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

New Sheets!

While we finally got some much needed rain on Saturday, it proved to be a soggy day for the first Virginia Tech home football game. Our guests here at the Clay Corner Inn appreciated coming back to a warm house and taking an afternoon nap between our new Compy spa sheets. I’ve been told that they are soft and “buttery” and are “simply amazing”! Hopefully I’ll get a chance to try the sheets out next week when we aren’t so busy. Some guests enjoy the sheets so much that they decide to buy a set from our gift shop. While some would consider a queen set to be pricey at $129, anyone who has slept on these sheets would tell you that it is definitely worth the money to have a luxurious nights sleep.

Our recent investment in new sheets is just another example of how we strive to improve our guests’ experience. Through constantly updating our amenities and services offered, we hope to be able to provide you with a warm and enjoyable experience. As always, if there’s anything that we can do to help make your stay special, don’t hesitate to contact us. While we can’t control the weather or make sure the Hokies win, we can always help you make dinner plans, prepare a plate of homemade cookies, or suggest a great day hike. I’m most positive that you’ll enjoy your stay in Blacksburg and feel at home at the Clay Corner Inn.

Liz

Edible Creations

Here in Blacksburg, we’re gearing up for the first Virginia Tech football game and preparing the inn for a busy fall. Thankfully we have a break in the heat spell and have the chance to clean and bake in a more comfortable setting. I know I appreciated the cool breeze today when I was picking flowers to replenish our vases on the breakfast tables. Arranging flowers is one of the more creative sides to innkeeping that I find very enjoyable!

There happens to be creative opportunities available most days here at the Clay Corner Inn. Every morning I get to garnish plates with fruits and occasionally fresh herbs from our garden, or even pansies, which are an edible flower. Certain evenings we have guests arrive who are celebrating an anniversary or a birthday. Then I get to put together a cookie platter to leave in the room.

On our website we offer certain specials that can make your stay more enjoyable. My personal favorite to prepare is the snack basket which includes cheeses, crackers, fruit, and nuts. It’s a lovely idea for an afternoon after a long drive, or for a relaxing evening after you’ve been at the Virginia Tech football game. We’d be happy to put together a treat for you, so don’t hesitate to let us know if you’re celebrating a special occasion or would just like something to munch on before dinner. Plus, it gives us a chance to be creative and have fun! We’re here to provide you with a friendly atmosphere and warm hospitality, so we look forward to hearing from you soon!

Liz

Michael's books

August 28 - Last Thursday evening, local author Michael Abraham held a book signing at Clay Corner Inn --- the B&B guests didn’t seem to mind his dozens of friends and fans wandering through enjoying wine, punch, cheese, fruit, conversation and buying books. “Union, WV” is a novel about healing and redemption in a small West Virginia town, and “The Spine of the Virginias” is a non-fiction look at people, places, history and culture along the Virginia-West Virginia border. They can be ordered at http://www.bikemike.name/.

Graciously, he displayed a few of my books "Solomon Says" -- thanks Mike.
This plug is for you! Nice turnout.
So, you can't be sure whom you might meet at Clay Corner Inn -- but this is certain: you are sure to "meet" warm hospitality and comfortable lodging in a great location next to Virginia Tech campus. Have a great day! Joanne

Summer's cake and mid-week events

August 28, 2010. As the summer draws to a close, we bid farewell to Summer with a cake … not any ol’ cake. It has to have a horse! As an incoming freshman at Virginia Tech, this year’s cake also sported a VT logo, some horseshoes for good luck and a chicken for her animal and poultry science major. And check out that grass [frosting!] All the best to you, Summer – enjoy being a Hokie! [photo with her mom, left; Summer, right]

Clay Corner Inn is sold out September and October weekends, so come on the other five nights. Stay for three nights Sun-Thurs between Sept. 15 and Dec 15, and we’ll take 50% off the 3rd night. The Kandinsky Trio performs Sunday, Sept. 30th, on campus, and the Kronos Quartet will perform at the Lyric Theatre downtown on Wed., Oct. 6. “The Good Person of Szechuan” – a blend of Chinese opera, Brooklyn lingo, World War II-era socio-ecnomic struggles and gutsy cabaret–style songs is one presentation by Theatre Main Stage, School of Performing Arts at Virginia Tech. Dates are Nov. 5-6, 9-13, 16-18.
It’s a short walk to any of these performances, and sitting outside on a warm fall evening with some Virginia wine and homemade cookies (always complementary at Clay Corner Inn) is guaranteed to provide the kind of relaxation we all need from time to time. Joanne.

Virginia Tech move in week and Business Expo

August 20, 2010 - This is Virginia Tech move-in week, and what a week it is! We’re enjoying meeting new Hokie parents and incoming freshman – and the Clay Corner Inn staff is managing beautifully the daily breakfasts, topping 20 people a couple mornings, along with housekeeping, laundry, ironing, baking, putting fresh flowers on the breakfast tables, answering myriad questions and giving myriad directions! Whew!
Jessica Kinley has joined the staff to take care of all our common spaces, indoors and out, stocking soda and that bottled cold water so craved after a hot day of moving boxes and crates into dorm rooms. Samantha is doing double duties housekeeping and front desk. VT intern Gretchen never stops smiling or working! Liz never misses a detail, like extra towels; keeps up our Facebook and social media entries; attended a hour and half social media seminar yesterday; and helped staff the Clay Corner Inn booth at yesterday’s Chamber of Commerce Business Expo. She made the display, too! [unable to download photos to this blog ... hmmm, so I'll toss in a patriotic photo!]
Summer ends her 3rd summer with us on Saturday and will be one of those freshman Hokies on Monday! All the best to you, Summer! Paula Frietag is returning to the B&B on Friday evenings, so she’ll meet lots of you and see some familiar faces, too. Scott Mattox keeps the lawn and outdoor landscaping neat and tidy. We're delighted to have him working with us, once again. Ten years ago, he did the same thing as a teenager, though now he also works on our barn, where his natural attention to detail and building construction degree mean that he always measures twice and cuts once! :) He's got a great resume, stable work history and a terrific reference from me if anyone is looking for a personable, skilled, educated, diligent young man who was laid off when construction dipped in this ongoing recession.

I applaud Clay Corner Inn staff for so many recent 6:30 and 7 a.m. mornings, for making each and every guest feel welcome and comfortable and for all the housekeeping and laundry and small details that make Clay Corner Inn the best place to stay with the best location next to Virginia Tech. Campus is a-buzz, and we love the energy and activity, along with hopes and dreams of these new Hokies and Hokie families!! A hearty welcome to Town, freshmen! Joanne

Tomato Cages

The other week I was weeding my garden here at the Clay Corner Inn, but I was having a very difficult time because all my plants were growing wild and I couldn’t even find the weeds! So I started to untangle the cucumbers and pick up the tomato plants, trying to organize a bit. I suddenly remembered that my Pop-pop, who has been gardening ever since I can remember, would tie his tomato plants to a wooden stake so they wouldn’t be lying on the ground. This protects them from bugs, as well as from rotting, once they start to ripen.

So I knew that I needed to get them off the ground, not only to protect them, but also to help clean up my garden. I asked John, the master gardener, if he had anything that I could use and the following day he showed up with two tomato cages. Boy was I excited! I quickly got to work tying up my plants and within an hour my garden looked like I was a master gardener as well! I had also just picked my second cucumber and second zucchini, so I was pretty proud of my garden!

Not too long after I set up my tomato cages, did the rest of my garden die. My zucchini plant became too big and toppled over, thus snapping off the roots and withering away within hours. It’s a good thing John’s garden yielded zucchini’s so we could serve those muffins at breakfast I talked about! My cucumber plants couldn’t take the heat and also withered away. The pepper plant is still hanging on, and just yesterday I noticed a small pepper had started growing! Hopefully in a few days it will be ready for picking!

The newly situated tomatoes are doing very well and I’ve already gotten to eat a few, which are very sweet and juicy. A couple mornings for breakfast we even used them as a garnish for egg dishes! I’m still trying to think of other ways to use our vegetables for breakfast. I’d love to hear your suggestions and as always I encourage you to come and visit us here in Blacksburg, Virginia!