As any gardener knows the appropriate mix of rain, sun, and care can yield beautiful results, and that is exactly what we want to share with you today. Here at the Inn our gardens are in full bloom, and we have a few pictures for those of you who aren't able to share in the experience first hand. Enjoy!
Taking pictures this afternoon it occurred to us that the two included below highlight a couple of our favorite activities here at the Inn. The first is our current Art Workshop teacher, Carl Schmalz, instructing some of his students as they take advantage of the wonderful weather for some outdoor painting. The second picture features another great way of enjoying a sunny day: flying a kite. Many of you will recognize Randy, here teaching his grandson the art of kite flying. We hope you enjoy the photos!
Between eight and nine o'clock tomorrow morning a full complement of pre-season staff will begin working on the property in earnest. We're excited to make the Inn as comfortable and beautiful as many of you remember. However, before we start the final push towards opening we decided we should take advantage of the gorgeous weather. And what better way then by flying a kite on a warm, sun-drenched day? Below are a few pictures from our adventure, as you can see Lily really got into it!
Spring has finally made it to Rock Gardens Inn! Warmth has returned, plants are starting to bloom, and we have begun our yearly spring cleaning of the property with help from Andrew Rice and Kurt Baker. For those of you who might be interested we have posted a few pics below (including two with Andrew and Kurt). Enjoy!
Happy Saint Patrick's Day from all of us here at Rock Gardens Inn!
Rather than a typical blog entry, today we would like to bring you a photoblog! Posted below are six photos of various parts of Rock Gardens under the cover of snow. Sadly, these pictures are not currently representative of the Inn's grounds, as we have had fairly scant snowfall this year, but they should give an idea of how the Inn looks when the winter weather cooperates. Enjoy!
Although a little late in the posting, we wanted to show you the sunset on the Winter Solstice here at Rock Gardens Inn. The picture below was taken around 4:05pm on December 21st, 2009. As you can see in the picture we were in the midst of some flurries. For those of you who remember sunsets from the summer, or even looking at the sunset picture in our post from October 15th, it is interesting to note how the sunset moves across the horizon from Northwest to Southwest. We hope that you enjoy the picture and that the New Year finds you well and warm! Check back soon for news on the 2010 Art Workshops, as well as more pictures of Rock Gardens Inn in the winter months.
Fall at Rock Gardens is a quieter time, but certainly not one devoid of labor. After the Inn closes we set to work, making sure the cottages and grounds are ready for next summer. Painting, roofing, and redecoration are all on the list at the end of the year, along with any minor repair that might be required.
In addition to the work on the cottages, we have to make sure that the gardens are protected with layers of pine branches. The overlapping needles diffuse the effects of frost and offer a framework for layers of protective snow later in the year. We also drain the plumbing system, as well as the pool, to prevent freezing damage. And we take advantage of the lovely fall weather for all our projects, including Julie's race to paint as many decks as possible before it becomes too cold.
One of the biggest projects this fall was Randy's focus on repairing the roofs, with help from Chris, and from Rob Stevens. They worked atop Cool Ledge, Broadview, the Main House, the 19th Hole, and Trail's End. We are thankful both for the good help, and for the long stretches of beautiful fall weather, and now both the cottages and the grounds are ready for next year. We are looking forward to next summer, when you can see the results for yourself.
