It is hard to believe that a year ago Valentine’s weekend, Anne Ashworth’s 3 daughters and 3 granddaughters met in New Gloucester,  Maine for the first board of directors meeting for Green Mountain Hooked Rugs.  That time Pam made it from FL to NE between snowstorms.    And here we are again, meeting in New Gloucester, Maine to begin our second year!  Again Pam made it in and out of NE between blizzards!  What are you girls thinking?   Elizabeth was not able to join the meeting this year since it was school break and Valentine’s weekend with a very full to overflowing ‘house’ for their dog care business.  On Saturday Pam and Lindsay drove up from Worceter, Mass and Stephanie came over from Montpelier gathering at Cecely’s for a fun family dinner - entertainment provided by 31 month old Emrys Coe, the love of Stephanie’s life!   The weather forecasters were predicting yet another major blizzard for Saturday night and all day Sunday.  Our meeting was scheduled for a conference room at Pineland Center on Sunday - would we have a meeting? would we be able to get there and if so, would the building/conference center be open?   We did make it there (only about 5 or so miles down the road from Cecely's and Mariah’s homes) and only a light snow falling with not much accumulation from the night before.  The conference room was not open, so we met at the Pineland Conference Center General Store in one of their dining rooms.  A perfect place to meet.  The store in itself is worth a visit, full of great foods, fresh vegetables and any manner of yummy things prepared for purchasing.   

It was amazing to sit around the table together again and review what we had accomplished over the year. "Yes, we HAVE come a long way, baby”!   There is a new accounting system and some back office programs in place now; a new venue and exciting teachers  for Green Mountain Rug School 2015 are all lined up; and a new website that will allow 24/7 browsing and shopping is well on the way to meet the projected May 1st launch.   The ‘divide and conquer” on tasks and work streams that Lindsay talked about has been very successful in reducing  the effort and focus that was solely Stephanie’s.   She has been freed up to spend more time vending; teaching and generally taking care of the things she loves about the business.  With Pam’s retirement from corporate life, she has taken over the production of patterns, the Newsletter and is taking on the photography for the website.  Cecely has been involved with the the business ads and is helping Pam with the product photography.  Mariah is busy scouting teachers for future Rug School classes; dyeing wool for the shop as well as working on her own amazing  hooking projects.  Lindsay’s business sense and training keeps this all on track and lights the way for our future.   Our meeting ended on just such a positive note for our future growth and the possibilities open for Green Mountain Hooked Rugs.  Our mother, grandmother (Anne Ashworth), great grandmother, great great grandmother (Philena Moxley) would be pleased and I hope excited to see the life and future of the legacy they left in our care.  Green Mountain Hooked Rugs' second year will be as exciting and as busy as our first and we are all looking forward to all it holds.  Oh, yes, next year’s winter board meeting will meet in Florida!!!