Wells, Vermont • 802.325.2829
Over 125 Five Star Reviews ▪ 100% Guest-Focused ▪ 68% Repeat Guests Last Year
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Vermont... Enchants All Year Round |
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Hello Everyone!
Christmas is next week, and Kay joins me in wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy New Year! As the year comes to a close and we gather to celebrate our traditions with family and friends with the message of Christmas that has not changed in centuries. Peace on Earth, good will toward men—that message is as inspiring today as it was when it was first proclaimed to the shepherds near Bethlehem...
Wishing everyone our very best this holiday season,
Kay & Glenn
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Santa Claus holding a tankard and sitting on a large chair with Puck, holding the "Christmas Number", sitting next to him; their feet rest on a sack of toys.
Puck, the first successful humor magazine in the United States (1871-1918) that featured colorful cartoons, caricatures, and political satire of the day.
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Illustration shows a scene in a dining room where a man is sitting at a table eating, a woman has opened a door and three men stand in the doorway, singing Christmas carols.
The magazine was operational for more than 40 years, and bought by the William Randolph Hearst company in 1916.
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Santa Claus with a pack full of toys and two children and an infant; they have chosen books "The works of Tolstoy", "Montaigne's Essays", and "Microscopic Analysis, vol. IV" rather than toys as their presents. The boy has also selected a "Phonograph" and the infant has a microscope. |
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Perspective Comes from Encountering Something Completely New... |
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Vermont Church? It Could Be... |
You can almost hear beautiful Christmas hymns resonating from within this Denmark church. Its healthy experience nature, to feel the snow, to be awed by our Green Mountains and to literally see God’s splendor portrayed. Find out how Christmas Traditions and how Christmas is celebrated in other countries and cultures around the world. |
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The Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn |
Monday, December 21, the winter solstice, and the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, when the two largest worlds in our solar system appear closest together in the sky, the closest since 1623. Look toward the southwest just after sunset is the best time to see them—they set below the horizon shortly after.
Photo is NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day (December 8, 2020)
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Scuttleship Farm is one of the most beautiful farms in Vermont. Since the beginning, Annie & Sean adhere to their core principles, which they think are worth sharing. Here's a not-so-secret secret... they didn't get into farming to get rich or to take it easy. They got into farming to live a life rooted in their values and the splendor of the natural world, to try to make the world a better place, starting with their little corner of it. Next time you visit, we'll all visit Scuttleship Farm!
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Connecting Our Guests to New Experiences… |
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America's First Christmas Tree... A Coolidge Christmas |
Vermont's Calvin Coolidge was the first president to extend a White House Christmas celebration to the American people. During the Coolidge’s first Christmas in 1923, he began the tradition of the National Community Christmas Tree. And, of course, the first Christmas tree came from Vermont as a gift from Middlebury College—a 48-foot Balsam Fir from the heart of the Green Mountains.
At 5:05PM on Christmas Eve, President Coolidge illuminated 3,000 light bulbs on the first National Community Christmas Tree symbolizing the spirit of Christmas and that the celebration of Christmas had begun.
Today, the White House Sends More Than 1 Million Annual Holiday Cards. President Calvin Coolidge sent out the first official White House Christmas greeting to the nation in 1927, penning a card on White House stationary that was reproduced in newspapers around the country.
“Silent Cal” received his nickname from his stoic and serious demeanor. However, in 1926, after receiving so many heartfelt gifts and Christmas cards from the American people, President Coolidge was so emotionally affected that he gave a gift of a gold coin to all the White House officials and staff members.
The abbreviated content above was taken from Mary Evans Seeley’s book, “Season’s Greetings from the White House” (one of our most treasured books, and a Christmas gift from my sister) and the Calvin Coolidge Homestead website.
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The Marble House • Christmas • Newport, Rhode Island
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Modeled after the Petit Trianon, Marie Antoinette’s private palace on the grounds of Versailles.
The Preservation Society of Newport County
Woodstock, Vermont made the list of 10 Best New England Christmas Towns to visit. This may be Vermont’s quintessential Christmas town in one of the state’s most picturesque villages in the state. It’s just magical here in the winter!
Newport, Rhode Island, a perennial "Top Ten Champion", where Gilded Age glamour meets Christmas coastal charm in this fabled Rhode Island port city is one we visited a few years ago. The picture says it all… a must visit during the holiday season and the link below will help with your plans!
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Christmas Tree Hunting... |
This year finding “the perfect Christmas tree” was a little daunting. We searched alone in the “Christmas Tree Forest” at Dutton Farm in Manchester, Vermont for 30 minutes until it became apparent that we needed some professional help—back in the forest ten minutes later, now with a young Christmas tree professional, we continued our search unsuccessfully for more than an hour until dusk retired us for the day. Click on the photo to read our photo-blog that chronicles this year’s Christmas tree journey, and the very cool Historic Vermont Marker we discovered along the way…
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Does It Look Like Enough? We're Ready for the Winter Season! |
Our wood had been drying outside since April—mostly ash, considered to be the best wood to burn. We moved about two cords inside for easier winter access. Kay designed the firewood rack and the rough-sawn lumber we selected is from the Phil's Mill just over the mountain! The photo is deceiving; the large wood stack is eight feet long and over five feet tall. We’ll likely need another ½ cord, but this will keep us warm well into March. Our guests love touring the mill in the summer!
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More Outdoor Winter Activities to Experience... |
Our goal is to visit every covered bridge in Vermont and the Vermont Covered Bridge Society is a wonderful resource with spectacular photographs!
Equally as interesting is The 251 Club of Vermont. If you're seeking an authentic Vermont experience, you are invited to join over 6,000 members of the 251 Club in exploring the state while visiting its 251 towns and cities. Travel at your own pace, in a season or in a lifetime, by car, on foot, or whatever conveyance suits your style. There are no rules, no records to keep, no requirements. The expectation is that you will be inventive and adventurous in following the road less traveled to Vermont's little-known corners, as well as its more popular destinations.
Photo courtesy of The National Parks Experience
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Advice from the Big Kid • Babe Ruth, November 29, 1924
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This is only one of my favorite paintings by Graig Kreindler. It’s not only an extraordinary painting, but it just feels good especially during this holiday season. His award-winning sports work has appeared in juried shows and museums nationwide.
When discussing this painting, Graig says, “It's hard to think of anybody other Norman Rockwell when looking at an image like the one this painting was based on. In that regard, I think one needn't look any further than the subject matter: a ballplayer interacting with kids. It's a motif that's often a winning combination, and something that Rockwell utilized often in his work.”
Graig’s dramatic realism and exquisitely lifelike portraits will fascinate audiences for a lifetime! Additionally, Graig’s historic narratives that accompany each piece are as detailed and impressive as the paintings themselves. We’re both privileged and delighted to share his work with you this holiday season.
Title: "Advice from the Big Kid" | Subject: Babe Ruth, November 29, 1924 | Medium: Oil on linen | Size: 38" x 28"
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Charcuterie & Crudités Last Weekend... |
Our intent was to show off our new charcuterie find, however the colorful vegetables seemed to have taken center-stage. Kay’s Rémoulade Sauce with Kewpie Mayonnaise was even better on steak the next night!
Okay, back to our local charcuterie find… just over the mountain in Pawlet is Walnut Hill Farm where they raise Heritage pigs, flowers and field crops on a pretty hill. Their salami is simply outstanding—from French saucisson to Italian calabrese and Spanish Chorizo with a total of eight different charcuterie offerings. Look at the top of the photo to get a glimpse of these delicious cured meats. And, the owner’s parents stayed with us this summer. Click on the photo for more about Walnut Hill Farm.
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Post-Thanksgiving Hike Before First Snow... |
Hiking Old Logging Trails Behind Pond Mountain Inn
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Some of our guests have asked about the previous owner of the Inn, Lori Helms. Lori returned to Florida where she is pursuing her passion of helping others. She is a licensed mental health counselor and runs a private practice in Central Florida. Lori is also an author of fiction and nonfiction and is thrilled when she can squeeze humor and suspense into her writing.
You can visit Lori's blog at LC Helms Author Blog and don't miss her humorous Good Grandma articles inspired from real life events with her grandsons!
Connect with Lori by signing up for her newsletter (sign up on her blog) that comes out twice a month with notifications about new articles and more. Join me in wishing Lori much success with her new practice!
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