Review of 900 Lumen 9 Watt LED Light Bulbs

I have tried many LED light bulbs over the last year or so claiming to be replacements for 50W + incandescents for use in normal fixtures, and this is the first bulb to actually exceed my expectations, and at a lower price than most of the competition.

The bulb is slightly whiter than warm white and it is bright – definitely brighter than a 60W incandescent bulb. In fact I have used the first two I ordered to replace 50W halogen flood lamps in our kitchen and these LED bulbs provide a brighter light even though they are not directional like the halogen floods – they spread light over about 180 degrees compared to a typical flood’s spread of 35 degrees.

These are the first LED bulbs I have seen that produce 100 lumens per Watt. So 900 lumens from 9W. By replacing two halogen floods I have more light with 18W than I had before with 100W. These specs also make these bulbs among the first to truly exceed CFLs in efficiency, thus the review title of a “breakthrough in LED light bulbs”. And of course they bring the other major LED advantage of turning on almost instantly at full brightness, not to mention the lack of any mercury related disposal issues if indeed they ever need replaced.

(These bulbs are not dimmable so if your application requires that capability you will need another product. I have also purchased two Philips 409904 Dimmable AmbientLED 12.5-Watt A19 Light Bulbs and if the weird appearance is not a problem these are an excellent choice if dimming is required and you need 800 lumens plus from the bulb.)

The guarantee is spectacular – if the bulb burns out during YOUR lifetime return it for a free replacement. Of course this is only as good as the life of the company as well, but it does indicate the confidence that the vendor has in their product.

Also intriguing is that the bulb looks almost like a regular A19 incandescent bulb, with a silvery coating on the bottom half. It lacks the very visible and massive external heat-sinks of similar products. It remains to be seen whether this lack of a visible heat-sink will impact the bulb life and/or long term performance.

Come play in the snow! We finally got some significant snow so now it’s time to book your Sugarbush or Mad River Glen ski vacation.

In the past 24 hours we have received 12″ of snow, most of it coming since about 11 AM  on Saturday.

Today’s guests report that the mountains are in superb shape and the snowy scenery is stunning.

At the B&B our fences are all snowcapped and even the front porch rockers received a snowy blanket.

We’re looking forward to your visit. Check our Ski and Stay specials!

Great Skiing!

Lucky us, West Hill House B&B has a featured ad in the magazine’s inaugural edition. Check us out on page 2-3, the full-screen option, and accept our invitation to come to Vermont to sample the wonders of our amazing state. West Hill House is a ‘Green Hotel in the Green Mountain State’. We offer Ski & Stay Packages. If you and your sweetie need a little pampering check out our Valentine’s Day special. Perhaps a proposal is in your future …let us help you make that a memorable event.

West Hill House B&B is where you’ll want to B&B.

Sleigh Ride in the Mad River Valley

A picture postcard Valentine’s Day package awaits you…

A snow covered landscape, a beautiful room with a double Jacuzzi tub in its ensuite bathroom, a sleigh ride to whisk you through the snow, and a delicious dinner at The Common Man restaurant.

We have two all inclusive packages:

• The Logan Suite for any 3 nights including the 14th of February  - just $999 inclusive
• The Mountain Room for any 2 nights including the 14th of February – just $649 inclusive

Your package includes:

The Logan Suite Master Bathroom

• Your beautiful room and a delicious breakfast each morning
• A wondrous sleigh ride with views over the Mad River Valley
• Dinner at The Common Man Restaurant on the 14th
• 6 Roses – that you can take home with you
• A bottle of Champagne and two souvenir Champagne flutes
• Lake Champlain chocolates
• And most of all – a peaceful get-away among the snow covered Green Mountains of Vermont

Ski & Stay “Passport*” packages for Sugarbush & Mad River Glen start at $110 per person per day, plus tax (2-night minimum weekdays, 3-night minimum weekends) and we’ll be pleased to customize a package with your choice of room and days of skiing.

The best value packages are:

• 4-day inclusive weekday package including Ski the Valley “Passports*” for two for 4 consecutive week-days of skiing and 4 week-nights of B&B
• 3-day inclusive weekend package including Ski the Valley “Passports*” for two for 3 days & nights.

Pricing for both packages, including taxes, is just:

• Queen Room Package: $899
• King Room Package: $999
• Suite Package: $1,049

Our King Room ensuite bathrooms have double Jacuzzi tubs.

You can add another weekday day (or more) at Mad River Glen to any package for just $35 per person per day if you stay an extra night at our regular rates. The Lincoln Peak base at Sugarbush is just two minutes away by free shuttle bus from our front door and you can come back anytime during the day.

*The Passport also includes skiing at Ole’s cross country resort, and specials and freebies at some restaurants and stores.

Check our Winter Activities page for more information on a winter holiday at West HIll House.

Offers are good for one pair of ski tickets per night stayed. Note ski conditions cannot be guaranteed! (The packages are not available on Presidents Week, and weekend packages require a minimum of 3 days & nights. Note that 7 days advance notice is required for all Ski the Valley passport packages.)

Photo credit Sugarbush and EKrylov.

Homemade Ajver

This past summer we were delighted to get to know Martina and Tanja, university students from Macedonia. While they were here I purchased a jar of Ajver for them. I had no real idea of what it tasted like but it looked good and I wanted to give them a small taste of home while they were so far away. The four of us sat around the table and enjoyed this tasty treat along with hearty bread and cheese while the two girls told us of how Ajver is made and how in the fall, the wonderful aroma of roasting red peppers wafts through the villages.

Having some red peppers on hand, I looked up Ajver recipes on line, chose one and yesterday made some beautiful looking Ajver. While it looked right, it lacked that special taste. Martina and Tanja, what’s the magic ingredient? Help!

2 c. pecans

1 c. butter, softened

1/4 c. icing sugar

2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 t. salt

1 1/2t. vanilla

1 c. icing sugar (for rolling cookies in)

On a baking sheet, bake the pecans at 350° for 7 to 9 minutes, or until fragrant, stirring once. Let cool then chop finely and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter with sugar until smooth.

Beat in vanilla.

With a wooden spoon, stir in flour, salt and pecans using your (clean!) hands to finish the mixing and to form the dough into a mound.

Wrap in plastic wrap, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Form dough into 1 inch balls and place 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake at 325° for 18 – 20 minutes or until lightly golden.

Remove to racks and let cool for 5 minutes.

Using the 1 cup of icing sugar, roll baked cookie balls in icing sugar then return to rack to cool completely.

Roll once again in icing sugar.

Snowballs can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week or frozen for up to 3 months.

Makes about 40.

Dishing it out! My first Christmas in Texas, my friend Jacquie invited me to a cookie exchange at her home. While I can’t remember the exact number of guests, I believe were each to make 5 dozen cookies of the same recipe, bring them festively wrapped in groups of four,  along with 12 copies of our recipe and a cookie tin for our own collection of cookies. One dozen of the cookies were for refreshments at the party, the others were for sharing,  4 of each variety went into our tins. We visited over glasses of wine and plates of cookies – what a wonderful variety of delights for so little work!. I’m not sure how Jacquie managed to organize it, but after several years there were, I think, upwards of 30 ladies at the cookie exchange. No, we didn’t have to make 30 dozen cookies – Jacquie did some mathematical magic and we each went home with a super selection of our friends’ baking. Thanks, Jacquie, for your recipe for Pecan Snowballs.

We’ve found it! The Pot of Gold is in the Mad River Valley!

November brought us 11″ (28cm) of snow for our Thanksgiving Day guests to enjoy and 60°F (15°C) weather a few days later. November also brought us this magnificent rainbow on the 30th. While we can’t guarantee you a rainbow or a pot of gold when you visit West Hill House B&B, Sugarbush or Mad River Glen, we can guarantee you beautiful scenery and warm Mad River Valley hospitality.

Christmas finery

Picture yourself doing your Christmas shopping and enjoying Christmas music in the quiet serenity of the green mountains of Vermont.

Saturday, December 3 marks the 13th annual Country Christmas Open House in the Mad River Valley. Over 30 local shops and services are offering special discounts which will make your pocketbook happy and may offer free refreshments which will make your tummy happy. Pick up a punch card at any merchants displaying the Participating Merchant sign then visit 5 businesses and have your card punched at each. When you leave your card with the 5th business it will be entered for a prize drawing. Check out the list of participating merchants and services.

On Friday, December 9 The Vermont Symphony Orchestra presents Holiday Pops “Fun and Games”  at the Barre Opera House, just under one hour from West Hill House. Favorite Christmas music with a twist as they take a look at the youthful side of the holiday. Fun for everyone. Tickets required.

Thursday, December 15 the Warren United Church will host the Vermont Symphony’s Brass Quintet and Counterpoint for a perfect mix of brass and voices to ring in the season. Free admission although tickets are required.(802-496-9714).

And of course the area also offers skiing and riding at Sugarbush, skiing at Mad River Glen, and cross country skiing at Ole’s and Blueberry Lake. Dog sled rides, sledding, skating, and moonlight snowshoe tours are just some of the other ways to enjoy a white Christmas in Vermont – oh and you can also curl up with a warm beverage and watch the movie White Christmas.

A great breakfast starter.

Stirring it up! Here’s a never fail coffee cake which is quick to make and yummy to eat.

• 2 c  all purpose flour
• 3/4 c  butter
• 1 c  white sugar

Rub these three ingredients together to the crumb stage. Put 1 cup of the mixture aside to use as topping

Mix the remaining mixture (from the above) with the following:

• 1 egg
• 1 c. sour milk
• 1/2 t  baking soda
• 2 t  baking powder
• 1 t  ground cloves
• 1 c  raisins, dry cranberries or dry cherries -add these to the dry ingredients before adding the egg and this will help keep the fruit distributed throughout the cake rather than sinking to the bottom.

Pour the mixture into a well greased 9″x13″x2″ (33cmx23cmx5cm) pan and sprinkle the 1 cup of topping over the batter.
Bake at 375• F (190• C) for about 25 minutes. Cool slightly and serve or can be served cold and goes very nicely with an afternoon cup of tea. Freezes well.

Dishing it out! Ever been the new kid in school and hoping to make new friends? In a family that moved numerous times, come the first day of school the big question was, “who will be my friend?”. Starting a new school in grade 7 there was little time to worry about this as I was soon befriended by Maureen. We were in the same class, went to the same church and discovered we liked many of the same things. For three years we were best friends then a new job for my parents took us to a new home across the country . Maureen and I have kept in touch by email and  have only seen each other a couple of times in all these years. All this to say, Maureen sent me this recipe hoping it might be something I could use and every time I make Cinnamon Crumb Cake I silently thank her for making another breakfast enjoyable for both the cook (me) and our guests. Thanks Maureen!