Happy Holidays from Bailey Island

Wow! Where does the time go? Cannot believe the Holidays are upon us. But they are. Thought I would decorate the moose, deer and bear so they did not feel left out! After all, we did name the moose George Bailey after "It's a Wonderful life"!

Been rather mild here on the island this month. We have had a couple snow storms and a couple ice storms, but the ground is bare on Bailey Island. You do not have to travel very far to see snow however. I love the fact that it is warmer here in the winter than Brunswick. Makes for scary driving sometimes, as the roads will be fine here.....then in a couple miles they become slippery.

Reservations continue to come in at a steady pace. I just did several confirmations. Looks like another busy year. Thanks to all of our guests old and new. Our West Shore house is also full right now for the next 2 months. Did not really expect that to fill in the winter.

Matt and Aimee are doing their off season fixing up and painting to assure that everything will be spiffy in 2015. We open in 108 days!!!!

Hope you all enjoy your Holiday season and have a Happy New Year. Stay safe! Sue

Cribstone Bridge

I just took a look at the Blog and didn't want any of you to think that Sue dropped off the face of the earth or that we had done anything to her since there hasn't been a post since we closed. I am sure that she is busy plotting her flower seed order or making plans for a new flower bed.

I actually do know for a fact that she is still alive because we, Matt, Aimee the boys and I all met at
Cooks Lobster House for the Annual Harpswell Home Heating Oil Dinner and Auction. They had a full house and many Auction items for a great cause. I know one person who religiously sits next to the bid sheet for the Log Cabin to make sure they win, and she did! Three years in a row. The Boys are very funny, they usually pick one thing every year and also guard it. They don't even let anyone else near the sheet.

It is hard to believe we have been closed almost a month now. Where does the time go? Projects at the Inn have started. The West Shore House is booked for 2 months Dec15-Feb15th. There is also many dates available in the Spring and Summer.

The Town is thrilled to have the Cribstone Bridge receive an Honor from the Maine Preservation this week. It was constructed in 1928 it is the only one of its kind in the country, made of strictly granite. It is also a Civil Engineering Landmark. In 2007 the DOT made the decision to rehab and restore the bridge. The preservation took 3 years. I for one am greatfull. Not only did they widen it slightly they added a better sidewalk. Plus I also got some of the old granite for my house and used it on our front walk way. Next time you visit Bailey Island get out and walk along the beach area there and check out this one of a kind marvel.

Happy Thanksgiving to all. I am Thankful for my family
,friends my job and all the wonderful room guests I have met.

I just wanted to also give a Shout Out to all our room guests that we Love dearly in the Buffalo, NY area. We are thinking of you during your crazy Winter Snow Storm and wish you all the best.

Blessings,

Alicia

Photo Credit to Victoria

Last week of the season

This is our last Monday of the season. Just finishing up breakfast. Alicia is in the kitchen making Neal a from scratch chocolate cream pie for his birthday today! Alicia wrote the last blog on my birthday, now I am writing on Neals birthday. Yes, we are both Libras. I know, you are not suppose to marry someone with the same "sign".....but, it has worked for us for 36 years now.
I posted this picture of Aimee next to the very tall dahlia as we may lose all our dahlias this week if the weather guys are correct. They are predicting a nor'easter for us, so I assume the wind and/or rain will knock down the dahlias. We have bouquets everywhere!!! There are still many in the yard. All of the gardens are still very pretty. We shall see how tough they are.

Been a great year here at the Inn. Bailey Island has been a very popular place for
weddings.....sometimes more than one a weekend.  So, they bring many new folks to the island for the first time. And, for those of you who stay with us know, you come once.....you return! There is something magical about this island.

Well, I can speak for the crew, and tell you we are not ready to close!! (Well, Matt may be as hunting season is coming).  We all love our "job", even if it does not feel like a "job". We love the Inn, the island, and the guests. I have said this over and over.....we get the most amazing guests. Thanks to all of you for enriching our lives!

See you in the spring! We will open April 3rd, 2015. We are about 30% full for next year, so don't delay too long to reserve. I will continue to blog from time to time in the off season. Sue

Cedar Beach Update

I never thought I would be saying this,  this year at least but Cedar Beach Supporters Won their Court Case against the property owners and now the road easement is open to the Public! It does however have a few restrictions but basically you can now walk down to Cedar and Robinhood Beach from the Inn. This case has been going on for years and the Locals finally won and are very happy about it.

Aimee the boys and I recently did one of the new trails on the other side of Harpswell called Curtis Cove Farm Preserve.  We participated in a mapping outing and the kids had a great time. They especially like one of the points that had a cooler filled with cookies made by the Schoolhouse Cafe.
If you have never been to the Schoolhouse Cafe they are on the corner of the Mountain Rd and Rt 123. They serve all local and mostly organic food. The are open for breakfast and lunch.  They also supply the lunches to the Coastal Academy Charter School in Harpswell.

The last weekend of September caught us all by surprise.  Who would have thought it would be 80 degrees and people would be in the pool

. September was an outstanding month at the Inn. We were just as busy in September as we were in July. I am happy to say that the amount of people eating Dinner increased substantially from last year.

Only 3 more weekends until we close for the Season on the 26th.  We have been very happy with the entire Season and if you want to visit the Islands after we close the Rental House will be available and you can visit www.vrbo.com unit # 610479  to view availability.


Of course I must say a BIG  Happy Birthday today to Sue!!!!  I am not even mentioning how young she is but lets just say she will not be on Medicare til next year :)

Blessings,

Alicia

Travel Adventures

I love this picture! Must give credits to Jamie Ramsey who posted it on Facebook. It is taken from a spot I spent many years. Before the Log Cabin I ran Rock Ovens, which is now Morses Cribstone Grill. And that property was in my family for generations. So it has a special meaning to me.

So, I have been on a couple trips this month. Went to a beautiful wedding on the Cape for one of my many, many nieces. It was outside on the water, just a perfect day. The trip there was not so fun however, as our GPS warned us of severe traffic ahead and asked if we would like to detour as we were just entering Boston. Well...............we then spent the next hour and a half touring every section of Boston before we finally got onto 93 headed to the Cape. I was doing the driving, and by the time we got to the wedding with minutes to spare I was wiped out. But, luckily we had 2 nice days there before returning to Maine.

Then 2 days later, as some of you know, we headed to Key West to do some renovations on a duplex we have there. We got 1800 pounds of furniture sent down from LLBean by freight. We were warned it would arrive curbside and that we should have some help. That was true!!!! Neal had to help the truck driver get the palettes on the dolly, as the driver was in his 80's! Then, luckily, in the nick of time, our 4 young strong movers arrived! They were like the furniture angels!!! Anyhow, all the furniture looks great. The bad side was Neal threw his back out helping and was in bed for the next 5 days. But he is better now, and that job is done! Phew!!!

Weather continues to be beautiful, and we are still quite busy. Have openings in October if you want to come see us. Last day of the season is October 25th!

Hope you are all well, Sue

Rainbows

What a storm we had here last weekend. Heavy rain, thunder,lightning and high winds. It did however produce this beautiful rainbow.

We are always talking about how awesome our room guests are, this week not only did Tony and Linda bring us box tops for the School. Tony played in the Golf Scramble Fundraiser for Terrence's School. I must say we did shoot a respectable score, bummer is I forgot to take a picture.Linda must have taken one look at my purse because then she came back with some Coach Bag cleaner for me.

Most people are asking about how the Season was. As I see it the Season hasn't  ended yet. We are still  out straight in September. Weekends in September are full but we do have more openings in October and the West Shore House is available in October. For example I started this Blog 5 days ago and haven't been able to finish it until now. The past 3 weeks have brought about an unusual amount of people eating Dinner here and we are excited about that. I have served so many Scallop Dinners this year and if I do say so they are extraordinary this year. We have a local gentleman who dives on the scallop, not  dragging or net involved so they are extra special.

Today is so beautiful the air is crisp and clear again. The Dahlias are bigger and better than ever. Mt. Washington can be seen again in all its Glory. Tomorrow should be the same which will be a bonus for the tourism industry as tomorrow is Maine Lighthouse Day. Free Admission to all the Lighthouses. The problem is which one should I chose???

Fondly,

Alicia

Dahlias

It is a beautiful Sunday morning here on Bailey Island! I just had to share this picture of the white dahlia....it is over 10 inches in diameter!! We have many other colors in the yard, but this one is the biggest so far.
This is Sue, finally with a few minutes to do the blog. If you follow our blog, you know that we bought a house to rent as a vacation rental, and it consumed my time for most of the season. Our first 3 week renters are leaving tomorrow. They came up to tell us how much they love the house. They are returning next year for 5 weeks. So, I guess it was a good idea after all. Worth the hard work....except I have not been able to do many of the things I normally do. Thanks to my wonderful co-workers at the Inn for picking up all the pieces. I am so thankful to the most wonderful crew that anyone could be lucky enough to work with.
Alicia returns today after a few days off in Rangely. Will be good to have her back.
School starts Sept. 2nd. Danny starts middle school. Josh still at Harpswell elementary school, and Terrence is off to St. Johns in Brunswick.
We have rooms open here and there in Sept.....more open in October. Come see us!
Love to all, Sue

Schooner Roseway

 We were treated this past week by a visit of the Schooner Roseway to Merriconeag Sound.
The Roseway is a 137ft Wooden Gaff Rigged Schooner Launched in Essex, MA in 1925. It is now
on the Historic Registry. It was a Pilot Boat in Boston Harbor in 1941 for the Coast Guard Reserve. It was restored in 2005 in Boothbay Harbor, Maine and now is part of the World Ocean School in Boston.  Our local Schooner the Alert, which is 70ft did a special Sail that day to Welcome the Roseway to Casco Bay. Schooner Roseway anchored just south of the Inn on the Bay overnight.

Some of you may be wondering where is Sue? How come she hasn't been doing the blog. Is she to busy buying flowers or is she out playing in the garden. Both of those things are true but she has also spent the last few months ( with some help) renovating a rental home in front of the Log Cabin on the water side.
The renovation is spectacular and is renting year round on a weekly basis. You can view the house on www.vrbo.com listing #610479.  It is a 2 bedroom 2 1/2 bath totally furnished with AC and Wifi and an amazing sunset view. The house is rented independent of the Log Cabin. You can get information through the VRBO website or email 56westshorehouse@gmail.com

August is finding us quite busy with our regulars, it is so nice to welcome everyone back. We did have a cancellation next week in the Sunset Room if you want a last minute get away while the weather is still beautiful and the pool so inviting.

Blessings,

Alicia

Results

I just wanted to give an update on the Tournament. There were 6 Tuna Fish caught for the week. The largest fish was 813lbs and caught by a former Junior fisherman who is in his 20's and fishing for Tuna. Great job.
Our boys did a fabulous job. They all got many mackerel. They were trying desperately for a Striped Bass but no luck. They all got very nice fishing poles, hats, and lures. Ironically Josh received for the second year in a row the "smallest" fish award and a mighty fine reel and trophy.  Terrence got a new reel, check, gift card and trophy for the largest mackerel on the last day. They had over 120 Juniors ( under 12) participate.

A great Big Thank You to the Casco Bay Tuna Club and all the Volunteers for making so many kids smile and feel good about themselves.


Blessings,

Alicia

Tuna Tournament

Many of you will recognize the Tuna on the wall from our Dining Room. Did you know that Blue Fin Tuna are caught right off the Coast of Bailey Island? This week starts the 76th Annual Bailey Island Tuna Tournament. The Tournament has also turned into more of a Sport fishing Tournament for kids as well. The Casco Bay Tuna Club is very generous when it comes to the Children. The application fee is only $5.00 and no kid goes without a prize. The fish are weighed every day at Cooks Restaurant which is also where the Tuna are brought in,  hung and weighed. No matter how Big or Small there is a prize for everyone. At the Banquet on Saturday each child is also presented with a brand new fishing pole. It is great family fun and I know 3 little boys that are ready to bring home the Big Trophy. Last year the Largest Tuna was 567lbs, right down to the smallest Bluefish ( child) of .05lbs.

The Gardens at the Inn are looking lovely as usual. The Lilly's are in blossom now along with the Rosa Ragosa and many other colors that compliment the yard. Nice job Victoria. Speaking of Victoria a big shout out for her Birthday this week. We have had some clear beautiful days lately and we have also had a few cancellations. If you called and we were full give another call so you can view our amazing sunset and take a swim in our heated pool.

I hope to post some pictures of the Boys Winning Catches!

Blessings,

Alicia

Ice Machine

I know this is not the most exciting post but to me it is! After 30 years our Ice Machine finally
died. It was a slow death but I guess after that long it didn't really owe us much. We did get it fixed and as the repair man said, this wont last long and he was right, about 4 days later broken again.
I am sure it was not the most economically thing to run after all these years. Sue ordered a new one and believe it or not it was on back order for 3 Weeks. You know what 3 weeks without an ice machine is like during Summer? Many bags of ice to lug back and forth.
It was like a Christmas Day this week when the Tractor Trailer backed up to the garage and unloaded that new efficient fast ice making machine! Just in time for the Holiday Weekend.

Enough about that. The rain the last few days but a damper on all the Firework activities. We had a lot of rain and wind from the effects of the Hurricane. Some places in Town lost power but it just flickered for a bit here. Cooks Restaurant has rescheduled their fireworks for tonight and there are lot of people still around the Islands to watch them. We saw the  the Freeport Fireworks very well from the Log Cabin last night. They lasted quite a long time. Our swimming pool looks so refreshing right now, several people are out there enjoying a beautiful day with a gentle sea breeze.

We have had a few cancellations for July so if you were thinking of staying there is still time or if
you called before and we were full try us again.

Blessings,

Alicia
 

Rose

This is a picture of our new rose bush. The winter got the best of the one that was there. I love this one.....looks like a carnation! The weather continues to be perfect....lots of sun, nice and warm, great breeze today. The island is hopping......I think the whole world has decided to check out Bailey Island. It is a beautiful, peaceful place.
We have been quite busy. We did get a cancellation for a room for 2 weeks in July, so that opens up some space. I am sure it will fill quickly. We also took on another "project". We bought a house on the island to renovate and rent out as a weekly rental. It has consumed a lot of time for the past 2 months, but it is very close to completion....another couple weeks. When it is done, I will post a link to its site. It's turning out quite nice. For those of you on FaceBook it is on there under West Shore House. Check it out!
Well, I must go water gardens and type in reservations. Hope you are all well.Sue

Nina and Pinta

 Area Residents were in for an educational treat this weekend when Replicas of Christopher Columbus's Ships the Nina and the Pinta were docked at Dolphin Marina.  The ships were open to the Public throughout the weekend. The Nina was built by hand without any power tools. It is considered to be the most historically correct Columbus replica ever built. The Pinta was built in Brazil and is  larger. After their stay at the Dolphin the ships will then be in Camden and Portland and continue on their tour. As you can see Christopher Columbus was met by Danny, Terrence and Josh.

Speaking of Sailing Ships, the Windjammer Days start in Boothbay this week. It is quite a sight to see all those Sails coming in during the parade of ships. Bailey Island's own Alert Schooner will be Sailing this year. The pool is finally seeing some use with a few warm days and a repaired pool heather. Now that School is finally out I am sure a few of our resident kids will take advantage.
If you are here around July 4th, Cooks Restaurant will hold their Fireworks on July 3rd this year. We have some rooms still available for July so don't be shy and give a call.


Blessings,

Alicia

Almost Summer

Summer officially arrives in 6 days. Longest day of the year! Sun sets at 8:26 that night. The Inn is a spectacular place to sit on the deck of your room and watch it set. Most nights you can see the outline of Mt. Washington. This particular photo is a bit to the left of the Mountain. Even on some cloudy days, we manage to get some sort of sunset. For those of you who are not familiar with the Inn, all 9 rooms have decks that face west.

We are very busy this year. I think there are only a couple weekends all summer with any room openings. We do have rooms during the week here and there if you would like to come see us. I am writing this during breakfast, and the smells coming out of the kitchen are making me hungry! Chocolate muffins, sausage and waffles with a maple cream sauce....yum!

Happy Fathers Day to all of the Dads out there. The weather is suppose to be perfect here on Bailey Island tomorrow.

Enjoy! Sue

Lupine

When I see the first Lupine Flower of the Season I know it must be June. I love Lupine. I like all the different colors. I like seeing them on the side of the road along the Highway, all around the Islands and here in our very own yard.

I  also like June for many reasons. First of course being my Birthday on the 7th. Then the start of the Music Theater at Bowdoin College. Sue saw Buddy Holly yesterday and said it was fabulous. The Harpswell Hiking Challenge which is this weekend. Hike all 10 trails in Harpswell in 2 days and you shall be a Hero. It is the Windjammer Festival in Boothbay at the end of the month. The kids get out of School on the 19th ( so many snow days).  That will also be the start of our sought after Fridays at Stovers Cove in Harpswell. After the Winter and Spring of snow and cold those days are eagerly awaited by so many. The Sailing Schooner " Alert" has started its daily runs from Cooks Lobster House. It is so pretty to watch them Sail by at night during Sunset.

Matt has officially turned on the heater in the pool and I have a feeling it will see its first use this weekend.

June is getting busy in the rooms but we do still have some openings so give a call and come check out all these fabulous things to do.


Blessings,

Alicia

Yard sure is Pretty!

Our yard could not be any prettier than it is right now! The bulbs, crab apple trees, magnolias, early perennials.....all are out! The sun is out.....they just mowed the lawn.......Wow! I have planted between 200 and 300 annuals (and I am not done). If you are near Bailey Island....come walk around the yard. Soon.....before the rain wrecks the rest of the tulips.
Last weekend of May......how can that be? We have been open for almost 2 full months. Been very busy too. Just got a notice from the local farm that our crop share begins this week. Very exciting to get the farm fresh veggies.
Well, I am off for the day......hope you are all well! Sue

Nova Star

We have had some chilly rainy days which has opened many of the tulips and the magnolia tree has many blossoms on it. This rainy weather has not stopped Sue from plant shopping and rekindled our Love/ Hate ( mostly Love) relationship with her taking over the Kitchen as a Plant Greenhouse.  She has planted the window boxes in both the  Westview and Sunset Rooms while we try and remind her that it is still 40 deg at night. It keeps her busy though, kind of like Terrence with Legos, they just can't get enough.

We had out first full house weekend for the new season. It was nice being busy again. Next weekend will be the same as we have Bowdoin Graduation and the Holiday. We do still have a room left if you want to come see the new flowers and the most amazing sunset.

Something to think about is the new Cruise Ship that started sailing this week from Portland to Nova Scotia aboard the Nova Star. This is a 161 Meter Ship with a Cruising speed of 21 knots. It  can hold 1,200 passengers and 162 overnight cabins. It is a 10hr voyage and you can even bring your car. The Ship is brand new and looks fabulous. I would go just to use the Spa! hmmm my Birthday is only 3 weeks away. www.novastarcruises.com


Alicia

Mothers Day Garden

Happy Moms Day to all the Moms out there! These tulips opened yesterday just in time for Mothers Day. Yes, I am at work today. Out of the 43 years I have been a Mom, I have worked most of them. The many years we were a restaurant, this was the busiest day of the year! So, cooking for 9 people this morning was a piece of cake! The weather is spectacular today as well. Sunny and 70 degrees. So very happy that I am done cooking for the day.
Hard to believe we have been open for more than a month. Guess this year is going to zoom by as well. Nice to see all of our regular guests once again. Also nice to meet some new folks. We are so lucky to have such amazing guests. Makes this "job" not a job!
Hope you all are well....and will see you at some point this year. Sue

Not Really Spring

  It's  Alicia and I am back from Florida! It was an Amazing and warm Winter. I can't talk to much about it because people in Maine get all upset and go on and on about the snow and cold. Which of course I sympathize with when I am paying the snow plow bill for a house I am not at . However I do not get any sympathy when I complain how Hot it was down there :)


It always feels great to return and see my coworkers that I have missed over the Winter and checkout the new items in the rooms. It is hard to pick a favorite thing but on the top of the list is the new vanity in the Sunset Room, the new carpet in the Dining Room and AC in the rooms. Last Summer was so Hot we started AC in some rooms and have now finished. This Summer will be cool I am sure and we will not need them. Another great thing when I came back ( April 17) we already had some of our regular customers at the Inn. Now the Room Guests are here before me!! I was also surprised how busy we have been for April. I will have to check with Sue but I think the occupancy has been higher than past April's.


Some of you may be aware that the Maine Shrimp Season was closed this year so we have adapted our Dinner Menu and the items that had Maine Shrimp in them. I am excited about the Stuffed Haddock with Lobster Sauce, it looks so yummy.


The Daffodils are on the verge of opening, maybe this week. Some other buds are poking their way through. I am excited about the new border Matt just put in around the front flower garden and the sign. May 1 is right around the corner and I can just see Sue out at the Garden Shops at any moment and filling up my dish corner with plants!

April 2014

We are open! This beautiful bouquet came from my life long friend, Deb and her husband Ray and her Mom, Barbara. They came to stay opening weekend with us. Deb brought her 2 grandchildren, and Matt and Aimee brought their 2 sons, and Adam and Tamara brought their daughter. So we had all 5 grandkids together for the first time! We had a lovely dinner and the kids ran all over the place. It was a blast!
The weather has cooperated with our opening as well. The snow is almost completely gone. The plants have started to grow. I saw crocus blooming in the yard today. We are getting the gardens cleaned up now that they have thawed.
New items for the gift shop have started to show up. Dozens of Log Cabin mugs were delivered today.
As usual, Matt and Aimee did a superb job getting the Inn ready. It looks lovely. Reservations are steadily coming in. Looks like April will be much busier than last year.
Come visit us if you have not done so in the past. Would love to see you! Sue

Open in one week!

Yikes! We open in one week! New dining room carpet gets installed tomorrow. Here are Matt and Aimee in the Sunset bathroom....Aimee stocking the soaps and Matt installing a new counter top/sink. He's doing the plumbing (his FAVORITE job-Ha!).  This is my favorite bathroom of all of our bathrooms. As usual, Matt and Aimee have done a super job with the "fixing-ups"!
It would be nice if the weather improved....at least we missed the snow yesterday....just got gale winds.
Most of the snow is gone, and the bulbs are starting to spring up.
Reservations keep pouring in...taking several each day. Going to be a very busy year. Thanks to all of you!
Hope to see all of you, Sue

21 days until we open!

Here are a couple shots from the Inn today. As you can see, it is beautiful and clear out! We kind of lucked out from this last storm....just got about an inch of snow. As much as I tell people how beautiful the color of the water is against the snow in the winter....enough is enough! I am ready for green grass and flowers.
Speaking of flowers, 2 people posted on Facebook that their bulbs were coming up already on Bailey Island. So, of course, I ran up to the Inn and checked our many gardens. But, they are all still snow covered. It is melting today, and suppose to be 40 tomorrow. I will go back and check then. Will keep you posted!
Well, the Harpswell town meeting is tomorrow. Big crowds expected as the Cedar Beach issue is on the schedule. Hopefully, there will be a good end to the controversy over the beach. It sure has been an issue here in town. Will keep you posted on that as well.
Reservations are pouring in......call soon if you have not. We are filling up!! I can barely keep up with phone, email and confirmations.
Giant Stairs grill and Cooks restaurants are back open. We are going to one or the other for dinner. Think we'll flip a coin!
Hope to see you all this season!! Sue
P.S. I am so excited to open for our 34th year.

Beautiful morning on Bailey Island

Don't let this picture fool you! It is sunny and calm, but quite cold! I "stole" this pic from Victoria.....she has been so great all winter taking pictures in all sorts of weather!
Well, we are almost in March! That should mean warmer weather......spring.....and we open soon! I have been very busy with phone calls and emails this week.....everyone must be hoping for the end of winter and looking forward to staying with us on Bailey Island!
The robins have moved into my yard, as well as our annual visit from Mr and Mrs Mallard (we call them Mildred and Marley). They have come for the past several springs.....enjoy some food and just hang out. I have even trained my dogs (labs) not to bother them! Yesterday, Mildred tried to sit on the snow, which was very crusty, and slid down the hill. Fun to watch!
Hope you are all well. Can't wait til we open! Sue

Endless Winter

Happy Valentines Day! As you can see, we got kind of buried in snow.....then a layer of ice on top! This is a real, old fashioned winter. We open in 49 days.....hope it all melts by then! I must say, driving home from Brunswick just a bit ago, the sun came out for a second, and it is truly a winter wonderland. The ice on the trees glowed--against a dark gray sky.  The only colors out there today are white, silver and grays. It is quite pretty. Even the ocean is a gray/blue.
I do prefer the sunny warm colors of green and blues....but today is nice.
The weather may be harsh, but it has not slowed down our reservations. They are coming in fast and furious.  Going to be a busy year.
Matt and Aimee have been busy painting and repairing (and shoveling). The rooms will look spiffy as usual. Even the kitchen got a fresh coat of paint.
This is the beginning of school vacation. The kids got an extra 2 days as school was cancelled yesterday and today. They will have plenty of snow to play in! Great for the ski areas.
Well, I must do some confirmations. Hope you all have a happy, lovable day! Sue

Fresh Scallops

This is Donnie Freeman. He just delivered fresh scallops.....right to my house! He dives for them. Actually, you can see the area he dove for these from the Inn....right off Haskells island. They don't get any fresher than this! He was in the water hours ago. We will freeze them to serve on this seasons menu. People sometimes wonder why we do not have fresh scallops....but this is the season. It will be over soon!
Unfortunately, we will have no Maine shrimp this year. The government put a ban on shrimping this season. So, I will get extra scallops.
This is one of many, many reasons I love living on Bailey Island.  We buy our scallops and lobsters from people we know. Talk about shopping local!! We also have a crop share from a local farm too. That will start up in June.
Well, I think I know what's for dinner tonight. Yum.
Sue

Victorias pictures

Here is one of Victorias beautiful pictures. For those of you who have not met Vicki yet, she joined our "crew" this past year. We are so thankful! Not only is she an amazing cook, but she is sweet, funny, and a great photographer. Oh, and she is a great gardener also! If you go to our Facebook page, she has been posting pictures regularly! Not only is she posting pics.....she is venturing out in the horrible winter weather!! She bundles up for sunrises, sunsets, and walks to Giant Stairs! (I have enough trouble dressing warm enough to walk my dogs!)
So, Thank you to Victoria! For all of the above reasons.
Hope all of you are making it through the winter.....it has been a tough one.
52 days until Spring! 66 til we open for the season! Stay well, Sue

January thaw

Ok, so maybe this does not look like a January thaw......but indeed we have had one this week. It has been in the 40's today and sunny. Matt took this last night. We have had a ton of snow, cold and ice this winter! So, all of the ice is not gone. But, there are bare sidewalks and the grass is showing many places. I am sure we are not done with winter, but it has been a nice relief. Many people have had their plumbing freeze and break it has been so cold. (Not the Inn, we drain all the water from all the pipes when we close).
I have been able to take a couple vacations away from the cold since we closed. One to Key West, and another to Bermuda.  Both have been lovely. I may just sneak away again before we open in April!
The reservations are pouring in this month. I can't keep up with them. I have not counted the rooms to calculate the occupancy, but we must be over 50% full!
Matt and Aimee have started their annual "fix up the Inn" projects.....Matt has replaced a couple windows so far, and Aimee has been painting the kitchen.  We always have a list....seems to be never ending. But, we are beginning our 34th year at the Log Cabin this year. So, that kitchen must have 34 layers of paint!!!!
Hope you are all doing well, and had a good holiday season. I for one, am very excited about 2014! I can tell it is going to be a super year!
All for now, Sue