Kyler Quelch

Instead of my original idea of going to an archery lesson, or a store where they also make weather vanes, I got in contacted a horse farm, where children with disabilities ride horses for therapy. I eventually was able to meet up with one rider and his mother, so that I could find out what it is like for a rider to have hippo-therapy. This is Kyler Quelch's story... 

 

Artesano Mead - Video Project Two + Story

Artesano Mead in Groton, Vermont

**************************See End Notes for references*******************************

Mark Simakaski demonstrates how he makes a new batch of mead at Artesano Mead.

Upon walking through Artesano's door, all of your senses are sparked with curiosity. Your nose smells what it would as if in a bakery, you hear the churning of the liquids inside the distant fermenting tanks, you look around as you have just entered into a quaint shop.

Artesano is located on 1334 Scott Highway in Groton, VT. Artesano prides itself in producing mead from locally gathered honey and fruits.

Mead is and alcoholic wine made fermented water and honey.

Mead is referenced in numerous mythological stories. Mead is mentioned in literary works such as: the Rigveda (meaning "Praise Knowledge" The Rigveda is a collection of sacred ancient Indian hymns, compiled into ten books and is also a part of Indian mythology dated between 1700–1100 BC (1) and Beowulf, an Anglo-Saxon heroic epic poem dated between 8th and the early 11th century. (2)

On Artesano's website there is an interesting paragraph explain the ancestry relation of mead. It reads:

      "It's not hard to imagine our early ancestors discovering the entrance to a beehive in some ancient tree and becoming curious about the determination and speed which the workers sallied forth. Our innate drive to know more would have led us to the honey, the golden reward of the bees' labor." (3)

Check out their website for more interesting secrets of mead and all it's flavors: http://www.artesanomead.com/

Speaking of flavors, can you honestly find another brewing company that would ever consider mixing chilli and cinnamon flavors into an alcoholic beverage? That is the power of Artesano's Chili-Cinnamon flavored mead.

This flavor is available for you to offer at your wedding, and especially while on your honeymoon.

No pun intended.

Speaking of honeymoon's, on Artesano's there is this interesting factoid about the tradition of the term "honeymoon:"

"The term “honeymoon” is believed to have stemmed from the tradition of newlyweds drinking honey wine every day for one full moon after their wedding. Today, many weddings still include a traditional mead toast to the newlyweds as a fair tribute to times and well wishes of both old and new."

I will start writing my personal opinion bit, by first saying this... it was not on this shoot that I have tried Artesano's mead. I sampled their mead prior to this shoot, at the beginning of this year.

I have tried the traditional mead and their blueberry mead, and both are very tasty, and warm the soul very fast. But what I figured out is that you can't really think of it as drinking wine.

You just have to think about that you are just having mead. It is not really wine. It acts and smells like wine, but the taste is mead.

Try Artesano mead for yourself, and tell me what you think!


******************End Notes/References**************************************

(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigveda

(2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beowulf

(3) http://www.artesanomead.com/about-mead/

(4) http://www.artesanomead.com/honeymoon/

Second Video Project Ideas/ Final

I have a few ideas for this video project. I have emailed a man named Jeff at Smiths' Archery Shop in St. Johnsbury. This weekend he is giving a hunting education session that goes from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. 


He has not emailed me back yet, but I will update my blog when I know if this is a go or not. 


If this idea does not work out, then I know a place called Schumacher Weather Vanes in Marshfield, VT.

I do not know much about this company, but they at least sell weather vanes. I am hoping they make weather vanes too.

I'll keep this updated with what I am going to do.

I will  do this project by myself

 For my final project, I still need time to come up with an idea. There is a company in Groton that produces mead, or honey wine. Perhaps I could visit them and see what they do. But that is just an idea.

My Friend's Blog

This is this link to my friend, Andrew Desmarais's, blog:

http://greenmountainbeer.blogspot.com/

Enjoy!

My iReport Profile

http://ireport.cnn.com/people/lookwest1973?viewingAsOthers=true

Rowan Court Easter Egg Hunt (YouTube)

In Barre Vermont, at Rowan Court Nursing Home, an Easter egg hunt was held by the Rowan Court Activity Center on Saturday, April 7, 2012, at 2:00 p.m.

A total of 2,000 eggs were scattered in two locations around the premises - a section for 0-5 year-olds, another for 6-10 year-olds.

After the coordinators and volunteers spread the eggs an hour, they waited for participants to arrive. A steady stream of parents with their children arrived within the hour, prior to the start of the hunt.

The Easter bunny was there to greet the children as they arrived and gave many hugs before they left.

The number of children who participated, exceeded this years prediction by the Activity Center; the number also exceeding last years number.

All of the eggs were collected in three minutes.

The children then cracked their eggs to see what prizes they won. The majority filled with candy, but some contained slips of paper that were redeemable at a prize table.

Prizes included art supplies with playful canvases, boxes of candy and the top prize: a bicycle.

Chentel Cherrier reports, as I, Michael Woodward, shot and edited this story.

Rowan Court Easter Egg Hunt - Video Project 1

 This is the link to my iReport Story: Rowan Court Easter Egg Hunt

 http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-773301

Commuting Videos Monetized!!

All of the videos with me in the car commuting to and/or from school, have all been monetized on YouTube!!

Pretty cool!!

Stop-Start Animation Video Project

About what, I am not sure, but I have made some in the past, and I think it would be fun to make another one.

Just a thought...

Flip cam test in class

Interviews, Asac 100, and my amazing opening credits!