So You Want to be an Innkeeper

We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee.”

~ Marian Wright Edelman

They always look at you with their rose-colored glasses and say, ‘Oh, it must be so nice to sit here and chat with your guests every morning.’ And I think, ‘Yeah, but you forget I’ve been up for the past two hours cooking,’

Running this morning and reflecting on what a hectic but wonderful weekend we had with our guests; they pass through fleetingly it seems; each in their own way makes a difference and hopefully it’s mutual.

1) Time. You decided to convert that old farm house into a Bed & Breakfast. In fact, you decided to do a minimum of work on the place, because after all, the property’s “run down” look is one of the things make it so attractive. After the initial enthusiasm wears off, it dawns on you that running a bed-and-breakfast (B&B) might have seemed like a dream job, but the reality is that it’s a business. A business that just so happens to demand a 24/7 commitment. That means that your responsibility doesn’t end after you hand over the keys to a family of 5 or a love-sick couple of newlyweds.

The 24/7 nature of it can be biggest shocker,;You’re really tied to your guests. You miss birthday parties, Christmas, all kinds of things. And if you don’t, you turn rooms away, which is revenue.”

Then there’s the fact that innkeepers not only have to cook the breakfast, but they also have to look presentable as they serve it. And they can’t just serve a glob of scrambled eggs; the food has to look presentable too. Toilets have to be cleaned, rooms vacuumed, sheets washed, Web sites maintained. Once that’s done, owners have to be ready and smiling to welcome the next batch of guests.

Just as many B & B’s go OUT of business as go INTO business. A recent study pinpointed the problem not to poor accommodations or bad food but poor “customer service”. You remember them, the C-U-S-T-O-M-E-R… the individual who pays for a service and expects to be treated in a decent manner.The concept of customer service is widely accepted as the lifeblood of any operation .

For day-to-day operations or any of the business aspects of innkeeping. I find that a semi-schedule helps me and I am a great list maker! But flexibility is key because you never know when you can get dragged away from something by a guest . I also learned from working at the inn, that cleaning rooms was a whole lot easier with 2 people working together, because one of you could deal with guests if need be & the other could keep working on the rooms. Fortunately, dan and i have figured out a division of labor that seems to work Just some food for thought…..

The Nitty Gritty…1) Interest. If you can’t feign happiness 7 days a week, week after week – especially during holidays (when you might have wanted to spend time with your family) than running a Bed & Breakfast is the wrong job to pursue. Whether you have only one room to rent (a mini-B & B if you will) or a suite of 10 or more rooms, you need to resign yourself to be outgoing and friendly whether or not you feel like it. Of course for some people that comes easy. Are you one of them?

2) When Dan and I first went from our corporate jobs to the software engineering business (due to outsourcing), our biggest challenge was stepping out of a large business is that you now have to do all those things they took for granted. These can include an HR function, a health plan, a payroll system, unjamming the copier and selecting a telephone provider. Fortunately our strengths complement one another so I was (and still am for the bed and breakfast) what I’ve titled “Logistics Supervisor”.

We ‘ve developed (and continue to refine) our standard operating procedure (SOP) when guests arrive including a welcome tour, welcome kit, and of course the grand tour showing them where everything is with Manker (aka the B&B dog”) always winning hearts and leading the tour. We tend to spend time with our guests making them feel at home and for the most part have become friends.

But the best part is it’s wonderful having these people drop into your life. Some innkeeping insiders that work for us not just as innkeepers but will help no matter what journey you’re on. It’s all about relationship.

• Become genuinely interested in other people.
• People are most interested in themselves.
• Remember people’s birthdays and other important details.
• Find the interests of others and talk about those things. Urge others to talk about themselves. Ask intelligent questions.
• Be a good listener. Give your exclusive attention to others.
• Smile. Smiling comes through even over the phone.

One question we always ask, is about dietary restrictions and requests. Some are plum amazed we ask during the reservation process, be it over the phone or on our online reservation system. But as with any aspect of innkeeping meeting these challenges becomes a “game” and is encouraging when it works and you have super happy guests. Mistakes will always happen–they are part of life and business. What matters to your customers is how you handle them when they occur. It’s your choice…

But make no mistake… tis the season here for some serious comfort food. not to mention Super BowlBy now, you’re in the 4th quarter of planning out your Super Bowl buffet. Over at Epicurious they’ve rounded up 22 recipes from current and past NFL-ers. It’s being done in conjunction with a fundraiser, Taste of the NFL, that will take place in Phoenix the day before the big game and will benefit America’s Second Harvest.

You could whip up Chad Hennings Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas, Donny Anderson’s Chicken Spaghetti, Stu Voigt’s Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup, Now that’s a win, win, if ever I saw.

More Bread

In the innkeeping biz, “bread” can take on several meanings. We fueled our inaugural ride of the New Year with the the quintessential New York Breakfast

I got the bagels here in Butte at Great Harvest Bakery. Montana grown bacon and of course tomatoes from our greenhouse.

BLT Bagels

Ingredients
3 sesame bagels
6 tbsp philadelphia cream cheese
3 tsp German mustard
18 slices crispy bacon
2 medium tomatoes (thinly sliced)
3 spring onions (finely sliced lengthways)
black pepper

Directions
Halve the bagels, toast them and leave to cool. Meanwhile, grill the bacon, making sure it doesn’t go too dark and dry, then drain on kitchen paper.
Spread 1 tbsp pf philadelphia (or any other cream cheese) on each slice, top the bottom with a lettuce leaf, spread a thin layer of mustard on it, arrange the spring onions and tomatoes on top, sprinkling with black pepper.

And speaking of bread.. So many people are out right now returning gifts that didn’t work, for whatever reason that might be. But what if you got a gift card to a store that you don’t want to shop in? Or what if you really wish a bunch of gift cards were all consolidated so you could buy one big thing?

Here are two websites that will help you out: www.cardavenue.com and www.plasticjungle.com. Here you can buy, sell, or trade gift cards for almost any store. And yes, you can get cash!

I decided to tackle yet another “bread” project. Got my annual tax planning kit from our accountant and decided to tackle yet another “bread” project, the color of money. I took my own advice and as an innkeeper exchanged my slicing knife for a shredder and purged alot of outdated tax stuff from many moons ago. Ah, it was cathartic.

We have been blessed throughout our business ownership, be it here or pre-Montana with great accountants who were not only on the money (couldnt resist), but were also good friends as well.

Some advice and checklist from our pre-Montana accountant which de-stressed the process a bit. This list is meant as a guideline only, I’m not an accountant, but I am a thinker… and it’s my type -A organization that has me on this jag already. Since the complexity of tax forms needed is totally individual and you should of course check with your CPA.

1. Get yourself a hanging folder and label it for the tax year
2. Get three manila folders labeled with the following three categories: Income, Expense, and Credits
3. File all of your records according to which manila folder they belong in
4. Your accountant will be eternally grateful.

INCOME

* Wages & Salaries - Form W-2
* Interest/Dividend Income - 1099-INT, or a subsitute, such as a broker statement or year-end account summary
* State Tax Refunds - Form 1099-G, state income tax return
* Self-Employment Income - Sales slips, invoices, receipts, sales tax reports, business books and records,

1099-MISC (again what’s applicable for your businesss/personal situation)
* Capital Gains and Losses - 1099-B or substitute such as broker statement or year-end account summary showing proceeds from assets of securities or other capital assets
* IRA Distributions - 1099-R, year-end account summary, Form 8606
* Pension and Annuities - 1099-R, records of contributions
* Rents - Checkbook, receipts and canceled checks
* Social Security Benefits - Form SSA-1099
* Unemployment Compensation - 1099-G
* Alimony - Divorce settlement papers
* Miscellaneous Income - 1099-MISC and other records of amounts received

EXPENSES

* Self-Employment Expense - Bills, canceled checks, receipts, bank statements
* IRA Contribution - Year-end account summary, deposit receipt
* Medical and Dental Expense - Bills, canceled checks, receipts, pay stubs if employer withholds medical insurance from wages
* Taxes - Canceled checks, mortgage statements, receipts, Form W-2
* Interest Expense - Bank statements, mortgage statements (Form 1098), canceled checks
* Charitable Contributions - Canceled checks, receipts, detailed description of noncash property contributed
* Miscellaneous Deductions - Receipts, canceled checks, or other documentary evidence
* Being “friendly to the environement” can be friendly on your wallet. If you’ve gone green in your vehicle of choice… you might be eligible for the Qualified Alternative Fuel Motor Vehicle Tax Credit
Check out the eligible vehicles at EPA Green Vehicle Guide

CREDITS

* Child and Dependent Care - Receipts, canceled checks and name, address, and identification number of care provider
* Estimated Taxes - Canceled checks
* Withheld Taxes - Forms W-2 and 1099

An additional stress reducer, is that most of these forms are available online at the IRS. Hopefully this is the start of enabling your accountant to keep more of your hard earned bread.!

While the day is sunny and bright, the Winds of Whitehall picked up and we had our New Years Ride into a major headwind. Our girls Brady and GaZi were champs. When we turned them out, GaZi just hung with me while I told him r we were gonna have an awesome year endurance riding. A great way to grace the New Year.

The Green Kitchen

The tiniest adjustments to energy consumption have been proven to make a difference. And in few rooms do we use energy as blindly as we do in the kitchen. Thus, I have scoured the web for small modifications you can make in your kitchen and in you cooking that have the potential to make a big difference in our overall dent on this lush, green land.

• Unwrap Your Food: Do you come home from even a quick run to the store with nearly six plastic bags? Ever notice that when you shop at farmers’ markets you come home with far fewer plastic containers, if any? There are countless ways to reduce your food supply-related waste, from reusable tote bags for every budget to voting with your dollars by patronizing stores that make an effort to reduce packaging.
• Work Your Dishwasher: Where do we begin? Most of the energy used by dishwashers is from heating the water [pdf], so check the manual for your dishwasher to see if you are able to set the heating elements to a lower temperature. More can be saved by skipping the drying cycle, propping open the door and letting the dishes air out naturally. As most new dishwashers have a seriously powerful wash cycle, water can be saved by scraping off, and not pre-soaking or pre-washing your dishes unless something is particularly gunked on. Run your dishwasher only when it is full. But whatever you do, don’t feel guilty for using your dishwasher, as, according to one study, it uses only half the energy and one-sixth of the water of washing dishes by hand. Oh, and it’s much more fun, but, uh, you should get a dishwasher because it’s green, OK?
• Tame Your Stove, Oven: Are you sure you have to run your oven tonight? I mean, have you really thought about it? Grilling uses spectacularly less energy than an oven, and it won’t undo your air conditioner’s hard work. A toaster uses one-third to one-half the energy of a full-size oven. Microwaves spread far less heat. If you’ve got to use your stove, consider your pan size, which should match your burner size. A six-inch pan on an eight-inch burner wastes almost half the energy produced by it. All this aside, when it’s broiling hot out, wouldn’t you prefer a meal that didn’t require cooking? Yeah, I thought so.
• Tune Your Fridge: Don’t shop for refrigerators on sticker price alone: Those with Energy Star labels use 15 percent less energy than current standards and 40 percent less than ones sold in 2001. Through-the-door water and ice dispensers and automatic icemakers can increase electricity use by up to 20 percent. Don’t make them colder than needed; 37° to 40°F (3° to 4°C) is recommended for the fresh food compartment of the fridge, 5°F (-15°C) for freezers and a long-term storage freezer should be at 0°F (-18°C). Also, listen to your (or at least my) mother: “Don’t go shopping in there!” As in, decide what you need before you go in, rather than spilling precious cool air out into the great hereafter.
• Lose the Bottle: As bottled water is currently going through period of bad PR 30 billion single use water bottles are expected to be thrown away this year, and only 23 percent of them will be recycled. Nearly all municipal tap water in the U.S. is so good that importing a bottle from Italy, France, or the Fiji Islands is at best questionable,
• Opting out of tap water sends an unintentional message that keeping the public water supply top-notch is no longer a concern. Meanwhile, reusable bottle options abound, and, considering that a full year’s suggested intake of water would run you $1,400 if it was all bottled, but 49¢ if from your faucet, you might even feel generous enough to buy one for everyone you know.
• Considering greening your kitchen? An on-line resource for materials, how-tos and even green builders can be found over at HGTV’s Kitchen Design website. Bookmark it for future use if you’re considering any upgrades. There are a lot of useful tips about greener home technology options on the site, including about lighting, tankless water heaters, and touchless faucets.

What are your too-easy-not-to green kitchen, cooking or eating tips?

Resolve to Reduce

How much do we really need? Have you ever noticed how much stuff we collect? How many times have you bought something, only to discover later, that you don’t really use it? Hoarding (or some call it collecting) what is not essential, is actually just an outward manifestation of a fear of poverty”The old “I might use it someday, you never know”… or what I’ve often referred to as “bag lady syndrome”.

We have way more stuff than we need. Everything we accumulate that is not used becomes a restriction on our freedom. Stuff needs to be maintained, stored, cleaned, insured and takes up space. And then someone comes up with a newer and improved model and we collect more stuff. Usually, we keep the old stuff and we end up with more and more stuff.

New Year’s is the perfect time to declutter. The effects are so immediate, they’ll give you a sense of accomplishment — the perfect mindset for tackling more challenging goals. Nothing gets your intrepid innkeeper more cranky (well hardly), then clutter… I find it absolutely cathartic to “pitch and ditch”… especially prior to tax season.
I think lots of us struggle with clutter because we’re over-programmed. Our culture demands that every moment of our day be scheduled or we are going to miss out on something,. Just by being in your space, you will tidy it up.I find I almost do this compulsively.

But there are other issues. We also think that if something is printed there is value to it and therefore we should keep it — all of it,”That means flyers, magazines, handouts and bills all get the same level of importance, so no streamlining happens.

How do I get started? I thought you might ask that.
Begin with whatever irritates you most. Is it piles of paper on the kitchen counter or, perhaps, a bulging bedroom closet? Organizing the most annoying clutter zone will be motivating.

Start small

Resist the temptation to go all-out in fevered, short-term sorties against clutter. Like the fable of the tortoise and the hare, slow and steady wins the declutter race. If the kitchen bugs you, tackle one section at a time, starting with what’s most visible. The improvement will encourage you to continue till the room is clutter-free.

Stay motivated
Incorporating decluttering into your lifestyle is actually about forming a new habit, and you know how challenging that can be! The first three weeks will be difficult, but after the first month or so, you’ll be over the hump. Keep decluttering in perspective: it shouldn’t take over your life. It’s a small, short activity that you do so your home works well and looks good, and so you have time to do what you like.

Do one job at a time
It’s easy to get pulled into another clutter zone and desert the job you started. Don’t. Then you’ll have two partially decluttered areas, and it will look like you’ve accomplished nil. Stick to one part of one room till it’s complete.

Set a time limit
Don’t say, Today I’ll organize the garage. Instead, say, I’ll spend an hour on the gardening tools; next week I’ll work on sports equipment. If you haven’t finished in an hour, keep going, or return to the job another day.

A successful attack on clutter requires time, energy and motivation. There is no such thing as a declutter fairy, who works while you sleep! First things first: schedule time to declutter. Even 15 minutes a day will make a good start. Better, schedule larger blocks of time, from two to four hours once or twice a week, for maximum declutter efficiency.

Time to get cooking! Resolve to keep it real simple with more great tips.

Ah, I feel better already.. dont you? Time to go out and ride the horse.

The Kitch from the Kitchen

Start your day off right!..Have breakfast with G-d
The kid in me likes the frosted side, but the adult likes the omnipotence!
Food for thought … natch from the inn kitchen a focal point for us.. The right prep work will prevent pitfalls in your kitchen whether you’re designing your dream space or the perfect menu(s) For us.. country rustic was a no brainer. But again whether planning a menu or kitchen, or anything else come to think of it… knowing what you want is half the battle

And with spring around the corner… and the “new year’s resolutions for losing weight a distant memory , the most important tip we can give you is to eat breakfast every day. Without exception. This one action alone can make a huge, positive difference in your health. But a doughnut or oversized muffin won’t do it.

1. Be consistent with your portions. A perfect breakfast has three components that we try to incorporate here..: one serving of a whole grain carbohydrate, one serving of a dairy or high-calcium food, and one serving of fruit. Here are a few winning combinations, that are fast and frugal

* A bowl of high-fiber, multigrain cereal, lots of strawberries, and low-fat milk on top.

* A granola bar, an apple, and a cold glass of milk.

* A cup of nonfat yogurt, fresh blueberries mixed in, and a slice of whole wheat toast with a fruit spread on top.

* A mini whole wheat bagel, spread lightly with cream cheese and jam; a peach; and a cup of yogurt.

* A scrambled egg, a whole wheat roll, fresh fruit salad, and a cup of low-fat milk.

* A low-fat muffin, a wedge of cantaloupe, and a cup of latte made with skim milk.

• Go organic… Sprinkle a whole wheat burrito with 2 ounces grated, low-fat cheddar cheese and broil for 3 minutes. While it’s cooking, peel and eat an orange for valuable vitamin C. In this one small, quick meal, you’re getting vitamin C and other antioxidants, calcium, fiber, and enough appetite-satisfying protein to sustain you for hours. Guests love this too.
• Make your own granola. Most store-bought brands are filled with sugar and fat. To make your own, mix 2 cups rolled oats with 1 cup dried fruits and seeds and a little brown sugar. Toast 3-5 minutes in a warm oven and store in an airtight container. Not interested in do-it-yourself? You’re only limited by your imagination on what you want to throw in. One of our favs.

And proving that breakfast really is all it’s cracked up to be … now you can start it lean and mean with this French Omelet is so hearty and rich-tasting that folks never guess it’s low in fat,.

Preparation time: 10 minutes Adapted from Cooking Light
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup fat-free milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup cubed fully cooked lean ham
1 tablespoon chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped green pepper
1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Directions
1. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, egg substitute, milk, salt and pepper. Coat a 10-inch nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium heat. Add egg mixture. As eggs set, lift edges, letting uncooked portion flow underneath.

2. When eggs are set, sprinkle ham, onion, green pepper and cheese over one side; fold omelet over filling. Cover and let stand for 1 minute or until cheese is melted.

Now you’re fit and fast and fueled… and ready to trot on friends, trot on.

Surviving Winter Simply

Trust me on this one… heating a B&B in the dead of winter in Montana. If you live in a cold climate, reducing your home’s energy use for heating can save more energy than anything else.

Without making an investment in a new heating system, here are some little things you can do that will give you big savings.

1. Warm your body instead of the air around you It takes a lot more energy to warm the air in a room than it does to warm your body. There are many ways to warms your body that require no energy at all!

To warm your body:

• Wear warm woolen clothing, particularly a hat, since a large percentage of body heat is lost through the top of your head. Layer, layer, layer… did I mention you should layer?
• Eat and drink warming foods and beverages such as herbal tea, warm grains, soups, stews, fruit compotes.
• Snuggle under a blanket with someone you feel cozy with and share body warmth.
• Sit in a sunny window.
• Exercise.
• Stay indoors.
• Take a hot bath.
• Have a cognac

2. Use an electric space heater Even though electricity is less efficient and more expensive than gas, heating only rooms actually in use can be an efficient alternative to heating your whole house.

At times all you may need is a spot of warmth in the morning in a cold bathroom, or some heat for your feet under your desk. You may also want a handy emergency backup in case the furnace dies! For these uses, a small space heater (sold in most hardware stores) will be your best choice. Designs and prices differ widely–from $10 to $200 depending on what you choose.

Choose the right type of space heater for your personal need.

Radiant Heaters are best for quick spot heating, like warming your hands in front of a fire. Good in basements, garages, cold bathrooms in the morning. Fans are usually just to cool the elements, not to circulate air.

• Most are low and rectangular in shape, with a wide opening to expose their glowing metal or quartz elements.
• Upright tower models will be more prone to tip — be sure they come with a good tipover switch.

Convection Heaters heat and circulate the air better than radiant heaters, so they are a better choice for heating entire rooms. They don’t have to take up much space or cost much, either. Types include:

• Baseboard - These usually don’t have fans, so they are quiet. The element is close to the floor, where it heats the coolest air and takes advantage of the laws of physics for circulation.
• Fan-forced - These use an internal fan blowing over glowing wire or coil elements. Some oscilate.
• Ceramic - These use a ceramic heating element and are usually quite small and typically cube-shaped. Most are under 10 inches a side, making them ideal for desks, both on and under.

3. Operate your central heating system efficiently A biggie here.

• Maintain your furnace. Gas furnaces should be tuned every two years and oil furnaces each year. Test your furnace for combustion efficiency and pollutants, clean it, and adjust it. A heating technician can be hired to do this for a nominal fee.
• Change your filters. If you have a forced-air system, change your filters once a month to save energy and minimize dust. Better yet, get high-efficiency HVAC filters, which cost three times as much, but last three times as long, so they only need to be changed every three months (saving materials used to make two filters).
• Install a programmable clock thermostat. We noticed a significant difference in energy use when we installed ours. A programmable thermostate can automatically keep the heat lower at night and during the daytime hours when you are away. This can save 20 to 40 percent of energy during the day and 10 to 14 percent at night.
• Keep the temperature as low as you can tolerate. This will save both energy and money. Heating to 68 degrees requires only half the energy as 75 degrees.
• Set the thermostat for the temperature you actually desire. Your house will not cool or warm faster if you crank the temperature higher. Just pick the temperature you actually want, and that way you won’t forget to turn it back down.
• Check your thermostat to make sure it is accurate. With an accurate thermometer, make sure that the temperature near your thermostat is representative of the rest of your house. If it is located in a drafty spot, you may be getting false readings and wasting energy. Put a piece of insulation in the wall behind the thermostat so it will read room temperature. If you have an old thermostat, it won’t be as accurate as a new one. Best to replace it with a programmable clock thermostat.

4. Install a ceiling fanYes, running a fan can make your house warmer, not cooler.

Because heat rises, rooms can be up to 15 degrees warmer at the ceiling than at the floor. A ceiling fan with a motor that will run in reverse can push warm air near the ceiling down to the floor where you can feel it. A good ceiling fan can reduce the temperature difference between floor and ceiling to only 3 degrees reducing your need to generate heat. And because they use no more energy than a 60 watt light bulb, the energy trade-off is a good one.

Though installing a ceiling fan may seem like a big investment, a basic model can be purchased at most home improvement stores for less than $50. They are available in a wide range of fashionable designs and are so quiet you won’t even notice they are there

And your heating bill wont hit the fan either weather or not.

Here in Montana, this was one of the great Fish Creek finds for our mud room

If it’s snowing or raining every time your family walks in the door( or should I say when), you’re doubtlessly familiar with shoes, gloves, hats, scarves, etc. being strewn around the mudroom or the rest of the house as people hope the items will dry before the next trek outside. Just air-drying your winter gear can take a long time, though, and not all pieces are suitable for the clothes dryer. A more efficient way to dry these items would be something like this “winter gear dryer” from Frontgate.

The device is specially designed to fit shoes, boots, hats, and mittens. Simply plug it in, turn it on, and the dryer will have your gear dry (and I imagine warm) for your next outing. It’s even supposed to prolong the life of shoes and reduce odor. Price: $95. http://www.frontgate.com

And of course some Jewish “penicillin”… chicken soup for the soul
Very easy! The chicken can be leftovers or a chosen especially for this dish. (er…bowl)

Ingredients:

1 TBS butter
1 small onion, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
handful baby carrots, diced
chicken breast, diced
pepper
3 cans low sodium chicken broth and 2 cans of water
1 to 1/2 cups mixed frozen veggies (peas, carrots, green beans, etc)
prepared biscuit dough (store bought canister non-flakey variety)
1 can of cream of ______ soup (any flavor you like except the cheesy type)

This basically starts out as a stir fry.

Melt the butter in a large pot on low heat. Add 1 small diced onion and sweat it a bit. When the onion is almost (but not quite) translucent, add the chicken. When the chicken is partially cooked (still a little pink), add the diced baby carrots and diced celery. Let this cook until the chicken is almost cooked. (if you use leftover chicken, just cook until the fresh veggies are a bit tender)

Add 3 cans low sodium chicken broth, 2 cans of water, some pepper, and bring to a boil (cover on). Let this simmer for about 10-15 minutes on low to medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add your frozen veggies cook (slow boil) another 5-10 minutes on low heat.

Add your biscuit dough: break off pieces and roll into little balls with your fingers and gently drop into the simmering broth. (I use about 3-5 biscuits). Stir the soup a bit. After about 5-10 minutes, (or whenever the biscuit dough is cooked, it will be soft but not raw), add the cream of _____ soup and stir gently (I used cream of celery this time). Let this mixture cook a minute or two until hot (but don’t boil!). That’s it. Yum! This is a simple and quick way to comfort food.

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.
–Anne Bradstreet

The Sweet Smell of Success

To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.
- Bessie Stanley

We’re all looking to succeed, in our own individual ways, and we’re all looking for nuggets of wisdom to pave the way.

We wake up every morning in search of those “ahas”.. Sometimes optimistic little catch-phrases work; other times, a new insight or conversation sparks that day’s adventure.And it is an adventure. That’s why we’re out there fighting every day - because, in the end, we want to climb those mountains, love deeply, life our lives fully.

We’re in the innkeeping and horsekeeping (name your own) game for passion. And in the pursuit of success, sometimes it’s very, very easy to forget that. We all have bad days, setbacks, even the occasional disaster - a lost opportunity, a lost client, a computer crash , the guests that cancelled at the last moment, after you just fully stocked the fridge and cleaned the inn from top to bottom… - and question just how on earth we’re going to keep doing this. and why It can become more like following the Advil Commandments... “G’d I have a pounding headache”… take two tablets.. Before you know it.. it’s easy to fall into the trap of of wanting every day to be a good day, a safe day, a predictable day.

We close ourselves from life and slowly forget everything about why you started this in the first place.As you’re out there in the world, folks, remember to be patient. “Patience grasshopper” Deep breath

There’s an ancient Buddhist proverb that goes, “Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water; after enlightenment, chop wood and carry water.” It’s a good saying, not only for seeking an enlightened mind, but for seeking success in any fashion; it means to keep doing the work, no matter what. Be patient. Keep going. Don’t be detoured by your own success or failure- let it instead be just another “town along the road”.

Take the days as they come, and feel the joy of each day passing, whether good or bad. Experience the life of one who chops wood, carries water, and is content. Everyone’s journey ’s different.. some take the direct route . immediately and head towards it in a straight, confident line. Others circle round and back, reversing and u-turning all the way. Whatever you do… trust your gut or as I say “g-dincidences” and listen to them . Now that’s true success.

And nothing like the sweet smell of success.. or would that be the smell of raisin bread a bakin’? Good for spirit and stomach both

Raisin Bread from Grouprecipes.com

Ingredients

* 1 1/4 cups milk
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 3 tablespoons brown sugar
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 3 cups bread flour
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1 pinch grated nutmeg
* 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
* 1/2 cup raisins

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in bread pan, select light crust setting, and press Start. After the baking cycle ends, remove bread from pan, place on cake rack, and allow to cool 1 hour before serving.

“Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb.”
- Winston Churchill

Let us each Run The Race

Remember the last time a time in your life when you tried something totally new.

I remember running my first 10K , the Leggs Mini Marathon .. a loop of Central Park in New York held annually in May. You can run with 30,000 of your closest friends. A daunting journey to me it seemed, at the time having run 4 miles as my longest distance. Was I nervous… in a word Yes… fitful sleeping at best the night before… a pre-race conondrum that I never did grow out of..but I digress. I reember coming towards Tavern on the Green, the finish line (also the finish line of the infamous New York City Marathon which I would subsequently run) with the Gulf and Western Building in the distance. I still remember to this day, as I kicked it up a notch, my mantra “Run to that Gulf and Western”, and I did … finishing in a credible 46 minutes. Queasy, ready to heave… but happy and triumphant of spirit.

I signed up to be a volunteer at the New York Marathon that Fall. My job was to pass out water to the runners at the 25 mile water station. . I remember being so excitedto see all the different kinds of people who passed by and grabbed a cupof water. Some ran past, some walked past and a few wheeled past. I saw so manysypes of people doing it, … folks that did not fit “my picture” I thought maybe I can do it too!

So the next year I signed up for the race and gave it a shot. Back thenI didn’t do much to prepare except jog around my neighborhood. in the upper East side. I ran a bit with the New York chapter of World Runners, but planned to partner with my brother Jeff.. doing his salute to “I’d better do a ‘thon before I’m 30″ syndrome.” While we did our long runs and “loops ” in Central Park, it was a relatively casual affair. My only goal was to finish in under 4 hours. Needless to say that I prepare differently when I run races today, butback then my only goal was to finish before the finish clock said 4:00

On the day of the race, of course we had to to the “get to Staten Island” routine, hurry up and wait… for the start. . There’s a rush when you start and go through Brooklyn and again when you cross the 59th street bridge. You arein Manhattan and while you’re only at mile 16, ti’s a psychological hurdle. I remember struggling at about the 22th mile, thinking, “I must be crazy, why did I do this? What was I thinking? And at one point (a phrase I would repeat in many races in the future, “G-d, if you just get me through this… I promise I’ll never do it again”.

Have you ever felt that way about something? You eagerly undertake agoal and in the midst of it comes a moment of struggle, and you realizeit is much harder than you imagined it would be?

Thencame a defining moment. As I was coming along 59 th streeet instead of focusing inward on my fatigue, I let the huge crowds cheering “take me home”. At one point near the end, a 70 year old man ran past me, very very fast, getting his finishing kick in but making it look effortless. For an instant, I felt defeated. Then I realized , he was running his race and I was running mine.

He had different abilities, experience, training and goals for himself.I had mine. My goal was to see the finish clock in 4:00 or less in the “full and upright postiion”. How often in life do we compare ourselves to others and feel disappointed in ourselves when we really shouldn’t? I did make my goal finishing in 3:55 … Of course I immediately asked G-d for a reprieve on the “I’ll never do this again”. since I decided that I would not give up on running races, in fact, I would run even more races and I would actually run with a coach /running club As I crossed the finish line, I was one tired but very happy camper, I mean runner.

I am so glad I didn’t give up on running. Today it is an incredible source of joy in my life. I have run several races since then, transitioning to trails and ultrarunning with the dubious distinction of having completed a couple of 50 milers. Now I’m doing it on my horse, Billy… endurance riding. The places I’ve traveled and . country I probably wouldnt have ever seen, the friendships, the insights… worth more than any “time” or place”although I am competitive.

The impact of sport on my life has been remarkable. . What I’ve ultimately discovered… it’s never “about the run”… it’s just a mirror of where we are in the life.. Life is a series of races. There are life lessons to be learned in each race.. If you don’t win the race, but you get the lesson, and grow, it’s a win. Now that ’s an eye opener.

In life we all have those moments where we compare ourselves to others. It’s only natural. Don’t allow those moments to discourage you. Instead, be inspired and motivated. Use them to show you what’s possible. Every struggle is an “opportunity in work clothes”. You define your own race when you define your own goals. Think about it, your destiny wont be determined by one little race.

But first some good carbs to fuel that run… one of my all time favs… granola - but heck since we’re “running”, a healthier version

Almond and Nutmeg Granola courtesy lf Whole Foods
* 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
* 3 tablespoons oat flour or whole wheat pastry flour
* 1 cup slivered, blanched almonds
* 1/2 cup pure maple syrup or honey
* 1/3 cup high oleic sunflower oil or canola oil
* 1 teaspoon almond extract
* 1/2 to 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, or to taste
* 1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 300°F.

Blend the oats, flour and almonds together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the maple syrup or honey, oil, almond extract, nutmeg and salt. Add to the oat mixture, stirring well to coat.

Place mixture on a large cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for one hour, stirring and turning granola over half way during baking to break up lumps. Allow the granola to cool completely then store in an airtight container. Serves 6

So what “races ” do you want to run?

Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers; pray for powers equal to your task
- Phillips Brooks

Seasons of Success

Its cold and its getting colder
Its gray and white and winter all around
And oh I must be getting older
All this snow is trying to get me down

Theres a fire in the corner slowly dyin
Sometimes I just dont feel like goin on
And yet I know its more than worth the waiting
For another chance to see the summer sun

Come on, shine on me!
- John Denver
I confess.. I’m a creature of habit. A certain amount of routine focuses me and keeps me on purpose. Being an innkeeper .. it’s a different experience each day which I love (otherwise i’d go nuts), I find a routine within that dichotomy though works and helps keep my head above water.

And here where temps are a brisk -15 and snow, John Denver’s lyrics keep runnin’ through my heard. But press on regarless is part and parcel of what energizes me and are the proverbial of my success

SO - what do I think paves the way to success?

First of all serious prayer - followed by gratitude
Gratitude. When I wake up in the morning and as I lay in bed at night, I close my eyes and let myself feel gratitude. I pray to our Good L-rd and Saviour and thank Him for the “amens” of the day . I pray for those around me It feels great inside my chest. It wasn’t like this before, but recently I can actually feel gratitude as a physical sensation inside my chest. It really is warm and fuzzy . It makes me feel great, and trains your mind for positive thinking. When I wake up in the morning… “another day the L-rd has made.” Some mornings that requires more effort … photo above
Exercise. As in, keep moving. I run and ride daily. A short tour beats no tour… but I am far more happy and productive after a ride on one of my mares; especially when they’re experiencing PMS (persnickety mare syndrome)

Multitask - Must be the NYrer in me.. i’m crankier if I’m notmultiasking. To quote from Larry the Cable guy, “git r’ done”.

Commune with nature. There may be people that laugh at this, and that’s probably because of the word I used. If I said that I like to spend at least 10 to 15 minutes a day in the greenhouse, and just being with the horses. it makes a little more sense. I get some quiet time.

Don’t just think outside the box. Walk outside the box too. People have observed me and commented on the way I do things. I think to them some of the things I do seem really weird. To me, I occur to myself as a really, really, normal guy endeavouring to go beyond myself and pushing myself to do things that I wouldn’t normally do so that I can move in the direction I ultimately wish to go. There are people doing far crazier stuff than me. I suspect the difference is in what each of us seeks in the long term. Each day, I know that I have to not only think outside of the proverbial box or square, us take some sort of action that will guarantee me a place of residence outside of it also.

Express yourself and be creative. I love to write and come up with marketing plans.. how creative can be ? What will further the action of our inn, our lives, the people around us? . For various reasons I do these things in random moments and usually in phases. At the moment, I’m loving to write. This might go on for a couple of weeks, or as it has lately, a couple of months. Without some form of expression I can get a bit dry and unemotive.

Get outside of yourself. I can work quite happily on my own and frequently do, so by this I mean that I put some time aside each day or every couple of days to do things for others. And in lessons I could only learn from my horses segment,

Don’t follow the herd. You only step in others poop. Recently I have come to understand that there is a science behind herd mentality - and we humans thrive on this phenomena. Perhaps it has been a natural ability for me to shy away from what the majority of people do, but I’m beginning to only recently understand there is probably some merit in it. So I frequently take time to observe what the masses are doing and I question. Sometimes there is a valid reason. Sometimes the only valid reason is because ‘everyone else is doing it’ and it doesn’t hold up on it’s own. So I take note, and do my own thing. Which brings us to …

Random Acts of Outrageousness. This is not quite a habit, or perhaps it is - sometimes (but less frequently than once a week) I will do something out of the routine.. what I call Turquoise Days. This is usually because, as I have explained above, I consider myself to be rather normal and stable. So every now and then I go out of my way to do something a little unstable. Nothing dangerous or foolish. Just something I wouldn’t normally do or say. It might initially be scary or seem really crazy, but I do it nonetheless, it is a fine delight for the spirit.

I’d love to work and play like a horse , with total dedication, purpose and concentration. Observe how seriously a the alpha horse will try to herd his/her pasture mates. Nothing lackadaisical or halfhearted here.They aren’t mulling over their walk tomorrow, their meal tonight or their nap in 10 minutes. Horses and dogs for that matter dogs live in the moment. Enthusiastically, they embrace each second of the here and now, be it a day in the field guiding cattle, a Sunday in the yard chasing squirrels or simply a restful afternoon snoozing in a pool of sunshine. Suddenly, dog-tired sounds more like an aspiration than a complaint.

When mistreated, they forgive. When ignored, they still love. When abandoned, they remain loyal, they don’t judge. They want for one thing only. To hear their human’s voice, feel their human’s touch, revel in the nearness of the person they love so unconditionally.

I think I’m gonna put on my boots and take a walk in the snow with Manker - our finish line.. the corral.

So what are the secrets of your success?

A Peaceable Kingdom

Another one of my periodic missives to try to express of “why I ride”.

The hustle and bustle of daily life gets the best of us. Beyond our hectic lives, there’s the headlines that bring news of hatred, violence, hunger, and war. We’re bombarded with so many images of chaos that peace and quiet become a commodity. Enter the honest equine. While horseback riding certainly brings on a certain stress of its own (equipment failures, preparations, what side of the corral did she wake up on), it doesn’t take me long to remember a primary reason I love riding so much. I love the moment when all of my preparations are complete and I’m on my horse in the “full and upright”. I take that deep breath, exhale, and relax. Not just relax like kick up my shoes and relax…I mean deep peace in the soul.

It takes me a while to find because my mind races with anticipation. But horses demand patience. Eventually, our bodies and minds give way to the presence of peace. It creeps in through the bird chirping or the squirrel scurrying in the leaves or, when we’re lucky, a hoof crunching a leaf. We learn that the rays of sun peering over the horizon can burn our souls.

Solitude:Riding reminds me of the importance of solitude…time to escape my own thoughts as I unite with nature. For me, it’s one thing to go for a trail run . But when I’m on equine back, , the hope that a buck will appear keeps me in the woods for extended periods of time. When else do we allot so much time to ourselves…to quietness…to solitude?

The Struggle to Surrender: The words “struggle” and “serenity” aren’t exactly synonyms…but my experience has taught me that I have to battle to stay in the presence of this peace. It’s a struggle for me to let go of myself and attend to nature herself. Thoughts race repeatedly, but I have to give way. at times I struggle to surrender.

I don’t understand it, but I often find the things I don’t consciously set-out to when I ride. One of those things is a peaceable kingdom.. .trot on friends, trot on.