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March Madness 2/18/10
Just a reminder...men's college basketball is heating up with the big tournaments coming up in March and April. The Garden Retreat is SO close to downtown Indianapolis! We are an easy 20 minute drive into the city. The Big Ten Tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse is March 11 - 14 and both rooms are available. The Final Four Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium is Apri 3 and 5 and Pondside is still available.

Happy Valentine's Day! 2/11/10
The LOVE day is almost here! Don't forget to send as much love out there as you can!

The Garden Retreat is blanketed in white. We have used the snow blower lots more this year than in recent years. We're just glad to have them. I don't like for the driveway to be icy.

Kitty has continued to stay alive outside in her snuggly house beside the back door. We worry about her every time the wind shifts to the north or east. I guess she goes into a version of hibernation, but we keep lots of food and water out there for her. This morning I watched her out my office window which overlooks the back of the property including the garage. When I moved here, the driveway was not paved. It was gravel right up to the garage floor which was not in great shape either. There was a space under the closed garage door through which Kitty could slink her body to get into the garage. I'm sure the garage is a great hunting ground and hiding place for her. Those of you with cats know that they love their adventures. Anyway, slipping into the garage was part of Kitty's daily rounds. About 2 years ago, after Mr. Wonderful came along, we had his concrete subcontractor create an apron in front of the garage doors. While they were at it, they patched and smoothed out the uneven floor under the garage doors, making them seal better when closed. Of course, that closed up Kitty's secret adventure portal. That was TWO YEARS AGO, but Kitty STILL goes to that place probably every day hoping that it will somehow be there again. This morning, Monte left the doors open intentionally so she could have some fun in there.

February has traditionally been the month when our business wakes up, and this year is no exception. We have a full house almost all weekend. Friday night is still available, though, if you're looking for a special Valentine's treat. I'm including roses and chocolates for my guests this weekend.

Oh! The sun just came out. It truly is beautiful, casting shadows from the woods onto the snow in the field. It makes the paths of footsteps more pronounced and causes me to wonder who has been out there and where were they going.

Peace to you,
Jean
www.thegardenretreat.net

Valentine's Weekend 1/28/10
If you love local wine, there is an Indy Wine Trail event on February 13 & 14. Buck Creek Winery, one of the stops, is just down the road from us. Remember...complimentary roses and chocolates for our Valentine's guests.
Peace

Singin' in the rain... 1/21/10
Oh, what can one do on these rainy January days! I am happy to report that I actually heard some birds singing yesterday. What a gift during this dreary month!
I don't have a big report except to say that I'm still working on my little weight loss project. I've been pretty faithful about going to the gym every other day and I've been slowly building up my workout. I've lost 1 pound, which is ok. I'm actually feeling better. We're eating more foods that are high in anti-oxidants...lots of fruits and vegetables...easy for us. Those fight free radicals (bad guys) in our bodies.
REMINDER...Valentine's Day is coming up, and I still have availability on all three nights of that weekend. Complimentary roses and chocolates for all my Valentine's guests!

Happy New Year! 1/5/10
Here we are...is it "twenty ten" or "two thousand ten"? Whatever...another turn of calendar. I guess in a way, it makes no difference. Days are just days...years are just years. Some of us do seem to take this time to re-evaluate or at least reorganize. Most of us certainly want to re-evaluate our bodies. I finally made it to the gym this morning for the first time in months. During the gardening season, I don't go to the gym because the outside work keeps me busy, active, and strong. Starting in December, though, the gardening is over, and yes, I should start back to the gym then, but I don't. I do what every fitness center expects us to do...start a new program in January. Luckily, we already have the membership so I don't have to pay a new sign-up fee. I took it pretty easy this morning. I have always thought of myself as pretty athletic, but I get sore just like everyone else when I overdo it during a workout. After the workout, I decided it was time to find out the truth resulting from all those Mexican Wedding Cakes that Monte insists that I make for the holidays. We don't even own a set of scales, so I stepped into the dressing room, took off my shoes which I'm sure weigh 5 or 6 pounds, and stepped onto the official-looking scales...7 extra pounds since our wedding last year, and I hadn't even lost the extra 2 that I had wanted to lose back then. My cousin called it "contentment" pounds which in some ways is so true. I am more happy and content than I've ever been. I have a wonderful husband who loves my cooking. We're both here for many lunches and all dinners, so I prepare real food. Neither of us are big overeaters nor are we big dessert eaters, but we love our cookies and I can't seem to prepare anything without butter. Some of you may know that I was very overweight in my late teens and early twenties. After I lost that 50 pounds, I have been successful in keeping it off. Becoming a runner helped, but those days are over. Working here in the gardens has helped, but there is a lot less to do out there than when I moved here. At almost 53, my body is naturally wanting to soften and spread out in ways that I'd prefer it not do. I know that 9 pounds may not sound like a lot to some, but I don't want the 9 pounds to turn into 19. So, I'm telling the world that this weight is not welcome on my body and I'm going to love myself enough to take it off in a healthy way.

What does this have to do with what's going on at The Garden Retreat? Nothing. It's the slow season. There is certainly nothing going on outside except for caring for Kitty which I wrote about last month. I am doing some reorganizing and "spring cleaning" here in the house (spring...wishful thinking). I'm doing more reading which is fun. I finished "The Lost Symbol" / Dan Brown in just a few days. I'm finishing "True Compass" / Ted Kennedy now...interesting reading. Before that was "The Good Earth" / Pearl S. Buck...wonderful classic about a family in pre-revolution China. I gave myself permission to abandon a couple of books...good for me. I'm a big kid now. I only read what I'm interested in. I am grateful for my first 2010 reservation...a couple coming for their 5th anniversary celebration.

Speaking of gratefulness, I have so much for which to be thankful. Monte's business is abundant; we are healthy; we have a new granddaughter named Reese...more on that little angel next month!

Peace to you all,
Jean
www.thegardenretreat.net

Happy, happy...merry, merry! 12/10/09
Today (12-10) is the first really cold day this winter...and it's not even winter yet! I'm glad that the outside work is finished. The only thing we have to keep an eye on is the pond. Yes...the fish do stay in there and they don't die. It's a miracle every spring to see them swimming around in there. I think they hibernate at the bottom in the mud. Unfortunately, we're down to just a few small fish. The big ones have died naturally or have been someone's dinner. A couple of years ago, we added a "hiding place" for the fish...basically a big flagstone on 2 bricks. Then, when the heron comes to terrorize them, they have a place to hide out till he gives up. We leave the waterfall running all winter to continue to oxygenate the water. Otherwise, the pond probably would freeze solid...then the fish would surely perish. Last year, the pump wore out, and our wonderful pond guy, Marc Mills from Backyard Blessings, came and replaced it in freezing temps...thank you, Marc!
Our other outdoor responsibility is Kitty Carlyle. We worry about her all winter long, and are amazed that she can stay warm enough in her house beside the back door. Kitty has always been an outdoor cat, and knows the territory, but as she ages, she seems to be lonelier. She often asks to come in the house, but, of course, that isn't an option. Although Monte loves her, he is allergic to cats, as would be many of our guests. Last year, when it was bitter cold during a snow storm, we did relent and let her spend the night in the little back entrance at the kitchen. There is an inside door that we closed, and she settled in there for the night. The next night, she acted like she wanted to come in again, but wasn't so comfortable for some reason. Kitty actually used to have 2 suitors...Morris and Tiger Cat. Both would come and hang out on the back porch while Kitty, inside her house, ignored them. Sometimes they would be there at the same time. I know what you're thinking...but we've always presumed that Kitty has been spayed. The fact that we've never had surprise kittens confirms that, I guess. I've always wondered why Kitty doesn't at least make friends with Morris or Tiger Cat just to have a snuggle buddy for the winter. We wouldn't mind feeding someone else just to ease our minds about Kitty's emotional health. Oh well...I guess they're not made that way.
I decided not to put up the Christmas tree this year. There really isn't a great place for a tree in this house. I did put out other decorations, and am happy with how the festive look of the house now. Yesterday, I finished by making a new wreath. They are SO expensive out in the stores...even at the end of the season. Here is what I did and probably have less than $20 in it. I went to the Goodwill store and bought a grapevine wreath. It had some silk flowers on it, but I took those off. Cost: $5. A few years ago, I had bought some garland that is on a brown stem and has tiny silver bells and "berries". I wired those 3 strands to the wreath. After- Christmas sale cost: $9. From my ornament box, I added a really cool set of small silver star, pine cone, and walnut ornaments. Cost: unknown. Those have been in my ornament box for a few years. Then from my ribbon and bow box, I added a big wired silver bow. Cost: free...probably a bow from a gift. This wreath is the prettiest one in the house...and easy to make.
By the way...thanks to all of you who came to our open houses. We loved seeing you and thank you for your purchases. My Threads of Intention sleepwear samples are for sale now...15% off. The design is being phased out, but there is still time to order before Christmas. Surround yourself in "peace, love, and joy".
I am grateful for my loving husband; my B&B guests; this beautiful home we live in; our little snuggler, Katy; Monte's abundant business; and so much more. Meditate on gratefulness this season. We all really do have so much.
Peace to you all.
Jean

Always thankful! 11/24/09
How has this year gone by so fast!? Here we are at Thanksgiving again...the beginning of the end of the year. I talked with a couple of my friends this morning (Tuesday before T-day), and I was reminded of that saying "the more things change, the more they stay the same". For one of my friends, she was preparing the same thing she has taken to her in-laws' event for the past umpteen years...liters of various soft drinks. She looks forward to the standard foods and will enjoy chicken and noodles over her mashed potatoes and consider it comfort food. For the other friend, she was preparing the meal for her relatively "new" husband's family, knowing that it won't be valued in the same way her own family would value it. For Monte and me, this is our first "married" Thanksgiving. We will prepare the holiday meal...turkey, green bean casserole, etc. We will love having his daughters in our home here at the B&B. I will miss my mother as I always do when there is an event that is supposed to be "family-ish". She has been gone now for 11 years, but I am so grateful for all the Thanksgivings that she gave us. Mother really was the glue that held our family together. She never let go of her belief in family, and the importance of our all getting together to eat her wonderful food. All that cooking was her gift to us. It was her way of loving us. Thank you, Mother.
The second Holiday Shopping Open House will be Saturday after Thanksgiving...November 28, 10 am - 4 pm. With the three product lines that will be available, you can finish a huge portion of your Christmas shopping.

The year winds down...the blog starts up! 10/25/09
As many of you know, since I opened The Garden Retreat a few years ago, I have updated my website about monthly with new things that are happening here at the Bed & Breakfast and in the gardens. Many of you have let me know that you have followed my entries and have enjoyed them. So, with the technology that we have now, I decided to create a blog. It will contain the same content as before, but I will add a few additional "homey" items that might speak to your life at home. I promise, the blog won't be lengthy and I won't make entries any more often. I will welcome your sending it along to your friends, but if you don't want to receive it, feel free to unsubscribe by clicking on the "Sign up for our E-Newsletter" button at the bottom. Ok...here goes...

Late October 2009...As you can imagine in Indiana, what we think of as gardening is over now. However, there still are things to do out there. At this point, I am happy to not have to be outside every day. I am ready for a break. Nevertheless, there still are things to do...like cutting off the peonies, lilies, and hostas; thanking the annuals then yanking them out of their pots so the pots can be stored in the gardening shed; raking leaves; and cleaning up the gardening tools. I still have the fall mums in some of the pots, and it's hard to say goodbye to them, so I'll probably wait till early November to do that. One thing that Monte and I have agreed to do before it gets cold is hang the holiday icicle lights around the front porch. We got ambitious one very cold day in December of 2007, and, while the lights were very pretty, we vowed never to hang them again in 30 degree weather! It seems weird to hang them in October or November, but we'll take the easy path this year! Kitty continues to be the prolific huntress. She has brought many deceased small rodents to the back porch this fall. We're never quite sure how she decides which to eat and which to display. Katy continues to delight us on a daily basis. Although she occasionally hears "the call of the wild" and disappears into the bean field, we love her and all the joy she brings to our lives. We're just glad that Carol next door is a good sport about keeping an eye out for her.

Recipe of the Month We occasionally smoke or roast a pork tenderloin, and each time I am disappointed with how boring it is. I've tried adding bbq sauce and mustard sauce, but finally I've found a pretty good accompaniment. In a skillet, saute' onions and apples in butter till they are soft. Then add enough apple juice or cider or just water to make the mixture saucy. Add brown sugar and/or maple syrup to your taste, and let it cook till it has a thick consistency. Now...here is the good part...add horseradish or wasabi (Japanese horseradish) to your taste. This sauce makes pork so good and much more interesting! Side note...I started this sauce with just the apples and onions on the first day we had the last pork tenderloin. On the second day, I added the brown sugar and maple syrup. It still wasn't right. On the third day, I added the horseradish and it worked! Don't give up on your creative cooking. Sometimes it really works out.

Holiday Shopping Open House Please come to for some early Holiday shopping on Sunday, November 15, 1 - 4 pm or Saturday, November 28, 10 am - 4 pm. Products will be from Bass Farms in Shelby County - all-natural soaps, lotions, and other wonderful items; Threads of Intention - quality sleepwear in wonderful "Peace, Joy, Love" cotton fabric; Scentsy - beautiful home fragrance warmers that use a light bulb rather than a flame. We'll have refreshments and smiling faces!

Peace to you!

End Of September 10/23/09
End of September...well...it's time for the gardens to start going to sleep. By this time of year, I'm ready for that.

I've already start the process of cutting away the perennials, so the compost pile is only thing that is growing right now. We had a long period of dry weather, but it's been raining off and on for the past week, so I've been catching up on some inside projects and helping Monte with one of his projects. One of the other advantages of this time of year is the grass slows down so I don't have to mow it every week...more like every 10 days or so. The lawn projects have been a huge success. I finished 3 of the 4 that I wanted to do this year. The one behind Monte's office may have to wait till next spring. We love how these new patches of lawn give the eye a break. They are lush and green. I'd much prefer to mow a little more than to pull weeds!

The Autumn Clematis was wonderfully fragrant again this year, but they are about finished now. Our 2 tomato plants yielded lots of perfect tomatoes, but they're about finished, too. Those tomatoes LOVE hot dry weather. Now the fruit will not ripen fully, and I'm not big for fried green tomatoes. We removed the two big trees behind the house so we have lost our shade, but my office is so much brighter. I actually had to install a blind to shield my eyes from that bright morning sun.

New Video 10/23/09
Check out the new video of the The Garden Retreat. Click the button above or just click here.

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