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A quick hello from a Winter Wonderland called The Resort at Paws Up.  Looking outside and seeing how beautifully white everything still is, we can take a moment to reminisce about the great Christmas we celebrated here together.  Christmas is a family event and we have been lucky to have such an extended Paws Up family during this time. To hear the jingle bells of the horse drawn sleigh, and to see our Guests cuddled up under blankets and enjoying the majestic surroundings of Greenough under falling snow, looking forward to a hot cup of cocoa at the end of the trail. That is the true feeling of Christmas.  Our Guests ice skating until dark, or enjoying the tubing down the hill, knowing that there will be a nice fire burning in their homes, warmly decorated for the season and a scrumptious dinner awaiting them, brought smiles to their faces.

In a combined effort of some of our wonderful Guests and Paws Up staff, we had Frosty coming alive in the front yard of the Reception Barn. Their hands were getting cold, but the results were amazing.

Christmas 2008 was what you would hope Christmas to be and we are looking forward to Christmas 2009 and welcoming all of our Paws Up family back.  Happy New Year from all of us in the Lodging Department.

– Wonny Rengersen

After much anticipation, the snow has finally arrived in The Blackfoot Valley!  We have 6-8 inches on the ground now and anticipate much more in the coming weeks.  In fact, the extended forecast is predicting a White Christmas!  We’re hoping that this much snow and the very chilly temperatures will bring the snow geese by on their migration. They came by last year, so we hope they make an annual pilgrimage to Paws Up.  I love this time of year at The Resort.  As I type this, I’m looking out the window of my office across our expansive meadow and up to the Scapegoat and Mission Mountains–all blanketed by white.  I can’t wait to get out on a snowmobile and out of the office.  

Christmas is only a week away and we’re ready.  We can’t wait to celebrate the holidays with our guests. Santa’s on his way…and we’ll make sure he leaves on time to deliver presents to the rest of the world.  Last year, we caught him relaxing with his feet up in a Big Timber Home, and had to remind him that he had many more places to go.  We also found his reindeer flirting with the ladies of our resident elk herd.  It won’t happen again.  We promise.

– Jim Nielsen

Greetings from frosty Montana.  “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas” around here; trees, lights, and decorations abound and the ice skating rink looks ready for a triple-sowkow.  The forecast is for continued cold weather and snow, so we are all looking forward to a “White Christmas”.

Some great news for all of you foodies out there, we have our first feature chef and vintner for Montana Master Chefs 2009.  Texas’ own, Kent Rathbun of Abacus, Jasper’s and Shinsei Restaurants will join us fresh off his defeat of Iron Chef Bobby Flay on Iron Chef America.

Our first vintner on the books is the renowned winemaker and owner, John Williams of Frog’s Leap Winery.  This landmark Napa Valley winery has consistently produced world-class wines and has the best motto in the wine business: “Time’s fun when you’re having flies”  and the only cork that says Ribbit! when you uncork the bottle.  We are off to a great start and the soon-to-be-announced chefs and vintners are equally as impressive.

All you fans of Bravo TV’sTop Chef, keep an eye on this season’s competition from New York.  One of the competitors will face off against Stephanie Izard, the winner of The Top Chef Cook Off Challenge from Montana Master Chefs 2008 in MMC ’09.  Who will it be?  Stay tuned.

– Jim Nielsen