Since I’ve been absent from the blog front for ummmm…2 years?!? Crazy. But here is what I’ve been immersed in for the last month. Boys, baseball, and a road trip to a fun family wedding. Congrats Brandon and Erica!
Category Archives: My day to day
Black Fly Advice for New Hampshire Weddings
Today was the first day that I was beaten back indoors by black flies. The sun was out, there was even a breeze, but there was no true escape from the little buggers unless you had a roof over your head. Brides and their “to-be’s” of choice are heading up to experience the Mount Washington Valley’s natural beauty as I write, unknowingly signing off on their pound of flesh for the bugs.
Here are the rumors on repelling those which can’t really be repelled.
- Waving a sappy pine branch over your head. Not too practical for brides, but it is said that the smellier the branch the better.
- DEET doesn’t work and it might actually attract black flies. I avoid this product because it melts plastic – not good for cameras equals not good for you or your family.
- Avoid areas that have lightly running streams…black flies hatch in running water. Mosquitoes prefer stagnant pools.
- Black flies prefer dark colors. Lucky brides, unlucky grooms. If you must wear dark, try a lighter top, darker bottoms with the cuffs tucked in (the 1980’s revisited). The dark color below will pull the flies away from your head, their favorite spot to bite.
- Black flies prefer nice, warm, sunny days with no wind. So do we.
- Some fragrances that been getting some attention for their ability to repel black flies are vanilla, garlic and catnip. Try a mist (and may I suggest using vanilla on your wedding day…unless you are tying the knot with a tabby cat).
- I have also heard through the wedding grapevine that tucking dryer sheets into your dress or tux can keep you sane. And it makes you smell freshly laundered, which is a plus.
- Black flies stop biting you and start looking for a window once they realize they have piggybacked their way indoors. Mosquitos…not so much. So run out, get married, run in. In that order.
- The old saying states that black flies are here from Mother’s Day to Father’s Day. Don’t believe it – come prepared all summer long so you won’t become a snack.
Let me know what works for you and maybe we can keep those happy couples smiling long enough to capture some great video.
Cheers,
Kelly Cicero
Kelly Cicero Films
New Snow, New Edits for Kelly Cicero Films
I was able to sneak out and hit the trails today to continue my coverage of the cross country areas for the Mount Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce. A great late morning ski at Bear Notch Ski Touring Center in Bartlett, NH. Trails were in excellent condition – one couldn’t tell that the Valley hadn’t received snow in a month. I hit the waterfall trail again as well as heading up the hill on trail #2…more confident in my uphill abilities sans pulk and small child. The snow was sticky, which for me, was perfect. Uphills were tackled without the herringbone and filming downhill while skiing was less hairy. The Mount Washington Valley Ski Touring and Snowshoe Foundation (Whitaker Woods area) were waiting to groom some corduroy and lay track on their trail system until more snow had fallen (the word from them as of 11AM this morning).
I had the pleasure to meet some great people in the lodge (names to go unmentioned due to extreme stardom), up on vacation from Massachusetts. They brought some beautiful snow and some welcomed cheer to the area. Thanks for sharing your stories with me. I hope to see you all on the trails again. And by the way, the chicken noodle soup cooked up by Bear Notch was absolutely amazing! No joke. If you like thick noodles…it is worth the trip alone just to get the soup.
Later in the day, the weather turned a bit wetter in the lower elevations. The upper elevations should be fine. The next few days are supposed to be white again…keep your fingers crossed. I’ve more skiing to do!
Kelly Cicero
Kelly Cicero Films
More work on the burners…Crisite and Patrick’s wedding/DaCapo Concert/Purity Spring Resort Events/Muddy Paws Dogsledding Adventure at Omni Mount Washington Hotel and Bretton Woods. Phew. Filming Norma and Wally’s wedding this weekend up in Jackson. Psyched! There should be some incredible winter wedding shots to be captured. Stay posted.
Heading out into the Cold…
Traveling to a couple cross country areas (Mount Washington Valley Ski Touring and maybe Jackson XC, maybe Bear Notch Ski Touring?) this morning to grab some broll for the Mount Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce. It is very cold so Evan and I will be bundled up. It will be Evan’s first time on cross country skis. He is three…and we found them at Bob & Terry’s Sports Outlet for less money than online. If you see us, stop and say, “Hi”. At Jackson Ski Touring, they have a warming hut about 1 1/2 KM on the Ellis River Trail so don’t miss the opportunity to grab some hot cocoa and warm up the digits. See you there!
Kelly Cicero Films 