Archive for the ‘Gardens’ Category

Dear Deer

Saturday, November 28th, 2009
Lunch time visitor

Lunch time visitor

We never cease to be amazed by the beauty that surrounds us here at  West Hill House. The sun through the bare branches of the trees, the clouds that float overhead, the stately pines that blow in the wind, the numerous birds and small animals that scurry around preparing for winter, the list goes on. Yesterday  we took this photo through the Sun Room window. While we were having lunch two beautiful deer appeared in our garden not more than 25 feet from us. One ambled over to our pond while the other stopped for a photo op. These two are helping us with the fall clean-up as windfall apples are throughout the garden and the deer seem to enjoy making a stop in our garden for their fruit. It is breath-taking to see these wonderful creatures up close!

Fall Foliage

Saturday, November 7th, 2009
Bring on the leaves!
Bring on the leaves!
Leak raving - 09

Off to the compost!

What better way to celebrate autumn than to frolic in fall foliage! With huge maple trees surrounding the B&B we get our fair share of leaves on the ground. Many thanks to the couples who took us up on our “Leak Raving” special and joined us in getting our lawns and gardens ready for winter. All our autumn leaves were raked and deposited in the compost and none too soon!

Yesterday morning we awoke to just enough snow on the ground to remind us that the wonderful winter days are just around the corner. It’s not to early to start thinking about reserving a room with us for your winter vacation. Relaxation starts at West Hill House in the Mad River Valley in the Green Mountains of Vermont.

Artist in Residence at West Hill House

Thursday, June 25th, 2009
Robert J. OBrien

Robert J. O'Brien

Update:  We have had to cancel this event for 2009.  However we hope to be able to run it in August 2010 during that year’s Arts Festival.  Please let us know if you would be interested.

We are delighted to announce that noted Vermont artist Robert J. O’Brien will be “in residence” at West Hill House from August 9th for a few days, during the Vermont Festival of the Arts.

Robert will be offering a 3-day workshop among the beautiful perennial gardens, ponds and woods around the B&B.

Guests are invited to book in to West Hill House for 3 or 4 nights starting on the 9th and sign up for this workshop by calling us at 800-209-1049. Spaces are limited.

This is a sanctioned event of the Vermont Festival of the Arts.

Green Mountains

Thursday, May 28th, 2009
Amazing shades of green

Amazing shades of green

What happens when the spring weather brings several days of rain to Vermont? Sure, the grass and dandelions grow like, well, like weeds! The gardens get a good watering so the flowers are happy. The creeks and rivers race downstream tumbling crazily over and around the rocks. And yes it’s true some of the roads do get a bit muddy. But stop for a moment and think about the word “Vermont” – from the French, vert = green  mont=mountain and that is exactly what happens when it rains, the mountains get green. I don’t know how many shades of green the human eye is capable of seeing but I’ll bet they can all be seen from our front porch. The greens are amazingly intense and vibrant! The trees, decked out in their new spring finery, display everything from the palest of greens which look almost white,  to the very dark and bold forest greens. Between rain showers the sun peeks through the clouds making the leaves glisten like they’ve been sprinkled with the finest crystals and the lilac blossoms shimmer silvery-lavender. Spring is a glorious season in the Mad River Valley of Vermont,  a photographers dream, the chance to capture on film, a rain bathed leaf or an open flower blossom cupping droplets of water. Come visit vert mont,  up close and personal through the lens of your camera. West Hill House B&B is a great place for a home base!

How do you spell relaxation?

Thursday, May 21st, 2009
the-boys

C-A-T

How do you spell relaxation? Many of our guests know the answer. Arriving at  the B&B for a bit of  a break from their hectic schedules they get themselves settled into their room then come looking for Smoky and Snowball. Being most friendly and obliging, our two cats offer their backs for scratching and provide loud purrs of appreciation and more scratches brings louder purrs. It isn’t long before guest and invited cat are happily ensconced in a comfy chair enjoying each others company. How do Snowball and Smoky know when we humans need to slow down and  take a few deep breaths?

For many a guest, relaxation starts with not wanting to disturb the slumbering feline so there they sit, giving our cats a little TLC whilst in return they are given the gift of a few minutes to be calm and unwind.

hammock

Your turn in the hammock

At that moment nothing is more important than quiet relaxation with a new found friend. So how do you spell relaxation? C-A-T!

West Hill House B&B is a great place for relaxation even if you are not a C-A-T lover. How about a seat down by the beaver pond or a nap in the hammock?

The weather’s great and the garden is busting with color,  Memorial Day weekend is just around the corner – it’s Open Studio Weekend too. We still have availability for the long weekend. Come and Relax!

Backyard birds

Thursday, May 14th, 2009

Peter’s mum had a little saying for this time of year, “Spring has sprung, the grass is ris, I wonder where the birdies is.” Well, some of the birdies are in the trees at West Hill House and can be enjoyed from the comfort of our Sun Room on blustery days and the garden on fine days. Binoculars and a bird book are at the ready giving guests the opportunity to check out the local bird scene around the inn. Today we saw hungry nuthatches, fat robins, a noisy blue jay, and a brilliant yellow goldfinch. yellow-bellied-sapsucker1The goldfinch was amazingly bright, it looked like a sunbeam that had escaped from the sun. It sat in a nearby branch and preened for a few minutes giving us the opportunity to get a good look at this bright visitor. We have also been visited by a yellow-bellied sapsucker which, for some reason, though it might be productive to search for sap in the railing of our deck!

If you enjoy birding there are many places here in the Mad River Valley to go bird watching so grab your  binoculars and  bird book and book your room at West Hill House B&B, we’re an excellent home-base for your birding expedition.

Spring Flowers

Monday, May 11th, 2009

Mini TulipsThe gardens at West Hill House are starting to show the colors of spring! We are always amazed at this time of year when our beautiful gardens start to emerge from their winter sleep.  The buds are on the old apple trees, the leaves unfurl on the maples,  the flowers are blooming,  and the chipmunks which scurry over and around the boulders in the garden are driving our adorable indoor cats, Smoky and Snowball, absolutely nuts! The crocuses were the first to brave the early spring poking their blooms through the snowy blanket which still lay on the ground. These  gorgeous miniature tulips were the next flowers, spied by a guest one bright sunny morning, and flashes of yellow daffodils can be seen scattered throughout the gardens.

Our landscape artist, Patty,  and her crew keep our extensive B&B  gardens in tip top form for our guests to enjoy. Whether you are an avid gardener, like Patty, or just love the look of beautiful flowers, as I do,  our  peaceful gardens are decked out nature’s palette and await your arrival. Spring has sprung in the Green Mountains of Vermont!