One Thousand and One Questionnaires

Okay, 917 is more accurate, but nearly every one of the 1,000 plus families who visit the Tyler Place each summer patiently fill out our two-page questionnaire at the end of their stay. So....what is the fate of your questionnaire? Ted's kindling pile for long winter nights? Chad's secret bonfire tinder? A file box in Mrs. T's attic?

Absolutely not! The questionnaires  are undoubtedly the engine gears that propel the Tyler Place from being a 78-year-"old" resort to an annually refreshed, renewed and cutting edge-family resort welcoming guests from all over the country-and beyond.

As guests are making their last good-byes on Saturday morning, Dayle Palmer is already at work painstakingly transcribing every written suggestion and comment on each questionnaire so it can be ready for review by each Department Head at the upcoming week's staff meeting.   Some items can be addressed right off. Others are broken into "to do" lists including Maintenance Projects and New Improvements/Purchases for the following year.  Once every couple of weeks family and key staff sit around Ted and Cathy’s dining room table and prioritize the lists—with some of the work starting before the season is over.

The questionnaire’s format has changed many times over the past 78 years, but they have always been a feature of the TP since Tasney, Chad,  Geof, Quint, Hector and Gige's grandparents’ E.J. and “Mrs. T” combed through them over pre-dinner martinis.  What is striking is how serious and positive guests are in offering their ideas and suggestions.   Of course there are negatives, but nearly always they are presented in a positive, helpful way that we can frequently address—and when they are not, it’s almost always a case of mismatched expectations that the TP could never meet in the first place.

As most of you know, the Tyler Place may have one of the shortest seasons of any resort—just 15 weeks.  This gives us and our guests the unique advantage of having 37 weeks to refurbish and take on big projects—as well as sprucing up in the aftermath of some 2500 active children and teens! 

Thus, as we throttle up for the 2012 Season, this is a great time to thank you and all our guests of five generations for your individual and collective part in helping the Tyler Place keep fresh and new without losing the nostalgic spirit of another era.

Getting ready for you!

The 2012 Tyler Place New Additions, Improvements & Purchases List…with more to come. 

One of enduring ethos of the TP is this:  no skimping on summer fun.  And no skimping on fall, winter and spring projects either! Yes, it’s expensive (you can probably imagine the costs), but the outcome? Your family and ours get to enjoy a refreshed, revitalized Tyler Place each year—with its nostalgic flavor intact. 

Arbor at the Pool -  A shady grape vine arbor for hot summer days to supplement the Pool umbrellas--with grape vines a nostalgic nod to the original 1840s “Franklin House” Inn Porch.

Boats & Bikes TLC – new engine for the Mercury wakeboarding and waterski boat; new pontoon boat trailer for more accessibility; and always upgrades to our fleet of bikes.

Caching – TP Caching, our version of Geocaching includes 6 new GPS devices with caches planted for the younger kids to teens for a high-tech scavenger hunt that teaches navigational skills.

Decorating & Refurbishing – So many accommodations, public rooms and recreational spaces…so many “news”:  paint by the truck-load, lighting, couches, curtains, porch furniture, artwork by our favorite local artists, kitchen updates, etc.

Electrical – Some big projects here plus a whole new Inn fire alarm system.

Fans (Paddle) & A/C units & Ice, too  – Paddle fans throughout the place; many new or added air conditioners including a new combination AC/heater for the Sun Room; and a big new ice machine to keep up with the amazing amount guests use (very little at the Bar we assume!)

Gardening & Landscaping (and Hops!) – A 12 x 10 foot trellis for growing our own hops; new tree plantings near the pond and elsewhere—nearly 200 per year!  Inn window boxes, plantings, gardens and Claudia’s ever-growing list of gardening activities; a new array of garden tools for kids.

Housing additions for our Staff, Counselors & Family Housing & Dorms – Our live-in Staff and Counselors (nearly half of our 200 staff) and the Tyler/Hill/Otis family (we’ve lost count!) need living space, too, and that adds 20 buildings requiring maintenance and attention. 

Infants, Toddlers & Junior Midgets play and outdoor equipment added, including large Playhouse Playground Water Table with “Mermaid’s Fountain” and spigots;  2 more sand diggers; 5 additional double strollers & 5 large new wagons (with new Playhouse storage shed); books and bigger-still  bubble toys.

Juniors & Senior Midgets – a brand new Club House Playground Water Table to replace the ever-popular old one—this one with “Waterfall”, bowls, faucets, and other new features; new slide for the Pirate Ship;  more costumes and dress ups, books and play equipment.

Kiddie Pool & the Outdoor Pool – The outdoor Kiddie Pool was removed and replaced with a totally reconstructed, larger walk-in style children’s pool. The Outdoor Pool also saw a lot of work on its deck and coping, plus new poolside equipment.

Local Farm Partners – Chef David and Jeff T. have been creating menus with even more Vermont farm, orchard, berry, brewery and wine partners—with seed orders purchased and nurseries already starting your summer food and drink. 

Maintenance Department’s Big Ticket Equipment - new tractor, furnace and snow blowers to keep Dale and the year-round Maintenance Staff (11 in all plus local contractors) able to build, paint, excavate, etc. all winter long. Also, mega-mower for Pierre as 165 acres means a whole lot of lawns and grass to mow.

*Not Everything is on this list – be sure to check out the February newsletter featuring other news about additions and programming:  Chad & Adult and Family Afternoon Entertainment; Jeff T. and Chef David & Menus; Quint & the Waterfront; and Hector & the Bar.

Older Kids & Teens Centers at the Inn – The Seniors, Pre-Teens and Teens’ rooms all have additional equipment and games; wall hoops and dart boards and brand-new Foosball tables.

Pump House Pressure Tanks = Water -  The final two of the seven  pressure tanks that supply the TP with water were replaced with new fiberglass versions.  (The originals were metal; one rusted and blew sending the tank through the roof, adding still another “P”, as in Pump House Roof Repair.)

Quebec – promise yourselves that this time, you will remember passports for yourselves and children 16 and older (children under 16 need only a copy of their birth certificate).  More vineyards, cafes, bike routes, chocolatiers, fine arts and crafts than ever…and just minutes from the TP.

Rockets, Science & Art projects – Rockets for older kids to send off into the sky; fun, experimental projects for the younger kids from making all-natural sparkling grape water to home-made ice cream; new art projects include resin casting.

Server, Computers & New Phone System  -  While the TP isn’t exactly a haven of technology, Michelle and Gige and the office/reservations staff need to reach you.  New Intel server, computers, and a new phone system help…well, so some say!

Tennis Court in Cedar Meadow– The “hideaway court” (as some who like to play in privacy on one of our 6 tennis courts like to call it) has been completely reconstructed and resurfaced for all-weather play. 

Underground & Out-of-Sight - Various new waste water and septic systems.  Not only out-of-sight in terms of viewing, but cost: literally $$$$$$ “down the drain”!

Vermont – so much going on here, too, from the food and farm movement to art and craft shows, music and dance…and the record-setting, downstate Storm Irene recovery (that helped Quint & Julie Tyler and Chef Dennis re-open our Red Clover Inn in three weeks’ time last fall.)

Worm farming!  More “green” projects added for kids & teens from our own “worm farm” to building and launching their own “model” sailboat creations to Nature Dave’s “water and wilderness” activities. .

(E)Xteriors & Foundations - If we only had the square footage of all those buildings with their foundations (some dating to the early 1800s), porches, siding, shutters, roofs, doors, windows, chimneys, etc.  This year Maintenance took on more of these projects than ever.

Yachts – None…but that fleet of Hobies, canoes, kayaks, ski and wakeboarding boats, Pontoon boats, and paddleboats get renewed and added to each year.

Zillions (ok we’re over the top here) but surely thousands of purchases and renovations small and large, many emanating from your specific Questionnaire comments: massage tables and ping pong tables; dozens of glasses and plate settings; beds and blankets; ever-e-n-d-l-e-s-s towels and kitchen supplies; life jackets and car seats; handicap lift for the pools; life jackets, books, art and exercise equipment; tables and chairs; archery bows, fishing tackle and bath hooks; cribs and baby seats…you get the idea.  Zillions to do (repair, patch, renew, add, remodel, refurnish, etc., etc.) every year….just for 70 families each week!

About Tyler Place Maintenance

Dave Vanslette (or Nature Dave) tells us that the most frequent question he gets asked by far is about our off-season maintenance. With all the acreage (hundreds), guest accommodations (70), staff housing (19), public buildings of one sort or another (18), how do we keep up with the painting, repairs, refurbishment, roofs, septic and other ordinary maintenance? As homeowners, guests consider what one home property involves to maintain, multiply that 100 fold, and shake their heads. Additionally, guests who have returned for several summers are aware that not only is the TP meticulously maintained, but that every year they find many improvements and new “goodies”.

How is it done? Primarily the credit goes to “Archer” Dale and the crew of 15 year round maintenance staff – who cover an amazing amount of ground (much of it frozen) over the eight months between seasons. Recently Nature Dave’s son joined his father and uncle making a fourth generation of Vanslettes building our resort.

Next newsletter we’ll give you some specifics of “What’s New at the TP” for the summer of 2012, our 79^th season.

(So, who recognized Dale with the facial camouflage he always adds for the hunting season?)

How Hurricane Irene Welcomed Us to The Red Clover Inn

By Julie Tyler

Quint and I were so excited to move into the beautiful 1840's farmhouse next to The Red Clover Inn in Mendon, VT. Needless to say, that was an adventure in and of itself with an 8 year-old and 5 year-old.  Two days after we arrived on August 27, we purchased groceries and unloaded many of our belongings so as to be prepared for a “tropical depression” (according to weather reports.) Quintin went on his way Sunday morning to go back to Tyler Place.  Little did we know that he would be one of the last to leave the area.

The power went out around 2:00 pm and it continued to rain all day.  The kids and I listened to the radio for our news as it continued to report on the damages around us.  I realized that the situation was becoming serious.  That evening we went to bed in our new home by candlelight.  The next morning we ended up stuck at "the culvert" which was our road, broken in two, with a culvert down the middle.  We weren't going anywhere by car.

As we met our neighbors (what a way to meet them!), the news (and bottles of water) came in by bike and 4-wheelers of how badly the flood had damaged the area. The neighbors were teasing us about just moving in but we felt blessed that even with a flooded basement and a few leaks in the house, we were ok-- with Red Clover Inn’s restaurant right next to us! Quickly our neighborhood "mayors", as they were affectionately called, organized.  We had no power, but one of the houses in the neighborhood had a generator and we were finally able to charge our cell phones. Frankly, I was scared thinking I only had one bar left and no car charger (which I found in a purse after the storm).

Quintin, being the resourceful Vermonter he is ,was determined to find a way to us.  I knew that if anyone could get in, it would be him. On the following Tuesday Quintin came in by bike with a backpack on his back. My knight in shining armor! The power came back on too!  Ben and Char had made some friends at the culvert with one family in the neighborhood and we were so thankful!  The neighbors had figured out a way to hike "to the other side” of the trailhead, so it became possible to get the kids to school.  On Wednesday, Ben's first day of school, he hiked out with his Dad and the neighbors to a car caravan. What a way to go to school; we were so proud of him!

On that same day, Charlotte was playing with her new friend and broke her arm riding a tricycle. Just the thing you want to happen during an emergency, with helicopters flying overhead and no way of getting her to a doctor! I quickly turned to my neighbors for help; I was sure that she didn't have a broken arm, but thought maybe the chiropractor I had just met could come and take a look.  So he did, as he was leaving (we had decided a splint and ibuprofen would be all we could do for now) a gentleman walked into our living room with a backpack on.  He was fresh off of Route 4 and said, "Hi, I'm an orthopedic surgeon."  All I could think about was how lucky we were.  He examined Charlotte's arm and was 95% sure it was broken.  We immediately called his office and we made an appointment.

The next morning we were going to get a ride over Route 4 to Rutland.  As we climbed over the culvert, Charlotte and I were greeted by reporters from Vermont Life and The Boston Globe (apparently a 5-year-old breaking her arm during a disaster is a good human-interest piece).  We finally made it to Rutland down a dirt road that was once busy Route 4.  One can't properly explain how it looked. Huge sections were totally washed away. Charlotte's doctor visit went well, and she was to wear a splint for the next 6 weeks

Quintin came back in and got us on Friday, and we left by trail to go back to our cottage at Tyler Place. "The Path"turned out to be a beautiful walk through what was a horse farm in the mid 1800's. Journey's End Road linked to another gorgeous neighborhood called Helvi Hill. "The Path" after some work by many volunteers, was a delightful walk and covered by woodchips. Golf carts had been donated as well which made for an easy ride. The people were so kind to open up their land. It was really wonderful.  The kids became spoiled by the daily offerings of candy and drinks along the way and Charlotte figured out that her splint became a good place to stash her goodies. This was truly something we would always remember.  We spent the weekend in Highgate and returned with supplies in tow. We put our groceries in a rolling suitcase and we were off.  Charlotte's first day of kindergarten was the next Tuesday and she happily hiked through the woods with her broken arm and her big brother.  What a big first day of kindergarten for Charlotte!

The New York Times happened to be at the school that morning and the school held an assembly for what would be the first day for all 33 children that were affected by Irene.  At the end of the school day I waited for Charlotte on the path only to see her come out of the woods with the reporter and photographer from the New York Times!   According to the photographer, our daughter had told her the whole story and Charlotte was quoted in The New York Times on her first day of kindergarten.  That is definitely one for her memory book.

The power remained out for a couple of days and The Red Clover Inn donated all of it's perishables to the community. Route 4 became passable in a week and amazingly the road crews had Route 4 open within three weeks so that Red Clover Inn & Restaurant was fully open for foliage season traffic.

Thank you to all the people who helped us in our first couple of weeks in the neighborhood. For some reason, a disaster always seems to bring out the best in people and we couldn't be more thankful. We have finally been able to settle in. Quintin is here and we have worked through what has been a beautiful foliage season.  What a nice place to live; the community is just tops! We have made lasting friendships with our neighbors here in Mendon, and we certainly have a story we will we always remember in our move to the Red Clover Inn.

We would love for all of our Tyler Place friends to visit us at The Red Clover Inn & Restaurant.  Come share the beauty of this gorgeous area (and some fabulous dining!) There are a lot of great things to do around here and we will gladly make suggestions and help you plan.


 

The Making of the Pirate Pontoon Cruise

By JD (Jes Dean)

Pirates have been a fascination with children and adults alike for many generations. There is something about uniforms, peg legs, eye patches and treasure chests full of precious jewels. Although the theme isn't so glamorous in real life, I think it's safe to say that the innocence of children-at-play lends an excitement and interest in the Pirate culture.

So, how did The Tyler Place Sunday night Pirate Pontoon Cruise tradition come about?

As the co-directors of the Clubhouse in 2006, Jess Lynes and I were looking to spice up the children's schedule with some new activities that would be appealing to the Sr. Midgets and Juniors. It was apparent that Pirates were popular as we saw a lot of action on the Pirate Ship in the front yard of the Clubhouse. The original idea came to me when we were out on a kayak on break and another staff member came by and soaked us with Super Soakers. It was an epiphany and that evening, Jess and I sat down to plan out the logistics. We had some Phil Collins blaring in the background and we knew we were onto something big.

JD (Jes Dean) as Schmeid in 2006.

Jess Lynes as Schmitty in 2006.

After speaking with the Waterfront staff who were very supportive of the idea and putting in an order of Pirate wear, eye patches and tattoos for the campers, the Pirate Pontoon Cruise was born. However, it was nothing like the event you see today. In its early versions, the Pirates consisted of Jess and I dressing up and chasing the pontoon boats around in kayaks. Now, there were many problems with this situation. First, I was not a major fan of kayaking due to a traumatic 16hr sea kayak back in 2004 and am no pro at paddling, steering or other random maneuvers. Not to mention that we had to carry the "booty" and water guns with an extra supply in the single man kayaks with us. Also, not being very sneaky, it was apparent that the guests recognized us within seconds of our arrival. Another "great" idea we had was bringing grapes on the boats that the kids could use as "deterrents" from having the Pirates come close. After a very nice memo from the Waterfront staff who spent hours cleaning up smashed grapes, that fad ended.

There had to be a better way, we thought, so after some brainstorming we gave another call down to the Waterfront to inquire about shuttling us out to the island during the campers’ dinner and bringing us back at the end of group. They agreed and at that moment, a Star was born. Our Waterfront drivers got right into the theme, piloting the pontoons around the island playing East Coast music from Nova Scotia, and maneuvered the pontoons as close to the Island as possible for maximum exposure.

Jess and I spent the rest of the Sunday evenings that summer shuttling down to the lake on our bikes with opaque garbage bags full of costumes, booty, water guns and swords. We shared many sunsets in those days and enjoyed captivating our campers with some friendly Pirate-battling as Schmitty and Schmeid, the original Bandstand Island Pirates. It was also very common for us to arrive back at the Clubhouse and have the children yell “We know you’re the pirates!!” which we didn’t confirm or deny.

As the years have passed by, many other fortunate TP staff have had the opportunity to play this important role as a Bandstand Pirate and have made some wonderful memories on that island. It is my hope that the Pirate Pontoon Cruise remains a staple at The Tyler Place for years to come, and when the day comes that a new activity replaces it, I will think back to the early days and let out my best "arrrrrrggghhhhh Matey".

2011 Pirates

Harvesting Shiitake Mushrooms

By Claudia (TP Gardener)
 

Some of our guests participated in our Shiitake workshop and took home an inoculated log. You are probably wondering how much longer will it take before you see any results, and when and how to

harvest these mushrooms. 

Patience, regular moisture checks, shady location, and more patience are a must. You can tell that the Shiitake spawn has begun to colonize the logs when white fungus-like growth rings appear on the ends of the logs. This happens 4 to 10 months after inoculation. Your first harvest will not be far behind. When the weather is right, small brown buttons will rise from the bark. This is called “pinning.” Mushrooms will follow in a few days if it stays warm and damp; cold temperatures and drying winds can stall them for weeks.

For the finest taste and texture, harvest Shiitakes when the mushrooms are not fully opened. If you prefer larger mushrooms, let them grow until the cap expands completely, a day or two after the veil that protects the gills has separated from the stem. At full fruit stage, the Shiitake has a cap that is maroon-brown and speckled with lovely gem-like dots around the rim. Gently break or cut the stems off the logs and place them in cardboard boxes or paper bags. Once picked, the mushrooms will only stay fresh for a couple of days during hot weather. With refrigeration, they can keep for two to three weeks.

The Tyler Place Duckman Triathlon

By Becky Dean (Adult Entertainment Co-Director)

1/3-mile swim. 8.8-mile bike. 1.4-mile run. All for the glory of charging through the toilet paper, getting your duck keychain and sporting your faded race number proudly at cocktail hour. But for some, the famous Tyler Place Duckman Triathlon becomes more than that. A longstanding tradition, the Duckman was started by Cecile and George “Jigger” Harrington, about 17 years ago as a fun activity for their week. However, word leaked into other weeks and the demand grew. Eventually, the triathlon was added to the weekly entertainment schedule for any of our guests to participate in.

At the Tyler Place, the race begins at the swim dock (or the kayak dock for our gill-less participants!) and the racers swim 1/3-mile out to Bandstand Island and back. But the lake isn’t the only obstacle – often racers will navigate around the big blue floating mat, the death slide and the odd life-jacket sporting kid. After the swim, the racers hop onto their bicycles and ride past all of the farms along Route 7 into the town of Swanton, where they turn around and head back. Many racers admit to abstaining from breathing as they pass some of the more aromatic farms! Finally, once the bike crosses the checkpoint, the racers take off on a 1.4-mile run around Highgate Springs – via Shipyard Road and finish down Old Dock Rd charging straight through our classy finish line of TP.

For some guests, the Duckman was a gateway into participating in other triathlons outside of the Tyler Place. Our current male and female record holders, Mike Long (37:30) and Cindy Hutchings (43:47) both started by participating in the Duckman several years ago as a fun way to get some exercise and friendly competition. However, both of these guests “got the bug” and since have participated in other triathlons, including the National Championships down the road in Burlington, on August 20^th! Although many guests participate all over the country in much larger (but probably less fun) races than the Duckman, many of our racers will admit that this is the most intense race of their year – with their children holding the finish line and family and friends cheering them on!

           

The Duckman has room for everyone to participate, no matter what your skill level or age! We have witnessed guests from ages 6-84 participate and relay teams are always welcome. No matter what, the best part of completing the Duckman is the ability to proudly have thirds from the dessert table. Why not start training now?

Get your Duckman T-Shirt from The Tyler Place Online Store!