February, be gone already.

I feel like all I ever blog about these days is the weather. It appears today will be no exception. Hard not to given it's 18 degrees outside with a zero windchill and record cold (to -4F) planned for tonight. Oh, and need I mention, 4 - 8 inches in the forecast for tomorrow. This latest round of precip should bring us close to the record for February (somewhere in the neighborhood of 8 inches I think). If that had been all snow, we'd be buried up to my Mt. Tom sign out front. Holy cow (paper towel dispenser).

Alas, nothing to do about it but complain and throw another log on the fire. Easter is early this year, so who knows, maybe so too will be Spring.

And with that, perhaps some more interesting topics for this blog...

We interrupt the doom and gloom of winter..

To bring you a crisp blue cloudless sky, brilliant sunshine, pinkish hues of the setting sun on the mountain just before dark, the quote I came across this morning for the board...

Only when your consciousness is totally focused on the moment you are in can you receive whatever gift, lesson, or delight that moment has to offer.
- Barbara De Angelis

I hope you're enjoying this weekend respite from February.

My Buddy climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro...

...and all I got was this lousy picture of a t-shirt. Actually, this is the coolest picture ever. My buddy Rick just returned from the amazing life adventure of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. I haven't had the chance to talk to him about it and hear the undoubtedly wild stories from his trip, but I just had to post this shot as soon as I got it.

Rick had mentioned he would do this when he got to the top, but given what must be the ultimate rush to stand on the top of the world's highest free-standing mountain, I honestly didn't think this would be high on his list of 'things to do when I get to the top of Kilimanjaro'. Sure enough, he's a man of his word...

Thanks Rick, and congrats. Well done my friend.

Last Night's Eclipse.

Believe it or not, I took this one using my sweet little Pentax A30 point and shoot digital camera. Perfectly clear and crispy night for it. Hope you were able to look out your window during commercials for American Idol and check it out last night...

Got Bees?

Gas prices, heating costs, dairy cost. Those you might expect to have an impact on the cost of an ice cream cone. Now you can add bees to that list. Who would have thunk...

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Haagen-Dazs is warning that a creature as small as a honeybee could become a big problem for the premium ice cream maker's business. At issue is the disappearing bee colonies in the United States, a situation that continues to mystify scientists and frighten foodmakers. That's because, according to Haagen-Dazs, one-third of the U.S. food supply - including a variety of fruits, vegetables and even nuts - depends on pollination from bees.

http://money.cnn.com/2008/02/17/news/companies/bees_icecream/?

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,331532,00.html

Fear not, I'm doing my best to keep my prices from 'beeing' affected.

Snow Fog.

As is life here in New England, you just never know what kind of weather you're going to get next. Yesterday, it was 53 degrees, wrapped around 20 degree windchills the day before and a brisk sunny day today. Throw in a few downpours and the snow and ice will usually result in what we saw here on the pond yesterday, a cool winter fog.

Far be it for a little fog and warm temps to deter the diehard ice fisherman though. In case you are having trouble spotting the ice angler in the shot above, I've taken the liberty of employing a few Photoshop tricks to help you...

Happy Valentine's Day.

To you and yours. Thinking about getting some great gourmet chocolates for your special someone? I know I'm a little biased, but I think you should go down to Mt. Tom's right now. The weather looks dicey for Wednesday, better be safer than sorry (and having to say sorry)...

See you soon.

Wanted: Artists

Every second Saturday of the month here in Easthampton is ArtWalkEasthampton. Organized a couple years ago by Michael Crawford and Thomas Hanus, it's a great way for local artists to show their work. It also makes for a fun and interesting night 'on the E-town'. Each month, participating local businesses and organizations each choose an artist to display art on the walls of their business. During the warm months, ArtWalk nights include cool street performers like the Silver Swimmers... The hours are 5-8pm, and the next one is March 8th. Aside from June, I'm still looking for artists to fill my walls during this year's walks. My walls have room for around a dozen pieces. Each show usually hangs until just before the next one, so in addition to ArtWalk night, your art will be viewed by anyone who comes to Mt. Tom's during that entire month. You're welcome to put prices on work, and I'm happy to help connect you with anyone looking to purchase a piece.

If you're interested in showing your art here at Mt. Tom's, just drop me a line or stop in.

Moo.

Amid a sunless and solemn (at least if you're a Pats fan) mid-winter week sometimes comes an unexpected ray of sunshine. For me, it came in the form of this little beauty. A donation from my friend and Mt. Tom's regular, Dorothy, direct from the depths of her basement. I'm sure you are endlessly envious of my good fortune and have already begun googling like crazy to discover where you too might be able to appropriate such a fine piece of art. It actually is numbered on the bottom, although we (Bess and I) don't expect to be stopping by the Antiques Roadshow anytime soon. I doubt Dorothy even remembers how she came to acquire the ole' heifer for handtowels. In any event, it seems Bessy is no longer welcome in her house, and just as peanut butter goes with jelly and cows, ice cream, Dorothy decided her buried in a box in the basement cow deserved to be in a place that might more appreciate her kind.

And thus the clouds have briefly lifted from my dank and dark week, and I will never again be wanting for a spare paper towel in my shop.

At least until I give her away to my brother for Christmas.

Super Bowl Highlight.

Certainly not the game, or outcome, anyone here in New England had anticipated or expected. Aside from a few good plays and one or two commercials, it was the stuff of nightmares and a flashback to the hard luck days of being a diehard Boston sports fan. All due credit goes to to the G-men for a game well prepared for and a battle fought with passion. The team that deserved to win that day is the one getting a victory parade in their hometown today. I think we all knew the day wasn't going to go as scripted when we saw Billy B come out in a red hoodie and not the usual gray. Where was Nomah to remind him of superstition and to not tempt fate by daring change on such an important and potentially sports history-making evening?!

Even the halftime show was dull.

For me, there was just one highlight. At the superbowl party where I watched the fiasco in Phoenix, I discovered quite possibly the best chips n' salsa chip ever. Giant, fresh, crispy, salty slices of heaven. After devouring half the bowl as dinner, I asked our gracious host Kris where I could get me some. To which she replied, 'On the Border' in West Springfield. Seven bucks for what her daughter Taylor called 'a trash bag full'. Needless to say, yesterday I drowned my sorrows in a giant frozen margarita with salt, the three enchalada plate, and a trash bag of chip greatness to go.

The only other consolation prize for us is we don't have to endure all that Pats bashing, Spygate, will-they-or-won't-they go undefeated chatter anymore.

At least until next year.

Six More Weeks of Winter.

Well, it seems Uncle Phil saw his shadow this morning down at Gobbler's Knob. We all know what that means. If you believe in Phil's cred as a forecaster of the weather, that is.

All I know is we got a deluge of rain into the night yesterday, and yet the dirty snowbanks and icy back parking lot survive. After a big rain in the winter, we here in northern climates are left saying, 'Imagine if this was snow, we'd be buried!' Alas, no four feet of snow for us this time.

In any event, as generally a glass is half full kind of guy, I wish you 'only' six more weeks of winter. Make yourself a chai tea or a hot spiced and spiked cider, unfold that old Patriots tailgating blanket, and pop in a good movie from your favorite local video store. And don't forget the pint of cookie dough and bag of gummy bears.

Speaking of sweets, only twelve more shopping days until Valentine's Day...


GO PATS! Enjoy the game and the festivities. I'm sure you're as tired of the two weeks of tabloid-like hype as I am. It's finally go time. It seems like this 'quest for perfection' season has lasted about eight years. Looking forward to it going into the record books, hopefully as 19-0. We'll all know the answer soon...

Just think, pitchers and catchers report for spring training in twelve days!

NYE 5K Fun Run

I realize New Years Eve feels like ancient history by now, but I've been too busy enjoying my three weeks of R&R to mention it here. In any event, I wanted to report that this year's NYE Midnight 5K Fun Run turned out to be good fun for all who braved it. I realize a 3.2 mile run at 12:02 a.m. in the middle of the winter may not be your idea of 'fun', but it actually is pretty cool. Started three years ago by Greg Saulmon and Mary Franck, of Easthampton, the run kicks off right after the hokey ball drop from the roof of the Brass Cat. The route proceeds down Adams and through the back streets of Easthampton past EastWorks, finishing up with a flourish onto Union to the dark and understated finish line in front of Mt. Tom's on Cottage Street. I know it may not sound like the safest 5K you've ever heard of (hence the emphasis on 'fun run'), but running at midnight, particularly at the very beginning of a shiny new year, is actually surprisingly invigorating. I dare you to join us next year.

The first year of the run had four participants. The second, seven. This year, through the tireless organizing and publicizing efforts of Kris Potasky and a cool donation of t-shirts by Todd Potasky and Valley Kitchens, there were 25 runners. Nice!

And although it's meant to be a run and not a race, we didn't want anyone taking any chances to win a prize (a $25 giftcard for, you guessed it, Mt. Tom's), we did have a winner. Phil Bricker, of Northampton, took home the prize. The rest of us got cool t-shirts. Congrats to Phil and all the other runners. All I know is I didn't even see him after the first turn.

Thanks to all the hearty souls who came out for it. I hope to see y'all again next year, and hopefully an even bigger field. Finally, a giant thanks to Clay Crow for donating his time and creativity to create the great graphics for the T's....

Hope you're having a good New Year so far.

Winter Photo Show @ the Chamber

Just hung a show at the recently renovated Easthampton Chamber of Commerce office. It includes images of local winter scenes such as the view above from the front of the ever-cool and casual Brass Cat pub. If you're wandering by the Chamber office on Union Street, I hope you'll check it out. You can see most of it through the windows, but Denise and Eric are good people so feel free to wander in. While you're there you can stock up on all the local brochures. The show will be up until early March.

While we're on the topic of my photography, check out the very slick new Easthampton Website, designed by Bill Tuman. Hit refresh on your browser to see more images...

Game On!

Well, my 23 days of leisure are now in the record books, and it's game on here in scoopville. It was a great break, and I'm feeling rested, refreshed, and ready for another (hopefully) great year. The last excursion during my winter hiatus was a quick but fun trip to Georgia to visit a good buddy of mine from B.IC. (before ice cream). Here's his very cool daughter Mallory, in full princess regalia, inviting you back to Mt. Tom's for all your favorite homemade ice cream, candy, gourmet chocolate, and coffee drinks.

I hope all is well, and you're staying warm. No sign of major snowstorms, but it sure is cold enough. Alas, this is life in New England in January.

In any event, just wanted to drop a line to let you know I'm back and in full operation once again.

Hope all is well.

Jim

ps. In a shameless bit of self-promotion, I casually ask for your vote, if you feel so inclined...
http://www.valleyadvocate.com/ballot/index.cfm?pid=38 Thanks in advance.

2 Nephews & a Blowfish.

Mid-break and all is well. Just returned from a relaxing week in sunny Florida, nice. Although rumor has it last week was rather balmy around these parts. Wouldn't know it to look out the window today. A fresh coat of white, an arctic blast, and winter is back in full force. I hope you enjoyed the thaw. You may have even scored a cone during one of the days last week when Lauren, my chief scooping ace, opened up shop.

In any event, hope you're staying warm, and we'll be back in action before we know it. Next Thursday the 24th to be exact.

In the meantime, stay warm and go Pats!

Winter Break approaches.

I recently came across this photo from one of my on-line albums. It's dated January 6th, 2007. The beach is Ogunquit, Maine. The temperature, as you might guess from my barefootedness, is a balmy 72 degrees, or thereabouts. Do you remember that crazy day? Maybe you were one of the alleged many who peered through my shop window, longingly looking for a cool cone of cookie dough. I remember standing in line at the local deli in Ogunquit that day when a woman says, "Man, I wish I owned an ice cream shop today, I'd be rich!" That one gave me a twinge in my gut. It's never so much about the money, although that's always nice, as much as imagining disappointment in people's faces when they come to the shop only to find a 'closed' sign on the door. Nobody likes to disappoint. But then again, who could have predicted ice cream weather in January?

Well, if this December is any indication, I'd be really surprised to see a beach day around here this January. Although it is New England, and I suppose anything's possible.

I'm not taking any chances, though. I've booked my tickets to Florida. The shop will be locked up tight starting December 31st right through to January 23rd. Time to stock up for the three weeks I'm resting up for what I hope will be another great and fun year. Speaking of stock up, it's a buy 1, get 1 half price thru New Years Eve...

In case I don't see you, have a very happy and safe New Year. If you find yourself at the Brass Cat ball drop at midnight on NYE, especially if you're in your running gear, feel free to wander over to Mantis Graphics next door at 12:01. A gang of us will be running off on our annual NYE Midnight 5K Fun Run. We've got no official timers, so it truly is just for fun. And a cool t-shirt. At least for the first 25 who sign up. If you see us running down the street just after midnight, I hope you'll give us a cheer. Or at least a drunken heckle.

Not sure how much I'll be into posting during my break, so it may be a bit quiet here. But then again, you never know when the mood will strike me...

Happy New Year to you and yours. See you soon.

Santa enjoys a Banana Split.

Seems when you bear a slight resemblance to jolly Nick, you can't even enjoy an ice cream without being captured by the paparazzi. Is it really HIM or just a nice guy taking a shopping break at his favorite ice cream shop? I'll let you decide...

Candy Cane Ice Cream Pie anyone?

It doesn't rival the sales punch of the pumpkin pie ice cream pie for Thanksgiving, but it's still festive and darn tasty in its own way. The candy cane pie. Peppermint stick ice cream on a chocolate cookie crunch, topped with Wicked Good fudge and bits of candy canes for good holiday measure. Order one up today for your holiday get-together...There's still time...

Ho Ho Holy Cow.

In case you either live in Florida or just haven't noticed, winter is on steroids this year. Two feet of snow, single digits cold, and it's not even officially winter yet! But it really has been a tremendous year for ice cream weather, so I really shouldn't complain about a couple snow days in December. It does give you the holiday spirit...

Speaking of holiday spirit, how's that shoppin' coming along? Just in case you're in need of a couple last minute gifts, here are a couple of gratuitous self-promotion ideas for you...

A Mt. Tom's tub of 'vintage' candy - Abba Zappa, Necco Wafers, Old-fashioned Sticks, Mallow Cups, Chuckles, and more...
Or feel free to fill a tub with your own (or significant someone's) favorite.

How about a colorful Mt. Tom's t-shirt? Tie-Dyes, long sleeve, short sleeve, many sizes. Stay tuned for a special sale this weekend. Just ask if you are in before then, I'm sure I could save you a trip...Stocking stuffers anyone? ...

And don't forget about the other cool stores on Cottage Street...

Night Owl Records

Pick your Flicks

Nashawannuck Gallery

Enjoy your holiday festivities!

Mt. Tom's Enchanted Village (the early years).

Inspired by a recent trip to the giant Yankee Candle factory store (If you've never been there, it's more like a Disney attraction with interesting odors than a factory outlet), I've decided to plot, purchase, and develop my own little enchanted village in the front window of my shop. This is what we've got so far. A soft serve joint (I know I don't have soft serve but it's still a cool piece. Many thanks to Bre for that.). And on my day off this week, I discovered a great sale at A.C. Moore, so I'm already up to three buildings, a few townsfolk, and an ice cream truck. The other new buildings on the mini-block are a gelateria and a candy store. Go figure.

The master plan is to build an entire city block on a big piece of plywood, fully equipping it with streets, hills, trees, snow, and all the other fixin's. I think it's going to be cool, but it may take a few years, so for this the groundbreaking year, it's a just humble little village of all things Mt. Tom-like.

If others on Cottage Street jump in on the idea, perhaps we may someday rival the Macy's windows in NYC. Ok, probably not, but it would be very cool if the windows of downtown Easthampton eventually became a local holiday destination like Bright Lights in Springfield. Just like anything in life, you gotta start somewhere.