The mountains of Killington, resplendent in bright sunshine.

The mountains of Killington, resplendent in bright sunshine.

So... we already established that you were going to come up to Killington this weekend; ski a few runs; partake of the umbrella bars; get your season pass for next year; buy some new equipment to go with your new seasons pass; and play your first round of golf for the season in Vermont. Your weekend is not done, there is still a lot to do. Here are some other activities to put on your list:

1. Attend the Tweed Winter Carnival at Pico: Running Friday March 23rd through Sunday March 25th, the eponymous Tweed River Music Festival held in August each for the last 3 years in Stockbridge Vermont has decided to branch out with a spring concert series at Pico Mountain in Killington. Featured musical acts at the festival will include Bow Thayer, Perfect Trainwreck, Waylon Speed, Pistol Whipped, Holy Plow, Goldtown, Crunchy Western Boys, Andrea Gillis Band, Township, Jabe Beyer, Flowting Bridge and White Dynamite. Tickets are $20 per day. Further information about the festival can be found at tweedrivermusicfestival.com

2. Picnic Lunch on Deers Leap: As you are heading towards Pico for the Tweed Winter Carnival, if you still need exercise after skiing, consider a hike to the top of Deers Leap. It's a beautiful scenic vista on Route 4 at the top of the Sherburne Pass. It is a great place for a picnic lunch on sunny days. If you go, wear proper hiking shoes, be careful of the mud on the trail (snow is still melting you know), and clean up after yourself by bringing out what you bring in so others may enjoy the hike as well.

3. Enjoy the sweetest time of the year in Vermont - Maple Sugar Season: This weekend also happens to be "Vermont Maple Open House Weekend" where sugar shacks all over the state will be converting maple sap into the sweet maple syrup we all love on my partner Mary's pancakes at breakfast. Activities are planned state wide to celebrate the sugaring season. A great place to partake of the events is the New England Maple Museum in nearby Pittsford Vermont.

4. A little Rock and Roll Nostalgia: if the new music at the Tweed Music Festival proves too eclectic for you, the Paramount Theater in Rutland will be featuring the Shirelles and the Drifters this weekend on Saturday evening. Tickets are on sale at the Paramount Theater Box Office (802 775-0903) or online at paramountvt.org.

5. Be Trendy: or not. How can you avoid the hype. Even in our little corner of Vermont the new movie "Hunger Games" is making a buzz. If you have been sucked in the hype, never fear, you don't need to stay comfortably ensconced in your home town to be the first to catch this new "It" movie. If you drive up Thursday Night, you can actually catch the Midnight Showing at Rutland's Flagship Cinema. One night only. (actual show time is 12:05 AM on Friday Morning which just squeezes this event into the weekend!)

And of course on Friday and Saturday nights, Chef Frizzie and our team will be here at the Birch Ridge Inn to delight you with great food and beverages. Merisa will be holding court in the Great Room Lounge, fresh from a trip to Tuckerman's Ravine earlier in the week. If you are still dreaming of powder, we will play a ski movie of two on the big screen, in between some of the March Madness round ball we have all come to enjoy.

We look forward to seeing you in Killington this weekend. and don't forget your sun screen!