day. » Clockwise from top left: Snow sculptor is from the Carving Studio and Sculpture Center team in Rutland. Edward Forrest (background, in red jacket) from the Crystal & Bark team views their work, The Tango. Untitled sculpture by Burlington artist Brooke Monte. As a team, Brooke and Michael Nedell (who did sculpture in the background, Braided Heart) recently won the 2013 National Snow Sculpture Championships in Wisconsin. People and pets enjoy Bright Idea, created by Adrian Tans of Artistree. Team works on Hobbit House. 30

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The festival, which brings together community and the visual arts in a celebration of winter, was almost an improvisational event in its first year because of a lack of snow. It was saved just before the event was to begin by Chippers, Inc, who trucked in snow. This local company donated time and equipment, and will be participating again this year as a sponsor, along with Williamson Group. “The whole town is supportive,” says Barbara Bartlett, chair of Pentangle’s Visual Arts Committee. “Local restaurants help feed the artist teams and the volunteers.” Vermont Flurry is the brainchild of Adrian Tans of Artistree, who has participated in other snow sculpture events. In January, he will travel to Colorado for an international competition. He is also a member of the Visual Arts Committee. Work begins on Monday before the event with the building of forms for the sculptures. These forms then have to be filled in with snow that is packed down as densely as possible by people tramping on it in the forms. For more information about the Vermont Flurry, contact Pentangle at (802) 457-3981.

Below: Onlookers admire the sculptors' work.

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Hobbit House.

Children pose with Bright Idea.

L O C A L F L AVO R S

By Linda A. Thompson-Ditch

Vermont Holiday Cocktails Local distilleries add spirit to the season

The festivities that come with the holiday season are perfect occasions to enjoy specialty beverages made with Vermont spirits. Woodstock Beverage owner Mike McCarthy has a large section dedicated to locally made products, many of which his customers purchase as gifts. He also notes that a number of local restaurants use them to create unique cocktails for their customers, and he's sharing some of those recipes here. Âť

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Vermont Vesper 3 parts Barr Hill Gin 1 part SILO Vodka Â˝ part Orleans Apple Aperitif (also from Vermont) Mix ingredients together in a cocktail shaker and serve in a martini glass.

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Black Manhattan 2 oz WhistlePig Straight Rye Whiskey 1 oz Averna Amaro 1 dash Angostura bitters Maraschino cherry, for garnish Stir and serve on the rocks or straight up in a Manhattan glass.

For a Vermont-themed gift, gather the ingredients for one of these cocktails. Add a shaker and specialty glasses, which McCarthy says Woodstock Beverage can gift wrap so it’s ready to place under the tree or deliver to a party.

The Spirits of Vermont

Caledonia Spirits Elderberry Cordial, Barr Hill Vodka, and Barr Hill Gin: Made in Hardwick with Vermont honey.

Sapling Vermont Maple Liqueur, Bourbon, and Rye, and Perc Coffee Liqueur: Created by Saxtons River Distillery in Brattleboro, these spirits are rich and full-bodied with a subtle maple sweetness. The Perc, made with organic Arabica coffee beans from Mocha Joe’s, is reminiscent of Kahlua but less sweet and with a stronger coffee flavor.

Smugglers’ Notch Distillery Vodka, Rum, Bourbon, and Gin: Located in Jeffersonville, this distillery is owned by a father, a retired business executive, and son, a pharmaceutical industry chemist, who joined their strengths to start the business.

Vermont Spirits’ Gold and White Vodkas, Coppers Gin, and Black Snake Whiskey: Created in Quechee, the Gold Vodka is made with maple sap, White Vodka with milk sugar, Coppers Gin with Vermont juniper, and Black Snake Whiskey with Vermont corn.

“Vermont is full of spirit producers,” McCarthy says. Here is a list of the ones featured in his shop.

Old Roan Mare 1 cup local apple cider 1 cinnamon stick Maple-ginger syrup (A knob of fresh ginger steeped in warm maple syrup) 1–2 oz Smugglers’ Notch Rum Heat the cider and cinnamon stick until hot. Sweeten with the mapleginger syrup and add rum to taste. Serve warm.

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WhistlePig Straight Rye Whiskey: A 100 proof, 100 percent straight rye whiskey, aged for at least 10 years in oak barrels before being bottled. Dunc’s Mill Maple-Flavored Rum and Elderflower Flavor Rum: These rums are made from Fair Trade organic cane and Vermont flavors in the state’s oldest continuously operating distillery. Vermont Ice Apple Cream and Maple Cream Liqueurs: Created by Boyden Valley Winery and Spirits in Cambridge, these liqueurs are reminiscent of Baileys Irish Cream but with a Vermont twist. Both can be mixed in cocktails or coffee, or served straight over ice. Green Mountain Maple Liqueur, Vodka, and Gin: Made in Stowe, all of Green Mountain Distillers’ spirits are certified organic by Vermont Organic Farmers and the USDA National Organic Program. »

Vermont Maple-tini 1½ oz SILO Vodka 1 oz Sapling Maple Liqueur Mix the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and then strain into a martini glass.

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Woodstocker 1 oz Vermont Gold Vodka 1 oz Kahlua 1 oz Frangelico Shake in an ice-filled cocktail shaker and strain into a martini glass, or serve on the rocks.

SILO Vodka: Distilled in the Connecticut River Valley community of Windsor and made from grain sourced from Great River Farm. Metcalfeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Raspberry and Maple Cream Liqueurs: Made by Vermont Distillers in Marlboro. The Maple Cream can be served straight, on the rocks, in coffee or cocoa, and over ice cream. The Raspberry Liqueur can be served chilled as a cordial or with sparkling wine. Note: All the spirit amounts in these cocktails are for one drink and can be adjusted to taste. Woodstock Beverage 440 Woodstock Road (Route 4 E) Woodstock, VT (802) 457-1326

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VERMONT LIVING

˜ e

Ta° sville Bridge Spanning the Ottauquechee for years to come By Meg Brazill Photos by Jack Rowell

t’s still there, it’s still red, and it’s expected to carry more than 1,000 cars each day, just as it did before Tropical Storm Irene. What it is, of course, is the Taftsville Covered Bridge, which spans the Ottauquechee River between Route 4 and River Road in Taftsville. Taftsville Tales, a little book about Taftsville’s early history, cites the arrival of Solomon Emmons in 1792. A year later, blacksmith Stephen Taft and his sister Prudence arrived from Massachusetts. It wasn’t long before Taft dammed the river, setting up a sawmill and shops. The Tafts and Emmons families built

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Above: Locals and tourists alike travel over the newly reopened bridge. Right: Construction details inside the structure.

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Above: The picturesque bridge in late fall. Left: Views inside show the great skill involved in the bridge's construction. Below: Workers pack up at the end of the workday.

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bridges to connect their growing commercial activities, but eventually all three bridges washed out. Solomon Emmons III was neither a bridge builder nor an engineer, but it wasn’t unusual for skilled carpenters to modify existing designs to build these simple, handsome bridges that have often outlasted their steel counterparts. In 1836, Emmons built the iconic covered bridge that is said to be the third oldest in Vermont. He kept the bridge in repair until his death, when his son Edwin took over. In Covered Bridges of Vermont, author Ed Barna describes the Taftsville Bridge as a “unique ‘mongrel’ combination of queenpost, kingpost, and arch elements” while Herbert Wheaton Congdon in The Covered Bridge says that whether it was a variation or a mongrel was more a matter of the observer’s opinion. Walk across the Taftsville Bridge and you can’t help but be impressed by the two pairs of laminated wooden arches and the system of trusses comprised of upright, lateral, and diagonal beams. During the bridge’s reconstruction over the past two years, we’ve had a chance to see the structure, the very bones of the bridge, exposed. The Vermont Agency of Transportation had plans and financing to upgrade the bridge in place before Tropical Storm Irene paid a visit. The central stone pier originally built by Emmons is one of the newly reinforced areas. While not as elegant as his original stonework, this and other upgrades will help ensure that the Taftsville Bridge spans the Ottauquechee for another 100 years.

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The for

Need

Speed

The US Alpine Masters Championships come to Okemo Mountain

Story by Lisa Densmore Photos by Lisa Densmore and Jack Ballard

here’s a fine line between good adrenaline and bad adrenaline. The good stuff hypes

me up, tunnels my attention down the ski slope, and pushes me faster—right up to the threshold of reckless abandon. The bad stuff also hypes me up and pushes me faster, but with little control and without focused concentration. As a junior ski racer, I never knew which type of adrenaline would course through my body when I pushed out of a starting gate. As a masters racer, I write my own prescription for adrenaline—only the good stuff. Have I become mentally tougher with age? Probably. More of a risk taker? Certainly not. In need of a speed fix now and again? You bet. »

Left: Bob Andre from New York, who often races in New England, is always a contender. Right, from top: Okemo's slalom hill. Competitors "wave" their fellow racers by the finish line. Bill Skinner, USSA Masters Coordinator, in the starting gate. James Toman on a winning slalom run.

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Masters ski racing offers many things to many skiers. Two thousand people participate annually in masters ski events throughout the United States, a third of them in the Northeast. And they come in all shapes, sizes, ages, and ability levels.

Skiing Fast & Having Fun! A program of the United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA), the national governing body of alpine and cross-country skiing and snowboarding, masters races are open to adults who are 18 and over. Each week throughout the winter and throughout the country, racers test themselves on full-length downhill, Super G, and giant slalom and slalom courses, depending on the location. Competitors are divided into fiveyear age groups up to age 90-plus, with the exception of Class 1, ages 18 to 29. Some have just begun racing. Others have a lifetime of experience. The circuit attracts parents who have watched their kids compete and now want to try it themselves, former US Ski Team members who still love to ski through gates, longretired racers who want to get back into it, NASTAR racers looking for more challenge, past and present college racers, and recreational skiers who eye the action and join in. Some train religiously and are serious about winning. Others just show up. Regardless, they all have two goals in common—skiing as fast as they dare and having fun. The 2014 US Alpine Left, from top: Paul Rich, a perennial speedster among the older men. Nancy Auseklis, whose father Al Sise founded masters skiing, celebrates a gold medal. The Division's Cup, the team trophy. Author Lisa Densmore carves by a GS gate.

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Masters Championships at Okemo Mountain, March 19 through 22, promises to deliver both.

Coming to Okemo “I’m most excited about the 2014 US Alpine Masters Championships at the Okemo Mountain Resort,” says Bill Skinner, USSA Masters Coordinator. “I raced there when I was young and look forward to seeing a lot of old friends. It’s going to be a first-class event with separate courses for each group and all four events—downhill, Super G, and giant slalom and slalom—at one place.” »

Go Fast Interested in testing yourself against the best in your age group? Anyone 18 years and older can join the masters ski racing circuit. For information, training opportunities, and race schedules, including the US Alpine Masters Championships at Okemo, contact: â&#x20AC;˘ New England Masters Skiing, www.nemasters.org â&#x20AC;˘ United States Ski and Snowboard Association, www.ussa.org

Right: Top New England Masters racers Rick Cesati, Alex Gadbois, and Steve Masur watch the action after taking their race runs. Below: Derek Griggs blocks a slalom gate.

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Skiers to Watch

Nadine Price Killington, VT President of New England Masters Skiing; multiple national titles; especially fast in downhill and Super G.

Among the 300 competitors from across the US who will be racing at Okemo, here are some accomplished locals to keep your eye on. They'll be listening for your cheers, so show them some homegrown hospitality and support.

Bill McCollom

Duffy Dodge

Steve Foley

Bethel, VT Member of the Vermont Ski Hall of Fame; slalom ace who often places in the top ten among racers half his age.

St. Johnsbury, VT Member of the US Alpine Masters Team; tops among the age 80+ group.

Killington, VT Longtime New England Masters racer, board member, and coach.

Nancy Auseklis

Mark George

Fred Dieffenbach

Sun Valley, ID Member US Alpine Masters Team; originally from Norwich, Vermont; one to watch among the women age 60+ in every event.

Montpelier, VT Always a contender for fastest man overall; a technical whiz at giant slalom and slalom.

Woodstock, VT New England Masters Skiing board member; consistent across all events.

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The slalom start house at Okemo.

By group, Skinner refers to A (ages 18 to 44), B (ages 45 to 59), C (all women), and D (ages 60-plus) group designations into which all participants are placed to determine their event and course on a given day. Within those groups, skiers still compete in their five-year age group for gold, silver, and bronze medals. The Okemo race crew will be busy, as two or more groups race each day, usually with more than one event taking place on different trails at the same time. The Masters National Championships attracts about 300 competitors annually from throughout the United States, and though most have experience at regional events, the only requirement to participate is becoming a member and obtaining a “masters license” from USSA. The event changes its venue each winter, coming to the East every five to six years. The last time the Masters Nationals were in New England was in 2009 at Sunday River, Maine. “We need to bring races to the racers,” says Skinner. “It was time for the nationals to return to the East. Okemo was an obvious choice. We’ve had a couple of successful regional championships there. It’s a popular place to race with an experienced race crew.” » W I N T E R 2013-2014

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From top: Mark George makes a perfect slalom turn. Pepi Neubauer speeds past a giant slalom gate. The medals. Adam Weiss watches the race hill after his run.

Okemo is indeed a well-liked place for people to race, including this longtime competitor. Its slopes are wide and unintimidating, prepped like white corduroy, rolling and flowing in a way that makes a racer look for more speed rather than shrink from it. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve stood in a starting gate there many times, looking at the first few gates before me, anticipating the 60-second sprint. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be in that starting gate again in March, a smile on my face and a big dose of that good adrenaline making my heart pound with excitement. A member of the US Alpine Masters Ski Team, Lisa Densmore has competed on the masters ski racing circuit since 1991. She has won four world championships and 80 national titles to date, and hopes to add to her tally at Okemo Mountain. www.LisaDensmore.com. 50

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By Meg Brazill Photos by Lynn Bohannon

Ottauquechee Health Foundation

Because good health care matters to us all

The historic red Simmons House in Woodstock is home to the Ottauquechee Health Foundation (OHF), which supports programs that meet the health care needs of area residents. While its offices are in Woodstock, OHF also provides support to the communities of Barnard, Bridgewater, Hartland, Killington, Plymouth, Pomfret, Quechee, and Reading. In just over a decade, OHF has granted more than $2.5 million to organizations and individuals to address health care needs.

Meet Your Good Neighbors

Simmons House, office of the Ottauquechee Health Foundation.

Help from OHF’s grant programs covers direct assistance through the Good Neighbor Grant program, which helps people get their individual health care needs met, or through Organizational Grants, which support a variety of community health programs for all, from babies to senior citizens. Everyone should know about an organization that’s giving tens of thousands of dollars annually to the community, and OHF’s executive director, Sherry Thornburg, has set out to make sure that happens. »

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From left: Ottauquechee Health Foundation's Liza Deignan, President, Board of Trustees; Sherry Thornburg, Executive Director; and Paul Regan, Communications Chair/Trustee.

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Clockwise from top left: Thompson Senior Center volunteer. Deanna Jones, Thompson Senior Center Executive Director. Lunch is served Monday through Friday at the Thompson Senior Center.

“A priority is to get the word out about what we do,” Sherry says. “I’m reminded every day that people ‘stumble’ upon us. When asked, people often tell me they found out about us through a flier at the post office or from a friend. We want to get the word out that OHF is here to support the well-being of our communities.” So how do they accomplish all this? Recently they’ve provided funding to Good Beginnings (which provides free, in-home support to families with new babies and to pregnant women); the Tooth Tutor Program in elementary schools; the Upper Valley Farm to School Network (for hands-on, farmbased projects in schools); Meals on Wheels for seniors; and many other programs. The OHF also provides grants to the Mt. Ascutney Hospital Community Care program.

Incubator for a Strong Community “Last year we piloted some new initiatives,” Sherry says. “We partnered 54

with the Norman Williams Library to provide talks and information on topics from raising children to end-of-life care choices.” Peter Allison, executive director of the Upper Valley Farm to School Network, says, “OHF provided our first grant five years ago to begin assessing how schools might support connections between kids and local food, farms, and the cafeteria, classroom, and communities. The Ottauquechee Health Foundation acts as a kind of incubator for getting pilot projects off the ground.” Deanna Jones, executive director of the Thompson Senior Center, agrees. “We’ve had a long history of assistance from OHF.” OHF helped fund transportation that takes people to health care visits at DHMC, the Ottauquechee Health Center, and to physical therapists and dentists. “More recently we received a grant for our collaboration with Community Care Coordinators,” Jones adds. “It still included transportation, but the scope is greater, related to healthy aging.

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What’s a Community Care Coordinator? Board president Liza Deignan says, “Our Organizational Grants support a lot of well-known organizations like Zack’s Place and the Thompson Senior Center.” Both Liza and Sherry emphasize the Community Care Coordinator (CCC) program, established three years ago and managed by Mt. Ascutney Hospital/ Ottauquechee Health Center. “The CCC is a relatively new way of taking care of community members who are typically living at home with chronic illness or disability,” Liza says. “They may have an aspect of a mental illness, or they could be senior citizens who need help with their health. Or they could be transitioning home from the hospital and need help with activities of daily life.” “The foundation initiated the idea for a Community Care Coordinator along with the former Health Information Referral Service (HIRS) and Mt. Ascutney Hospital,” Sherry says. “We came together to look at how people can stay

in their own homes and age in place, and have all their health needs addressed, especially wellness and health care,” Liza adds. “The Community Care Coordinator is a shared position—one is a registered nurse; the other is a social worker. Between them they fulfill an enormous breadth of need.” Mt. Ascutney provides the space and acts as the employer for the CCC; the OHF funds 50 percent of the cost with the Blueprint for Health funding the remaining 50 percent.

Health Care Too Expensive? Help Is at Hand.

Thompson Senior Center Meals on Wheels program. Transportation is supported by the Ottauquechee Health Foundation's Organizational Grant program.

OHF described 2012 as a year of “business as usual,” but what they accomplish in any given year is far from it. Theirs is an unusual business that quietly provides behind-the-scenes assistance for some of the most critical needs of people—the ability to access the health care they need and to be able to pay for it. It’s called the Good Neighbor Grants (GNG) program, and it helps people pay for

doctors or dentists, or provides financial assistance for the purchase of a muchneeded medical device. Grants to individuals are reviewed and given confidentially. “Everything that comes through our office is completely confidential; all inquiries are private,” Sherry says. “It’s very important for people to know that.” In 2012, the foundation made 52 Good Neighbor Grants totaling almost $41,000. This year, 2013, OHF has already funded more than $55,000 in Good Neighbor Grants. Payments go directly to the providers: doctors, dentists, pharmacists, medical equipment suppliers, and mental health care professionals. One recipient wrote, “For years I put off buying hearing aids because of the expense, so I’m very appreciative of the grant from the Ottauquechee Health Foundation. I’ve been missing so much, and this will improve my life tremendously.” Quotes like this are received regularly from grateful GNG recipients. »

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Putting an End to Toothache Many dentists in the community OHF serves forgive 15 percent of their charges for patients seen through this program. Many applicants are referred by their dentists when they can’t afford treatment. Dr. Mark Knott called the GNG “a win-win-win situation: patients meet their oral health goals; we serve our mission of providing lifelong health through patient-centered, clinically excellent dental care; and OHF facilitates access to health care services.” His description is a good example of how partnerships make the Good Neighbor Grant program especially effective. In a typical year, OHF awards about 25 percent of its support to Good Neighbor Grants and nearly twothirds of those cover dental care. The need for dental care and oral health is so important that the foundation provided $5,500 for the Tooth Tutor Program in the WCSU school district to promote oral health education for elementary school students. OHF has also provided significant support to the Good Neighbor Health Clinic & Red Logan Dental Clinic in support of 56

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Dr. Mark Knott, DDS, discusses dental treatment options with a patient.

health care for low-income and uninsured people living in one of the nine towns OHF serves.

A Brief History The foundation began in the 1950s and in 1974 built a separate health center behind Simmons House. In 1996, management of the Ottauquechee Health Center was turned over to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, and the Ottauquechee Health Foundation was born. The foundation took its assets and dedicated its income from a modest endowment to addressing the health care needs of Woodstock and the surrounding communities. Last summer, the Ottauquechee Health Foundation reached an important milestone. Liza Deignan notes thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s when OHF helped establish Mount Ascutney Hospital as the primary care service provider in the Ottauquechee Health Center. This pivotal accomplishment meant that â&#x20AC;&#x153;the time had arrived for the foundation to move away from real estate W I N T E R 2013-2014

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ownership,” Liza adds. The Health Center building was sold to DEW, a Vermont construction company, which will update and improve the building’s systems for Mt. Ascutney Hospital. In turn, Mt. Ascutney “has a long-term lease at the Health Center and will remain in the community for years to come.” In addition to ensuring continuity of care in the community, this step freed up the foundation to devote more time to health care education and resource development. The foundation still owns the Simmons House building (32 Pleasant Street). While it’s not an actual part of their grant-making program, the foundation offers below-market lease rates to nonprofits and health care providers. In addition to health care practitioners and therapists, the Simmons House is also home to Visiting Nurse & Hospice of VT & NH, Woodstock Community TV, Sustainable Woodstock, Glad Rags, and additional health care providers that would otherwise have difficulty meeting commercial rent rates.

Gifts and Community Support OHF also receives many gifts from individuals and grants from businesses and foundations. “The health foundation is able to do what it does because of the individuals and businesses that give to OHF,” Liza says. Approximately every five years, the town of Woodstock determines whether to continue to grant OHF an exemption from property and local taxes. The Foundation operates at a nominal cost and provides thousands of dollars in grant money that would be severely eroded by taxes. The Ottauquechee Health Foundation is also flexible. In 2011, with their grant money already committed, “The board gave $40,000 to Sustainable Woodstock and the Plymouth Memory Tree to directly help individuals se58

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verely impacted by Tropical Storm Irene,” Liza says. The challenges are many: More than 52 percent of people in OHF’s service area are without dental health insurance or complete medical insurance coverage; many have oral health care needs; many have mental health issues. “A new task force will look at projected community health needs in the next one to five years,” Sherry says. “Moving forward, we want to focus our grant making on the most important health-related needs of the greater Woodstock community.” With the foundation’s track record and ability to work in partnerships, listening to local organizations and their constituents, there’s no doubt that they will continue to provide a critical link between people and health care. If you know someone who could be helped by Ottauquechee Health Foundation’s services, please contact them. Help could be a phone call away.

How to Apply OHF serves the nine communities of Barnard, Bridgewater, Hartland, Killington, Plymouth, Pomfret, Quechee, Reading, and Woodstock. Individuals can apply for a Good Neighbor Grant at any time. All inquiries are confidential. Organizations can visit the website for application information and deadlines. Ottauquechee Health Foundation 32 Pleasant Street, 3rd floor Woodstock, VT (802) 457-4188 www.ohfvt.org

How to Help Donations to the Ottauquechee Health Foundation are gratefully accepted and are 100 percent tax deductible. Checks can be sent to: Ottauquechee Health Foundation P.O. Box 784 Woodstock, VT 05091 Credit card contributions can be made online at www.ohfvt.org.

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This 195

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By Bridget Wiedl Photos by Lynn Bohannon

N.T. Ferro

Estate and Custom Jewelers Continuing to shine, since 1947

ewelry is timeless. Throughout history, it has not only dominated the fashion world but has also been used to define cultures and to commemorate our most special moments. Perhaps no one understands this better than Nick Ferro, an awardwinning jewelry designer whose passion for designing and selling beautiful jewelry is matched only by his commitment to his customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; satisfaction. Âť

This page: Art Deco platinum and gold diamond bracelet. Spectacular circa 1950 platinum necklace with over 20 karats of diamonds. Opposite: Beverly and Nick Ferro.

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Top row: Setting diamonds into snowflake pendants. Luscious strand of Tahitian pearls with gold and diamond clasp. Sarah Gold performs testing. Store exterior. Bottom row: Design consultation with Nick. Gemstone and diamond rings. Edwardian diamond and natural pearl bracelet. Lisa Ewald with display of pearls. Circa 1950 diamond necklace. Gemologist Sedillia Ota appraises jewelry.

In 1981, Nick and his wife, Beverly, started N.T. Ferro Estate and Custom Jewelers in Woodstock, Vermont. By this time, Nick had already been designing jewelry for nearly 20 years. “I went to school for architecture,” he says, “but I was pulled into the family business by my dad.” His father, Nicholas Ferro Sr., started Essex Jewelry Manufacturing in Newark, New Jersey, in 1947, and by the 1960s it had become one of the leading ring designers and manufacturers in the country. Since that time, Nick’s worldwide success as a jewelry designer and retailer has proven that a talent for working with jewelry runs in the family.

A Team that Excels He is quick to point out that his staff is largely to credit for the success of his business. “It’s because they are so good at what they do that I can focus on designing,” he says. Nick’s team of trained and experienced professionals provide

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expert jewelry and watch repair, manufacturing of custom designs, restoration and appraisals, gold buying, consignment services, and topnotch sales and customer service. Nick is proud of the fact that all services, including most repairs, are completed on the premises. “When you bring your jewelry to Ferro’s, it stays at Ferro’s.” His team of six employees has more than 60 years of combined experience working with jewelry, and based on his own resume, he truly appreciates what they bring to the table. Nick graduated from the Gemological Institute of America with degrees in diamond grading, colored gemstones, diamond setting, jewelry restoration, and repair. In addition to his more than 40 years of experience with the retail and manufacturing sides of the jewelry industry, in 1995 he won the prestigious DeBeers Diamonds Today Contest for his diamond ring design. DeBeers is a well-known family of com-

panies with a name that’s synonymous with diamonds, and its annual design contest in New York City draws the industry’s top designers from across the globe. For 32 years, from his store and workspace in Woodstock, Nick has created countless custom designs. His portfolio ranges from elaborate 12-carat gemstone rings to signet rings for a local college and cuff links for a nearby ski resort, in addition to engagement rings and wedding bands. “If you really like what you do, which I do—I’ve been doing it since I was a kid—” Nick says, “you don’t grow tired of it.” As the sole custom designer at Ferro Jewelers, Nick spends most of his time behind the scenes, working to meticulously transform his customers’ visions into beautiful, one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces. His desk is covered with orders waiting to be filled. He is proud of a design he recently completed for a pair of diamond earrings. “These took me three months to design,” he said. His sketch resembles an architectural drawing, with at least 80 separate diamond pieces, and precise measurements down to the nearest millimeter. Transforming his customers’ visions, such

as these earrings, into reality takes years of experience, skill, and time.

Timeless Traditions and Innovative Techniques Time, or the lack of it, is what inspired Nick to recently add computer software to his store that will give customers the option to design their own jewelry. With this user-friendly, cutting-edge technology, also referred to as “counter sketching,” one can walk into Ferro Jewelers, sit at the computer, and after a 15-to-20-minute introduction, craft a unique piece step by step. This innovative software focuses on the design of rings and pendants, provides more than 40,000 options, and offers a rotating three-dimensional view of each piece. “Now,” Nick says, “custom design won’t have to come to a stop when I’m not here.” When complete, the design is emailed to an outside company that casts the mold, and Nick and his team complete the settings and finishing touches. The entire process takes approximately three weeks, an important detail considering the holiday season is fast approaching. » W I N T E R 2013-2014

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It’s safe to say that jewelry is one gift that never goes out of style, and at Ferro Jewelers, registered with the American Gem Society for over 25 years, the gift ideas are endless. The retail store includes rare antique and estate jewelry, high-end timepieces, colorless and fancy-colored diamonds, natural stones, and even carefully selected and unusual pieces from Turkey and across the globe. “These are made with 24-carat gold and raw ruby stone,” he says, pointing to one piece. In 2006 Nick’s son, Bryan Ferro, joined the family business and opened a second Ferro Jewelers location in Stowe, Vermont, that also specializes in a unique selection of hand-picked pieces from around the world. While walking through his store in Woodstock, Nick points out the Vermont charms collection, which he designs and manufactures himself. These one-of-a-kind pieces include cross-country and downhill skiers, pine cones, maple leaves, diamond-studded snowflakes and snowmen, a gondola, and even a snow shovel. “This one is the Taftsville Covered Bridge,” he says, picking up a miniature gold replica of the historic Vermont landmark. Ferro Jewelers’ customer base is global, with approximately 50 percent of their clients coming from outside the 64

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Above: Customers admire diamond engagement rings. Right, from top: Unique estate sapphire and diamond bracelet. George Martin evaluates a ring for repair. Beautiful 24 karat micromosaic Turkish pendant.

state, and some from as far as Brazil and the United Kingdom. Nick attributes a large part of his success, however, to the local community. “It’s not that they’re necessarily buying a $50,000 piece, but they’ll do a $150 repair. In slow times, in the off season, it’s the local customers who keep you going.” Regardless of where his customers come from, their loyalty is the same. “I went to grammar school with a girl who still sends me her repairs,” he laughs. Perhaps his customers keep coming back not only because of his and his staff’s superior workmanship and experience but also because it feels good to entrust your most meaningful jewelry to a familyowned business that since 1947 has continued to shine. N.T. Ferro Jewelers 11 Central St. Woodstock, VT (802) 457-1901 www.ferrojewelers.com

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People Make the Business The N.T. Ferro staff represents years of training, experience, and skill. OWNER & JEWELRY DESIGNER

Nicholas Ferro Nick began designing jewelry in the late 1960s for his father’s company, Essex Jewelry Manufacturing, a supplier to over 1,000 fine jewelry stores throughout the nation. He started N.T. Ferro Jewelers in Woodstock in 1981 with his wife, Beverly. Nick has been a registered jeweler with the American Gem Society for over 25 years. OWNER

Beverly Ferro Beverly is in charge of selecting and purchasing new and exciting jewelry for N.T. Ferro’s retail store in Woodstock. She holds a degree from the Gemological Institute of America in jewelry store display, as is evident with the seasonal and holiday displays she creates for the store. She is a certified member of the American Gem Society. MANAGER

Sarah McDerment Sarah has been with N.T. Ferro Jewelers for more than seven years and is responsible for the overall management of the retail store in Woodstock. Sarah has been in the jewelry business for over 20 years and is highly skilled at helping customers choose the perfect jewelry piece. She selects many of the fine pieces on display and is also responsible for purchasing all gold and silver from the public as well as fine estate items. SALES

Lisa Ewald Lisa has been with N.T. Ferro Jewelers for 16 years and knows the inventory very well. She has a knack for combining a customer’s wishes with the jewelry designs in stock. Lisa devotes much of her time to raising her family, but you can find her at the store on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and most holidays. She also manages Ferro’s wholesale division, which supplies custom designs to resort gift shops across the country.

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SALES AND REPAIRS

George Martin George has over 30 years of experience in the jewelry business and started with N.T. Ferro Jewelers in 1983. He holds a degree from the Gemological Institute of America and is a Graduate Gemologist. George is in charge of all jewelry and watch repairs. Most jewelry repairs are done on the premises, so your precious gems do not leave Woodstock. APPRAISER

Sedillia Ota Sid is a Graduate Gemologist and is in charge of all jewelry appraisals for insurance purposes, estates, and consignment. She is also responsible for ordering all diamonds, gemstones, and jewelry parts for manufacturing our custom designs, which are made on the premises. She holds a master’s degree in business and has also studied estate jewelry at Sotheby’s Art Institute in London. She is available to assist clients with her technical knowledge. MASTER JEWELER

Stephen Bailey Steve has been with N.T. Ferro Jewelers for more than 10 years. He handles all inhouse jewelry repairs; gold, silver, and platinum plating; and engraving. He is an expert in gold and platinum fabrication and brings N.T. Ferro’s custom jewelry designs to life. He operates in our full jewelry manufacturing shop on the premises. BOOKKEEPER

Jill Avellar Jill has been N.T. Ferro’s bookkeeper for many years and handles all accounts in the retail stores in Woodstock and Stowe, as well the company’s buildings in both towns. Jill handles this big task with ease and grace. Her years of experience and her knowledge of our computer systems make her invaluable to the financial success of the firm.

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FA N TA S T I C F I N D S

Eyes On Elm The gift of sight

By Dian Parker Photos by Lynn Bohannon On a crisp autumn day, I wandered into a relatively new business in downtown Woodstock. The small shop looked like a boutique— dark, wood-framed mirrors, plush chairs, dancing colors, and bureaus that looked like art drawers in an artist’s studio. Instead of paintings, they were filled with eyeglass frames—Hollywood large, business-like chic, trendy and smart, artsy and elegant—glasses for every lifestyle. » Left: One of the many colorful displays at Eyes On Elm. Below: Owners Cary and Malena Agin pose outside their shop on Elm Street.

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FA N TA S T I C F I N D S

Within the space of an hour and a half, four people walked in off the street and bought new eyeglasses, and two more had their current glasses adjusted. Owner Cary Agin and his wife Malena cared for them all with aplomb and passion. Each customer left the shop happy and satisfied.

Blending Style with Function Eyes on Elm is only two years old. Besides offering a large selection of optical 70

frames, sunglasses, and accessories for men, women, and children, the Agins also fill optical prescriptions and adjust or repair glasses. “My mission is to blend style with function,” Agin says. One local customer, Nancy, was on her way to Paris and wanted a new look for her everyday glasses and sunglasses. After trying on many pairs of each, she found a classy, tailored, updated look that she was not used to but loved. “I had asked my optometrist for a recom-

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Top: Browsing through the many styles and colors. Above, from left: Hand-carved OPEN sign from artist Clara Florin (Malena's sister). Checking presciptions in the lab. Maui Jim sunglasses waiting to cut the glare. An assortment of handmade felt cases.

mendation and he sent me here,” Nancy says. “This is more of a design place. Very personal. So great to have something local that’s this good.”

Cary Agin isn’t just good. He’s meticulous in his attention to detail, and he makes sure your new or old glasses fit just right. He suggested to one woman that she try on a red-tone frame. “Red is good for women, like wearing makeup.” One woman bought a pair of sunglasses with brown polarized lenses that Agin said would brighten the day. “I call this the happy lens,” he says. “Great for hiking.” For 10 years, Cary Agin was in the culinary arts, until an injury to his shoulder prevented him from continuing. His father has been an optometrist since 1974 and still works seven days a week on Long Island. Agin decided to try it out for a new career and became a licensed optician. He obviously loves what he is doing. “We try to do things a bit differently here,” he says. “Displaying our frames in drawers rather than on the wall and not separating men’s and women’s frames in the displays. Unisex.” The shop certainly doesn’t feel like an eyeglass store—more like a modern

living room with comfy chairs. Agin dashes about tending to everyone who walks in the door, making statements like, “Those glasses look great on you. See how they follow the line of your eyebrows.” He talks about the shape of your face or the weightlessness of titanium frames. “I like to accommodate people’s needs,” Agin says. Eyes on Elm carries a wide assortment of eyeglasses and sunglasses: Etnia Barcelona from Spain; Oliver W I N T E R 2013-2014

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FA N TA S T I C F I N D S Peoples and Blue Magic Eye from Italy; ProDesign; Modo, Masunaga, and Sama, all from Japan; Lindberg from Denmark; Anglo American Optical from England; and Silhouette Optical from Austria. “We try to have styles for everyone, from classic to funky,” Agin says. Currently, Cary and Malena and their three-year-old daughter Orly live in Barnard. They moved from Brooklyn, wanting to live in Vermont to be near Malena’s family. She was the Spanish teacher at Woodstock Elementary School for four years. “Cary and I are outdoors people. We hike and Cary loves to mountain bike,” says Malena. Four days a week she helps in the shop. (Cary works six days.) “I love being with Cary in the store. He loves people. Very social,” she adds.

An Eye on Service Eyes on Elm has a number of wonderful services. Until the age of 12, children’s polycarbonate, impact-resistant, ultraviolet protectant lenses are free with the purchase of a new frame. When the child turns 13, parents pay for one of the lenses with the new frame purchase. At 14 parents start paying for both lenses. Agin says, “We feel that children grow so fast and tend to be tougher on their glasses. This incentive may make it easier on parents to keep their children in frames that fit.” Another important service is working with 141, a small eyewear company based in Portland, Oregon. The company’s mantra is “you buy, we give.” For every frame purchased, a frame is given to a child or adult in need of corrective vision. “Every frame I purchase allows them to donate a frame,” says Agin. “When I order 20 frames, they donate 20 frames. When a customer purchases a frame, they can feel good about where their money goes.” Another organization the Agins work with is New Eyes for the Needy. The organization takes used donated glasses and matches them with vision-impaired people in third-world countries. 72

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Top: Malena checks in new inventory as Cary keeps things neat. Above, from left: A vast selection of Oliver Peoples. New Eyes for the Needy donations. An education in frame fitting.

“Customers can drop their used and unwanted glasses off at our store, and about four times a year we ship them to

New Eyes for the Needy. They are then categorized and shipped internationally,” Agin says. Cary Agin and his wife Malena pride themselves on quality and customer service. “I believe in making you try on frames that fit your face—color, shape, and size. I like finding the right frame for every person. I like to help people

get out of the box. I love helping people. I love making people smile.” Eyes on Elm 23 Elm Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-7227 www.eyesonelm.com Monday & Tuesday, Thursday–Saturday: 10am– 5pm, Sunday 11am–4pm, closed Wednesday W I N T E R 2013-2014

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Jake’s Quechee Market and Café Seizing the moment By Lauren Seidman Photos by Jack Rowell When Ed Kerrigan purchased a vacant lot on Route 4 in Quechee, he saw the potential in the property but didn’t immediately know what he would do with it. Already the owner of eight delis and gas James, Ed, and Mary Lynn Kerrigan. stations, he did not want to Missing from photo is Katherine start a brand-new venture, Dawson, who was home taking care and the area already had of newborn Elizabeth Grey. plenty of gas pumps. What the neighborhood could use, he realized, was a full-service grocery store. With the help of his family, Kerrigan came up with the idea to turn the land into Jake’s Quechee Market and Café. »

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Clockwise from top: Lucy Hochreiter from Hanover and Emma Richardson from Grantham enjoy a snack. Fresh green peppers on display. Jann Loeffej greets and assists customers. Two shoppers explore the prepared foods section. Seasonal area features gifts. The Market CafĂŠ menu. W I N T E R 2013-2014

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Clockwise from top left: Ken and Lisa Kimmins from South Hero, Vermont. Baker Christine Rogers. Martin Stiebris serves up lunch. The market offers more than 300 wines from all over the world. Riley Strawbridge works the register. Joe Rosenberger smiles as he helps customers with selections of fresh meat, cut by Stephen Nowlan. The Market Café.

Kerrigan entered the convenience store business in much the same way. In 1996, while working full time for fuel company Johnson and Dix, Kerrigan noticed a piece of property on Mechanic Street in Lebanon, New Hampshire, that he thought could be improved, so he bought it as an investment. That became the first Jake’s Market and Deli. “I seized the moment,” Kerrigan says. Within three years, he’d left his job and started growing the Jake’s chain of stores. Now his gas stations and markets are sprinkled throughout the Upper Valley and surrounding towns. And at Jake’s Coffee Company in Lebanon, customers can drive through the car wash and then head inside the café for coffee, pastries, and sandwiches.

The New Jake’s The new Jake’s Quechee Market and Café is an extension of that, Kerrigan says. The 10,000-square-foot space is flanked by a restaurant on one side and “The Barn” on the other. The restaurant, with about 48 seats and a full kitchen in back, offers waffles, oatmeal, eggs, breakfast and lunch sandwiches, salads, paninis, and burgers—all items served all day—plus coffee and cappuccino from the espresso bar and blended smoothie drinks. Also offered are treats like soft and hard ice cream and market-made cookies, cakes, and muffins. A couple of picnic tables outside the café are available for alfresco dining, and a takeout window lets patrons grab their goodies on the go. The Barn features mostly seasonal products. It’s where customers can find holiday items, household supplies like rock salt, and a well-stocked beer cave. Christmas trees and decorations are displayed just outside The Barn and come springtime, flowers and other garden items can be purchased there too. The grocery is the centerpiece of

Jake’s Quechee Market and Café. For a long time, Quechee residents had to drive six or seven miles to the nearest store. Now they’re minutes away from a market where they can find not only the basics like cereal, canned goods, and frozen foods but also fresh meat, fish, and produce, a deli with hot and cold prepared dishes, a butcher counter, desserts baked on the premises, chilled wine, and local Vermont products.

It’s a Family Affair While trained chef Shawn Richardson runs the restaurant and prepared foods side of the business, Kerrigan’s son James manages the store. James says that for the last 17 years he and his mother Mary Lynn and sister Kate, “were always included in discussions about the family business. All of us are actively involved in this store.” The Kerrigans are calling it “the great Quechee democratic experiment.” “Everything is an experiment,” Kerrigan says. Right now, the café opens at 6am and the grocery at 7, with both closing at 7pm. But if there’s enough traffic, they’ll stay open later. In time, they plan on adding a catering service, online ordering, a dinner offering at the café, and a growler program. “This has been a major, major undertaking, way more complicated than anything I’ve done before,” Kerrigan admits. “The convenience store business is a little more cookie cutter.” For James, making pivotal choices during construction was both exciting and nerve-racking, but he sees his role as an opportunity. “I get to learn a lot from my dad—how he makes decisions and operates.” James is also looking forward to giving Upper Valley residents another place to work. Currently, Jake’s Quechee Market and Café operates with the help of about 30 full- and parttime employees. » W I N T E R 2013-2014

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Delicious sandwiches are available.

Kerrigan hopes that the store’s convenience on the westbound side of Route 4 will appeal not only to Quechee residents but also to folks heading home to Woodstock. It’s a place they can pop into for that lastminute dinner ingredient or a prepared meal. Location, Kerrigan knows, is one reason the original Jake’s in Lebanon has done so well. It was Mary Lynn Kerrigan who thought of the name for that first store. “I wanted to call it ‘Fast Eddie’s Gas, Beer, and Baloney,’” Kerrigan says. As an alternative, his wife proposed Jake’s—a combination of their children’s initials (James Edward and Katherine Ann). Kerrigan considered a new name for the Quechee Market and Café, but in the Upper Valley, there’s recognition and brand equity in the Jake’s name. The newest Kerrigan family store is “just a different business model—but the same service.” Jake’s Quechee Market and Café 7161 Woodstock Road (Route 4) Quechee, VT (802) 291-9900 jakesquecheemarket.com

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SEASONAL FOODS

It’s a Winter

Wonderland Make the most of the season with good friends and good food By Susan Nye

When I was little, the school bell signaled a mad dash. With the light fading by four and the streetlights on by five, all the kids in the neighborhood raced home to grab sleds or skates for some after-school fun. Fresh snow heralded an afternoon on the hill behind the Dosdalls’ house. Otherwise, it was down to Longfellow Pond at the end of the street. »

The After Party

Warm up with good friends, tall tales, and delicious comfort food!

Mulled Wine & Rosemary Cashews White Bean Chili with Chicken and Butternut Squash Gingerbread Cupcakes

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Rosemary Cashews Serves 12

There is no need to relegate the sledding hill or skating pond to the category of distant memories. If you’re lucky, there’s a great hill for sledding or a duck pond in your backyard. If you’re very lucky, you have both. If not, conspire with friends and neighbors to find a hill or pond close by. Whatever fun you’ve planned, invite the crowd for midday so there’s plenty of time to play before the sun goes down. Give the fashion police the day off—think lots of layers and dress warmly from head to toe. Don’t forget to bring along a thermos of hot chocolate or cider to chase away the cold. For additional atmosphere and warmth, you might want to set up a fire pit to warm cold toes between runs or pirouettes. Once everyone is happily exhausted and chilled to the bone, head home for bowls of spicy chili. While dinner bubbles on the stove, gather around the fireplace with reviving mugs of mulled wine or cider. No need to rush; relax and marvel at the day’s daring exploits. It’s okay if a wobbly game of hockey is recast with miraculous slap shots. A bit of embellishment is not only allowed but also expected. Enjoy the winter wonderland!

1½ lb raw cashews 2–3 Tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves ½ tsp smoked paprika Sea salt 2 Tbsp butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 375°. Put the nuts in a large ovenproof skillet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes until nicely browned, stirring once or twice.

While the nuts roast, put the rosemary, paprika, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a small bowl and whisk to combine.

Remove the skillet from the oven, add the butter, sprinkle with rosemary, salt, and paprika, and toss to combine. Sprinkle the nuts with additional salt to taste and toss again. Giving the nuts a few more tosses, cool to room temperature. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.

Mulled Wine Serves 12 2 oranges ¾ cup sugar 6 whole cloves 6 peppercorns 1 stick cinnamon 1 bay leaf ¼ tsp nutmeg 3 bottles cabernet sauvignon, merlot, or chianti 1 cup cognac or brandy

Susan Nye lives in New Hampshire and writes

2 star anise

for magazines throughout New England. Named one of the Top 100 Foodie Bloggers of 2012 by BlueStar Range, she shares many of her favorite recipes and stories about family and friendship on her blog at www.susannye.wordpress.com.

Use a sharp vegetable peeler to cut large strips of peel from the oranges. Juice the oranges.

Put the sugar and orange juice in a large saucepan, add the peel, spices, and bay leaf, and stir in just enough wine to cover the sugar and spices.

Simmer the wine over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Raise the heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Boil the wine and sugar until it becomes syrupy, about 5 minutes. This recipe can be made ahead to this point. Cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate. When you are ready to imbibe, bring the syrup to a simmer and then continue with the recipe.

Reduce the heat to low, add the remaining wine, star anise, and cognac, and gently warm the wine, about 5 minutes. Ladle into mugs and serve immediately.

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White Bean Chili with Chicken and Butternut Squash Serves 12 1½ lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks 3 carrots, chopped 3 celery stalks, chopped 2 onions, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbsp (or to taste) finely chopped jalapeno pepper Olive oil 6 cups cooked small white beans, rinsed and drained 2 tsp ground cumin ½ tsp (or to taste) chili powder 1 Tbsp (or to taste) chipotle chilies in adobo, mashed to a paste 1 tsp dried thyme 1 tsp dried oregano 1 bay leaf Sea salt and freshly ground pepper 3 cups crushed tomatoes 2–3 cups chicken stock 1 cup dry white wine About 1 lb baby spinach About 3 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts Garnish: fresh chopped cilantro and toasted pumpkin seeds

1 2

Preheat the oven to 350°. Working in batches, sauté the vegetables in a little olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until lightly browned.

3 4

Add the spinach to the chili and stir to wilt the spinach and combine. Cool to room temperature.

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and stir into the chili. Cover the casserole and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Transfer the vegetables to a large casserole and add the beans, spices, and herbs. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, and wine. Bring the chili to a simmer over medium-high heat, then cover and cook in a 350° oven for 20 minutes.

While the chili cools, season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and, working in batches, sauté the chicken until lightly browned and cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

To serve: Adding more chicken stock if necessary, bring the chili to a simmer over medium heat on the stovetop. Ladle the chili into shallow bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro and pumpkin seeds.

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Ginger Cupcakes Makes about 20 cupca k e s 2½ 1 1 1 2 1 ¼ ¼

cups all-purpose flour tsp baking soda tsp baking powder tsp salt tsp ground ginger tsp ground cinnamon tsp cloves tsp nutmeg Grated zest of 1 orange 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature cup brown sugar ½ cup molasses 2 large eggs 1 cup sour cream ½ cup chopped crystallized ginger Garnish: candy or tiny cookies

1 2

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.

Put the flour, baking soda and powder, and spices in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Whisk in the orange zest and set aside.

Use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat the butter until light. Add the brown sugar and molasses and mix for 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs and sour cream.

4 5

Set the mixer on low and add the dry ingredients in 2 to 3 batches. Fold in the chopped ginger.

Fill the paper liners about two-thirds full with batter. Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool a few minutes, transfer to a wire rack, and cool completely.

Frost the cupcakes with Orange-Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting and decorate with a sliver of crystallized ginger.

Orange-Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting 8 8 3–4 1

Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, ginger, and orange zest and beat until fluffy and smooth.

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oz cream cheese at room temperature Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature cups powdered sugar tsp finely grated peeled fresh ginger Grated zest of 1 orange

PERSONALITIES

Bruce Maxham, former mountain manager at Suicide Six, heads out to do some off-season maintenance.

Bruce Maxham Retired—but just as busy! By David Cogger Photos courtesy of Julie Rideout

When Bruce Maxham isn’t busy in his home workshop, snowmobiling hundreds of miles of trails in the winter months, or working as chief of the Bridgewater Volunteer Fire Department, he is busy answering the phone. “I get more calls now because people think that since I have retired, I am not busy,” says Maxham, who retired as Mountain Manager at Suicide Six in July 2012. Maxham had been employed at Mount Tom and Suicide Six since November 1967. Starting at Mount Tom, his first job was running the baby lift under the supervision of Bob Pearsons, who was the mountain manager. With Pearsons spending most of his time up the road at the more challenging Suicide Six, Maxham was eventually put in charge at Mount Tom, where he stayed until the late 1970s when the ski area closed for good.

A Snowmaking Pioneer Arguably, Pearsons and Maxham were pioneers in the early days of snowmaking and East Coast skiing, making homemade guns fashioned from plumbing supplies and coming up with ideas to make the job easier. “In 1961, when we started making snow, there were aluminum pipes above ground with no overflow mechanism. They were dead-ended with no overflow valves,” says Maxham. “The gun was always the priority. You had to have it running, because if it froze up, the pipe would split and the whole line would have to be replaced.” Necessity eventually led to innova-

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Above: Bruce clowns atop a snow scooter. Right: Early-season snowmaking at Suicide Six.

tion, and in the summer of 1965, Mount Tom extended the pipe, making a complete loop so it wouldn’t get blocked, and buried it so it wouldn’t freeze. In the 1970s, a snow engineering company was hired to work on Suicide Six. A crew bulldozed the Face, the most difficult groomed trail on Suicide Six, so more people could ski it. “Some liked it and some didn’t,” says Maxham. “They added chairlifts and a J-bar in the mid 1970s and began trail improvement and snowmaking in 1977 with the homemade guns mounted on three Snow Cats.” The original snowmaking guns are still in use today, along with newer, high-tech blowers and guns mounted high on turrets. Most of the parts for the older guns can be purchased from a plumbing supply store. “I liked getting 86

the snow made, grooming it, and seeing a bunch of happy customers. What I miss most is the people that I worked with and most of the customers,” says Maxham. The regular calls at 3 or 4 in the morning are another thing. According to Bruce’s wife Paula, they happened a lot during snowmaking when compressors would fail, pipes would freeze up, or groomers would stop working for unknown reasons.

Doing Retirement Right Since his retirement, Maxham has been working for the volunteer fire department where he has been a member since 1972 and chief since 2001. In the winter months, the 24-man crew can be especially busy dealing with chimney

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fires and weather-related auto accidents, he says. He is also an avid snowmobiler, sledding trails in Northern Vermont and New Hampshire with his club, the Bridgewater Sno-Zippers. The group has recently completed plans and received approval to build a new trail that will link Bridgewater with Barnard. Maxham also maintains a number of houses and performs odd jobs and does some haying on the side. Three grandsons and one granddaughter have kept him occupied too.

Recently, he took all his grandchildren to the Fryeburg Fair in Maine, an annual agricultural fair and a tradition for Maxham for 30 years. This year was the first time for some of the kids. He also has more time to spend with Paula, who quietly appeared whenever Maxham needed help answering questions related to his family. Maxham says he is confident that his successor, Gerren Goodwin, and his assistant, Scott Kinney, will continue to do a good job at Suicide Six. Goodwin, who has an abundance of experience in the ski industry working out West and at Burke Mountain, will start his second snowmaking season in November. “He seemed like someone with a bright future and ski business experience,” says Maxham. “He had a lot of the qualities that I thought would make him right for the job.” For his part, Goodwin says he enjoyed working with Bruce and listening to his stories over lunch breaks that might have gone slightly beyond the allotted hour. “The man has a memory for stuff and people,” says Goodwin. “He came from a time when you earned everything. He let me learn a lot on my own. When I first started at Suicide Six, I had long hair, and I am pretty sure Bruce was convinced I wouldn’t be back after I left for the West. But I came back—hair cut and ready to work hard.” Off-season jobs at Suicide Six include mowing the slopes. Goodwin says on his first try, it took him four hours to mow one of the trails. “I was working slowly, trying to avoid hitting rocks with the mower blades. When I showed up at the shop, Bruce asked why I hadn’t set the blades in float. ‘That’s how I’d do it,’ he told me with a smile.” The next time Goodwin mowed, the same job took him just 35 minutes. In his retirement speech, Maxham summed up his experience at Mount Tom and Suicide Six as follows: “After 44-plus years, I guess the bottom line is I never found anything better. It has been a great place to work.” W I N T E R 2013-2014

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HAPPENINGS: WINTER 2013-2014 DECEMBER | JANUARY | FEBRUARY

December 13–15

Wassail Weekend Info: (802) 457-2355, www.billingsfarm.org Billings Farm & Museum

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Pentangle Council on the Arts JANUARY 16 & 23 National Theatre Live: The Habit of Art

31 The Green Woodstock, VT (802) 457-3981 www.pentanglearts.org

Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 7:30pm

DECEMBER 5–8 | NCCT Presents RENT Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 5–7, 7:30pm; 8, 3pm

FEBRUARY 13 | Studio 31 Presents A Baroque Valentine

13 | Irish Christmas in America Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 7:30pm

Blue Horse Inn, 7:30pm

14 | 12th Annual Holiday House Tour Tours begin at Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 9:30am–2pm

14–16 | The Vermont Flurry: Woodstock Snow Sculpture Festival

14 | Wassail Tea

Woodstock Village Green

St. James Church Great Hall, 2:30 & 4:15pm

15 | Messiah Sing

22 | Hello Pops! A Stage and Screen Salute to Louis Armstrong

Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church, 4pm

Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 7:30pm

DECEMBER

10 | What’s on Your Nightstand?

5 & 16 | Open Mic Night at Artistree

Info: (802) 457-2295, normanwilliams.org Norman Williams Public Library, 10:15am

Info: (802) 457-3500, artistreevt.org Artistree, 7–9pm

13 | Wassail Open House 6 | Friday Night Writes

Info: (802) 457-1822, www.woodstockhistorical.org Woodstock History Center, 5–7pm

Info: (802) 457-3500, artistreevt.org Artistree, 6–8pm

7 | Shackleton Thomas Open House & Holiday Party Info: shackletonthomas.com The Mill in Bridgewater, 3–6pm

13 | You Paint It! Pottery Workshop Info: (802) 457-3500, artistreevt.org Artistree, 6–8pm 14 | Dana House Museum Open

7 | Family Clay Info: (802) 457-3500, artistreevt.org Artistree, 10am–12pm

Info: (802) 457-1822, www.woodstockhistorical.org Woodstock History Center

7 | Pastel Painting Workshop

21 | Film: Wild Horse, Wild Ride

Info: (802) 457-3500, artistreevt.org Artistree, 10am–4:30pm

Info: (802) 457-2355, www.billingsfarm.org Billings Farm & Museum, 3pm

December 7–8, 14–15 & 21– January 1 (excluding Christmas Day) Christmas at the Farm

9 | Music @ The Mezz Presents: World Holiday Concert with Bob Horan

Info: (802) 457-2355, www.billingsfarm.org Billings Farm & Museum

Info: (802) 457-2295, normanwilliams.org Norman Williams Public Library, 7–8:30pm

28 | Film: The Crash Reel Info: (802) 457-2355, www.billingsfarm.org Billings Farm & Museum, 3pm

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HAPPENINGS

February 15–23 Sleigh Ride Week Info: (802) 457-2355, www.billingsfarm.org Billings Farm & Museum

JANUARY

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January 4-5, 11–12, 25–26, February 1–2 & 8–9 | Film: A Place in the Land Info: (802) 457-2355, www.billingsfarm.org Billings Farm & Museum

18–20 | Sleigh Ride Weekend Info: (802) 457-2355, www.billingsfarm.org Billings Farm & Museum

20 | Digital Workflow Workshop Info: (802) 457-3500, artistreevt.org Artistree, 9am–12pm

ADVERTISERS INDEX Action Garage Door ......................................... 73

Newhall Farm ................................................... 91

Amber Arpaia’s Bakery .................................... 71

Old Federal Shop ................................................ 8

Ambrose Custom Builders................................ 39

Ottauquechee Well Drilling ............................. 57

Ameriprise Financial......................................... 59

Perry’s Oil Co..................................................... 87

Angkor Wat Restaurant ..................................... 6 Anichini Company Store .................................... 8 Antiques Collaborative, Inc. .............................. 8 Anything Printed ................................................ 6 Armistead Caregiver Services .......................... 25 Audsley Plumbing & Heating .......................... 90

Phlox ................................................................... 7 Purple Crayon Productions/Artistree............... 78 Quechee Mobil ................................................. 67 R.E. Morgan & Sons .......................................... 18 Rare Essentials .................................................. 37

Bentley’s ............................................................ 38

Robert Wallace Real Estate.....Inside front cover

Bethel Mills ....................................................... 38

Sharyn’s Quechee Country Store ....................... 8

Billings Farm & Museum .................................. 73

Shepard Interior Designs ................................. 38

Braeside Motel ................................................. 72

Shiretown Books ................................................ 7

Brown’s Floormasters ....................................... 68

Sleep Woodstock Motel ................................... 42

Cabinetry Concepts & Surface Solutions ........... 5 Carpet King & Tile ............................................ 64 Charles Silva Builders ....................................... 71 Colby & Tobiason Builders ............................... 37 Collective – the Art of Craft............................... 7

South Woodstock Country Store and Deli ........ 7 Stone Dental ..................................................... 49 Strong House Spa ............................................... 8 Sunset Valley Dental ........................................ 10

Crown Point Cabinetry..................................... 13

Systems Plus Computers ................................... 50

Crystal & Bark Designs ....................................... 6

Teago General Store .......................................... 6

David Anderson Hill ......................................... 66

The Daily Grind/Pi Restaurant ........................... 3

Dead River Company........................................ 23

The Hanover Inn ............................................... 25

Deirdre Donnelly Jewelry Art ............................ 8

The Lyme Inn .................................................... 65

DHMC .................................................................. 9

The Paper Store ................................................ 15

Elevation Clothing............................................ 56

The Quechee Club ............................................ 32

Ellaway’s Attic Selective Consignment .............. 6 Encore Designer Consignment .......................... 6 Engel & Voelkers .............................................. 59 First Impressions ............................................... 57

The Quechee Inn at Marshland Farm.............. 56 The Quechee Lakes Company.......................... 21 The Taylor-Palmer Agency ............................... 51

5 Olde Tavern ................................................... 50

The Ultimate Bath Showroom ......................... 12

Frameworks Studio ............................................ 7

The Vermont Spot ............................................ 58

G.R. Porter & Sons ............................................ 87

The Vermont Standard..................................... 57

Gallery on the Green.......................................... 6

The Williamson Group ....................................... 1

Game Set Mat ..................................................... 8

The Woodlands ................................................ 65

Gilberte Interiors .............................................. 71

The Yankee Bookshop ..................................... 77

Gillingham’s ...................................................... 18

37 Central Clothiers............................................ 6

Green Mountain Plumbing .............................. 50 Hawk Mountain Resort .................................... 90 Henderson’s Tree & Garden Service ........43 & 79 Home Hill Inn...................................................... 4 Hull Maynard Hersey Insurance....................... 19

Townline Equipment ........................................ 43 Trap Door Bakery & Café ................................. 67 Unicorn ............................................................... 7 Upper Valley Haven.......................................... 51

Jeff Wilmot Painting ........................................ 66

Vallers Home Maintenance.............................. 79

Kedron Valley Inn ............................................. 78

Vermont Facial Aesthetics................................ 49

Keepers, A Country Café.................................. 87

Vermont Spirits .........................Inside back cover

Kendal at Hanover ........................................... 58

VINS Nature Store .............................................. 8

Krystyna’s Stones and Sterling........................... 7

Visiting Nurse & Hospice of VT & NH .............. 49

LaValley Building Supply.................... Back cover Long Trail Brewing Company .......................... 59 Mascoma Savings Bank .................................... 33 Mertens House ................................................. 64

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Upland Construction ........................................ 68

Jake’s Market & Deli......................................... 39

Lang McLaughry Spera .................................... 78

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Vitt, Brannen, Loftus ........................................ 72 Whisper Hill Body and Home ............................ 8 Who Is Sylvia? ..................................................... 7 Woodstock Beverages ...................................... 67

Mollie’s Mercantile ............................................. 7

Woodstock Chamber of Commerce ................ 42

Moose River Outfitters..................................... 83

Woodstock Farmers Market ............................ 83

MoRae Jewelers................................................ 77

Woodstock Home & Hardware ........................ 17

N.T. Ferro .......................................................... 11

Zayas Jewelers .................................................... 2

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