Bath Heritage Days

The excitement is building in downtown Bath for the city's annual festival - Heritage Days. This is four days filled with tons of activities throughout the downtown. It all kicks off on Friday with the Sunrise Rotary's Chicken BBQ which, of course I do not get to attend, and live music at the Gazebo. Throughout the weekend and into Monday, you can hear live music on two stages, shop at the Craft Show, take in all the art at Art in the Park, or cheer at the Fireman's Muster or the Strongman Competition. The Pattend Free Library also holds their big Book Sale this weekend, the antique car show shuts down Front Street on Sunday and the Independence Jam happens at the Skatepark. The big 4th of July Parade is Monday at 11 a.m. - this is my favorite event because Mark and Amy always take me to the parade to watch. Sometimes they even share some food with me from one of the many food vendors in the park. Since we are the City of Ships there is even a boat parade following the more traditional parade. The weekend festival wraps up with fireworks on Monday - not my favorite event - all that noise but I do enjoy the rest of the celebrating!

Summer in Maine

I've been lazy, hanging out in the garden and napping away my days in the sunshine. That's how life is here in Maine, especially in the summer. We move at a slower pace - take time to enjoy "the way life should be". Yes, I have responsibilities -greeting guests, giving just the right amount of attention and helping with breakfast and tea clean up - but somedays I pretend I am the one on vacation and take the time to just soak up my surroundings and relax at this beautiful, peaceful Bed and Breakfast that I call home.

House & Garden Tour

Bath is a buzz with excitement over this coming Saturday's House Tour of Achitectural Gems and Hidden Gardens organized by Sagadahoc Preservation Inc. This is the 9th annual tour and is sponosored by Bath Savings Institution and Down East Magazine. New this year is the Honorary Chair - Steve Thomas, award winning televsion star and former host of This Old House. Mr. Thomas will be giving a lecture at 8:30 a.m. before the start of the 10:30 a.m. tour. The tour always features great Bath homes and gardens with interesting achitectural details and lovely plantings/flowers. The homeowners work hard to have their properties in top shape (I know since we were on the tour 2 times, once for the house and the other time for the garden!) and local businesses work with the homeowners on staging and setting the perfect scene. There are lots of extras this year with the tour - "Stay, Play and Dine" packages, box lunches and much more. Check out SPI's website, get all the details and purchase your tickets. Don't forget to book with us if you are going to spend the weekend!

Finally Done!

I didn't think she would ever finish but Amy finally finished the front garden and urns today and, if I do say, she did a fine job. Check out all her hard work!

and Finally - Number 1 - Breakfast, of course!

I know you have all been waiting for the number 1 reason to stay at our B&B versus the big box hotels and that reason is BREAKFAST. Amy and Mark really outdo themselves, not just the food which is great, but the experience of breakfast. Sitting down at a table set with a white table cloth and cloth napkins, relaxing and treating yourself to something that does not happen in your everyday life. The experience really begins as the smell of our locally roasted coffee from Carpe Diem wafts up to your room. Coffee is ready in the dining room at 7:00 a.m. for all those guests who need that morning jolt or who want to get a cup and curl back up in bed for awhile. Since guests have picked their dining time, Amy and Mark prepare each breakfast to order. Not like at the large hotels where the eggs have been sitting in a warming dish for an hour! But before you even think of your hot entree, treat yourself to the buffet set up and ready for you in the dining room. Organic yogurt, our own granola made here at the Packard House, fresh fruit and the morning's baked good. Yes, we bake everything in house. Muffins, scones, cinnamon rolls, bagels, our famous Blueberry Gateau
and all the bread used with the breakfasts are baked right here - usually first thing in the morning! So add these wonderful smells to the coffee and you know even before you come down the stairs you are in for a treat. Now you are seated, have made your selections from the buffet and Mark appears to offer you a choice of 5 different juices to go with your breakfast. While you relax and look at the morning headlines or talk with other guests, Amy and Mark are busy in the kitchen cooking up the morning's entree.
These vary widely from French Toast made with our homemade cinnamon bread to crepes with strawberries and cream or maybe a savory filling of spinach, ricotta, mushrooms and a little feta cheese. Or how about our Poached on Toast with grilled homemade English Muffin Break topped with grilled ham, poached eggs, a little cheddar cheese and fresh herbs from our garden. We try very hard not to serve guests the same thing twice when they make their return visits but sometimes they loved it so much they make a request.
These are our top 5 reasons to stay at a bed and breakfast, especially our B&B, what are some of yours?