MUD, SWEAT and SUNSHINE at the VT 50!

We had a very busy weekend. Two beautiful weddings both in pastoral settings in Lyme , NH. Whenever we set up a wedding we always wish we were there to see the bride, the groom and the wedding party- a wedding is always such a special event. This Saturday was no exception. Both these weddings looked amazing. We know they had a special day!

After the wedding set up we rushed over to the VT 50 Race held in Ascutney, Vt. ( I shouldn't tell you that we were so busy talking about the weddings we just left that we drove right past exit 9 and had to double back.....). This was their biggest race ever with over 1350 participants- and, by the time they were finished with either biking or running the 50 miles, they were indistinguishable. Every one of them was covered in mud- and so were their bikes! They needed a laundry soap sponsor there.

We were one of three busy food vendors on race day- Big Fatty's and a flatbread pizza company were there as well so one one went away hungry. Families with kids cheering on parents kept us selling cupcakes from 11-4. We made a lot of new friends:) Several bikers hung out at our table and helped us sell a few cupcakes, too. We loved it.

Mike Silverman and his crew of staff and volunteers do an amazing job. This is the second "Silverman Event" we have attended this year ( the Covered Bridge Half Marathon was our first)and we are hoping to be at his next event this winter (Howl at the Moon) so stay tuned as details emerge.....

Farmers' Markets, VT 50, Cabinetry Concepts and Cupcakes!

Today was the start of our vending week. (We don't usually vend on Mondays and Tuesdays- we do bake to order those days.) We had a beautiful Fall day on the Lebanon Green with a few people actually stopping to enjoy a cupcake at our "cafe" next to the van. I vend in Lebanon on Wednesday and Kathryn handles the Hanover Farmers Market. It was a great Farmers' Market day, too! The Dartmouth students are back and the Dartmouth Green was full of people out enjoying the sunshine. We try and have at least one vegan selection at the HFM and today's was Chai Latte. Tomorrow, I'll be vending during the Lebanon Farmers' Market and we will have several gluten free options available there. ( So, we have vegan in Hanover and gf in Leb.)

The rest of the week is pretty full, too. Friday is our "bring the cupcake van to work day" ( aka, Thank God It's Cupcake Friday) and our first stop will be at the Fall Blowout Sale at Cabinetry Concepts on Mechanic St in Lebanon. We will be there at 10:30 and we are staying until 2PM. They are having a cookout and giveaways so drop by and see what they have to offer and take a look at their fabulous showroom.

Saturday and Sunday will be spent vending for the runners, bikers and spectators of the VT 50 held annually in Ascutney. It's an impressive event with over 1300 participants and quite a few local vendors ( like Ibex) there as well. Saturday night we be especially festive- Spare Parts, a local bluegrass band, will be playing from 5-8PM. It should be fun- of course, in the spirit of transparency, I should disclose that my husband is a member of the band....;)

WEDDING BELLS, FALL FOOTBALL and GRADY!

Yesterday was a big day for us. We had a wedding in Pittsfield , VT and making that drive was a sobering experience. The devastation at Mother Nature's hands was mind boggling. There were people out cleaning up their homes, hauling furniture out, digging out mud and rocks- and, this is two weeks post Irene. Cars were still embedded in the river and complete homes sat right in the riverbed. The sun was shining, but you could certainly feel the absence of the carefree summer that just departed.

The town of Pittsfield was one of the hardest hit towns. The roads leading in were still marked "Local Traffic Only" but the wedding was held at a place called Amee Farms and it sits high on a hill across from the river, so the wedding venue was untouched. They used a local caterer and they said this was the first wedding event since Irene that they were able to do- everyone seemed glad to be back to work. They had all been personally affected by the storm but the mood was upbeat and hopeful.

We also had a small fundraising event for Grady Chaltain- a Hanover High School graduate who recently underwent brain surgery and is bravely recovering. The process of recovery is long one for both Grady and his family and we were happy to raise money to help out. The van was parked outside the opening Dartmouth Football game against Colgate ( in the Hanover High School parking lot) and it was a beautiful sunny day. The Colgate fans had a group of young kids who dressed up in full football uniforms to cheer their team on and they seemed particularly happy to buy a cupcake on their way home. I wish I had my camera- they were all so cute impersonating their big football heros. It was a cheerful way to end the day.

We hope to be able to have the van out in the Hanover High parking lot for more Fall events while we raise money for Grady and his family. Look for us there on the weekends in the near future!

Next weekend we head over to the Vermont 50 in Ascutney, VT. I'll give more details as that date approaches....

DARTMOUTH FOOTBALL,CUPCAKES AND GRADY!

It's midnight and believe it or not, Kathryn and I are still up baking in our respective kitchens....I am blah-ging while my cupcakes are cooling, which shouldn't take long with this new weather pattern! We have two exciting events tomorrow - a wedding ( we love weddings...sigh) and a fund raiser for Grady- a HHS graduate who has had major surgery recently. We'll be vending in the parking lot at Hanover High School before, during and maybe even after Dartmouth's opening game against Colgate.

Kathryn will be vending and maybe one of her girls will be able to help out in the van. I am headed to Pittsfiled, VT to set up the cupcakes at the wedding reception. I am hoping the roads are re-open and maybe the leaves are even changing. It supposed to be sunny, right?

I'll be back with pictures tomorrow, I hope!

NEW CUPCAKE FLAVORS

OK, we have had two new cupcake flavors this week and both have been sell outs! We love that...Kathryn and I both love to create new flavors and new designs. Of course, we

keep the best sellers at the van on a regular basis ( Cookie Monster, Campfire, Hot Fudge Sundae, Triple Salted, Rebel, etc) but we love to see new "winners" emerge...Buttercup and Coconut Joy. We can even do Buttercup in Vegan and gluten free.

Tomorrow is "Bring the Cupcake Van to Work" day and we are headed to Tuck, Redpath & Co. and a few businesses on the Miracle Mile. It's fun to get out and drive around to get to know the area businesses and employees-it always amazes me how supportive the "buy local " scene is here. We live and work in a great community.

It's getting so much cooler! I can't wait for the leaves to change- I CAN wait for the snow, however. The van gets pretty cold!

See you tomorrow. We will be on the Lebanon Green at some point after we do the business tour...Oh, and THANK YOU to the customer who came by the van today with her $50 she brought back from Vegas. She said she decided to spend her cash locally rather than leave it in Vegas! I think she generously spread it around the Lebanon Farmers' Market!:)

QUEENIE'S EGGS

I forgot to post this...here is a picture of the double yolk egg as compared to the single yolk. The egg carton won't shut with it inside:)

SWEET CUPCAKES AT THE LEBANON FARMERS MARKET

These rainy days are the hardest to bake for...who knows how many to bake? And, the weather makes some flavors impossible- toffee won't harden and neither will the pralines so they are off the list!

The Girls are our playing in the rain; they don't seem to care much about getting wet. They head for the run in shed if it rains hard, otherwise they just go around digging up the base of all my plants looking for earthworms. My gardens suffer, but they are fat and healthy and the eggs are so good.

Tomorrow is office day and we have a few lined up. Feel free to add to our mobile list- it's going to be chilly this weekend....the ovens will come in handy.

VEGAN TODAY AT HFM

The Girls were out bright and early this morning with Tagalong hanging behind to lay her egg. She is always the last one out to play. Queenie lays double yolks and they are special! Since they eat ALL day long, whatever healthy things they can find ( earthworms are their fav) their yolks are tangerine. Amazing. Anyway, the double yolk is part of Triple Salted today...very moist, thanks to Queenie ( see pic) .

Headed to the Hanover Farmers Market at 3. Today is Move- In Day at Dartmouth and we plan on making it sweet...! Vegan choices will be included- the Girls insist.

CUPCAKES AT DARTMOUTH!

Can you believe it? Finally, we are going to be able to sell our cupcakes on the Dartmouth campus. We are really excited about it...and, don't worry we will have a few Vegan options for our vegan fans. Since the town of Hanover won't permit vending from a food truck, it's been a challenge to get the cupcakes to campus without a direct invite from a student or faculty member, but now things are a-changing:)

So, look for us in early October and I will be sure to remind you here and on FB once I have the details down.

We are also headed to events out of town this Fall. We will be at the Manchester Arts and Crafts Festival Sept 30, Oct 1 and 2 and at Warner, NH during their Fall Foliage Festival Oct 7-9. I'll post those details on FB as well as the time approaches....we are hoping to have a few new fall flavors and the fall favs like Campfire and Trick or Treat.

More later. I have to go feed the chickens so I will have eggs tomorrow for the cupcakes. We have seven free ranging girls who really produce!

We will be at the Hanover Farmers' Market and we hope you will be, too!