Quilt Break!

Sometimes, the flow of the world coincides with my life journey. Thunder and lightening ruled the morning, with rain pouring out of the sky. With my mother in town, it was the perfect day to head off onto a newer adventure: Quilting.


Last year, my mom taught me, not only how to quilt, but how to sew. Finally!! Well, today was my first ever official trip to a quilt shop; a personal My mom and I drove out to Chester and into an experience I was completely unprepared for. This photo shows only one of the almost ten rooms in the shop! There was an entire room each for black, brown and white/beiges?! Seriously, how the hell are you supposed to find the right fabric? It was such an overwhelming experience...


I was ending up with a blue quilt. I HATE blue. I mean, I like the sky and love the water, but blue just.....my mom quickly suggested that we go to lunch. You know, the more I look at all these fabrics, I think that I might really like this quilt...I guess a motorcycle ride will be in store soon :) I did have to laugh at this shop though - there were little goody baskets of fat quarters rolls everywhere! probably why Ibended up leaving with two projects...and now a third stewing in my brain. Time for Yoga.


See you in the Woods,
FemaleSkiBum :)

Location:Chester, Vermont

Introducing...The Yeti

A little more than a month ago, a girlfriend and teammate of mine messaged me with some wonderful news. For years, we have been searching for a Mad River Independence, a one-man Adirondack style boat that was discontinued when the Stowe Area based company moved to the South under new ownership more than 10 years ago. This had been our unresolved mission since we first laid on eyes on what we have decided was a magic boat.


Well, my teammate had been procrastinating for exams by browseing the web... found an Independence!! And the best part? Having found out the canoe was white, she had already named the newest canoe in the fleet. So two weeks ago, with both Vermont and Saranac, NY full only of frozen water, I drove over to the Adirondacks to check out one of the most beautiful boats I have ever seen :) Although the gunwales are in need of some oily lovin', this hull is as smooth as a baby's bottom...


I have stared at the canoe for the past weeks with only dreams. The Yeti and I have been forced to wait for the parking lots to empy of snow, never mind the ice out.



It was not until today that the Yeti and I were able to meet on the water...

... she is wonderful. **sigh**



See you in the Woods,
FemaleSkiBum :)

Location:Kent Pond, Killington, VT

26 April 2011

Funny thing about skiing Vermont in the Spring...

Sometimes you can leave your skis on...


...And sometimes you can't :)


...or how about that sinking feeling you get when you realize the great line you've skied all winter is now a raging waterfall...


...but then you smile when you see mountain bike trails starting to emerge amidst the melting slush...


...but you better be paying attention, because the trail could very well just end!!


See you in the Woods,
FemaleSkiBum :)

Location:Killington, Vermont

25 April 2011 -

Rain has somehow become a four letter word in the town of Killington. Many refuse to write the word out, using pound signs and exclamation points to represent what they believe is a huge deterent to skiing. They are so many excuses for avoiding inclement weather,


and unfortunately, this prohibits so many people from enjoying the beautiful experiences only available to those brave enough to willingly don their raingear and ski in the rain :) Today was one such of those days.









See you in the Woods,
FemaleSkiBum :)

Location:Killington, Vermont

23 April 2011

So often, Springtime in Vermont is full of surprises. Some Vermonters have taken to calling this season "Swinter," but I believe that fails to embrace the concept that Spring is a season of change. Spring is a battle of sorts,


between the flowers trying to bloom and grow and the snow holding on for dear life. But it is the gradual death of one that brings about the beauty of the other. To see spring a merely a time where Daffodils and Tulips reign supreme is to deny the beauty of a crocus breaking through the icy crust while a pansy is covered in a dusting of April snow.


The past two days have been beautiful in their demonstration of all that Spring may bring. Yesterday, we saw a young skier in just his shorts beating himself up in the warm, slushy bumps of Superstar. Today, I took out my down coat and Dermatone to keep warm in the April snowstorm. It is these dramatic changes in weather that make Spring such an exciting season, leaving you wondering what it will look like when the winter drapes are pulled back every morning.


For the skier, Spring brings a mix of fear and excitement. The afternoons of soft, melting bumps are countered by the mornings of rock solid mounds of unskiable torment. But then are days like today, miraculous days, where somehow the base never quite firmed up last night. The snow is pliable, soft enough to endure but not quite gleeful...unless, that is, it is covered with a few inches of new spring snow. It's not a powder, but it is just enough to float.


It might be the last chance the skier has to encourage the dream. One more oppportunity to feel the magic where one turn can hint at the feeling of floating on air. Today was that day. I couldn't wipe the grin off of my face. The float was there. We are reminded of the precious magic of Vermont snow and how much we love living in our winter wonderland. But we must cherish this day. For tomorrow, this white blanket will be gone.

See you in the Woods,
FemaleSkiBum :)

Location:Killington Resort, Killington, Vermont

Earth Day 2011

The magical Sprites were out of their homes to celebrate Earth Day :)



so long as it it covered in snow, us East Coasters will ski anything!!





but what a wonderful way to spend an absolutely gorgeous Earth Day! Blue skies and 50 degrees here in Killington. Perfect ski weather! Just warm enough to soften up everything - including the woods - but not make everyone sweaty smelly :) Just beautiful cream cheese on the less-populated wide open trails..




See you in the Woods,
FemaleSkiBum :)

Location:Killington Resort, Killington, VT

21 April 2011

If today was opposite day, today's ski conditions were fantastic! It looked hopeful heading out...it snowed all morning! Alright, it more like mini snowballed all morning, but there was still white stuff coming out of the sky!! Getting off the K1, it looked like ice climbing season was starting again...


and the weather was absolutely gorgeous! White puffy clouds moving VERY rapidly across a beautiful blue sky...so much so that it was difficult to move down the hill! Gotta love a crazy windy day that somehow doesn't close any lifts!


But...the ski conditions were just gross. You skied over groomer tracks that had frozen solid in place - and the cracks were filled in with the freshly fallen snow...


which was still better than the non-groomed terrain, which was not open to the public. Checked out a few of the more easily accessible spots...and at least there was traction.


Swampy footprints we exposed at K-Base, where the snow had warmed up enough to move around. The groomers must have pushed snow over a puddle here...


Thanks again to anyone who purchased a lift ticket today. You are truly a dedicated skier.

See you in the Woods,
FemaleSkiBum :)

Location:Killington Resort, Killington, VT

Lanyards & Tire Swings

Three days after the big rain, we went and checked out my childhood camp. After stopping at the cabin to get some lanyard, we donned our raincoats and worked on our keychains as we walked around camp...

I had never seen so many acorns littering the beach!


Poor Big Blue, sitting there all winter long, waiting for someone to love him...


...but it was drizzly, so we spent some time going crazy on the tire swing ;)


...and then walked up Seven Steps through all the bare brush and leaves on our way back to the site...


...back around the Museum where the brush had actually started to slowly grow back in...


...and down to the Dirty Dancing Bridge, which was over a pond rather than a stream because of all the rain...


Thanks, Megan, for an awesome time at camp!!

See you in the Woods,
FemaleSkiBum :)

Location:Camp K-20, Harriman State Park, NY

First Paddle of the Season

First Paddle of the Year!!



Thanks to the crazy rain over the past few days, there was a CURRENT at Lake Kanauwake. Vespi and I almost got stuck in the tunnel from the 3rd to the 2nd Lakes!



But we had some fun checking out the far end of the lake since the lily pads have yet to take over Little Long Pond this early in the season...which makes the lake a LOT longer :)


The first Lily Pads starting to grow in...


The Aescalpious Rock Garden


and the waterfall on the 2nd Lake, usually a pathetic run-off stream, was a full raging river!!


...so much so, that Vespi was a little intrepid crossing over the runoff!!

See you in the Woods,
FemaleSkiBum :)

Location:Lake Kanauwake, Harriman State Park, NY

Daddy-Daughter Baseball

My first trip to the New Yankee Stadium :) Yankees beat the Rangers 6-5!!















See you in the Woods,
FemaleSkiBum :)

Location:New Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

16 April 2011

See you in the Woods,
FemaleSkiBum :)

Location:Birch Ridge Inn, Killington, VT

15 April 2011

CRUNCHY MUNCHY!!

Oddly enough, it was too cold today. This meant that the snow didn't warm up and most trails never softened and were not open until like 3pm...

Sometimes, trails are supposed to be closed...


Yet winter keeps holding on...


The Great SnowQuake Begins...





See you in the Woods,
FemaleSkiBum :)