Friday, January 20, 2006


Magical sounds from Bellows Falls, from Huun Huur Tu

Brian and I attended a concert of the Tuvan Throat Singers, Huun Huur Tu. They hail from the tiny country of, you guessed it, TUVA. Do you know where that is??? Tuva is nestled between Mongolia and Siberia, a very small, out of the way place.

The Tuvan life style appears to have long avoided interaction with the modern world until being invited to the US for tour, one of which happened to come to the Little town of Bellows Falls in the "Republic of Vermont" via the efforts of local arts advocate, Mary Hepburn. Thank you, Mary!

Who's in the picture?? Name them and win a prize!!!

If you've never heard their music you are in for a wonderful experience. The special way in which they produce the sounds and melodies with their throats is quite unique. Learned from childhood, passed on from older generations, they carry on an ancient musical tradition.

The singers can hold two to three notes simultaneously to create a wistful and moving sound. They express the sounds of birds, horses, tigers, wind and other forces of nature and the lives of their people.

In addition to their wondrful vocal skills, the Huun Huur Tu, are accomplished musicians, playing a variety of ethnic wind, string and percussion instruments accompanying their interpretations of traditional Tuvan folk music.

Their songs tell stories of life in the beautiful unspoiled natural surroundings of their country. Their music transports one to a time of simpler and purer beauty.

We hope that we can send you the audio portion of this story soon.

On Monday, we will have a wonderful opportunity to find out about an international mission, The Asian Rural Institute.

The Asian Rural Institute is an outreach organization which is known around the world. Father Peiris, an Anglican priest from Sri Lanka, will share his thoughts with us. He is a graduate of ARI.

ARI’s motto is “That We may Live Together”.

The mission of ARI is to build an environmentally healthy, just, and peaceful world, in which each person can live to his or her fullest potential. Each year ARI invites 20 to 30 rural leaders from Asia and Africa to be trained. PARTICIPANTS, STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS LIVE AND WORK TOGETHER AIMING TOWARDS SELF SUFFICENCY THROUGH ORGANIC FARMING AND FORMING A JUST AND PEACEFUL COMMUNITY

Father Peiris is a fine speaker and will share with us the work that ARI is doing today and what they would like to do in the future.

American Friends of Asian Rural Institute are sponsoring a talk by Father Laksiri Peiris and Steve Cutting, a staff member, at Green Mountain College on Monday, the 23rd of January 06 at 3:30 at The Gorge in the Withey Student Center. Come hear how ARI works to train leaders from developing countries to promote “a world in which human life and the food that sustains it have the highest value.”

Come to the Birdhouse Inn afterwards to share your thoughts with them and dine in a simple meal.

Thursday, January 19, 2006



Nicholas Auctions in Whitehall, New York is where we spent last evening at a great glass auction, MOSTLY tootpick holders and salt holders...literally hundreds and hundres of them! In boxes and cases, we've never seen so many. And they were going, the sets, for hundreds of dollars per lot, wow! The groups of glass or metal containers, all so delicate, were arranged by color or design or a theme. We missed out on a boxful of covered glass salt holders which were all different types of chickens made of glass and in many colors. I think there were about 20 of them. The box went for over $100.

I'm not there yet as far as a salt holder/Birdhouse Inn innkeeper/collector goes. As you probably know we have too many "collections" already, but they were oh so cute!

We did not go away empty-handed, though. We bid on a salt & pepper set group and got it for $20. It came with a mustrad pot set, yeah! (the mustard pots that we already have need to go on display next.) Towards the end I saw another set of S&P's and this time went over the top and bid $50 and got that, too! Not too much to bring home and since they are small enough, for now, these little gems, salt holds, salt & peppers, and mustard pots, will not clutter up the Birdhouse Inn. And they will add a nice Vermont touch to our B&B.

When there is another auction, I'll let you know.

Wednesday, January 18, 2006


The Green Mountain women's basketball team was victorious against Leslie College, 62-30. Leslie had only five players who had to not only play the entire game, but be careful not to foul out! This was the first GMC that we have seen and it was a lot of fun.

But...

Thursday's game with the GMC women followed by a men's game will be even more fun! Bob Williams, as part of his family's 60th year in business at Williams Hardware Store in downtown Poultney, will be offering many prizes to the spectators during the game and at halftime. Some special events include a possible $100 collection to the lucky winner. He or she will have 30 seconds to collect and gather as many 100 dollar bills that have been set out on the court. Those who make a shot from half time will be winners of all thedollar bills that are not collected! Plus many, many other specials!

Unfortunately, we will be out of town tomorrow. So be there in our stead and have a chance to win some $$$.

Who said there wasn't a lot of fun in Poultney?

These Easy Riders were guests at the Birdhouse Inn. Who are these folks?

Send us your name and address and win a prize!

Monday, January 16, 2006



The Henry sisters, Autumn , #1, and Tess, Bunny Girl, stayed with us over the weekend. With their friends, Adam and Nick, we saw the magnificent Clydesdale horses who were across from the Grist Mill in Killington. These beautiful horses are 18 hands "tall", 6 feet, and are over 2000 pounds.

For breakfast we had: omelets, hazlenut-flax pancakes (deelishush!), turkey bacon, fruit cups, juice, coffee, and a couple of baked goods made by Karen. Everyone was well pleased.

The weather was balmy and rainy during the day. After going to the Good Cents Store, Dollar Bag sale, Tess, like her mom, Margo, got some great deals, one of them a long retro red dress. Adam got a suit and a bunch of other clothes for a 'buck", too. Since the Good Cents Store is moving back to its original location, they have to unload things soon. Of course, the best deal was the "Free Room'! We found a B&B Guide and some other treasures. Our other purchases consisted of a couple of dishes, glasses, and kitchen ware...they were not in the Dollar Bag sale...we gladly paid "2 dolla".

Of course the girls had to go to TJ's in the center of Rutland...I don't think Nick and Adam were too excited about that. After an hour or so and a couple of gems, we headed back to the Birdhouseinn..Karen and I made a quick dinner of chicken, pasta, cole slaw and the snacks, of course...chips, dips, cheeses and Vermont Sweetwater sodas. The stuffed breads from New Haven that Aut and Adam brought up yesterday were heated up and devoured. After a satisfying dinner, we started up the fireplace before readying for a few rounds of SEQUENCE.

We had a fun time playing this game. Karen's "sounds" were a "tickle" to Autumn. The fun and laughter playing three rounds of Sequence were puntuated by squeals and Hi-fives as the various teams complted their five-in-a-rows. I don't want to sound like I'm bragging or anything, but I was on the "winning" team in all three rounds...partnered with Karen, first, then Adam, and lastlly with Autumn...luck? Or as Karen so pointedly said, "its the cards, baby"...not skill. Oh, well.

The girls were supposed to get back to Connecticut for work, Autumn, and NYC for Tess as she begins her new ventures at the Parsons-New School. But...during our game playing evening, the balmy, rainy weather turned into a pretty nice snowstorm. So we suggested that they go later, early in the morning. I detailed the NY Route 22 return passage which I thought would be clearer and safer.

As the snow continued to beautify the Vermont countryside we went to bed and hoped for clear passage inthe morning.