Dec
3
Have You Voted Today?
I encourage you to vote up to ten times per day for the housewarming gift set we present to the winner of HGTV Dream Home 2011. Products are inspired by the location of this year’s home – lovely Stowe, Vermont. Once you’re done voting, enter for your chance to win an identical gift set.
Also, while I have your attention, take some time to click through our new and improved HGTV Dream Homes Past section. Now it’s easier than ever to find information about and photos of each year’s home. Can you believe we are celebrating 15 years of HGTV Dream Homes in 2011? Who knows, the coming year could change your life forever!
Good morning, The Christmas Festivities Flurries have totally hit as of this past week-end——so fun, so busy—so holiday memory-making time. I see I have dozens of links to DH info to catch up on, thanks to some great researching and sleuthing skills from several of you—-so will spend some time, finally, this afternoon with all of this and by this evening I'm sure I'll be in awe of the glimpses of this fabulous DH reveal that is yet to unfold. LOL from M&K&S
PS" Janzee—great idea—th phone message
Thanks MeKhazSimi I agree, there is so much to keep us busy over the long winter's night, fun sites to check out, everything Stowe, and of course keeping up with this blog is like having our best friends over a picket fence. P.S. Thanks MeKhazSimi for the phone message compliment
Since the weather outside's delightful (upper 70's/low 80's) and the crowds of shoppers really frightful, I'm taking a little break (from decorating, house guests, gift wrapping, party favors/flavors, etc, etc) and heading over to the historic Mission Inn Resort and Spa in Riverside, CA to relax, sightsee, and thoroughly enjoy the beauty of their millions of Christmas lights, decorations, and animated Christmas figures. It's an annual pilgrimmage that never ceases to amaze and inspire me. Why, even a little shopping might be in the (Christmas) cards! The holiday magic of this incredibly decorated Inn, which covers an entire city block, is a must see for kids and adults alike. Take a peek for yourself at http://www.missioninn.com. After a visit there, even the season's most determined Scrooge will be Ho-ho-ho-ing…more than ready to enjoy the holidays and unwrapping the gifts that MARY's new blog threads and revealing insights will bring us!
Whoa! Too cool…I wanna come too!
It's Sunday night, and I remembered this post as I was reading today's San Mateo Times Sunday paper. There was a reprint from an Orange Co. article about the Mission Inn, recounting its history, a temporary decline, and Duane Roberts' rescue of the Inn and its renaissance in the early 90's. It sounds like it means so much to the Riverside community, and the holiday decor is spectacular.
I feel like i've voted so many times I should live in Chicago…:-)
LOL! Good one — I guess Chicago will never outlive that reputation!
Come to think of it, I've gotten so good at it myself, I'm down to 10 rounds of voting on the housewarming gifts in just under 2 minutes…even though I've never lived in Chicago. Do you think they'd hire me as a political consulant?
Clearly you have the requisite skills, but can you convince over a million people that while Rham was “technically” in DC, his heart was in the Windy City for over six months…LOL!?
Mary, I realized in voting that one item was missing from the mix. I mean really MISSING. It is Vermont. Threre are maple trees EVERYWHERE. Yet in voting (alot) nary an option to cast a vote for a maple tree tapper or bucket. I did not see a writin option.
Clearly this was an oversight, thus, my campaign. One canot in good faith win a BEAUTIFUL home in Vermont and not have a maple tap & bucket. We have options to sled past them, hike around them, picnic under them, snow shoe to them, and make fabulous waffles to coat in it, but alas, no maple syrup making equipment to tap the gorgeous trees all around the house!
How do we add this vitla feature to the mix?
I would vote on this maple bucket and maple tree dipper, for the sweetest Johnny Appleseed sweetest in us, little nipper.
Thank you, and thank you again for graciously overlooking the spelling issue, too LOL! When I use my iPhone it does weird things…! Onward maple tap and bucket!
I see no spieling hairors etal, and as a madder of deflect everiberri thing lucks poifect.
LOLOLOLOL!!!!! That was great!!!!!
Sent via AT&TiPhone
Debra Gilmour
(503) 830-1297
Dear DebraG, thank you sooo much for the yuks and giggles. Take a look back at your post. You have your phone number there. The one I posted is not associated with my name. It's just minutes on a phone. If this is what you have wonderful, if it your own phone you may want to readjust it for privacy dear Watson. Love Janzee
Oops, that's what I get for responding to emails on my company phone LOL!
Sent via AT&TiPhone
Debra Gilmour
(503) 830-1297
It takes about 50 gallons of sap to make a gallon of syrup Debra. That's some pretty heavy duty equipment you are talking about. Plus the temperature has to be maintained fairly accurately to have a good flavor on the finished product. I am not going to talk about how many buckets of sap I hauled around when I was a youngster back East. It was a lot of work back then. Nowadays they hook up poly tubing to a bunch of trees and pump the sap to a central tank for transport.
Dear Georgie, it sounds like you were in the maple styrup business, oh my buckets that was quite an operation. How much could a maple syrup clinker hopper extract from a gracious tree just for the taste of it. Could you manage a few ounces perhaps in a few hours. Then is there a period of time when you let the tree "rest", right to build up a sap supply?
I was never in the business Gracie. I just went on a maple sugaring party for a week with my dad and a few uncles and cousins. We used to tap about 100 trees on my uncles farm. Each tree would produce about 2-5 gallons a day, depending on how many taps we put in the tree. The really old trees would get 2-3 taps each. The trees didn't need to rest, but they didn't produce at night. We ran the bucket brigades until the sap didn't taste right, usually right before the buds started leafing in spring. My favorite part was when they would throw the skimmings on the snow and us kids would eat them like snow cones. This old mountain man knows he is not in shape to do this task anymore. But I do have some excellent memories for my old age.
I am in awe of your comment, Eddie, and you are not an old mountain man- ageless in my book. Line by line, I could see you as a kid on your tree taps.surrounded by family, the muscle of youth, and working in harmony with the giving trees. As always this is quite a story and would ask permission if I may put this on the main board as it is a delightful look back at the past and the sweetness we all are fond of.
On another note, I think the DH needs a veteran mountain man or woman that will know the ropes in the cold hills of Stowe-roping trees, hiking, eye to eye with the elements, somebody camp counselor style who can supervise the various and myriad of visiting campers and wall to wall kids. There are plenty of folks on this blog nowdays that would fit that description. Ahhummmm…..
Please Note, this CplusE's response to me, and thought you would greatly enjoy this endearing and loving Christmas story:
You're quite welcome, Janzee! I spent all of yesterday baking fruitcakes for family and friends, so I had a little time to look up this info while I waited for them to bake. I think you will appreciate my funny fruitcake story. All three of my siblings love fruitcake but don't know how to make it. On the other hand, I dislike fruitcake, but I have been baking it since I was a freshman in college (a very long time ago, believe me!). I started because my mom also loved fruitcake, and used to buy the cheap grocery store stuff after the holidays for half price. Those things are just awful, and finally I couldn't stand it anymore — I found a good and simple James Beard recipe, commandeered the dorm kitchen, and baked a more wholesome and tasty one just for her.It became an annual tradition, but after she passed away I stopped baking fruitcake. Years later I found out that my siblings had been eating my fruitcake as well, and loved it! I tried sending them mail-order versions, but they informed me that it just wasn't the same. So now I am baking fruitcake again, one for each of my siblings, as well as one for my best friend's husband (who would have thought that there were so many people in the world who actually like fruitcake!). And just yesterday my husband, who always professed to hate fruitcake, admitted that he wouldn't mind eating one if I left out the yucky candied fruit, so I will bake one today with dried cranberries and dates instead just for him! I think the secret to my fruitcake success is the Grand Marnier I soak them in — who wouldn't eat something doused in that fabulous liquer!!!
This is the most lucious adaptation of fruitcake I've ever seen—–dried cranberries, dates and Grand Marnier——Yum! Thanks for sharing this with us CplusE and Janzee. Happy Holidays.
Wow there are is alot to take in with the DH videos– I love the copper vent/hood that flows up—-to forever– in the kitchen—-it has to be at least 20 something feet! Awesome.
I finally got some ME time and was hoping to find a new thread today. I finished up wrapping igfts and thought for sure I'd get a reward for doing it early this year (I normally wait ti the last minute then turn into a mad woman til my husband takes pity on me and finishes) and was hoping for new news! I'm gonna sit here and whine a little with my evening glass of wine. Maybe tommorrow Mary? Please?
I was just watching the news report from The Stowe news station (the link from Deerspring: http://www.wcax.com/global/video.asp?clipId=53617… and thought to myself that, should I win, I can feel right at home with the weather they were having that day! It has been a blizzard here since very early Saturday AM ( it's late afternoon here on Monday now). High winds, blowing and drifting snow, windchills in the minuses and of course the ice that came first!.
the 20th can't come soon enough. come can't you give us a little peek?____________
There's a new blog…..
"Sweeps News and Super Fan "
Did you see these?
Someone found: this Dream Home sneak news video that even shows the Media Life touchpad ….
http://www.wcax.com/global/video.asp?clipId=53617…
Someone found: this Dream Home sneak news video
http://www.fox44now.com/global/video/flash/popupp…
TaniaGail found a website with several photos of the 2011 Dream Home posted with brief descriptions.
http://petermillervermont.com/
There's a new blog…..
"Sweeps News and Super Fan "
What are the specifics on mail-in entries? Can we use 8 x 5 (extra large) index cards as our postcards?
Do postcards need to be mailed in an envelope? May we use a photo as a postcard? If they are family Christmas photo postcards, with the names and addresses written by hand, are they considered to be mechanically-produced, or are they kosher? What about handmade entries? Stickers, 3D effects, assorted embellishments okay? Is the thickness of the paper an issue? I don't want to waste time and postage on entries that will go in the trash, but would like to jazz up my entries a bit for good luck!
Read the official rules http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv-dream-home-2011-giveaway…
and look at the dream home 2011 FAQ page…. http://www.hgtv.com/dream-home/hgtv-dream-home-20…
and consult the post office to what they consider a postcard…
And don't worry they'll probably instruct the person picking any mailed in entries (if a mailed in bin number is chosen out of the hopper) to specifically not choose one if it has a unique feel. After all these years, they're quite experienced in all the nuances of people trying to get an advantage over the other entries in the random selection process…
I know you can't vote for it, but that Steam and Sweep floorcleaner appliance advertised on this website is just what I need to clean up Dewey's footprints with. LOL
Any chance at winning one of those?
Bissell…. want Dewey's messy footprints in a commercial? LOL
(The 2011 HGTV Dream Home will most likely have one of those on each floor.)
Nine A.M. Eastern Time.
All of the gifts are great, but I voted for the ones that add to the warmth of this home. This home is gorgeous. I love anything in the mountains, but this home is beautiful. The gabled ceilings, the balconies, the family room, and the views of the mountains are breath taking. I came through Vermont on my way to my honeymoon. At that time the hot air balloons were everywhere. It was one of the most memorable events I have ever witnessed. But Vermont in general is a beautiful place. We took a train ride over this lake and the water was so calm and clear. The trees were changing color and their reflection on this lake was beautiful. It was an artist moment. I wished the train would just stop long enough for me to get a picture. But if I win this house I can go back and paint it anytime. Painting those mountains over the course of four seasons would become a goal for me once I got there. That is if I win. Maybe things will change for me and maybe I will win. I sure hope so because this is the best house I have seen designed by HGTV and the fact it was done green makes it perfect.
everything about the house including decorations,designs,art work and expecially the outside surroundings are just beautiful Just looking at the many things to do there for intertainment is just wonderful especially the hot tub , lake, this is such a beautiful setting and way to completely relax and call home. I hope we will be chosen.
OMW I just voted for the gift items. They house alone is enough of a gift if I do say so myself. WOW!!!
Truely a dream come true, this house is absolutely amazing!!
I have voted every day.
I truly can’t find the words how amazing and beautiful this home is.
This is a home made in heaven my best room is the kitchen and dining room my dream is to be able to cook big meals for my family when whey come for a visit the foods they like best is turkey and dressing and yams with all the extra and cook breakfast they love pancakes .I can not believe the tax rate is so good their it must be a good place to live. And the landscaping you do not how I love it it make me think of Christmas and the snow And the candle holder on the dine room table are beautiful they go wonderful with the snow.
COUNTDOWN SAYS 12 Days —- 00:05:04