Tight Lies - ball plugged in fairway off 10th tee at Green Mountain National 

it has been a great week to play golf in Killington.

Summer has finally settled down with comfortable weather; not the steam heat we had in early July. The golf courses are a resplendent green, the result of a mild winter and sufficient summer rainfall (mostly at night no less!). And with the town getting ready to host the American Junior Golf Association with tournaments on both the Killington Resort and Green Mountain National Golf Courses, the greens keepers and their teams have been primping their courses to perfection.

On the links, both Mary and I have had a good week so far. We both won our scheduled matches this week in the Presidents Cup Tournament at Green Mountain National, which allows us to advance to the next round in the elimination tournament. I had a tough match against the head greens keeper at Green Mountain, Peter. Our match went down to the 18th hole where I nearly sunk at 60 footer for a birdie, finishing up with par and taking the match 2-0. Mary had a little easier time, finishing her match on the 12th hole. I am enjoying having some "serious" rounds of golf, after sitting on the sidelines all last summer doing shoulder re-hab. Golf is such a great game.

Next week at Killington the AJGA is in town with juniors 12 to 18 competing in the Killington Junior Golf Championship at Green Mountain National. At the same time, the Killington Resort Course will be hosting the Vermont Junior Open. If you want to get a snapshot of the future of the PGA and LPGA tours, visit Killington next week to watch the Juniors play. If you are in the mood to play yourself next week, give us a call. In addition to the two Killington courses, we can get you out on many of the other courses in the Killington area.

It's Cooler in the Mountains at Killington in August....it really is! But where ever you may be...keep the ball in the fairway and don't forget your sunscreen.

Killington Peak - it's cooler in the mountains! 

Celebrate the dog days of August with a trip to Killington. It's cooler in the mountains!

To fan the cool breezes so common for the Green Mountains in August, the Town of Killington and the Killington Resort have teamed up to produce "It's Cooler in the Mountains" outdoor concert series. The free concerts will take place every Thursday evening from 6:00 to 7:30 PM at the Sherburne Public Library on River Road in Killington and every Saturday afternoon from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at the base of the K1 Gondola at the Killington Resort thru the month of August.

In conjunction with the concert series, the Birch Ridge Inn has create "It's Cooler in the Mountains" lodging and dining packages. A two night lodging package in a standard queen room, with dinner on one evening at Birch Ridge's acclaimed restaurant, starts at $299 per couple. An upgrade to a king sized room is available for $399 per couple, or go all the way and stay in a room with a private whirlpool tub for 2 for $499 per couple..

Visit birchridge.com to find more information about "It's Cooler in the Mountains" packages at the Birch Ridge Inn. If you prefer, give us a call at 800.435.8566, or 802.422.4293. We will be happy to go over the details and help you plan your August getaway to Killington.

It's Cooler in the Mountains at Killington in August....it really is!

Bill Sr. with Bill Jr. at the Snow Stake 

We are just about ready!

Final preparations are in full swing for this coming weekend's Killington Wine Festival. This year marks the 9th year the wine festival has taken place on the third weekend in July.

Wine suppliers from around the world will be descending on Killington later this week to prepare to taste their wines with guests at the event. Chefs all around Killington are busy getting their prep work in order for Wine Dinners scheduled at restaurants during the festival. At the Birch Ridge Inn, Chef Frizzie is hard at work getting all the last minute details covered for our wine dinner on Saturday evening.

This past weekend, Mary and I had some scheduled down time, knowing that we would both be very busy this week leading into the Wine Festival. My parents, who live on Cape Cod, drove up to Killington with their friends for 4 days. I actually had the chance to sit down and sample Mary's breakfasts and Chef Frizzie's dinners each day with my folks. It was a nice change of pace.

We hope you can make it to the Wine Festival next weekend. Where ever you may find yourself, keep it in the fairway and don't forget the sunscreen.

New England Woman's Golf Association Tournament tees off at Green Mountain National on Tuesday, July 6. 

Mary and I are hoping you are having a great Independence Day. It's a little toasty in Vermont. Get outside and catch summer while it is here!

On Monday night, July 5th, for the fifth consecutive year, we will host a special fundraising event at the inn to benefit "Team Killington" and the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation to combat breast cancer. This years event is being held in conjunction with the New England Women's Golf Association (NEWGA) Championship taking place at Green Mountain National Golf Course on July 6-8. On Monday evening, we will hold a "Happy Hour" at the inn from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM for NEWGA players with proceeds going to benefit "Team Killington".

"Team Killington" was started by local residents Dick and Noel Gluck. Each year, they organize Killington residents and guests to form "Team Killington" to participate in the Komen Foundation's VT-NH "Race for the Cure". This years Komen race takes place on Saturday, July 17th.

At the Happy Hour light hors d'oeuvres will be served with a cash bar. Information displays, provided by Green Mountain National Golf Pro Dave Soucy, will be set up to showcase Killington's championship golf course. Proceeds will be donated to "Team Killington" for contribution to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

In addition to NEWGA tournament players, all "Team Killington" supporters and the general public are invited to participate. If you are in Killington on Monday, July 5th, we invite you to visit the inn and support this noble cause.

Where ever you may find yourself this summer, keep it in the fairway and don't forget the sunscreen.

The last "private dinner" of our spring hiatus 

Mary and I shared our last quiet dinner of the spring hiatus last night. Our staff is all returning from their breaks. Chef Frizzie has been in the kitchen cooking all week getting ready to reopen our restaurant tonight. The inn is coming alive for the summer.

Of course, Mary and I have been busy all along. The inn has been providing lodging for guests all spring. Most have either been here to hone their golf games, or just take in the quiet spring season in Vermont. But activity around the inn really accelerates as preparations take place to reopen the restaurant.

Tonight's menu can be found right on the blog. We will be serving dinner this weekend on Friday and Saturday evening. Next week, our full summer schedule begins with dinner service Tuesday thru Saturday, starting at 6:00 PM.

Where every you may find yourself, keep it in the fairway and don't forget the sunscreen.

Clematis currently in full bloom at the Birch Ridge Inn 

Late May and early June can be unique times in Killington. Summer weather is starting to get established. Everything starts to quickly either flower of turn green to take advantage of a short growing season. Even though the number of guests in the area is relaxed from the winter, the amount of work innkeepers and other business owners need to do to maintain their businesses usually goes up. This year has been no exception.

While I have not written a blog in a couple of weeks, the ground work has been laid for a summer full of activity. We have had a slightly above average number of guests at the inn this June. The sense we are getting, which is not necessarily a reflection of reality for those who do not live in a resort town, is that the economy is starting to turn for the better. Only time will tell. But we have heard optimism in conversation with our recent guests, where 12 to 18 months ago the mood was definitely more pessimistic.

Most of my spare time has been spent coordinating the efforts for the Ninth Annual Killington Wine Festival which will take place this year on the weekend of July 16-18th. Last years festival brought about 500 people into Killington for the events held over the weekend. This year we are planning on similar numbers. I am sure you will be hearing more about the Wine Festival in the next couple of weeks.

Mary and I have also spent a fair amount of time developing plans to support the 2 large golf tournaments in town in July and August. The first tournament, the week of July 5th, is the New England Women's Golf Association(NEWGA) Championship at Green Mountain National. Mary is on the tournament committee and is responsible for "Hospitality". Over a hundred women from around New England, plus some of their spouses and friends, are expected in Killington the first week of July. It should be a busy week.

The second tournament, the week of August 2nd, is the American Junior Golf Association(AJGA) Killington Junior Golf Championship. While that is taking place at Green Mountain National, the Vermont Junior Open will be taking place at the Killington Resort Golf Course. Both events will bring in around 200 junior golfers to Killington, with their parents and siblings. While Mary has focused on NEWGA, I have been communicating with AJGA to develop opportunities where we can participate.

Throw in plans to open the restaurant at the inn at the end of next week and hiring a new innkeepers assistant (our current assistant, Mickalyn, is due to have her baby in August), and you start to wonder what happened to the spring hiatus. It is good to be busy....

Where every you may find yourself, keep it in the fairway and don't forget the sunscreen.

Purple Iris and Bleeding Hearts currently in bloom at the Birch Ridge Inn 

In the summer months, the Birch Ridge Inn is surrounded by perennial gardens. Virtually all the cut flowers inside the inn from June through September, are taken directly from the inn's gardens.

The advantage of perennial gardens is they spring back to life each year so they are efficient to maintain. Other than requiring a bit of work at the beginning of each season to recondition the soil, weed and thin, the perennial gardens basically take care of themselves during the summer months. Right now, when she is not out on the golf course, Mary is spending a lot of time outside working the gardens so they will be at their peak this summer. After a long winter, Mary finds working in the gardens quite therapeutic. She does have one problem though; what to do with the plants that she culls from the gardens while she is thinning them out?

After Mary gives everyone in Killington she knows with a garden a bucket full of plants, (whether they want them or not), she will start leaving them on the side walk with a free - take me - sign. But even this stops being effective after a while.

This year Mary is lucky, she has a cousin who just built a new house. Guess what she is getting for a housewarming gift! Anyone interested in some perennials?

Where every you may find yourself this weekend, keep it in the fairway and don't forget the sunscreen.