Happy Year of the Dragon and long lost blog greetings ya’ll! Like so many other bloggers who now have to keep up with multiple social media channels, the time and use of the Vermont Vibes Blog has dwindled to about nothing and unfortunately it will probably stay that way. I have been deep into the research and editing project as co-author of the 13th edition of VERMONT: An Explorer’s Guide and wanted to give an update on that front. The deadline fast approaches and I thought I would share a brief slideshow of some of my travels…

Most importantly of course is where you can buy the book once it’s published! VERMONT: An Explorer’s Guide is published by Countryman Press and will be out in time for fall so if you would like to pre-order copies, please visit http://www.countrymanpress.com. To order a catalog email countrymanpress@wwnorton.com or you can call direct to place individual sales: 800-233-4830.

Back to book editing…if you are interested in following my next moves, the best place to connect with me is on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelcarterpr.
 

Tags: Rachel Carter, rachel carter pr, Vermont Explorer's Guide, vermont travel guide, vermont travel writer, vt guidebook

Researching half of the state for VERMONT: An Explorer’s Guide, running a business, planning a wedding, and trying to have time to not go off the deep end has made for no blogging at Vermont Vibes. Social media and its swiftly changing methods, manners, and madness also play a part in making the thrill of writing obsolete in a time crunching world. So, I just couldn’t blog. Not sure what will become of Vermont Vibes or Rachel Carter PR as an evolving business. I need time to be with The Mitch, focus on what is important to us instead of everyone else, and enjoy the start of my marriage, the MitchaRachia Wedding Extravaganza, and our wedding tour to follow.

So, for now I share some lovely engagement photos taken by our most talented and my No. 1 recommended photographer and design; Letter 10 Creative. I encourage you to visit the Rachel Carter PR Newsfeed for a list of my highly recommended vendors helping to pull off this rockin’ Vermont wedding. I will certainly share more pictures and details, but for now I would like to note my wedding dress was designed and sewn by hand by my mother and Mitch and I together grew the majority of the flowers, a solid portion of the veggies and herbs, and are performing along with the entire wedding party in the ceremony.

Tags: mitch pauley, mitcharachia, Rachel Carter, rock and roll wedding, vermont wedding, vermont wedding photographer

Two weekends ago I snuck away from the wild world of running a Vermont public relations business and head down to Killington for one of my favorite band’s winter music festival – snoe.down. And while at it I took some potential pictures and got in some winter research for Vermont: An Explorer’s Guide. I hope to include a mention of this awesome Vermont winter music festival in the guidebook as it seems snoe.down has become an annual Killington/Rutland area event! Enjoy the slideshow – I had lots of fun using the sepia setting on my camera.

 

I anticipate the month of May and plan to be on the road the entire month traveling the state conducting research for Vermont: An Explorer’s Guide!

Tags: killington music event, snoe.down, Vermont Explorer's Guide, Vermont public relations

As I sit here and wait for mud season to really start so spring can get here and make the world lush, clean, and full of my favorite colors, I think about something fun to do. Well, besides maple sugarin’, how about just plain ol’ muddin? If you get bored of the brown, step inside random places and look for art! Below is a short slideshow of some of my favorites – a few pictures of muddin’ with The Mitch followed by:

The Mitch checking out art at the University Mall in South Burlington done by the students he teaches.

Groovy art in one of the dining rooms at creative French cuisine restaurant, Tourterelle’s in New Haven.

Creative local folks on the backroads of Ferrisburgh.

Art in the Sheraton hallway heading into the lovely garden atrium of G’s Restaurant in Burlington.

Art on my skirt – notice it is now the background of the Vermont Vibes logo!

Ski sky sculpture at the Vermont Ski Museum in Stowe.

Art you can create when you have cabin fever.

 

Tags: vermont art, vermont cabin fever, vermont mud season, vermont vibes

As continuing deadlines keep me from really getting to writing about my research with VERMONT: An Explorer’s Guide, winter has also been a bummer this year with the intense storms and taking the year off from downhill skiing to save money for my nuptials this summer. But life began to breathe back into my soul when attending all three days of the Vermont Flower Show with my trustworthy matron of honor. Now held every two years, the show (see previous post) is magic. People are nice, it is warm, the flowers and displays are grandiose, and the shopping spectacular. I am growing most of the flowers for my wedding to The Mitch this summer with some supplements from The Painted Tulip in Waterbury, VT. And, the bridal party, myself, and moms are doing all of the decorating and arrangements. I have been gardening for years now and look forward to transferring my traditional high yielding veggie garden to an orange and green floral powerhouse. Thanks to fish emulsion! I also love table and floral decorating and this will be a real treat for me.

The Vermont Flower Show got me fully prepared for my floral bridal adventure. I purchased all of the seeds I need, got all of my questions answered, and even took a class called Tablescaping which was perfect for learning the few tricks I have yet learned in dealing with floral foam. Dressed in floral outfits and spending hours at the show each of the three days raised many questions. Folks thought we had a booth or were hired to wear our outfits and sit relaxingly at different displays. We just love the flower show and enjoy coming out of hibernation to mingle with like minded folks who all believe in smiling and drinking in the flowers. And in two years, we may have to teach a class and volunteer. The plant sale at the end was hysterical and I couldn’t take any pictures because I was busy racing to purchase tulips, amaryllis, and a juniper plant.

Enjoy the slideshow

 

 

Tags: painted tulip, tablescaping, vermont flower show, vermont flowers, vermont wedding flowers

Essex Jct. VT – Spring in Vermont is all mud and maple and every other year, the Vermont Flower Show. Cascading plants, lively booths, and whimsical exhibits cover the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Jct. Over 80 landscape designers and architects, nurseries, florists, greenhouses, growers, garden centers, garden accessories, and other floral related businesses will display their products and services at the show.

Celebrated landscape designer and author of Home Outside: Creating the Landscape You Love, Julie Moir Messervy, will provide a keynote Saturday, March 5th at noon. A variety of local chefs will provide a series of cooking demos throughout the three days. Workshops and a live auction are also popular features over the weekend.

A complete schedule is available at www.greenworksvermont.org.

The Vermont Flower Show runs Friday, March 4th and Saturday, March 5th from 10 am – 6 pm. Sunday, March 6th is 10 am – 4 pm at which time many of the decorations and plants are available at deeply discounted rates. Tickets and pricing available at www.greenworksvermont.org or www.flynntix.org.

The Vermont Flower Show is presented by Green Works, the Vermont Nursery & Landscape Association (VNLA), a non-profit statewide organization dedicated to educating and increasing awareness in the growing horticulture industry.

Slideshow of the 2009 show:

 

 

Tags: Julie Moir Messervy, spring in vermont, sweet dreams vt, vermont flower show, vermont green works

Every year is a good year to snowshoe because it’s a great outdoor activity and for some Vermonters the only cure to cabin fever beyond the Vermont Flower Show (which now is sadly only every other year – making it all the more important to attend). But this year? Snowshoeing has become a super-charged workout with the intense amounts of snow we’ve gotten. Some of my favorite places to snowshoe? Well, the farm and swamp country that is my backyard which I cannot explore any other time of the year. Spectacular bird watching even if you have to be careful of the prickers – I usually opt for an old coat.

Addison County is a gem for wildlife viewing snowshoe trails. Anything in "Robert Frost Country" is exceptional – the Breadloaf Campus and the Robert Frost Interpretive Trail jump to mind first – along Route 125 in Ripton. Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area through Addison, Panton, and Bridgport is popular in spring and fall for bird migration, but I love the winter when you can see winter life bustling along in solitude. And there are always the not-to-be-forgotten Vermont state parks  which are mesmerizing to explore in the winter – not officially open, you are welcome to park and snowshoe in and often enjoy the place to yourself. D.A.R. State Park and Branbury State Park are excellent to explore in deep snow drifts – bring your poles!

Tips for snowshoeing – you do not need to dress as warm as you do for downhill skiing – that’s for sure! I also prefer more breathable gloves than the heavy duty ones I wear for sitting on lift chairs. Water is always good as is a camera and a way to protect it. And poles, don’t ever think you’re too good for poles. It’s not about skill, it’s about being able to maneuver in the thickets and push them prickers outta the way!

Tags: addison county vermont, vermont flower show, vermont snowshoeing, vermont state parks

The Tenth Annual Vermont Maple Open House Weekend will be held at sugarhouses throughout Vermont, March 19-20, 2011.  The Open House Weekend is the public celebration of the maple syrup season in Vermont and an opportunity for the public to visit one or more “sugarhouses” throughout the state to learn about Vermont’s first agricultural crop of the year. Activities during this free event will be different at each sugarhouse but will include the opportunity to watch maple syrup being made (weather permitting) and to often sample syrup and other maple products.

As Vermont’s Senator Patrick Leahy stated, "Sugaring Season is unique to Vermont and is my favorite time of year.  What could be better than to hit the back-roads as families across the state welcome visitors to sample our sweetest product"  Some sugarhouses offer tours of their “sugarbushes” and some have special activities for children. No two sugarhouses are the same so people are encouraged to visit more than one.
Information about all of the participating maple syrup producers including whether they will be open for both days or one day, and directions to their sugarhouses can be found on www.vermontmaple.org or in the “2010-2011 Vermont Ski & Year-round Maple Syrup Guide” which can be picked up at any Vermont Welcome Center, or by calling the Vermont Department of Tourism & Marketing at 800-837-6668.

Vermont has approximately 2000 maple syrup producers and is the largest U.S. producer of maple syrup with 890,000 gallons of syrup produced in 2010. Vermont maple syrup is 100% natural and contains antioxidants, calcium and other beneficial minerals. Recipes using maple syrup can be found on www.vermontmaple.org.

Information Provided by the Vermont Maple Foundation

Stay Tuned for the Vermont Vibe showing up at maple houses across the state!

Tags: maple syrup, sugar house