Liz, how does your garden grow?

June 21, 2011 - I tend to use the word “eclectic” with regard to interior furnishings, but I’m telling you, we have an eclectic yard at Clay Corner Inn this summer. Liz started a little garden last year on the second level of land next to the garage, behind the daisies. Depending on how you define success, it was a success. I define failure only as the failure to try, so her garden was a huge success in my estimation no matter the limited bounty.

The color photo upper left is not Liz's harvest from last year. She's hopeful that it's close to what will grow this year.

She loved gardening more than she imagined, and this year, she deemed that little plot too small for her ambitions. Thus, the eclectic-ness outside. By the back gate, you’ll find squash, maybe it’s pumpkin or zucchini. Off to the side of the back sidewalk, there are tomato plants, cucumbers and as you’ll see in one photo, corn. I’m no gardener, but I can readily identify corn behind the cucumber sign.

Back in her original small plot, she has planted zucchini or squash or pumpkin – they all look alike to me, and there are no cute signs there.

Liz planted a bunch of old, assorted flower seeds in the mulch in front of the house. No one claims the mint that is growing around the mailbox. John is responsible for having kept the geraniums around the pool going all winter (in the basement), and he collects a million marigold seeds each fall. They fill the street corner and various pots, and I see some flowering already between bricks near the pool.

It’s a pretty time of year, and thanks to the diligence of God (rain), Liz, Katie, Scott, James, Summer and Betty, everything gets watered regularly. It’s pretty all around town. The construction on North Main Street is nearly finished. Though I was not keen on the $11 million taxpayer price tag, it really is a classy upgrade to pavement, sidewalks and new lamp posts that match the others downtown.

Blacksburg is a great place to walk and relax. More on walking next time, Joanne

B&B vs chain hotels - no contest, folks!

June 9, 2011 ~ I went on a road trip recently, and since our driving time was not as set as usual, I did not make reservations at some of my favorite B&Bs – like The Speckled Hen in Madison, WI, and Jordan Hollow Farm’s delightful cottage in Lexington, KY. Rather, over the course of four nights coming and going, we stayed in a Holiday Inn, Sheraton Four Points, Quality Inn and Best Western. Next trip, I’ll definitely figure our time so we can stay in B&Bs. The chain hotels can’t hold a candle to the warmth, hospitality, quality, breakfast or amenities of a bed and breakfast inn.

The fact that one hotel had two double beds in a room alerted me that the beds were probably old. They were soft, outdated, uncomfortable, overdue for replacement. Three of the four front desk clerks were pleasant. The Sheraton Four Points (I used to work for Sheraton) no longer gives receipts to save trees. That’s a first for me! Lighting was poor in all four, partly due to fewer lamps in the room, and partly due to the new fluorescent bulbs. They flicker at 60 cycles per second and tire both your eyes and your brain, though you may not feel anything. I wonder if or how all these huge hotels manage the hazardous waste of such bulbs, which never can be simply tossed in the trash, and you have a small hazardous incident on your hands if one gets broken. Two of the four chains do not have complimentary breakfast, and of the two that did, Quality Inn (the least expensive) offered the nicest selection. Of course, it was nothing like our fresh, homemade granola, muffins and breakfast entrees, but, well, it was adequate, if adequate is, well, adequate [for you]. I suggest setting your sights higher -- here's our kitchen and a sample of French toast!

At Clay Corner Inn, you’ll slip into Comphy sheets, smooth as butter and perfect for the best night’s sleep (especially on top of our WorldClass® Beautyrest mattresses – all queen or king, of course). You’ll have a blanket then a quilt or bedspread and an extra blanket. In two chain hotels, we had a sheet and a heavy comforter --- too hot with the comforter and too cold with just the sheet, no middle comfort.

And speaking of the bed, Clay Corner Inn provides four pillows: two queens or two kings and two standards on every bed. The hotels have gone to small, square pillows about the size of a toss pillow. None of the hotel rooms had bathrobes, shower caps, sewing kits, makeup removers, pool towels or quality bath towels.

So, if you’re weighing your lodging options between a hotel chain and Clay Corner Inn, well, there’s simply no contest. Our rates are competitive. Our amenities are generous. Our linens are high quality, and you simply can’t get a better breakfast – well, unless you stay at a different B&B. Innkeepers are the nation’s best breakfast cooks, and at Clay Corner Inn, we freshly grind the coffee!

If your travels take you up I-81 through PA, arrange your overnight at Pheasant Field B&B in Carlisle, PA. There’s not much better recommendation than one innkeeper pointing you to another … not just because we are in the same industry, but because I am a repeat guest at the places mentioned in this blog.

Have a lovely day and happy travels and great B&B stays, Joanne

Jackson, a wonder[ful] dog

June 1, 2011 - Here’s a photo of some Memorial Day weekend guests: Eddie and Cathy Miller and Jackson, an Australian shepherd. Now, one of these has been written about in magazine articles and received an Air Force Commendation Medal. Eddie, you think? Wrong. Cathy, you say? No, wrong again. Well, I guess that leaves Jackson. Ding! Ding! Ding! Correct response!

Jackson is bred to round up as well as disperse a variety of animals. Sheep come to mind on the round up, and geese would be the dispersed critters in this case. They would number in the hundreds if not a thousand or more, and Jackson was charged with scattering them off the runway at Andrews Air Force Base so Air Force One, our presidential air transport vehicle, could land or take off.

He’s only four and a half (already retired from that line of work), extremely well mannered and well trained. Like other guests, he likes a little yogurt on his morning meal. While most of our canine guests are not medal recipients, they are still wonderful to meet, and the people they bring along are considerate and respectful of our dog friendly atmosphere and policies.

There’s a new 2-acre, fenced, town dog park 2.3 miles out the front door. The 6.5-mile Huckleberry Trail starts across the street, and we have a list of restaurants downtown where you can take your dog to the outdoor patio. The Millers ate breakfast outside on the covered deck, and you don’t need to have a dog to enjoy your morning coffee and nourishment in the fresh air. In fact, that reminds me that I’ve meant to move another table for outdoor breakfast dining. I’ll figure that out by next weekend.

The coolest package deal we are offering is “Summer on the River” – an overnight, the great Clay Corner breakfast, a “cruise” on the New River in a canoe or 2-person kayak (you and rented watercraft delivered and picked up where you begin and end on the river, 7 miles of floating), $50 gift card toward dinner at The Palisades Restaurant (www.thepalisadesrestaurant.com), an insulated lunch tote for taking your snacks and the book “Follow the River” (you’ll be moved by this one!). It’s $199 plus tax, Sun-Thurs, add $10 for Fri or Sat, and we have a 2 night minimum weekend stay.

Welcome to June! We hope to see you soon! Joanne