Prairie Splendor Farm B & B wins Lodging of the Year

The B & B has had a busy year. I was very surprised and pleased to win the 2010 Columbia County Lodging award from the CCVB. The exposure was priceless.

The Governors Conference on Tourism was fun and educational. I enjoyed the opportunity of networking with fellow Innkeepers as they shared their successes and ideas. Promoting tourism for Wisconsin is so important. I won the only very nice gift basket.

Vacation rental of my home has been the primary target this year. I have enjoyed meeting the nicest people from Wisconsin, Illinois to Washington. They arrive and settle into a home that offers all the comforts of home.

Don't miss the State Fair in Milwaukee. I will be there at the CCVB (Columbia County Visitors Bureau) booth.

Save September 11, 2010. I will be hosting with the CCVB my first annual vintage car show, featuring 50's cars. It seemed a good match for my 50's B & B. "BACK TO THE 50'S ON HIGHWAY 60". There will be music, food and homemade ice cream from The Sassy Creamery. See you there from 10:00 to 2:00.

On a personal note, I have been canning my famous dill pickles. I haven't had that pleasure for years. I will share my recipe with you:

Kosher Dill Pickles

Pack in sterile quart jars - 1/8 t alum, 1 clove of garlic sliced, 1/2 t mustard seed, 2-3 flowers of dill.

Brine: 1 quart of cider vinegar, 1 C canning salt, 3 quarts of water

Heat to boiling, pour over cucumbers. Seal. 6-8 weeks before you can enjoy them. :(

B & B has booth at Pardeeville Antique Mall

Now that the B & B is completely furnished with 50's memorabilia

and furniture, I find I have the permanent "bug" for antiquing.

Fortunately, Matt and Barb from the Pardeville Antique Mall had a solution. A booth became available and we accepted the invitation. Besides being fun, I can continue my quests for treasures. Myself and four other antiquers share the booth thus providing a varity of collections. Of the hundreds of Malls I have been in over the last few years, PAM is the nicest. They also joined the networking group I founded, NAB. NAB's mission is to promote "Shopping Local".

Your host was invited to the Governors Conference on Tourism in Milwaukee. I came home with priceless ideas and contacts. I am proud to say I won the only gift baskit presented with approximately 750 attendees.

On September 11, the Bed & Breakfast will be hosting a 1950's car show. There will be beautiful cars, food, icecream and music. For more information visit: http://www.columbiacountyvistorsbureau/ Mark your calendars for July 11, the B & B will on the list of homes and garden tours hosted by the Poynette Garden Club. There is also a great Craft Fair at the park. For local activity schedules visit http://www.poynettechamber.com/

The busy season will beginning soon and I look forward to a prosperous 2010.