An interesting coincidence

Two days after we acquired the Inn in April of 2004, we had four rooms of guests - all friends on a vacation together. This weekend one of the couples returned for the first time in five and a half years and we had fun recalling our earliest hosting experience here.

What was interesting was that another couple also were visiting again for the first time in five and a half years, but they had come a few days before our arrival, staying with previous owners.

Two couples...who came originally within days of each other, and of our own arrival at the Inn in 2004...both return after these several years...on the same weekend!

Fun!

(I can't resist quoting the entry the second couple--from England--left in our guest book: "The best recommendation we can make is that we stayed here in 2004 and have enjoyed it even more this time round. Worth travelling ?,ooo miles.")

Just can't have too much publicity!

To our surprise and delight, in addition to the Budget Travel Magazine's article--and it's various spin-offs as in Google and Yahoo!--we have also received the attention of the Wall Street Journal, in today's Travel section. Lexington is featured--in what appears to be a totally new piece, and we are the one mentioned representative of the "lovely old bed and breakfasts" in town. How encouraging is that!

Thank you Wall Street Journal!

FROMMER'S selects our Inn!

How pleased we are to share the news that Frommer's BUDGET TRAVEL Magazine's October 2009 issue features Lexington, Virginia, in its article on the ten "Coolest Towns in America:" http://www.budgettravel.com/bt-dyn/content/article/2009/09/04/AR2009090402162.html
And that the 1868 Magnolia House Inn was selected as the bed and breakfast of note! Our historic B&B caught the editor's eye as representative of the "Norman Rockwell" quaintness of this wonderful--and, yes, "Cool"--town in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

Thank you Frommer's!

Old Man River

What a day it was for a dip in the Maury! Mid-eighties, almost cloudless sky, high water from weeks of good rainfall. The Goshen Pass--a stunning gorge where the Maury River makes its way between mountains in the Allegheny range just 20 miles from Lexington--is accessed by route 39 winding along the river. The trip is beautiful in itself. But park the car in a vacant one of dozens of pull-offs along the road, and clamber down to the water's edge to feel that you own the wilderness. Wade or swim to a boulder in the river and bask in the view and the sun and wonder if any problems exist in such an Eden!

General remarks

This is graduation time everywhere, but in little Lexington, there are actually three academic graduations. First comes the Washington and Lee Law School, next the Virginia Military Institute, and finally the W&L college graduation.

Last weekend we attended our first VMI graduation. Two firstclassmen whom we have known well in the past year invited us, and--what is more critical--gave us tickets to the event, held in Cameron Hall, the VMI sports arena. We had great seats and could see--without binoculars--not only the military pomp and circumstance, but especially the main speaker, General David Patraeus, who received a standing ovation as he entered the hall. His remarks were, of course, both clever and challenging. But in particular, this word of advice stands out, "If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you!"

At the risk of seeming to boast...

We really appreciated this compliment from a guest. Peter and his wife from New York City stayed with us last night. This morning, after thanking us (and settling up!) and saying good bye, they carried their luggage out to the car. But then Peter returned to say this:

"I just had to come back to say, Beautiful house, beautiful room, fabulous breakfast. And you make it seem so effortless. But I know that when something this detailed seems effortless, it's because somebody is working really hard."

Bless you Peter! Way to make our day!

The Easter charade

We had a few VMI cadets, looking sharp in their white uniforms, come for ham dinner on Easter Sunday. After dinner we all played a round of charades--the cadets posturing hilariously to coax the right words from the group. What always makes hosting these young men so much fun--besides their genuine appreciation for home-cooked food--is their down-to-earth ability to relax with us senior citizens. "Give and it shall be given unto you," Jesus said. And truly the cadets give back in enthusiasm and affection far more than the meals and time we give them.

Hot trivia

While dousing our chili tonight with hot sauce, we noted for the very first time that we share a founding date: 1868!

TABASCO® brand products are made by McIlhenny Company, founded in 1868 by Edmund McIlhenny [his portrait here] on Avery Island, Louisiana, and still family-owned and operated on that very site.

On our website home page we point out that Johann Strauss composed Tales from the Vienna Woods in 1868. Imagine!--three world-famous beginnings in that blessed year: a hot sauce, a beautiful waltz and a Lexington VA bed and breakfast location! We're wondering now what we could serve for breakfast that would benefit from the sauce...while we play a CD of Strauss' TFTVW ...in the dining room of the 1868 Magnolia House Inn.

Any suggestions?

A new place to cuddle

We have acquired a loveseat for the Equestrian Suite. The cozy fireside is just that much more inviting with a place for two to cuddle. It's always fun to improve a room--something that goes on continually here. I regularly comb the local antiques malls and used furniture stores for special things to make the Inn say "home" in a way rooted in history.

And thanks to Jake, a VMI cadet whom we have come to know and appreciate for his kind and helpful heart, for carrying the other end of the new piece as we brought it home today...in the front door and up the stairs, setting it down in front of the Equestrian fireplace for all future guests to enjoy.

Vector visits VMI

The Lexington community was treated last night to a free brass concert by "Vector"--a newly-formed ensemble of the United States Air Force Band. The venue was the impressive Jackson Memorial Hall, an austere ediface on the campus (properly, the post) of the Virginia Military Institute, that has the proportions of a gothic cathedral seating over a thousand.

Vector opened with a jazz number, followed by the National Anthem (everyone stood--some with hand on heart). And then the band played a rollicking mixture of Latin tunes, swing and rock-n-roll, bowing out with a stirring medley of United States armed forces songs: the caissons went rolling along...from the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli......from the perils on the sea...into the wild blue yonder! Members and former members of the armed forces stood, the crowd clapped in rhythm, and the night air rang with patriotism and joy.

Crocuses...daffodils!

What a difference a week makes...really, a weekend! With balmy weather in the 70s over the weekend, the garden suddenly is awash in green. We've had brave purple crocuses poking up for almost a month, but the daffodils have spread the word and are arriving by the hundreds--green clumps of foliage standing at attention just waiting for the yellow trumpets to appear and herald Spring!

Inn like a lion...

The most serious snowfall we have had this season here in the Shenandoah Valley came in with the month of March.

The magnolia tree and the shrubbery are laden with a lovely coating of snow, but the walks have been easily cleared...and we remember all over again how grateful we are to be living here in the South where winter rarely gets its act together enough to leave us more than a calling card.

Murphy's Law

Nothing is as easy as it looks. The 800 number which a week ago we were told we had--with its nicely memorable 1868 MHI (for 1868 Magnolia House Inn)--has proven to be unavailable after all. So we now have just a number.

The toll-free number in service now is 866 751 8664. We hope guests looking to communicate by phone will find it helpful.

Give it a try. It really works.

(I think.)

A friend in need...

This time of year brings guests to Lexington for the Hunt Ball on a Saturday evening--an annual affair held in Evans Hall, the beautiful facility at Washington and Lee University that is an elegant setting for formal events here. We had two couples staying with us, dressing up in gowns and tuxedos for an evening to remember. It wasn't the first time I was called into service to tie a bow tie for a guest in a tuxedo (most men learn the standard four-in-hand for business wear, but the bow tie can be unfamiliar territory) who came downstairs looking slightly desperate. I fixed him up and off they all went.

In other news...Shelby's back! This sweet lady started cleaning for us six months ago, and had to leave for a while because of another commitment. Good help is hard to find (but last summer we had Patrick--a wonderful cadet from VMI--who did a great job cleaning, and helped us in other ways, too: he actually cooked breakfast once in a while, and before he returned to college later in August, he painted the front porch!).

Spring will come to these mountains

Today our new Picnic at Ascot backback arrived. On the outside it looks like an ordinary hunter green backpack. But open it up and it is outfitted for a picnic for two--plates, cutlery, green-checked tablecloth and napkins, cheese board and knife, wineglasses, bottle opener, and cork stopper. That's just in the front compartment. The best picnic part is in the rear section--it's padded and metalic-insulated for keeping food fresh and safe. And on the side is a similar insulated wine bottle carrier. They thought of everything. We have so many guests who love to hike the many local trails that I can see this equipment getting a workout come the beautiful spring weather that is just around the next bend.

More fun new things

We're always thinking of ways to improve our innkeeping. This month we completed a two-stage replacement of the Inn roof (begun last March)--of period-correct standing-seam metal, to protect the historic old structure. This past year we launched our current web site. This week we started writing this new Journal. And just today, we got our new 800 number to make it easier for people to contact us for reservations. It will soon be published on our web site. We had fun choosing the number, and we decided on 800 186 8644, which is 1868 MHI for our name: 1868 Magnolia House Inn.

Snowy babymoon

Snow was falling this morning in Lexington. One of the many joys of living here (having moved from Pennsylvania almost five years ago) is that when it snows it is almost always just to make things pretty without making things difficult, because what little snow comes melts so soon. Guests from Georgia at breakfast this morning especially enjoyed the snowfall, since they hadn't seen any yet this winter season. They were on a "babymoon"--a celebration of marriage when a baby is on the way. Other guests were a father and son from Connecticut, on a college tour visiting Washington and Lee University (W&L): both were personable and fun to talk to. I must say that we have been impressed with the quality of young people we often host; in these days when it would seem that many youth are in cultural and social freefall, there are some really wonderful kids who show such promise of good and gracious adulthood.

A great future Cadet

We just said good-bye to a young man--a high school senior from Connecticut--who traveled by himself for an interview at Virginia Military Institute (VMI), and who stayed with us for two nights. For a 17-year old, he was remarkably bright, poised and friendly...and we think he'll make a great Cadet at VMI. We hope to see him again in the summer--not as an Inn guest, but as a VMI Summer Transition Program student, before he becomes a Rat (freshman). We have a great opportunity of meeting Cadets, Rats and STP students through the work of the VMI Chaplain and the VMI Chapel, which we have adopted as our church.

Old dogs...new tricks

Jan and I have spent part of the evening figuring out how to set up this blog. We thought it would be a good addition to our Inn website www.magnoliahouseinn.com to offer some thoughts and information about innkeeping here in our wonderful old house in historic Lexington, Virginia. But as with all things cybertechnical, we found our aging selves responding to choices and directions for set-up with heads shaking in frustration--or else laughing at our cyber-challenged over-sixty mindsets. If you can read this, we somehow got it together enough to launch our very first blog: welcome!