Yankee Thrift-Avoid “Winter Skin”

It’s now officially winter, and with it comes dry cracked skin, lips etc. If you live in Vermont, you know about Bag Balm and the wonders it can do for your skin. However, there is a lot you can do to avoid “winter skin” then lathering on a thick coat of BB before going to bed.

• Limit baths and showers to 5 to 10 minutes and use warm rather than hot water. Go easy on the cleanser-a gentle body wash is better than bar soap.  Blot skin gently dry-no hard rubbing. Since ointments, creams and lotions work by trapping existing moisture in your skin, applying just after the bath, showering or hand washing is important. Whether you use lanolin (low risk) or some other cream or ointment, check out product safety and toxicity at the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep website

• Limit your affair with the wood stove: We all love to do it-stand with our back to the woodstove or fireplace. It feels soooo good, particularly if you just come in from the cold. However, doing it too long can add to dry skin problems. Truth is most of us will most likely avoid this recommendation of the American Academy of Dermatology. After all, we live where many night’s temps are below zero and they don’t.

• Hydrate you and your house: As one of our local runners noted, Water, water, and more water. I've tried a million things because of winter running and dry skin but drinking tons of water has always been the best fix. Humidifier for the house also helps

• Wear gloves outside and when washing or cleaning.

• Have the layer next to your skin be cotton or silk.

• Use hypoallergenic laundry detergent

• Replenish Your Skin from the Cupboard: It’s better to use a cream or ointment than a lotion, but dabbing on olive, grape seed or safflower oil works very well at keeping your skin smooth and flake free, and it’s considerably cheaper than the lotions and creams that most stores sell. Be sure to use food grade oils, and if you are in need of a scrub, just combine the oil with sugar. These oils also work well on your lips. Note-canola, corn and other vegetable oils should not be used as many are genetically modified. 

For more Yankee Thrift tips check out the Cavendish Connects Pinterest Board. 

Volunteers Needed For Snow Program at CTES

Are you in the area of Ludlow, VT?????? Snowsports On-Mountain Volunteers Needed: CTES's Okemo Ski and Snowboard program begins on Tuesday, January 6. We are in search of 4 more instructors on the mountain to make the program happen. If you know anyone who would be available from Noon-3:45 on Tuesdays to volunteer as an on-mountain instructor, please contact Jarrod Harper at jharper@velco.com or call him at 802-228-7925. Each time you volunteer, you earn a full day Sunday lift ticket.

Crime Alert: 12/26/14 Car Tampering

On Dec. 26th (Friday) Scott Blair posted the following to the Cavendish VT Facebook page. “Wanted to let everyone know that today between 5 am and 2 pm I parked my vehicle at work on the Proctorsville Green and someone messed with my gas tank to my van. The gas cap was missing and more liquid was in my tank then when I parked it.  If anyone knows anything please let myself or the VT State Police (802-875-2112) know so it doesn't happen to anyone else! “

Cavendish Update 12/26/14 News/Events

As we approach the end of the year, please support Cavendish Connects so we can continue into the New Year. 

THE 12/26/14 EDITION OF THE CAVENDISH UPDATE

1. Cavendish Related News

2. Brendan Taaffe & the New Line in Concert

3. Events

CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

Russian Christmas at CTES: On Dec. 22, the Cavendish Historical Society spent the day with the Cavendish Town Elementary School students teaching them not only aspects of Russian history and how it relates to town history, but enjoying special treats from Svetlana Phillips, and learning various arts and crafts projects with Margo Caulfield and Pang Ting. Thank you to our volunteers for making this day so special.  As promised for students and staff a like, directions for making the items from the CTES Russian Christmas are now available at the CHS Blog. 

 GMP Warns of Phone Scam: Green Mountain Power is warning of a telephone scam regarding supposedly unpaid electric bills. In the scam, a caller claiming to be from a local utility threatens to cut off the customer’s electric power unless an outstanding account balance is paid, usually using a credit or debit card or some other alternate mechanism. Customer receiving such calls should never provide the caller with any personal information, including account and credit card numbers, according to the utility. When in doubt, people should hang up and call GMP’s toll-free customer service line at 1-888-835-4672.  GMP recommends any business or individual getting such a call should call the local police and the Vermont attorney general’s office at 1-800-649-2424. Rutland Herald 

VT. Gas Prices Vary Widely: Vermonters continue to benefit from plummeting gasoline prices, though as always, the deal is better in some parts of the state. According to GasBuddy.com, the lowest price in Vermont right now is $2.39 a gallon. You can find that at the Troy Country Store and Butler's Family Auto in Barton. The average price in the state is $2.79 a gallon. Burlington area stations are among those on the top end of the scale with prices as high as $2.99 a gallon. WCAX 

Keurig Recalling Millions of Brewers: Waterbury-based Keurig Green Mountain is recalling millions of home brewing machines from stores in the U.S. and Canada due to a potential safety hazard. In some cases Keurig MINI Plus Brewing Systems have overheated and sprayed hot water on users. Keurig has received about 200 reports of machine malfunctions. In 90 instances there were reports of burn-related injuries. The voluntary recall affects 7.2 million machines. Those who own one of the machines should contact them to receive a free repair kit to fix the problem. MINI Plus owners can call the company at (844) 255-7886 or email keurig@inmar.com. Press Release

Lottery for Roadside Firewood Jan 2-Jan 16: The Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation will open the lottery for personal roadside firewood lots on state forest lands January 2, 2015. The two-week registration for “cut-your-own” lots ends January 16. Each roadside lot costs $30 and yields about three cords of wood for the 2015 home heating season. To register: online  or call 802-828-1531 Press Release

Minimum Wage Increase Goes into Effect Jan. 1: The minimum wage for Vermonters will rise to $9.15 per hour, up 42 cents from the current $8.73 per hour rate. It’s expected to provide a pay increase to about 19,000 workers around the state. The minimum wage for tipped workers will rise to $4.58 — an increase of 35 cents. Rutland Herald 

2. BRENDAN TAAFFE & THE NEW LINE RAISE THE ROOF: The Raise the Roof concert series kicks off 2015 with a melting pot of musical flavors on Sunday January 4 when The New Line band comes to Proctorsville.  Led by seasoned musician Brendan Taaffe, the group blends vocals of Appalachian ballads with African rhythms on banjo, electric guitar and Zimbabwean mbira.  Taaffe, who holds a Masters in Music from the University of Limerick in Ireland, is a prolific composer and conductor of Appalachian and shape-note inspired choral works.  He travels the globe in search of new music and leads workshops in the U.S, Europe and Africa.  Though his roots are in New England, Taaffe is gifted in recasting musical pieces from other world traditions and layering them with exciting new instrumental sounds and rhythms.  And perhaps most striking is his mastery of the mbira, a hand-held instrument of tuned metal keys fixed to a resonator.  He will be joined by Colin McCaffrey on electric guitar and Mark Roberts on gourd banjo.  This performance will include a special presentation of a Crankie piece.  A Crankie is an old folk art form that has a panoramic scene on paper or cloth rolled inside a box, lit from behind and hand-cranked across the front in time to music.  The New Line will perform at 4:00 p.m. at Gethsemane Church on Depot Street in Proctorsville, and admission is $10.00 at the door.  Learn more about Brendan Taaffe at www.brendantaaffe.com and "Like" us on Facebook at Raise the Roof Concert Series.  Mark your calendar for this concert---it may be your only chance to see a Crankie!

 3. EVENTS: Note that the Town office is closed today, Friday, Dec. 26. For more information on  upcoming events, go to

• Cavendish Connects Calendar 

•  Okemo Valley Calendar 

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