Monthly Archives: August 2009

Things to do

Great Trail Festival

August 25, 2009 – 8:02 pm

The 28th annual Great Trail Festival is presented on two weekends, always the week before Labor Day and Labor Day weekend. This year the dates are August 29-30 and September 5-7. This unique festival is a celebration of the Native American Indian era featuring American folk art. We can’t always attend, but when Bill and I get a chance we love to go to this festival.

There are quality artisans from Ohio and the surrounding states with distinctive handcrafted arts and crafts to sell as well as demonstrating their crafts. Ninety two year old Helen Trusdale will be making her old fashioned lye soap and Circa Plants will be selling vintage flower and vegetable seeds.

Lively entertainment daily with fiddlers, Scottish pipers and clog dancing. Krista Solars, who just won the State of Ohio Fiddle Championship contest in Nelsonville will be performing. Well know flute play and Native American, Searching Bear, will be performing and selling his hand crafted flutes. He has been nominate by Just Plain Folks music awards for 2009 album of the year in Native American genre.

For history buffs there will be historical lectures and demonstrations including a battle reenactment daily at noon. The state of Ohio tomahawk throwing championship will begin at noon on Monday, September 7th. Buckskin Camp is where you’ll find TeePees’, lodges and open campfires along with a blacksmith.

Food is delicious, especially the buffalo burgers from the buffalo herd raised on the great trail grounds. The Indian fry bread is a real treat.

The entire day’s worth of fun for only $5 per person. Check our availability for either weekend. We are a short 20 minute drive.

Hope to see you soon,
Linda
Whispering Pines Bed & Breakfast
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Recipes

Homemade Peach Pie

August 22, 2009 – 10:48 pm

After six full weeks of power washing, scraping and applying 5 different colors of paint, the exterior of Whispering Pines is complete. To do this monumental job we hired Pat, who came highly recommended.

Pat and his twin sons did a fine job, but little did we know he is also a master of the barbecue. Each day he prepared lunch for his crew and always included Bill, husband and co-innkeeper. I declined to eat a healthier lunch. Some of the dishes he prepared were grilled chicken with his special sauce, rib eye steak, juicy hamburgers, brats with hot peppers and even a BLT sandwich.

Once his wife, Shannon, sent over a freshly baked peach pie and that was when I decide to indulge. It was so delicious especially with a scoop of Taggarts vanilla ice cream. She was delighted to share her recipe. Her secret is filling up the pie shell with juicy fresh peaches from our local grower. I won’t serve you peach pie for breakfast, but I will serve a fresh peach shortcake with homemade biscuits. Bill put on a few pounds but soon will be back to eating a turkey sandwich.

Hope to see you soon,

Linda
Whispering Pines Bed & Breakfast

Shannon’s Delicious Peach Pie

Bake at 425 – 45 minutes

Prepare your favorite pie crust, make enough for the top.

8 medium sized peaches, 6 cups when sliced
(Boil the peaches for a couple minutes, skin peels off, then slice)
Mix together:
2/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. flour
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Stir in peaches and 1 tsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice.

Turn mixture into pie plate and dot with 1 T. butter.

Cover with top pastry, seal the edges and make slits in the top.
Cover edge with foil for the first 15 minutes, then remove and continue to bake

Enjoy!

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Interesting Guests

Ohio Bed & Breakfast Travel Writer

August 19, 2009 – 12:08 am

Travel writer Steve Stephens of the Columbus Dispatch was researching a story on wineries located in Northeast Ohio. Al-Bi Winery, a two minute drive from the Inn, was his last stop of the day and Steve needed a place to rest his weary and slightly wine filled bones. When he arrived at Whispering Pines, I didn’t even know he was a travel writer. In conversation he explained what he was up to. In my inimitable way, I asked him if he would mention a one liner on our Bed & Breakfast. To our astonishment he said he wanted to do a full story for his series on Inns across the state. Steve asked questions and took a lot of pictures inside and out. He would definitely talk to his editor. This was exciting.

In the story Steve mentions his car breaking down and in fact it really did. We gave him our car to use so he could go to dinner. He was so amazed that we would make that offer, but else would any innkeeper do? After all, we are in the hospitality business.

Steve was actually our only guest that evening so at breakfast we had a chance to talk about a lot of things. He thoroughly enjoyed his fluffy omelet and roasted potatoes served with an apricot scone. We had fun exchanging stories and invited he and his wife back for a “romantic” getaway. We said our good-byes and hoped that he would be permitted to write a story. Didn’t hear from Steve, August came and I assumed there would be no story. Was I ever wrong.
On Sunday, August 16th, in between serving breakfast to a full house, I went to my computer to check on any online reservations and there were four – all from the Columbus area. I knew something was up. I immediately went to the Columbus Dispatch web site and sure enough found the article. Didn’t have time to read it because my guests were hungry and I was needed in the kitchen. Within a couple of hours the phone began to ring and more online reservations. I was happily swamped. By mid-afternoon I had booked several rooms, had not cleaned up the kitchen, did not yet read the article and was jumping for joy. By early evening on Monday, I had booked over 30 rooms. Bill and I finally had a chance to read the article and we were amazed and humbled. It was a wonderful article on Whispering Pines.
Things happen when you least expect it, and we are very grateful for his last minute call to stay for the night. Steve apparently has a loyal following because he is a real likable, honest writer.
In this business when advertising is expensive, it is so nice to be able to receive some “free press”. Steve, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for sharing Whispering Pines so beautifully with the people of your city. And we thank all of the people who have booked rooms at the Inn relying on his advise to visit the Atwood Lake region, get a bottle of wine at Al-Bi Winery and enjoy it at Whispering Pines.

Hope to see you soon,
Linda
Whispering Pines Bed & Breakfast

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Packages Specials

Ohio Bed & Breakfast offers Mid-Week Specials

August 12, 2009 – 11:49 pm

Weekends aren’t the only time to visit Atwood Lake! Whispering Pines Bed & Breakfast presents several mid-week overnight specials to entice our returning and new guests alike!

English Tea at the Bluebird Farm is served each Wednesday, April through November. Savor finger sandwiches, scones laden with Devonshire cream and sweet preserves, fresh fruit and endless cups of tea served in elegance on linens and lovely china. Mothers & daughters, girlfriends, and couples enjoy this special opportunity to relax in this comfortable setting and chat over a cup of tea.

Check out our web site for pricing details.

Linda and Bill Horn
Whispering Pines B&B
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