This weekend is the annual parade that has become a 4-day extravaganza in Brattleboro, Vermont, just 10 minutes from our New Hampshire Bed and Breakfast, in West Chesterfield. The Strolling of the Heifers started 11 years ago as a parade focused on local farms and farming and has grown every year. It starts with the Slow Living Summit on Wednesday through Friday and continues with the Gallery Walk on Friday, with a street festival, a fashion show highlighting the collection at Twice Upon a Time, one of our fabulous second hand stores, and free music and street entertainment. The winners of the New England Bread Baking Competition will be announced that evening as well.

Saturday brings us the parade, with over 100 heifers, as well as a few mules, goats, and alpacas. The parade is on Main Street and culminates at the Brattleboro Common and the Brattleboro Retreat campus where there will be music, cheese and yogurt tasting, and many different kinds of food to sample for lunch. There will also be an antique tractor show, goat racing, and local entertainment on 4 stages. On Sunday, the Tour de Heifer will leave from Lilac Ridge Farm in West Brattleboro. The Tour is a bike ride that can be 60, 30, or 10 miles, and passes many of our local farms along the way.

It’s a full weekend of activities, so make your reservations now at our New Hampshire Bed and Breakfast Inn.

I’m very glad to be able to tell you that we now have Vietnamese street food in nearby Brattleboro, Vermont, just a short drive from our New Hampshire bed and breakfast! It comes to us in a new food truck that is parked in the Harmony Parking Lot daily for the lunch crowd, Monday through Saturday from 11:00 until 3:00. The name of the truck is Humble Kitchen and it is owned by James Smith and Amy Gallant.

The day that we went for lunch at the truck it was pouring rain out and Amy took our order while under an umbrella, while James was cooking in the cozy truck. We had delicious sandwiches, called Bahn Mi, one chicken and one pork pate, as well as a serving of Pho which was a delicious chicken soup with noodles and chili, lime, basil, cilantro and mint. We also had ginger basil limeade and mango wontons for dessert- delicious! It was an excellent lunch, and who ever thought that we would be able to enjoy Vietnamese street food just 10 minutes away from our Romantic New Hampshire getaway!

James and Amy had both worked at the Flat Street Bar and Restaurant and when it was flooded out by Hurricane Irene, it gave them a chance to make changes and think of new ways to be employed and still work in the food business. In May, they opened the Humble Kitchen, which is a great addition to Brattleboro’s food scene.

Yesterday, I escaped for a quick foliage getaway between breakfast and lunch. It was sunny and crisp, with morning fog from the river burning off quickly. My friends picked me up, with dogs in tow, for a hike up Putney Mountain. We drove up Route 5, enjoying the beautiful colors of the leaves along the roadside, into the village of Putney, and then out to the Putney School and to the Putney Mountain Trail Head.

There was just one car in the parking lot, a great sign for a quiet walk in the woods. We hiked up the well-marked trail, about a mile, to the lookout area at the top of the Mountain. There were 2 women sitting in chairs, using binoculars to look for birds. They were up there for the day, basking in the sunshine, counting birds for the Putney Mountain bird count. We spent a few minutes at the top, figuring out which mountains were which to the East and West. We could see Mount Monadnock in New Hampshire, and in Vermont we had a clear view of Mount Snow, Haystack, Stratton, and Bromley. The hills were gorgeous shades of red, yellow and orange mixed with the dark green of the evergreens.

After the quick downhill hike, we retired to Green Mountain Orchard just past the Putney School, for homemade cinnamon and sugar donuts and apple cider. If we had wanted to, we could have walked into the orchard and picked several varieties of apples to take home. It was tempting, especially when I saw the 6 apple pies that they had just taken out of the oven! I love making apple pies in October! It was just great to be out in the fresh air on a beautiful warm autumn day, enjoying the scenery with friends before heading back to Chesterfield Inn.

On Saturday and Sunday, September 24 and 25, a group of artists whose studios are located in Brattleboro, Marlboro and Dummerston, Vermont are hosting an open studio tour. These artists enjoy living and making art in this beautiful corner of Southern Vermont, a place where artists are welcome and supported by the local community. These artists invite you to come by their studios and get an idea of what their creative process is like.

You can choose between Kris McDermet‘s hooked and braided rugs, Doug Cox‘s handmade violins, Malcolm Wright‘s woodfired pottery and clay and bronze sculpture, Petria Mitchell’s and Jim Giddings’ paintings, and Josh and Marta Bernbaum‘s blown glass. You can download a map and make your way around the hills to the artists’ studios. All of these artists’ work is rooted in the natural beauty that surrounds them, as well as the culturally sophisticated town of Brattleboro.

So, plan a weekend away and make your home base the Chesterfield Inn. You can drive up Friday night, enjoy a delicious dinner at the inn, sleep until you wake up, enjoy a famous breakfast at our New Hampshire Inn and head out on the tour. What a great way to spend the day, exploring the back roads, looking at art, and actually meeting the artists in their studios!

One of the best things about living 20 minutes away from Marlboro, Vermont is our close proximity to Marlboro College, which is overrun by world-class musicians in the summer rehearsing for the Marlboro Music Festival concerts. The festival was founded in 1951 by Rudolf Serkin, Adolph and Hermann Busch and Marcel, Blanche and Louis Moyse. The musicians gather each summer for 3 weeks of intensive rehearsals, preparing for several concerts each week from mid-July to mid-August.

Over 200 pieces are rehearsed each summer, in all combinations of instruments and vocal ensembles. The programming is a mix of music written centuries ago by the giants of classical music (Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, etc.) to compositions written in the 20th and 21st centuries, some which are played for the first time at Marlboro.

The wonderful thing about Marlboro is the collaborative approach. Young and old professional musicians work together to prepare the pieces, each bringing their own experiences and personal perspectives to the rehearsals. The atmosphere at Marlboro is warm and supportive, a true family of musicians who eat together, play, work, share chores, learn from each other and inspire one another.

Some of my favorite memories as a new innkeeper were attending the Sunday afternoon concerts with a family friend from Massachusetts. He would make a gourmet picnic and we would enjoy it on the grass outside the concert hall before going in to listen to the glorious music. Marlboro is a very special place!

The Chesterfield Inn is a very convenient place to stay if you’re visiting the Marlboro Music Festival. Even though we’re across the river from Brattleboro, Vermont in New Hampshire, we are just a 20-minute drive to the Marlboro College Campus.

If you’re interested in eating healthy local foods, and supporting the farmers who produce that food, or if you just like a parade with lots of cute animals, come to Brattleboro the first weekend of June from the 3rd through the 5th for the annual Strolling of the Heifers. This annual event, now celebrating its 10th anniversary, has been delighting guests of our New Hampshire B&B for years and is not to be missed!

There are many events planned for the weekend, but the centerpiece is “the Stroll”, a parade held on Saturday morning, which features about 100 cows and heifers, as well as other farm animals, farm machinery, bands, and local organizations. The parade ends at the Brattleboro Common, where you can enjoy samples of local foods and products, maybe pet a heifer or two, or watch a politician try to milk a cow.

This year, the “Stroll” is preceded by the Slow Living Summit, which will feature distinguished speakers who are all interested in, and striving for, a sustainable future. The Slow Living Summit will take place from June 1st – 3rd in conjunction with Marlboro College and the School for International Training.

So mark your calendars, book a stay at our romantic New Hampshire Bed and Breakfast in nearby Chesterfield, and come to Brattleboro for the weekend to enjoy all of the various activities involved with the Strolling of the Heifers!

*All Photos courtesy of The Strolling of the Heifers Parade & Festival

One of the ways that New Englanders survive our long, snowy winters is to embrace the cold weather and go outside and play in it!  The Brattleboro Winter Carnival has  a 55 year tradition of playing in the snow, and the tradition continues this year starting on Friday, January 19th. Winter Carnival activities go on all week, and include outdoor activities for all ages.

Harris Hill Ski Jump

Don’t miss the  Harris Hill Ski Jump competition!  The ski jumping happens on February 19th and 20th this year, and watching the breathtaking ski jumping off of the 90 meter Harris Hill is an experience not to be missed. Join the crowd at the bottom of the hill, and cheer on the international participants as they fly (yes, they really do!) off of Harris Hill. So put on your snow pants and Sorels and enjoy the show!

After an afternoon of outdoor activities, come back and sit by the fire and enjoy some hot chocolate or even an Irish coffee at The Chesterfield Inn, our Bed & Breakfast near Brattleboro. Then maybe a quick nap, and dinner at our romantic New Hampshire restaurant while watching the snow fall, for the perfect end to a wintry New England day.

Fall Foliage

Ready for a New Hampshire getaway? One of the best things about staying at our romantic New Hampshire inn is that we are just across the river from Brattleboro, Vermont! Get away from it all this weekend, and enjoy what Brattleboro has to offer!

I was curious to see what was planned for the weekend of November 5, 6, and 7 and checked the Brattleboro Reformer to see what our very vibrant arts community was up to. This is a sampling of what I found:

November 5:  a concert at the New England Youth Theater featuring Scott Ainslee and Sparky and Rhonda Rucker playing traditional music, with history and stories interwoven.

November 5, 6, 7: Vermont Theater Company presents a production of “The Heiress” based on the Henry James novel “Washington Square”.

November 6: From 10:00 to 1:00, Karen Becker offers water color painting class at a studio in Westminster , Vermont.

November 7: Rock River Studio offers a Visual Memoir workshop, on how to create  a personal art book using photos, artwork and mementos.

November 7: An all Bach concert will be presented on Sunday afternoon at the Congregational Church, featuring Susan Dedell, Clark Anderson on organ and Jennifer Hansen singing. Sure to be gorgeous and to end your getaway on a high note!

Early November is a great time to visit with the New Hampshire fall colors still vibrant, and the air crisp, and the fire glowing in the fireplace at night.

You can check on line at the Brattleboro Reformer to see what’s going on anytime. Who knows, maybe there will be something that you can’t miss!

The terrace on a summer evening

On these beautiful summer nights in New Hampshire, we invite you to enjoy drinks and dinner on our terrace. We have a few wrought iron tables with chairs and green umbrellas on the blue stone terrace where you can settle in, have a cocktail or a glass of wine, and watch the sun set. Dinner is served on the terrace, from 5:30 until 9:00.

I had the pleasure of entertaining some friends for dinner on the terrace last week, and they thought it was the nicest outdoor dining in the area. The rolling hills, the lush meadow, and the gorgeous sunset  all combined with delicious food make for a wonderful evening!

Fresh Produce

One of the best things about Brattleboro, Vermont is the Brattleboro Food Coop. Phil and I became members of the Coop as soon as we moved to the area and have enjoyed shopping there ever since.  I have never been one to use the words enjoy and shopping in the same sentence, but I do when I’m talking about the Food Coop. Walking through the door there is like a walking into an oasis in a busy world.

When you enter the Food Coop, you are standing in the wine section, where interesting wines, as well as the old standbys can be found. Wines are moderately priced and there are many organic wines stocked. Richard, who manages the wine department is very knowledgeable, and is available to make suggestions and answer questions. The beer selection is excellent too, with many local or regional beers as well as beers from around the globe. Then on to the cheese section, which features local artisan cheeses as well as cheeses from around the world. The deli is next , with delicious vegan, or vegetarian, organic, with and without meat, prepared foods. There is a salad bar with a couple of  homemade soups each day, as well as a juice bar and a section of prepackaged deli items that you can grab if you’re in a rush.

Fresh flowers are displayed in florists buckets, offering a bright corner at the edge of the produce section. The produce section features mostly organic produce, and as much local produce as the season allows. It’s fabulous. The bulk section is towards the back of the store, where you can purchase beans, nuts, oils, coffee and tea, honey etc. in large and small quantities in bulk, with your own containers or containers provided by the store.

Then there are several aisles of groceries, which include fresh breads from local bakeries, organic cereals, soups, pastas, rices, corn and potato chips of all kinds, and baking supplies. This is where I find unusual ethnic and gourmet food items, things that people who live in a city take for granted. The dairy case is at the back, with local organic milk, yogurts, and lots of lactose free products. The freezer aisle features lots of frozen organic prepared food as well as a great selection of frozen yogurt, ice cream, and sorbets. The meat department has everything a carnivore could want, and all of it is organic, hormone and antibiotic free, free range or locally raised. Seafood is delivered twice a week and is available fresh or frozen. There is small area with things for the kitchen such as dishes, glasses  and candles, and a large section for vitamins and food supplements as well as health and beauty products.

The people who work at the Food Coop are friendly and helpful, open to feedback and suggestions. The Coop is a community unto itself, welcoming , warm and inclusive. What a great place to shop!