All the charm of a B&B without the cost!
www.bayleafcottages.com
The last two months in Maine have flown by! We're enjoying this vacation property so much. Since our purchase and closing (early May), we've accomplished a lot. For example:
- 1. Opened the property once again (it had been closed for 1.5 years and was in foreclosure) - plumbing, heating, water tests, electrical work --- basically EVERYTHING was checked out and turned ON.
- 2. Removal of waste, dead trees, bushes, and all sorts of "stuff" - old this and thats - a huge yard full (behind the fence kind of thing) and at least a garage and building full of "stuff".
- We had 3 garage sales and saw lots of old bedding go to those in need. Not to mention "decor items" made by prisoners from Warren's Prison Shop in Thomaston (circa 1982).
- Painted and revived four important rooms open to the public - our welcome Office with Gift Shop (stop by and see what neat items we have available including Put a Lobster in Your Kayak T-shirts and Lincolnville Sweatshirts), our Bay Leaf Bistro (now serving Breakfast daily, lunch daily, and Lobster Dinners for $10 on Saturday night with special dinners on Wednesday night), our Library with resource materials on what to see and do in Maine, and our Living Room - open to our guests. Remember, we're trying to create "all the charm of a B&B without the cost". See our website for our weekly breakfast and lunch menus.
- Hosted a contest for interior design majors at Illinois State University - winners were brought to Maine in May to spend 4 days redecorating 11 cottages. See the interior photos on our website http://www.bayleafcottages.com/ "view the cottages". We also have our our Facebook page before and after photos. There's a link to an article about the Cottages by Design that appeared in the Bangor Daily. Each and every cottage and motel room has new bedding and new decor! All cottages are on our herbal theme and motel rooms are Maine-coast themes.
- Held a ribbon cutting ceremony with three Chambers of Commerce - Belfast, Camden-Rockport-Lincolnville, and Penobscot Bay (Rockland). Open house was fun!
- Painted the interior of the main house - kitchen and living room, bedrooms - someone has to watch the place!
- Cleaned out the garage and set up the workshop. One can now play ping pong inside! Yeah!
- Painted the railings of the decks, fences, bridges and set up a nice Pergula for picnicing and grilling.
- Added a dog run for our 4-legged friends.
- Added a play ground with Step 2 Swingset and Crabbie sandbox
- Created a kids play cottage with games, arts and crafts, and MORE!
- Scheduled and offered seminars - see our summer class schedule for kids and adults - you don't need to stay on-site to participate in the many fun things we're doing here!
- Started planting gardens and replacing grass as needed.
- Gained a flock of ducks and added our own 2 jumbo rubber duckies to the pond and stream (which were dug out earlier in the summer).
Well - we've done a lot and still have more to do!
Along the way we've met many of our neighbors (even had a picnic with many of them last week) and hope to meet more!
We hope to meet you too! Come visit!
Jane in Maine
