Springtime in Blacksburg

It’s time to finish the story of my fish, especially since lots of activity has occurred at Clay Corner Inn! One evening after a weekly cleaning of my fish tank, I was careless with making sure the divider was firmly in place and the next morning I found Roger huddled over Opal, hiding in the corner. I quickly fixed the situation and have had no problems since!

Our new packages have been unveiled on our website, so be sure to peruse them before making your next reservation! One package includes a movie at the Lyric theatre Theatre and cash for downtown, or another is dinner at the Palisades and a book about Mary Draper Ingles’ dramatic escape from the Cherokee Indians in the mid-1700s. She was found near the New River not far from the restaurant. My personal favorite, and most practical package, is the to-go snack basket. It comes in an adorable (will post pictures soon!) insulated lunch tote, with the Clay Corner Inn logo, that you can take hiking, on a picnic, or if you’re planning on becoming a Hokie, it’s the perfect energy booster for spending a day on campus. Be sure to ask what package is right for your trip when you book your room.

Right now I’m hosting a luncheon for the Civil Engineering department from Virginia Tech. All the prep work yesterday made this a smooth event, and they are enjoying a lunch buffet before a casual, afternoon meeting. If you’re interested in an office meeting or small luncheon, give us a call to discuss options. I’m more than happy to help you arrange an event for your group!

This evening is a First Friday in Downtown Blacksburg. We participate with an art crawl and cookie bar every month. Make sure to stop by if you're in town!

This past week we had the opportunity to give the inn a “spring cleaning”. We had our carpets cleaned and planted many flowers. The window boxes add color to the house, and the geraniums out on the deck and around the pool are beautiful. I even planted my garden, so I’m hoping to share the harvest with guests this year, as I planted more! Keep your fingers crossed for fresh cantaloupe and blueberries, along with zucchini muffins at breakfast.

Happy Spring, Liz

Fall Colors

There are new colors all around us as summer officially turns into autumn. The leaves are slowly starting to change colors, which will make for some beautiful scenery on all the hikes in the New River Valley. Of course, on weekends the streets become flooded with orange and maroon t-shirts as the Hokies cheer on Virginia Tech football. This weekend happens to be an away game against Boston College, but there are always students showing their pride here in Blacksburg, Va.

Here at the Clay Corner Inn, we are enjoying new colors too, mostly in our gardens. A purple hyacinth, which was given to us by a guest, is now in full bloom with vibrant shades of purple. On the other side of the fence, my tomato garden is still producing plenty of tomatoes and even a few peppers now. There’s even a cherry tomato plant
across the way that must be from John’s garden a few years ago. I’m excited to start harvesting those tomatoes soon!

We recently just finished planting a bunch of mums around the property. There are even maroon and orange ones to show our support for Virginia Tech! I know I’m enjoying the vibrant colors and I hope that you’ll be able to stay with us and enjoy them too. There’s a garden with a bench out back that has more plants around it which looks so inviting for reading a book in the evenings. Perhaps I’ll run into you out there sometime; but always know that we’re here to help you plan your visit and make your time in Blacksburg special. Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions!

Happy Fall!
Liz