"Don't Feed the Bears"!

“Don’t Feed the Bears”!

Wasn’t that a line from the old Winnie the Pooh movie? It’s been a long time since I watched that cartoon with my kids, but I think it was said by the stuttering, whistling badger … and I have to tell you that he had some good advice! We (and just about every other property here in Jackson) are plagued by black bears on an almost nightly basis. Earlier this summer I blogged about one that walked up to the front door, and I’ve also had them up at my cabin, only a pane of glass away from my face.

Many bears are not afraid of people these days, probably because some folks think it’s cute to feed them and the bears are now accustomed to handouts. (It happens on a societal level, too). When the bears don’t always get their fixes, their sense of entitlement prompts them to take more drastic measures, such as what was described in yesterday’s paper:

“The story of three bears may not have a happy ending. After being fed peanut butter sandwiches, a mama bear and two cubs broke into five homes looking for food earlier this week. The sow and her cubs have become somewhat domesticated after people had been feeding them peanut butter sandwiches. Jason Borgeson, in his fourth year as seasonal bear technician for U.S. Wildlife Service, confirmed Thursday that a trap has been set in the Hurricane Mountain Road area where he hopes to capture the mother and the cubs. Homes on Skyline Drive in Intervale and on nearby Hurricane Mountain Road and Crestwood Drive, located off Hurricane Mountain Road, have been vandalized by the three bears.

“While I was downstairs (at roughly 4 p.m. on Wednesday) on the computer I heard a couple of thumps coming from upstairs,” Marcia Burchstead, of Skyline Drive, said, by phone Thursday. “I was home alone and as I started up the stairs I heard a few more thumps. I opened the door a crack and saw a bear cub. I yelled as loud as I could, ‘Get out of my house!’ Then the mother came around the corner and ran out the screen door onto the deck. The two cubs tried to follow her, but ran into the glass windows. They didn’t get out, but the mother came back and grabbed one by the scruff of its neck and the other followed. I really wasn’t scared, I was more mad than anything.” Burchstead said fortunately damage was minimal at her home. She needed to get a couple of screens replaced and lost two pints of fresh blueberries. “Those buggers ate them all,” she said, laughing. “We’ve lived here for 17 years and never had a bear in the house. There are at least five houses in Bartlett that have been broken into. Jake (Borgeson) said what started all this was because some nitwit was feeding them peanut butter sandwiches.”

Burchstead said a residence on Hurricane Mountain Road suffered greater damage than her property Thursday. “They went to that home and tore the microwave out of the wall and tipped the refrigerator over and ate all the food,” she said. “Two different folks were actively feeding these bears,” N.H. Fish and Game conservation officer Brian Abrams said by phone Thursday. “These particular bears are now associating people with free food. By feeding them they’ve reduced the bears to being almost domesticated.”

Borgeson confirmed that one of the residences that was feeding bears actually became a victim of a bear break-in not once but twice, looking for easy food. “It’s completely unfortunate,” he said. “Our goal is to reduce as much conflict as possible. When bears become reliant on human sources, a fed bear often becomes a dead bear. We don’t typically do a lot of trapping and relocating of problem bears. At this point the problem may be to the point where we have to euthanize the mother and place the two cubs with a (wildlife) rehabilitator. For a bear to break into a home with a person there, that’s a problem bear.” Borgeson said relocating bears can be difficult because they often return to where they came from or show up at a new location and continue to pursue human food. “The bears are smart and are so easily habituated,” he said. Last year, 681 bear complaints were documented
in New Hampshire. More than half of these complaints were related to bears causing property damage. “Most of these incidents were caused by the presence of bird seed or garbage at the residence and could have been easily avoided if these attractants were removed,” said Andy Timmins, bear project leader for N.H. Fish and Game. “Although bears are shy and usually avoid humans, they are also opportunistic and will search for human food supplies when there’s little natural food available. Their keen sense of smell can lead them to trouble — both for themselves and humans. Maintaining a sustainable bear population in New Hampshire depends on minimizing human-bear conflicts.” The statewide black bear population is considered relatively stable and currently is about 4,800 bears. In 2006, the path was cleared for fines to be levied on anyone irresponsibly feeding bears. Fines can be as high as $1,000. “There have been fines issued this year,” Borgeson said. “Landowners need to realize that feeding bears is eventually going to destroy them.” Borgeson said a trap was set Thursday afternoon. “Our attempt is to try to catch her now,” he said. “We hate to see a bear be destroyed. What we had here was a healthy sow with two cubs and plenty of natural food. I’ve seen a good blueberry crop and a great raspberry crop this summer. We’re still in the transition period where the bears are switching over from the soft mass of berries in the summer to the fall mass of acorns and beechnuts.” Homeowners (and hotel guests!) should take action to reduce the chances of a bear (or raccoon) visiting their home (or their car in the parking lot). Borgeson said you can prevent bear visits by taking a few simple precautions:

• Clean up any spilled bird seed and dispose of it in the trash
• Secure all garbage in airtight containers inside a garage or adequate storage area, and put garbage out on   the morning of pick-up, not the night before.
• Avoid putting meat or other food scraps in your compost piles
• Don’t leave pet food dishes outside overnight.
• Clean and store outdoor grills after each use.
   Never intentionally feed bears.

These steps will help to ensure that your backyard does not become attractive to bears. This is importantbecause it prevents property damage by bears and because it keeps bears from becoming “nuisance” animals. “If you see a bear acting unusually comfortable around people, the best thing to do is to try and scare it off,” Borgeson said. “Everyone has pots and pans in their kitchen. Bang them, or a compressed air horn works very well. Sometimes you’ve got to be really stern with bears. Ninety-nine percent of the time it’s a people issue not a bear issue. Destroying bears is not the answer nor is relocating them. We need to educate the public.” U.S. Wildlife Services works in partnership with the N.H. Fish and Game Department to minimize wildlife-human conflicts, including those associated with black bears. In 2009, Wildlife Services fielded 2,062 wildlife-related requests for assistance, almost a full third (32 percent) of which involved bears. Each year, Wildlife Services also hires two bear technicians in New Hampshire during May through August, when the majority of bear complaints are received. These bear technicians, in partnership with N.H. Fish and Game Department field staff, work closely with the general public to educate them about bear behavior and to directly resolve bear/human conflicts. For more information on preventing conflicts with black bears, visit http://www.wildnh.com/Wildlife/ Somethings_Bruin.htm”

So this is just a word to the wise … be respectfully cautious in your interactions with wildlife. Wild animals are beautiful and fascinating to watch … but from a distance.

Raccoons and ‘Possums and Bears, Oh My!

No Room at the Inn!

July is usually just a warm-up month for what is to come our way in August … but it’s still only July and you can’t get “fuller than full”! We have been so delightedly overwhelmed by the great response to our website, my blogs and all of our guest’s wonderful Trip Advisor reviews, that “No Vacancy” has been the norm here at The Lodge pretty consistently. Earlier today we had only 3 rooms left for tomorrow night, and we advised someone on the phone that they should make their reservation quickly, as the rooms would not remain available for long. The prospective guest said she needed to call her husband first, and when she called back 5 minutes later to make her reservation, the room she had been considering had already been booked! Two rooms now remained, so she stayed on the line while she texted the new info to her hubby. Believe it or not, while she was doing it an online reservation came in for one of them, leaving her only one choice … which she booked immediately without waiting for her husband’s reply! To say that business has been booming here would be an understatement, and often parking spaces are at such a premium that those of us who work here usually have to park our cars off site to make room for our guests. After a couple of soft years economically, this is a very good ‘problem’ to have!! These days it takes three of us to work the front desk alone as the phone is ringing off the hook. We sold SIX Polar Express packages today alone … and they are going like hotcakes. If you are thinking of visiting us this summer, or planning to take a magical adventure on the Polar Express, don’t wait too long to book, as reservations for both are booking quickly.

Zip, Zipping the Modern Way

Remember the old black and white Honeymooners reruns?  There was one episode where Ralph Cramden was doing a commerical for a kitchen gadget he invented.  It was like the Swiss Army Knife of canopeners. He described it's use as "Zip, Zipping the Modern Way"! Well, now there's a new way to zip! If you’re accustomed to having your head in the clouds, you’ll be right at home on the 3-hour Canopy Zip Line Tour over at Bretton Woods. My sister and I did it last fall, and I can’t recommend it highly enough; it was totally awesome! My husband and I recently sent our son Noah and his fiancé Dana on the canopy tour, because they tend to work waaaay too hard and were in need of a day out together out in the fresh air. This certainly fit the bill! Whether you’re a nature lover or a hard core thrill-seeker, this series of treetop zip lines, which descend over 1000’ of elevation, is one of the longest zipline canopy tours in all New England. Experienced guides take you gradually over the course, which increases in length, elevation and slope over the 3-hour experience, and is totally safe. The canopy tour features a dual-cable construction in which you slide below two separate cables, instead of just one; coated cables to make for a quiet, more natural flight through the trees; and platforms and bridges milled from locally-harvested wood sources, in keeping with a commitment to environmentally sustainable programs. They are also good at discussing the local flora and fauna and the lore of the Mount Washington area. The tour concludes with a dual, side-by-side racing zip which didn’t exist when I was there last year, but which Noah and Dana said was a lot of fun. This tour is rather pricey at $110, but it is totally worth every penny, and is head and shoulders above almost anything else you might think of to do.

Jumping to Conclusions

When our kids were young, one of our favorite read-aloud books was called The Phantom Tollbooth. It was about a little boy named Milo who awakens from a nap to find a big box wrapped in a bow waiting to be opened. It turns out to be a little car and a tollbooth, and having nothing better to do, Milo hops in the car and drives through. He finds himself in the Kingdom of Wisdom, and accepts a quest to rescue a Princess. He acquires two faithful companions along the way, and has a world of wonderful adventures in places like Digitopolis (a land of numbers), Dictionopolis (a land of letters) and many other places. The book is full of puns, using lots of idiomatic expressions in the literal sense, and if you love words (like my family does), you will find great humor in the double meanings. One of the many things that Milo does in his travels is to “Jump to Conclusions”. This is very funny in the book, but sometimes, when conclusions are jumped to in real life, they have many more dire consequences … such as in an email I received yesterday from someone about the Tiny House:

“So you WON a tiny house and to promote them your charging $250.00 a NIGHT to stay in it???? I can't think of a worse way to keep people from trying it. The whole idea of Tiny Houses is affordable living within one's means. If could afford $250 to spend a night in a 130sq. ft. room, why would I be interested in Tiny Homes? Plus, you won it! Free! Sounds to me like your more interested in profit than the idea behind the homes.”

Hmmm …. Bummer.
Of course the person who wrote it didn’t know the facts, didn’t know us, and jumped to some pretty wild conclusions about us ‘capitalist greedmongers trying to suck the world dry with our overwhelming desire for profit’.

Of course, who amongst us HASN’T jumped to a conclusion or two ourselves? We all do it from time to time, but how much kinder and gentler a world it would be if we were to ask for clarification first … before we made unwarranted accusations. The world can be far too mean, and it would be far better to give someone the benefit of the doubt than to jump to an untrue conclusion. After all, in America we are supposed to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

I could have bristled and barked a response back to him; I might also have ignored him; neither of which would have had a positive outcome. But witnessing so much negativity in the world around us, I have decided not to ‘pay it forward’ but to try to turn it around. I ended up handling it in the following way ( although the whole thing was sort of a downer in what so far has been a month of Tiny House Euphoria). Anyway, here’s what I said to this person:

Dear C----,
I'm really glad you wrote your concerns and are giving me a chance to respond to them. I really appreciate that!


Yes, I did "win" the Tiny House, but I don't own it, the Tumbleweed Tiny House company does. I 'won' the right to have it on my property for the next year, which is really awesome because I have loved these little dwellings from afar for almost 10 years now, and have taken Jay's housebuilding workshop, but had never seen one up close. My 'winning' the contest they held means that I get to show it as a display model to interested folks, and so far, in the month since it's arrival, I have dedicated 2 hours each morning from 10 - noon to do that, and have given 47 other private tours in addition to hosting an Open House last Sunday for 5 hours, in which over 75 people came to see it. It is really neat to meet so many other interested 'little house folk' and kindred spirits ... I have been loving it. However it is also a very large demand on my time, and I have had to hire another staff person to cover the shifts at my inn that I usually cover, when I am dedicating my time to the tiny house. I have been getting dozens of emails a day about it to which I have to personally respond, as well as field numerous phone calls each day. In addition to that, the house came completely unfurnished except for the 2 white chairs that you see in many of Jay's photos. This meant that I had to buy a queen sized futon, sheets and towels, purchase dishes, pots and pans, flatware, material to make the window and door curtains, rugs, 2 tables, material to make shelves under the sink, etc. I also purchased all the wood and paint from which I personally made the shutters, and the hardware and windowboxes for the flowers I also purchased, etc. We> held two professional photo shoots for the house, each over 3 1/2 hours in length; one for the interior, and the next day for the exterior. I had to be on call during that time to provide 'props' for them and to move things around as the photographer directed me. My total costs outside of the large amounts of my time has been close to $2000. When Tumbleweed either sells the house or moves it to its next location, I will recoup $ spent on things like shutters and curtains, and anything the buyer may decide s(he) would like.


Also, we have decided that anyone considering living in or building one should have the opportunity to experience it firsthand. While we are not zoned at our inn to have more than the 32 rooms we already have, we are enabling anyone to have complete use of the tiny house along with one of our 2-person jacuzzi rooms for the $250. Included in that price is a homemade breakfast, use of our grass tennis court and equipment, free use of the river and our gardens, our outdoor pool, homemade afternoon cookies and 24-hour complimentary coffee and tea; free use of the hiking and biking trails at Great Glen Trails. All our guests get special discounts at many restaurants. Also, after our guests check out, I am personally responsible for cleaning the house, from changing the linens if they were used, to making it ready for the next guests.


If you. like the hundreds of others who have looked at it so far this month without staying in it, would like to take a look at it and get a personal tour for free by a crazy house lady who is passionately in love with them, you would be most welcome to see it firsthand by stopping by and I would be happy to show you around. A call ahead of time, though, would be most appreciated. Again, I thank you for your email, and I hope the information here has been of some help to you. Have a great day!

And for a happy ending to the story, I heard back from him:


“Thanks for your reply! Many of the things you discuss in your reply were not mentioned on the website or in the article that I read. It created the impression that you had received the house for nothing. Thanks for the detailed information. Maybe you can put some of this information on the Tiny Houses website as I wasn't the only one who thought the price for a one night stay is a little steep. There is no mention of the other amenities that the rate includes. Unfortunately, I'm an out of work chef (one of many I'm sure) and won't be able to take advantage of your offer to come see the house. Thanks though!”


And so, taking his advice, I decided to blog about this today, giving everyone an opportunity to learn more about our tiny house. Morals of today’s story: 1) It’s important not to jump to conclusions or make pre-judgments without knowing all the facts. We should try to avoid doing this at all costs; it only hurts people and makes us look foolish; and 2) Try wherever possible to match anger with kindness. We can’t change the whole world, only the one immediately around us, and these things will help to make it a better place.

Serendipity

I like to write. No, that’s wrong; I LOVE to write … and I’ve been doing it pretty much non-stop since the 2nd grade. Few things put me in a better mood or make me feel so satisfied. In addition to my more serious writings, I like to blog. Obviously, I do a daily one here on our Lodge website. But I am also The Mountain Farmgirl and blog for MaryJane’s Farm under that name. The latest one just went out over the internet, which can be read at this link: http://mfgblog.maryjanesfarm.org/ I have ‘met’ so many wonderful people through ‘MaryJane’, and one of my fellow ‘Farmgirls’ is actually staying here at the Lodge this week. Deborah and her husband are from Pennsylvania, and they are vacationing their way through the 13 original colonies! How cool is that? Their latest trip was to New Hampshire, and she decided to pay us a visit here after reading my last blog. Life can be wonderfully serendipitous!

Build it and They Will Come

Yesterday afternoon from 1-4 pm we held a Tumbleweed Open House. We opened the doors of the Fencl and invited folks to personally come in and experience a tiny house up close. It was a huge success! Approximately 75 people showed up over the course of the afternoon, the weather cooperated beautifully and I had a blast ‘talking tiny’. It was a wonderful way to pass a sunny Sunday afternoon, proving once again that if you ‘build it, they will come’. There is something totally appealing about downsizing your life from massive waste and overconsumption to something small and simple. Thoreau experimented with the idea over 100 years ago and created a modern day best seller, but he didn’t take it far enough, trying it out for size for one year only. Tumbleweed founder Jay Shafer has lived in a 96 square foot home for a dozen years. It can be done, it can be enjoyable, and considering the amount of major press he’s received and the immense popularity of the subject, it seems to speak to many others around the country as well. When the Fencl is not rented out to guests, we give daily tours from 10-12 noon. Folks everywhere are discovering for themselves that the idea of Tiny Living is hugely liberating!

Hikers are Friendly Folks

A good night’s sleep can make all the difference. This morning I’m full of energy and rarin’ to go as I get ready for today’s Fencl Open House. However last night I was plum worn out, not only from the seasonal sleep deprivation we’re accustomed to as innkeepers this time of year, but from yesterday’s hike on the Tuckerman Ravine trail, which is no small feat for my small feet!
I generally like to hike alone, as I can go at my own pace without feeling that I am holding anyone up or walking too fast. I can stop and look at wildflowers or interesting rocks I find; and because I never get much private time, walking by myself is a great way to get some thinking done. Anyway, I like it, and that’s how I hiked in the Seek-the-Peak hike-a-thon yesterday: solo.

I was on the trail by 7 am, along with lots of other morning people who love the outdoors as much as I do … (and there were lots). Reports indicate that over 500 hikers sought the summit to raise money and awareness for the Mount Washington Observatory. Every single person had a smile and a ‘Good Morning’ on their lips, and I felt perfectly confident that even though I was hiking alone, if any incident befell me there would be 500 concerned and helpful ‘friends’ out there watching my back.

When hiking the Tuckerman trail up Mount Washington, you expect “steep”. No surprises there … it’s a rocky, uphill climb. But I am a person who never sweats … EVER. … but either I started yesterday or the humidity was condensing on my forehead because I felt pretty soggy. When I reached a sharp, left-hand bend in the trail on the approach to the Hermit Lake hut, I was surprised by a delicious breeze and perfectly clear, bright blue skies. Another unexpected, sensual delight on the hike were the smells, which were bountiful and so intense. Everything from the luscious smells of balsam fir and hemlock needles, to the earthy smells of moist leaves, a flower-scented sweetness coming from somewhere which reminded me of cornsilk, the ruddy scent-marking smells of raccoon and fox … and even the human smells of shampoos, bug spray, patchouli oil, sweat. It was amazing to me how intense these scents were and how they lingered after the people or animals were long gone.

I made it to Hermit Lake by 9 am, pretty good time for me. What a breathtaking view it is at the base of the ravine; worth all the effort it takes to get there! I camped out there and refueled, replenishing fluids and having an orange and some trail mix. The next leg of the trek was up the bowl, a steep climb to the headwall. I could see the waterfall up above that claimed the life of a hiker from New Jersey this week, as he ventured off the trail, and slipped on a rock. His 200’ freefall killed him instantly. As I was hiking up, a dense thick fog started rolling down the hill at record speed, creating the zero-visibility conditions that were expected at the top. I hiked a ways up there, and then reconsidered walking in a white out by myself. I had given myself permission before I even started to go only as far as I felt comfortable. And so with that decision, I turned around and had a leisurely hike back to the base of the trail, becoming a ‘Seeker’ instead of a ‘Peaker’ but thoroughly enjoying myself nonetheless … and raising money for the Seek-the-Peak fundraiser. All in all, a great day!

A Long Day

Tired. Exhilarated. Tired. A feeling of accomplishment. Did I mention TIRED?! Today was the day that I did the Seek the Peak hike up Mount Washington … a fundraiser for the Mount Washington Observatory. I was up early, started hiking at 7 am, and took the Tuckerman Trail. I am so very tired that  I will have to wait till tomorrow to discuss my adventures.

Time to Slow Down and B-R-E-A-T-H-E

Today is just a blip in time. The hands of the clock are spinning so fast today that they appear to be a blur. The reason for this is that I have a list of things to do about 10 times longer than there are hours in the day. Of course I’ll never get them all done but I’m doing the best I can. My blog was due this morning for Mary Jane’s Farm. Got that done and checked off … feel great about that. Lots of deliveries checked in and put away; errands run, baking done, breakfast prepped for tomorrows early departure as I make the big climb up Mount Washington. My list is still looming large, so I must get back to it, but as my grandmother used to say, “Don’t worry … the sun will still rise tomorrow”. (Hope she’s right … I’d hate to hike 5 hours in the rain!)

Zia and the Maine College of Art

Zia's month at the Maine College of Art in Portland is almost up; she comes home tomorrow. Who could believe that four weeks could go by so quickly? It's not that we didn't miss her; we did. But because we each spent a day with her during that time, we actually saw her more this month than we usually do. Zia's circadian rhythms are so reversed from the norm, that between her working full time at the Thompson House, sleeping all day & staying up all night, we saw her more this month while she was away than we usually do when she lives at home. Go figure ... I guess she should go away more often!


It was a fabulous month for our daughter. She made lots of friends, got a taste for living away from home, and learned a LOT. We’ve always known she had talent, but at MECA, her artistic abilities got validated by unbiased and credentialed staff members, which carried a lot more weight than the ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ of her just friends and family! During one of her painting classes, the instructor had the students create the ‘essence’ of various objects in just 30 seconds, using only 5 brush strokes. At the end of the class, the professor had all the students lay their work out on the floor and she picked what she considered to be the 4 best. (Three of them were Zia’s!).

A reporter for the Portland paper contacted the school recently and wanted to do a story about their Pre-College program. They asked the administration to recommend a student that they could interview, and guess what? They picked Zia! The story hasn’t gone to press yet, but yesterday on the reporter’s personal blog, was this paragraph:
“So I went on some more story hunts and ended up at the Maine College of Art, or MECA. They have a pre-college summer program, so I photographed two students, Zia and Olivia. The two girls were fabulous, but my photographs were rather weak. We’ll see where the project goes.”

Last night our daughter called home. Sad that the program was ending, she had spent most of the afternoon at the Admissions office, trying to discover what the process might be to apply as a full-time college student. They had been so impressed with both our daughter and her work, that they basically gave her the thumbs up for being admitted in January if she wants to go. Now to all those mountains of financial aid papers … Ugh.

On Saturday (while I’m climbing Mount Washington for Seek the Peak) my husband and our son Josh will go to her art show and then on to her graduation, culminating with unpacking her apartment and bringing her home. We couldn’t have hoped for a better experience!



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In the Newspapers ... yet AGAIN!

Press Release – For Immediate Release
by Michele Veasey


Classic Elegance and Green Operations Blend Seamlessly in New Hampshire

Concord, New Hampshire – Staying green and in style go hand in hand when traveling in New Hampshire. The latest Environmental Champions in the New Hampshire Sustainable Lodging & Restaurant Program (NHSLRP) prove that comfort and elegance are not compromised, but enhanced by greener operations. The Lodge at Jackson Village, The Mountain View Grand Resort in Whitefield, The White Mountain Hotel & Resort in North Conway and the were certified as leaders in environmentally-sensitive hospitality in June.

The Lodge at Jackson Village has been an Environmental Partner in the NHSLRP, achieving Champion status through the implementation of many energy and water conservation and waste reduction efforts. The family-owned business reflects their commitment not only to a warm and relaxing experience for their guests, but also a connection to the community and long-standing environmental ethics. Employees at the Lodge must sign an Environmental Commitment Pledge agreeing to abide by the property’s green guidelines. In addition to their environmentally friendly operations, they installed solar panels to run attic fans, purchased a hybrid, 50 mpg company car and participate in community clean-up days. The owner’s latest project is involving the community in the construction of two “tiny” houses which focus on minimizing materials use while providing a cozy, practical home.

The Mountain View Grand Resort, a new member in the NHSLRP, came in as an Environmental Champion. Last year the resort erected a wind turbine behind the hotel to provide clean, renewable energy to the hotel. Electricity needs not met by the turbine are provided through the purchase of Green-e certified wind energy. These efforts have resulted in the resort being the first hotel in New Hampshire to become an EPA Green Power Partner. In addition to numerous efforts in energy efficiency, water conservation, waste and hazardous chemical reductions, the resort grows or purchases local produce for their menu when possible. The resort also shares their love of the environment and history of the area with their guests. With an eye to the property’s past, the resort restored farming operations with the addition of heritage-breed sheep, pigs and chickens, encouraging guests to explore and learn. “Mountain View Grand Resort is committed to being a hospitality industry leader in environmental sustainability,” according to the hotel’s managing director, Christopher Diego. “It is at the heart of our business, connecting our employees, our operations, our guests, our community, and the environment. It is very important to us to be recognized as Environmental Champions. We believe that by embedding these principles of sustainability into our business we can make a positive impact on the future of Mountain View Grand and the larger world.”

The White Mountain Hotel & Resort has been an Environmental Partner in the NHSLRP for several years and has worked continuously during that time to employ new technologies and ideas to reduce their environmental impact. Their work has resulted in achieving Environmental Champion status in the program. The hotel is in the process of replacing hallway lighting with the latest LED technology. Room key cards are made of recycled materials and cleaning supplies are Green Seal certified, providing both the employees and guests with healthier indoor air. In addition to many more environmentally-friendly operational initiatives, the hotel invites guests to help them support the Upper Saco Valley Land Trust, helping to assure that current and future generations will be able to continue to enjoy the beauty and natural splendor of the White Mountains. Carol and Gary Sullivan, Owners of the WMH said "As residents and business owners in NH, we are reminded every day of the natural beauty that surrounds us. Implementing systems and procedures to reduce waste, water consumption, and energy has been an important goal of ours for many years. We all share in the responsibility to conserve our natural resources and reduce our overall carbon footprint."

While these all three properties employ many of the same green initiatives like energy efficient lighting, appliances and equipment, towel and linen reuse programs, recycling and environmentally sensitive cleaning products, the NHSLRP allows all participants to employ the initiatives that work best for their situation. The program requires that each property demonstrate leadership in New Hampshire’s hospitality industry in execution of environmentally-sensitive operations. The program’s website, www.nhslrp.org, provides more information about each property’s efforts and the program’s goals.

Enjoying New Hampshire’s beauty with a smaller environmental impact is easy for residents and visitors alike with over eighty certified members throughout the state providing a range of options in lodging and dining green.

For more information contact:
Michelle Veasey, Manager, New Hampshire Sustainable Lodging & Restaurant Program
mveasey@nhlra.com
603-426-6889

My Friend Alissa, Future Olympian Skater!

Alissa is back on vacation at the Lodge. She and her family (mom, dad and grandma) have been coming up from New Jersey every year since she was two years old. She always brightens our busy days in the summer with her visits, which often are close to two weeks in length! This year Alissa is 8 years old and going into the 3rd grade. Last night she shared a DVD with us of an ice skating routine that won her a Silver Medal in one of the competitions she was in recently. Knowing Alissa since age 2, I have seen her grow into a beautiful young lady, becoming more articulate, poised and grownup with each visit. And seeing her skate so gracefully, confidently and with such complex moves and techniques, fully convinced me that we will all be watching her in future winter Olympics should she desire to pursue it to that level. (She definitely has the talent, but mom and dad only want her to continue as long as it is fun for her). During the year Alissa and I often correspond, (especially on her birthday) and all of us here at The Lodge love to get the photos and letters that she sends us. We love all our visitors and our many return guests, but we especially love forming friendships and special relationships with them like we have with Alissa.

We Made the Papers (Again!)

Tumbleweed Houses Make their Valley Debut: Tiny Houses Seek to have a small Environmental Footprint

BY DIANA EVANS                                                                        
THE CONWAY DAILY SUN

JACKSON — The Little House on the Prairie is getting a new look — as the Tiny House of the Valley.
Being hosted at The Lodge at Jackson Village, the Tumbleweed Tiny House looks like it just rolled in on the wind — literally. The Tiny House looks like the legendary Laura Ingalls Wilder plans on stepping out and waving hello at any minute. With large windows, wood finish, and the smell of a newly built cabin, the Tiny House immediately gives one the feeling of stepping into a well-built and homemade home. There’s just once difference from prairie to valley — and that’s size. Set atop a seven-by-18-foot trailer, the house is only eight feet by 19 feet wide.

The Tumbleweed Tiny House Company is the brainchild of Jay Shafer, who has been living in the original Tumbleweed Tiny House since 1997. According to the Tumbleweed Tiny House Co. website, Shafer’s philosophy behind his Tiny House designs has to do with wanting to leave a small ecological and economical footprint.

“My decision to inhabit just 89 square feet arose from some concerns I had about the impact a larger house would have on the environment, and because I do not want to maintain a lot of unused or unusable space. My houses have met all of my domestic needs without demanding much in return. The simple, slower lifestyle my homes have afforded is a luxury for which I am continually grateful,” shared Shafer on his company’s website.

It is this kind of philosophy that caught the interest of Cathi Belcher, owner of The Lodge at Jackson Village.
“I discovered [Tumbleweed Tiny House Co.) 10 years ago. I love little things and we’ve done a lot of building in our lives, so this really appealed to me,” Belcher said.

As to the Tiny House situated now at The Lodge, Belcher shared that she had won a contest through the Tumbleweed Tiny House Co. for the house to be exhibited at The Lodge for the next year and intends to have it used as a perk attachment to one of the rooms at The Lodge, so that when renting the room, visitors are also given access to the Tiny House.

This particular design of a Tiny House is called a Fencl and is one of the many that Shafer’s company produces. As one of the original designs, the Fencl is built on a trailer, so that it can be easily moved and leaves no remnants of its presence behind, shrinking it’s ecological footprint.

Belcher also shared that she and her husband Dana attended one of Shafer’s workshops back in March and met with Shafer personally. After meeting with him and getting to know their fellow Tiny House lovers at the
workshop, an idea was put into the works to have a week-long building workshop at The Lodge in the fall when the Belcher’s busy season has calmed down a bit.

“We are planning a little house festival … we’ve been in contact with people from workshop and [they will] bring their trailer and materials here to build at The Lodge. Contractors [will also be] brought in for non-builders to help go through the project, so[each participant’s house] can be built during the festival,” Belcher said.

The goal will to have the shell of the house up and on the trailers, leaving the inside and finishing to be completed by the participants when their Tiny House gets to its destination. Being conscious of leaving behind a small ecological footprint isn’t a new thought being practiced at The Lodge, however, as the Belchers were recently promoted, after an environmental audit, to Environmental Champion status with the N.H. Sustainable Lodging & Restaurant Program.

The Fencl Tiny House at The Lodge is also for sale, and interested parties are encouraged to come explore if they are thinking this is the kind of lifestyle they would like to adopt.

“I’m happy we can offer this experience,” Belcher said.

Photos (above)
Cathi Belcher, of The Lodge at Jackson Village, is pictured above with the Tumbleweed Tiny House the Lodge is hosting.
The Tumbleweed House fits three rooms, including a kitchen, bedroom loft, and living area, into its
eight-foot by 19-foot frame. The house, a creation of the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, is on display in Jackson. (JAMIE GEMMITI PHOTOS)

Live Today Like it was Your Last

If you knew there was no tomorrow, would you spend today playing video games?  Would you be selfish toward a loved one or say an unkind word to someone?  We never know how much time we have to make a difference or a positive contribution in this world, and now even my children have lived long enough to know that death can strike at any age. (Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time for them to realize this).

Two days ago the cover story in our local newspaper revealed the tragic fact that someone we knew well had been killed instantly in a tragic accident. His name was Sudahkar  McDevitt –McCann, but everyone called him Sudha.  We met the McDevitt-McCann family a year or so after moving to New Hampshire, although being one of the only other locally homeschooled families in the immediate area, we had heard of them long before this.  Sudha and his sister Manju, both born in India and adopted by parents Jim and Dot when infants. They had been given a loving home and brilliant education which included a classical music foundation that had them all playing violin, viola and cello on a professional level.  In fact, Dot, Sudha and Manju had formed a string trio called Polaris, which performed locally.  We hired them several years ago to play for a Christmas party we gave for the Jackson townspeople,  and their music transported us all back to the days of Washington Irving’s Christmas, with bedecked halls, a crackling fire and good company. It will always be a crystalized moment in time for me of heaven on earth, made even more special by the McDevitt-McCann family’s beautiful music.

Our daughter Zia knew Sudha and Manju from the teen library book group in Jackson, a tiny, close knit group of students who met monthly to discuss books and life. Zia was close to Sidha, and considered him one of her close friends here. They spent quite a bit of time hanging out and talking outside of ‘library’ time. She is devastated.

We just never know what today will bring. Twenty minutes before Sudha’s tragic accident, four friends were together after work, enjoying summer vacation while driving in a car and having fun in each other’s company. Moments later, one was dead, one was clinging to life and another was in custody, charged with serious crimes resulting from negligence while driving. Lives can change in a single instant. We need to make each one count.

Girls Day Out!

Today is the kind of day everyone hopes for on the weekend or for their summer vacation.  It is perfectly clear, not too hot, the humidity has broken; in short, a perfect day!  It is also the day that I am being “let out” so to speak; I get the day off (unheard of in our line of work during a busy summer season which for me is usually 20/7). Anyway, I am going to Portland, Maine with my future daughter-in-law Dana to visit my daughter Zia who is attending the Maine College of Art this summer. It is a ‘Girls Day Out’!

In talking with her last night on the phone, this art program was a good choice for Zia and she is learning a lot.  By now she’s had time to explore the lovely little city of Portland, and is going to show us the town on foot today.  Our itinerary includes a couple of very special restaurants, some bridal shops (for Dana), the museum shop (for me), a great place Zia found that sells tea and gives pedicures, and some lesser known wonders which we will discover together. The last stop will be the Whole Foods grocery which has now become a tradition on our Portland journeys. What a lovely day.  All women deserve a ‘girls day out’ and this one has fueled me up until the end of a very busy summer.

Where There's a Will There's a Way

Okay … clarification time: Seeing a bear yesterday morning on my front porch was a pretty neat way to start the day … but I’m here to say that the second day of Bear Sightings wasn’t quite as endearing as the first. I was awakened today by the sound of a loud crash (which turned out to be my hummingbird feeder being pulled from its now-broken chain) about 4:45 this morning. I sat bolt upright in bed, and suddenly I knew that there was an instant replay going on with that bear. I ran downstairs to the window and sure enough: he had opened a can with a tight fitting lid filled (as it turns out) with birdseed. I hadn’t been able to open it for years, but apparently he had no trouble with it. The real tragedy was my hummingbird feeder, however, which is not only broken, but which I will probably not be able to replace this season without it happening again. As anyone who knows me realizes, I LOVE hummingbirds and the thought of depriving my little friends of nectar (and myself the enjoyment of watching them) is almost too much to ‘bear’! I think that I may replace it anyway, and just try to remember to bring it in every night. Where there’s a will, there’s a way!

Doing Our Part for the Environment Pays Off in Unexpected Ways!

Yesterday I mentioned that I am currently without a car. I’ll probably get one in the fall, but it didn’t make much economic sense right now as we work to pay off bills and save for some medical procedures my husband will need later this year. Besides, I put in extremely long hours here at the Lodge in the summer, and there would be little opportunity to drive a car further than my log cabin, which (being only 1.3 miles away), I can easily get to on my own steam.

Last night I pulled another late one, and by the time I was ready to go home, I got in our daughter’s car to drive up the hill and discovered that I couldn’t find the key. But no problem! I have a perfectly good set of legs and being inside all day, they needed the fresh air and the exercise

As far as “commutes” go, I have one of the best on the face of the earth and so it would be ridiculous if not inconceivable to think of this as a hardship! It’s just a brisk walk along the edge of the golf course, a sharp left at the old white church and the historic library, and then uphill past Jackson Falls, certainly one of the most beautiful sites in this part of New Hampshire. The Milky Way was as bright as I’ve ever seen it last night and even though there wasn’t a moon the stars led the way home.

This morning I was up before the sun, and decided to ride my electric bike down the hill. The ride down isn’t the reason I got the electric bike; it’s the return trip (especially after a 16-hour day) that gets me every time. Even being in pretty good shape doesn’t seem to get me any points going up that steep hill past Jackson Falls.

I bought a Rayos electric bike last year, the same kind that they rent to visitors at our National Parks. This bike has a LOT of pep … almost like riding a little motor scooter when I kick in the power supply, but totally quiet. I was very happy for this because this morning around 5 am I had the treat of an incredible nature sighting, something that might have been frightened away had I been driving a noisy car. This morning I was getting on my bike and adjusting my backpack, when a black bear came walking towards me down the deck of my house! It was incredible. I pulled out my trusty cell phone and tried to take his picture but he got scared and rolled down between the railing onto the ground. That’s when I got the two photos of him. Not a big bear like the visitor we had at the front of The Lodge a few weeks ago, but I wouldn’t have wanted to tangle with him in a dark alley! Anyway, it was another great way to start a beautiful day. I am so lucky!!

Lessening our Dependency on Foreign Oil

Since turning in my Mazda back in April when the lease was finally up, I decided not to get another car right away. I loved my Mazda, but with kids flying the nest left and right, I no longer needed such a big car (the days of transporting our four kids and their friends are sadly behind us). My CX-9 had more bells and whistles on it than all my previous cars put together, and I had gotten very attached to it; not to mention spoiled! I probably would have kept it had the miles-per-gallon been better. The technology for fuel efficiency has been around for decades, and goodness knows that the need to wean ourselves from foreign fuel dependency more than exists. It gets me mad that oil-interest lobbyists have had such an impact on keeping the auto industry in practically the dark ages. I laughed when I read about a bill that’s currently being discussed in Congress that would require all cars to get 25 mpg by the year 2025!! What a joke … My husband’s Prius gets more than 50 mpg right now.

My next car will most likely either be a Mini-Cooper or a Smart Car. I’ve loved the Minis for years now, but for such a small car their fuel efficiency could be better. The Smart car gets fantastic mileage but I would hate to get in an accident in a car that’s the size of a roller skate. Nevertheless I’ll be looking for one in the fall when we get some of our family’s medical bills paid off and have enough saved for Dana’s double hernia operation. In the meantime, I am borrowing our daughter’s car this summer while she is in art school, and also walking a lot around town … a great exercise! Also ride my bike a lot, and I will talk more on that tomorrow!

A Great Way to Celebrate a Birthday

This morning at breakfast I happened to see some long time return guests … one of the many great things about being an innkeeper! (It’s as if old friends are always coming to visit, and it’s a perpetual surprise to see familiar faces. What fun!). Only half of this family was here this time, however: Bruce B. and his daughter Hailey. (‘Mom’ Julie who recently got her Masters degree, had just started a new job working with the blind, so she couldn’t come; and daughter Mikaila was home with a sitter). The occasion for Bruce and Hailey’s visit this time was to celebrate Hailey’s 8th birthday. They have a tradition in their family to downplay the ‘gift giving’ and put more focus on ‘experiences’. Each year the girls get to pick what they want to do for their birthday, and their parents take turns having one on one time with them. For Mikaila’s last birthday she wanted to go to the theater to see the musical ‘Grease’. Hailey was interested in more of an outdoor adventure. Before they reached the Lodge, she and her dad had hiked to the Mitzpah hut from the Highland AMC center (a pretty awesome hike!) , where they spent the night at the hut. The second night of their birthday adventure they got to spend with us here at The Lodge, where they slept in real beds, showered in comfort and swam in the pool. If you’re unfamiliar with it, the White Mountain hut system is a wonderful resource you should know about if you like to hike. We very often have guests stay with us at the Lodge who reserve a night on each end of their hut experience, and its so fun to hear their stories. Hailey was telling us about the Mitzpah hut, which sleeps about 60. Accommodations are definitely not deluxe, but there is a full staff, meals and activities, and a wonderful energy. Hailey met another 8-year old girl from Canada named Olivia, and they became friends and will soon be e-penpals. (Coincidentally, they were both missing their front teeth, a typical condition of 8-year olds!). I love the whole idea of sharing ‘experiences’ rather than ‘stuff’ (it is something that Dana and I did with our children as well). It has certainly been a good thing for our guests; they are a delightfully close family. Hailey tells me that next birthday she wants to come in the winter to either go downhill skiing (she and her sister are already good X-C skiers) or learn to snowboard. It was so great to see you, Hailey … Happy Birthday!

Orientation Day

Today is Orientation Day for our three new students from China! Each year we host several international students to help us in the summer with our housekeeping and the myriad other things that need doing at a busy inn at the height of the season. They arrived this morning, and are three delightful young women, bubbly, friendly and rarin’ to go!! They arrived bearing gifts from their home ‘town’ of Shanghai; they all know each other from back home and are good friends. So many beautiful treasures they brought us: sets of wooden chopsticks in silk pouches, traditional ornaments to be hung in our home symbolizing health and prosperity, and intricately cut handmade paper bookmarks that their classmates made for them to bring to their ‘new friends’ in America (us!). How sweet!! Jackson, at population 700-something is a far cry from Shanghai, with a population of twice that of New York City, but they are going to get along just fine, despite the initial culture shock. Their Chinese names are Zhu Di, Xiaoyan Qui and Chen Mi but they want to be called Judy, JoJo and Fiona! We can handle that!! And we are DELIGHTED to welcome our enthusiastic new friends to our family at The lodge.

Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon Rolls, warm and steamy from the over …. Is there anything more comforting on a Sunday morning? Well, ‘Farmer’s Bounty’ maybe, but that’s just because our family watched Kate and Leopold last night, starring Meg Ryan and Hugh Jackman. A close second though are my Cinnamon Rolls, which get raves from all the guests who try them, and each time I make them I get asked for the recipe. This morning I got four such requests, so I’m going to share my secret with you (just don’t be disappointed when you discover how easy they are to make!).

It helps enormously if you have a bread machine. I basically use a recipe for a basic white bread dough using unbleached flour, but you can substitute whole wheat or a combination of dark and light flours for a heartier and more nutritional product. (The more whole wheat you use, however, the heavier the result).

Here’s the basic white dough recipe I use:

1 ½ c. water
2 T sugar
1 T salt
1 T dry yeast
2 T oil
2 T powdered milk
4 c. flour

Put everything in the mixing bowl of your bread machine, adding the flour last, and be sure to set it for “Dough”. (You do not want it to bake in the machine!) When it is ready, it should be very light and fluffy as a baby’s bottom (as we say in our family!). Roll this dough out on a floured surface then spread it with a creamed mixture of butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up the long way, and cut into rounds. I put them on baking trays lined with parchment; it makes clean up a snap. Bake at 350 for about 12 minutes til brown. I drizzle them with a glaze of confectioners sugar, water and almond extract. Voila! You’ve created a delicious sensation, and it is so easy!

The Walking Definition of 'HUGE'

Some days you get up on the wrong side of the bed; other days you just naturally put your best foot forward. And then … there are some days like today that start out incredibly awesome before you even have both eyes open! This morning I was awakened by a decidedly un-subtle nudge from my husband. “Shhh … look out the window,” he whispered in an authoritative tone. Not one to question such a request under the circumstances, I opened my eyes and looked out of the second floor windows of our log cabin, which are at the head of the bed. I saw nothing out of the ordinary, except the beauty of the woods on a rainy day, something I will never take for granted as long as I live because it is so astoundingly beautiful here. I did, however, hear footsteps, the same ones Dana had presumably been listening to for the last few minutes as they approached the cabin. A few seconds later a huge moose rounded the corner, walking within 2 or 3 feet of the house. It was without a doubt the biggest moose I have ever seen, and certainly the closest! He also had the largest rack I’ve seen in person, easily 5-6 feet from tip to tip. This time of year their antlers are all fuzzy like velvet, and the texture of it was, I think, what actually struck me even more than his size. (Did I mention that he was HUGE?!) I grabbed my cell phone from the dresser to take a picture, but his being already on the other side of the cabin, I ran into the other room for a view. I only just caught a glimpse of him through the trees, as he hoofed on down the road; not photo-worthy I’m afraid. It’s not that he was moving quickly; it was more like a slow-motion strut, but his stride was so long that he covered a lot of territory rapidly and I missed my photo-op. It will, however, go down in my personal history as one of the 10 best nature sightings of all time. Not a bad way to start the day, do you think?

Day Out With Thomas Celebration Tour

Once upon a time when our children were small, we discovered Thomas the Tank Engine. We were all instantly in love, especially our son Noah, who knew each and every engine by name as he watched the programs on DVD, and would shout out their names at the end of each show. It was so precious. That was back in the 1990s and we owned every train available at the time. Recently we discovered Noah’s old Thomas backpack filled with the collection of the sweet little trains … they’re still waiting for him to return to play with them, not knowing that he’s currently playing with numbers instead in his Calc 3 classes at Johns Hopkins. So we’ve stashed them away again, this time to wait for Noah and Dana’s future children to love. In the meantime we get to see lots of other little Thomas-lovers come through our door here at The Lodge, often accompanied by their own little collection of trains, most of whom I have never met. This weekend in particular we have many families who will be riding the Thomas the Tank Engine train down at the Conway Scenic Railroad where all Thomas fans are invited to come spend the day and celebrate his 65th birthday. For 65 years, children have been captivated by the courageous adventures of Thomas and his engine friends. This event will take place Friday, Saturday, and Sunday during the middle two weeks of July this summer. So all aboard for Thomas’ 65th Birthday!

Please note: We have had reports of resale websites selling Day Out With Thomas tickets at exorbitant prices. One gentleman who contacted us had just paid $74.00 per ticket plus a $54.76 service charge and a $14.95 delivery charge for an order total of $365.71...for only four tickets! Conway Scenic Railroad and TicketWeb are the exclusive sellers of tickets for this event and offer the lowest prices. Do not pay more than $18.00 per ticket (plus the service charges that apply through TicketWeb). Buyer beware!

Press Release from Yesterday's Paper

Cathi Belcher lands syndicated writing post

JACKSON — Cathi Belcher, co-owner of The Lodge at Jackson Village, has been hired as a nationally syndicated freelance staff writer and blogger for Mary Jane Butters, creator of MaryJane’s Farm. Butters, known as the ‘Martha Stewart of the Outdoors’ is the author of “Mary Jane’s Outpost: Unleashing Your Inner Wild;” “MaryJane’s Ideabook, Cookbook and Lifebook;” “The Stitching Room;” and “Farmgirl Wisdom.” She also publishes a bi-monthly magazine called Mary Jane’s Farm. This farm, located in Moscow, Idaho, has received national attention for its Pay Dirt
Farm School, her rustic bed and breakfast, and her “country” club, a “back-to-the-land” living- and education- center. Belcher, who is known locally as the “Lodge Lady,” is a freelance writer, and former Jackson Town Columnist for The Conway Daily Sun. She also specializes in running weekend workshops for “artsy and outdoorsy” women.

As of May 2010, she will also be writing for Mary Jane’s newsletter and magazine, as well as having her own column and blog called “The Mountain Farmgirl,” about life in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. “I love the mountains and have found that they provide both challenges as well as opportunities; they’re a great metaphor for life in general. I like to approach
life’s adventures with a compass in one hand and a conqueror’s
outlook in the other … but I’m very human. When I stumble and fall, I find that’s where a lot of the “real life” stuff happens … in the ‘getting up again’
between one’s peaks and valleys. I like to write about things like that.”
The Mountain Farmgirl can be found at www.maryjanesfarm.org or through the website www.ilovethelodge.com.