Long term guests

 We have many guests that return year after year. Right now we have a guest that used to come here when we were a restaurant. Then he and his wife came with their daughters for years when we became an inn. Now they are here with their grown daughters, son in laws, and 7 grandchildren!  That's a long history.

We do have many guests that have come for years, some decades. To me, it does not seem possible that we have been here that long. I guess when you love what you do, time flies. Certainly, my body reminds me that I have been here for a long time. A few more aches and pains. But, being an innkeeper is a satisfying job. Having guests come, relax, and thoroughly enjoy is a rewarding profession. I am blessed.

Hope you are all well.

Sue

Almost full!

 It is a beautiful day here on Bailey Island. All the spring flowers and trees are in full bloom, grass recently mowed. 

We only have one room left tonight....and from here on we are quite busy for the rest of the year. We are ready!!

My youngest grandson, Josh graduates from high school this year (Matt and Aimee's youngest son). Where did the years go? I am fortunate to have my family so close.  Living in Harpswell is a hard place to leave, so neither of my sons did. 

I just went through the check-ins for today.  Only one rooms is a first time guest. I am not sure what I return rate is for guests, but it is very high. We must be doing something right!

If you have not visited, or are looking to return, give us a call!

Hope you are all well,

Sue

2024

 HI there!

Guess I got busy last year and ignored the blog! My apologies.....it was quite a year.

So, we are beginning our 44th year. We opened April 5th. For those of you who are not familiar with Bailey Island, we had an extremely bad winter.  Four very large storms, that did unprecedented damage the shoreline. Fortunately, we do live on granite, so it can only do so much. 

And, fortunately, our Inn sits on the top of the island, so we were fine. Things are slowly getting repaired. There are contractors working on the bridge, which was full of debris, and a few granite blocks were moved. They are scheduled to complete the repairs by the end of May.

The yard here is looking lovely as usual. Bulbs are blossoming, grass is nice and green. Almost time to start planting annuals! We have had a lovely sunny week this week, which is a treat after the nasty winter and spring.

Our crew this year is Matt, Aimee, CC , Sophie (she is new, and wonderful), and myself. As all are aware, it is impossible to find employees.  So, our team is strong, once again.  We look forward to seeing all of you. We have rooms available if you haven't reserved, but they are filling up fast.

Hope you are all well,

Sue  

44th Season

 Well, we are off! Month two of our 44th season here on Bailey Island.

It is beautiful here......flowers out, grass is green, sun is out....after a week plus of rain, drizzle, fog and gray skies.

I thought it may be fun to explain why we named our nine rooms.

The Wiseman room was named after the gentleman we bought the building from in 1979. John Wiseman of Lewiston owned the original building and used it as a summer home. The trophies on the walls of the dining room are all his. He was a very successful businessman.

The York room is named after my sons, Matt and Adam York. When we opened as a restaurant in 1980, we lived upstairs over the kitchen for a few years.  The little sitting room was Adams bedroom, and the kitchen area was Matts bedroom.

The Merriconeag is named after the body of water that all of the rooms look out at. I had wanted to name the restaurant that, but my Dad convinced me that no one would be able to pronounce it, or spell it! And back in 1980, we relied on phone books to look up places!

The Sunset room is named obviously after the Sunset....which when the weather cooperates, all of the rooms have superb views of our very varied and beautiful sunsets.

The Westview is named because all of the rooms have a westerly view. By the way, when we were a restaurant, the Westview room was our bakery and prep kitchen.

The Mt Washington room is named after the mountain in New Hampshire, which on a clear day we can see. It is almost 90 miles from here in a straight line. During the summer, the sun sets almost directly behind it.

Casco Bay is named after the large Bay that surrounds our island. Supposedly there are 365 islands in Casco Bay, known as the Calendar islands.

The Blue fin room is named after the Blue fin tuna, that is often caught in our area. For years the island has hosted a Tuna tournament. And, there is a Blue fin mounted on the wall in the dining room.

And finally, the Harpswell room is named after the town we are part of. Bailey Island, Orrs Island, Great Island, Cundys Harbor and South Harpswell are all part of the town of Harpswell.

So, that is how they were named. Guests seem to have their favorite rooms for various reasons. The nice thing is that they all have a great view! We still have a few openings. If you haven't reserved yet give us a call!

Hope you are all well!

Sue

Labor Day

   It is the unofficial end of summer. And our first day of heavy rain this season. We have been in a moderate drought for months now. So, perhaps todays rain will improve that.

   September is my favorite month of the year....weather cools down a bit, air is usually super clear. We do not slow down here at the inn however. We are almost 100% full all month. There is a day here and there open. 

  Our gardens suffered with the drought. They should rebound after todays rain. As we are on a well, we have been very cautious about watering. As many of you know, gardens are my passion. I am already planning for next years gardens! 

   We will close the last weekend of October. There is room still in October if you would like to visit. Give us a call! We would love to have you.

   It's a good life on Bailey Island!

      Sue

2 Months so far

 Well, the first two months flew by! Everything has gone well this spring. We have been busy, seen many of our regulars and met some new folks! 

Serving more dinners than usual. But this week Salt Cod is open, and 2 new places (Sundrenched and Fishnet cafe are suppose to open). Cooks and Dolphin are open as well.

The gardens are once again spectacular.....tulips and daffodils put on a great show. Now it's the iris and azaleas turn. Our popular dahlias are planted, but they take awhile. 

Our pool is open as well. Weather has not been very warm yet, so it is waiting to be christened for the season. 

We do have a little space left this summer, more in the fall. So, give us a call or shoot us a email.

Hope you all are well!

Sue

42nd year

 Here we go! Season 42 starts today. It is very hard to believe that we have been here so long. And I have to say, I still LOVE this place, this job, the guests, and of course my crew!

Matt and Aimee were very busy over the winter doing repairs, taking reservations, cleaning everything in sight. And it shows. The place looks wonderful. 

We are extremely full already. So, if you are looking to stay with us, call soon. The phone is crazy busy. Emailing us is the easiest way to connect. Just go to the web site www.logcabin-maine.com and fill out the contact us form.

Look forward to seeing all of you! Hope you are all well.

All my best,

Sue

Almost done

 Hello,

Well, we are nearing the end of this record breaker year. What a change from last year. We have been packed! And serving more dinners than ever before!

Thank goodness we have such a hard working crew. They have really done an outstanding job--smiling the entire way through. I am sure we all will enjoy a bit of down time however.

If you have not visited this year, you have until the 30th of this month to do so! Then we will open back up the 1st of April, 2022.  We do take reservations when we are closed. The best way is to email us. Or go to the web page and fill out the contact us form. We check phone and email daily. 

Hope every one has a safe and healthy off season. Look forward to next season!

Thanks to my crew, and all of our lovely guests!

Sue

Menu

 Morning,

This is Sue.....again. Another food post. We have been in business for decades as many of you know. During the summer we had to put "Market price" on our menu for 3 of our dinners (lobster, surf and filet).  This is the first time we have ever put market price on our menu.   Obviously, due to sky rocketing prices.

Well, yesterday, we had to adjust all the prices on our menu.  I was hoping we could hold out for the rest of the season, but we cannot. I have never seen seafood prices as high as they are now. And they are continuing to rise.

So, check our menu on our web site. It is up to date.  Sorry, we had to do this--it is out of our control.

Of course, our food is still delicious , and our staff is beyond fabulous! So, if you do dine with us, I am sure you will be happy.

Thank you to all of our great guests. We have had a banner year!

Sue

Dining out

 Hello,

Hope everyone is well. Just wanted to give you all a heads up if you are planning to come stay with us. Restaurants everywhere have had a very difficult time this year. Staffing is the biggest problem. Some have closed.....some have cut their hours considerably. 

So, it is wise to call ahead to find out if your favorite restaurant is open, and what their hours are. The ones that are open are extremely busy, so you may have to wait for a table.

We have printed up a sheet of places in this area and surrounding area with telephone numbers. Just email us if you would like us to send one to you.

And, we do serve dinner to room guests only, every day from 6-6:30. However, you do need to order by 3 pm each day so we can prep and staff accordingly. Actually, if you gave us even more notice, we would really appreciate it. There are only 6 of us and we do eveything from cook to serve, to clean etc.

Hope to see you. We are open until the last weekend in October!

Sue

Time goes by!

 Hello,

This is Sue. I guess time got away from me.......a caller today asked if we were open as our last blog was last September!

Sorry, as you all know, it has been a hectic time.

Anyhow, YES we are open. And YES we are busy. Everyone has been and is eager to go somewhere after the year plus we just lived through. 

At the moment , we are full. We do have some rooms open here and there. We close the last weekend in October. Our dining room is open for breakfast and dinner. The pool is open. 

 We have the same crew...Matt, Aimee, Stephanie, Victoria, CC and me. We are happy to be open , and so happy to be able to see you all in person! 

So, would love to see you. Give us a call at 207 833 5546. We are here from 7am-8pm. This is our 41st year. And all of our crew love our job, and would love to see you!!

Apologies for ignoring the blog. And look forward to seeing you!

Sue

Season is rolling on

Wow! How can it be mid-September? Seems like time stood still in the spring, and the summer flew by!

Happy to say, we had a very busy August! And, so far September is looking good as well. The weather certainly has cooperated.  Beautiful clear crisp day today.  Many of our guests are here for several days. Others are extending their stays. 

We will be open until the end of October. Foliage usually peaks around mid October. The weather guy the other day said even though we are in a bit of a drought, that can often enhance the colors. So, that is good news for all the leaf peepers. Our yard is spectacular. Dahlias in full bloom now, grass is green. 

Bailey Island is always pretty no matter the season. But 2020 has made all of us appreciate the quiet, the space, the views, the remoteness of this special place.

I, for one, value every day, every guest, every moment those I am close to continue to remain healthy. 

So grateful,

Sue

August

Welcome to August

We have certainly had some amazing weather this summer. Rather hot for Bailey Island, but lots and lots of sun! Which has worked out very well with the guests being able to eat on their decks! 

We have the system down now. I will say climbing the stairs with a heavy tray of food is a challenge. Aimee, CC, Victoria and Stephanie are doing a super job. If I were the one delivering the food , it would take me 4 trips! 

Many of our regular guests have visited, with more arriving soon. It is so wonderful to see everyone able to visit, swim in the pool, eating on their decks....and of course admiring our gardens!

We do need some rain.....maybe tonight we will get some from the Tropical storm that is on its way. And hopefully not too much wind. 

As usual, we will stay open through the month of October. Fall is my favorite. 

Stay safe! 

Sue

Can it really be July?

Hello,

This is Sue. Cannot believe we have only been open for less than one month. Opened June 19th this year. 

We have implemented many changes due to COVID. I have to tell you the first weekend I was in tears.  

It seemed our "new way" was not as hospitable as we used to be. The contactless check-in. Serving room service only. But our guests have been more than gracious (as usual). And now, after a couple weeks, we are in the swing!

We are going over the top with the room cleaning! Takes us about twice as long as in the past. We wash everything in the rooms at checkout from quilts to floors , doorknobs to lightswitch......then we either use a UV light or an electrostatic sprayer and/or room air purifier! So, you can feel safe here. 

In the past years, the health inspector would come and give "grades".....if we got a 99 instead of 100 we were upset. This year, if there were "grades" , I am sure we would get 1000!

Our yard is spectacular! The view is amazing! Our crew is stupendous! And, our food is always a hit. 

I am one lucky girl.

Hope you all stay healthy, and come see us at some point.

Sue 

Interesting times

Hi,

This is Sue. For those of you who do not know, we normally open the first weekend of April. However, the pandemic prevented that from happening. We now have an opening date.....June 19th. BUT, we can only rent to folks from the State of Maine. This is per our Governor.

There is currently a 14 day quarantine on anyone from out of state. We are anxiously waiting for that to be lifted. We are now allowed to take reservations from folks out of State, but if the quarantine is not lifted, we would need to cancel those reservations.

As you all know, the information about this health crisis changes daily. Some good news, some not so good news. The good news for Maine is that our numbers of cases and deaths are very low compared to other states. We are very thankful for that. And our restrictions and guidelines are very strict. For any business to open there are pages and pages of things we must adhere to.

As we move along through the next month, we will be working towards doing everything we can to keep everyone safe and healthy. I will keep you all informed both on the blog, Facebook and under our Covid Banner on our main web page.

We always have prided ourselves on catering to our guests in every way possible. It is much more challenging this season. We will put 100% of our efforts into meeting that challenge.

Til next time.....stay safe!

Sue

40 Years!

Hi,

This is Sue......I know its been forever since I did a blog. But, it is August of 2019. Neal and I purchased what is now the Log Cabin Inn from John Wiseman August of 1979. It was a summer home at the time. We were quite young (in our 20's) and had a heck of a time convincing a bank that we could convert this home into a Seasonal Restaurant and actually pay the bank back! With perseverance, we succeeded!

We opened what was the Log Cabin Restaurant March 13, 1980. I had previously run Rock Ovens Restaurant for the seven years prior. So, it wasn't like the business was new to me. For many, many years we ran the restaurant from March thru October.....and it was unbelievably busy! For those of you who have never done restaurant work, let me tell you it is very exhausting! So, with the encouragement of my family ( Aimee, my daughter in law initiated this thought), we converted the restaurant into an Inn.

It is the best thing we ever did with this building. The work is considerably less exhausting , physically and mentally. We have been fortunate to attract and keep many , many of the same guests over the years.

This weekend we have a family of 22 that have been coming for the past 20 years. The family was considerably smaller 20 years ago, but more kids were born, and some are married now. This is just one example of our lovely clientele. We are very fortunate!

Guests that left this morning said this is our second home.....a bit of heaven.

We agree. The Inn is just like home to all of us. We are a huge extended family! Thanks to all who have made our life here at the Log Cabin Inn a pleasure.

Love and Thanks to all,

Sue

Summer is Here

Happy summer everyone!  First, I want to apologize for not posting more often!  That will change.  We have been very busy and the phone is ringing off the hook with folks looking for availability now that the summer is finally here and gorgeous!  One of our beloved regular guests asked me when I would be writing another blog so I am writing this for you Hillary!

Today started with the smell of bacon and fresh coffee.  I made a Maine blueberry baked French toast casserole today with whipped cream and a lavender garnish. CC served a watermelon slice garnished with a borage flower and a maple pecan muffin to start so, needless to say, no one left hungry!

Victoria is on vacation in Canada so we are all working hard to make sure that the weeding gets done and the gardens look great when she returns next week.  Sue and Alicia were here working outside today and my nephew and his friend came by to use the pool (only after weeding of course ;-)

I sat out by the pool for a few minutes, put my feet in and the temperature is a perfect refresher from the warm summer sun!  Guests were reading and napping under the shade of the umbrella and another was floating comfortable in the pool saying she "had waited all year for this moment".

The boat traffic is heavy, the sounds carry and I could hear the sound of laughter in the wind.  Lots of birds are chirping and the occasional sound of a motorcycle going by on the way to Lands End reminds me of how gorgeous the weather is outside!

 It is tuna tournament this week and so far, 4 tuna over 300 lbs have come in AND a 380 lb thresher shark too!

Sue ordered some amazing photos on wood from local photographer Ben Williamson to put up in the restrooms by the gift shop, they are gorgeous and capture the beauty of Bailey Island so perfectly.  Thanks Ben! #benjaminwilliamsonphotography

www.benjaminwilliamsonphotography.com

We have some special friends coming in to get married at Library Hall this weekend and we want to wish a warm congratulations to Doug and Tasha and to their families as well. 

Enjoy the summer everyone!  We look forward to seeing each of you soon!

Stephanie 

Cozy, Quiet and Relaxing

Hi everyone!  It's Stephanie and I'm happy to be back for a 2nd season working full time!  The sun is starting to show itself at the end of a rainy and foggy April but you all know that the Log Cabin Inn is a great place no matter the weather!  Victoria made some amazing blueberry pancakes with sausage this morning to get our guests off to a great start to their day.  That was accompanied by an apple puff pastry and overnight oats with pears and pecans.  Tonight we have two more rooms checking in making 6 rooms for this weekend.    Our guests are being treated to comfy beds, warm soft blankets, toasty gas fireplaces and heavenly smelling coffee, new movies and more.  Some are celebrating anniversaries and birthdays and some are just here to get away from the stress of the world.  What better place for that is there?  Morse's and Cook's are open and our kitchen is as well.  Victoria is cooking a tasty surf and turf dinner tonight starting with our famous garlic knots and salad.  Appetizers include the scallops wrapped in bacon and yummy crab dip!  Save room for dessert because our homemade confections are to die for!  The lucky couple may just have our cozy, quiet and relaxing dining room to themselves tonight.  So, treat yourselves and come see us in the early spring or late in the fall.  Our hospitality and amenities are the same as our busier times and you may find the extra quiet even cozier and more relaxing than ever!

Another Season

Hello,

   This is Sue. Been so long since I wrote a blog someone had to give me directions!

   We are beginning our 39th year at the Log Cabin. Next year.....40! Big celebration. I am happy to say, I still love this place and look forward to every season. Although I am not officially on the schedule, I try to stay somewhat involved. Of course, I still buy car loads of flowers for the yard.....and do other errands. I am so lucky that my son Matt, and his beautiful wife, Aimee are so competent. Actually, they are more competent than I ever was.

   Our opening has been off to a slow start.....weather hasn't cooperated. But, this weekend is looking lovely! Our gardens are all cleaned up and plants are coming along. Kitchen is all prepped and ready for guests. So, come see us!

   Give us a call! Hope to see you!

Sue

The Kitchen is the Heart of the Home

Hi everyone!

As I start preparing the last dinner of the season, it is raining heavily and very windy outside.  Our guests are safe and warm inside their warm and cozy rooms watching movies and college football.  The last load of laundry is folded for the day.  The gas fireplace is warming the dining room.

I baked today.  I wanted one last hurrah in that glorious kitchen before we close it down for 2018.  I made pumpkin bread, cinnamon rolls, granola and garlic rolls.  It smelled so good, it smelled like home.  Those aromas draw people in don't they?  People come into the kitchen to see what we are cooking and we welcome it!  This kitchen is the heart of this home we all call Log Cabin.  We have guests who clear their own tables and bring their dishes in, we have guests who come in to chat after breakfast, we have local friends who come in for coffee on the weekends and catch up on our busy lives.

The kitchen is where our staff spends the most time together sharing happiness and heartbreak, laughter and tears.  It is where we plan our meals and allow our culinary creativity to shine.  It is where we watch the beautiful sunsets you all see from your decks or the dining room.  Many times this summer, this kitchen was filled with warm golden light of a sunset even prettier than the one the night before.  Today it is where I sit filled with gratitude and content for my first season is in the books, 2018 was a great year wasn't it?

Tomorrow is my first "last day".  I'm told it will be all hands on deck, lots of work but fun too!  Aimee will organize us as we check items off of our lengthy task list and then we will stand around that big kitchen island and share pizza together talking about our off-season plans.  When you are spending your holidays with your families in your kitchens, think of us and know that we are thinking of you as well.  See you in 2019!  XOXO, Stephanie