Top Five Locations to Have a Wedding in New England

We are so pleased to be selected by Perfect Outdoor Weddings as one of the Top Five Locations to Have a Wedding in New England.

As a small venue where we only do one event per day, we specialize in the kind of personal attention a wedding deserves. We love to share our picturesque lakeside location with couples looking for a unique venue.

While we are busy booking weddings for the upcoming season we do have some Saturdays still available. We would love to give you a tour and discuss your plans. Just give us a call.

A New Year

A new year – who can believe it is already 2012. Winter is settling in here on the lake and the quiet time gives me a chance to reflect over the past year. It was a milestone year in that it marked my 10^th year here and the Inn’s 50^th anniversary! I’m so lucky to have finally found my home.

This year we helped so many couples celebrate the start of their newlywed lives together. We even got to ring in the New Year helping with Christy and Kevin’s New Year’s Eve wedding. While all our couples had ties to Maine, we had one couple come all the way from Alaska to get married here. Maine certainly calls people home for the special times in their lives.

We had visitors from all over the US and the world. Meeting such a variety of guests is one of the most fun parts of innkeeping. We had visitors from 32 different states. We have so many folks who come back year after year – and sometimes several times a year. I so look forward to their visits.

We had a lot of wildlife activity on the lake. Our eagle family had two babies this year. They kept the lake residents entertained all summer as they called to their parents to hurry up with dinner. Baby turtles were in abundance this fall as they quickly made their way from the nest back to the lake. And of course there was the moose. This couldn’t have been more exciting. Being the first moose I’ve seen since I moved to Maine it was truly one of the best moments I’ve had. The sighting was on exactly the date of my 10^th anniversary here at the Inn.

We made additional improvements to the Inn this year. We finally acknowledged that global warming has come to Maine. We added air conditioning to the banquet space and the guest rooms. Our windows still open to catch the lake breezes but on those really hot days everyone can come in out of the heat and take a break.

We are really looking forward to a great 2012. We are busy booking weddings and parties for the summer. If you have an event coming up just give us a call. We would love to help. We are taking room reservations as well. It is never too early to check out the availability calendar on our website.

We hope to see all of you back again this year. You, our friends old and new, are what makes this such a great place to work and live.

My Anniversary Present

On my 10th anniversary of buying the Inn - August 1st, I got the best present - I finally got to see a moose. It came to the lake and swam out to the islands, then came across our property and then back into the water where I took this picture. This was such a wonderful treat and the most perfect way to celebrate my anniversary! Just a great reminder of why I moved to Maine.

Winter is Gone! – Well Almost

This has been one snowy and long winter. Our area got 115 inches of snow. Normal is around 67 inches. Even yesterday we saw a few snowflakes. Enough already!

Our ice went out on April 12^th. What an amazing sight. It really happens on one day. In the days leading up to “ice out” the ice layer gets darker and starts moving. Ice will pile up against the rocks as the wind and current push the ice. Then comes the day when a crack forms across the lake. By the end of the day the ice is gone. It is mesmerizing to watch. There are few places where the height of excitement is watching ice melt. But once you have experienced it you’ll get hooked.

Even more exciting is that the loons are back within a few hours of “ice out.” It is so wonderful to see them and hear them calling to each other. I’ve been watching them each day as they glide by the Inn.

We are all more than ready for spring.

Winter Wildlife

This has been a great couple of weeks for wildlife excitement. I went to investigate a set of very odd tracks in the snow. They were about 8ft apart and 5 inches deep. Being at a loss, I stopped my neighbor Norm,

an avid outdoorsman, and ask him to take a look. “Moose” he said with excitement. Now we have proof they are here! This adds validity to the offer I give me guests-- If you see a moose; you come get me -any time day or night- and I get to see the moose- you stay for free! Now you know it's a good deal!

Now that the ice is getting thick we have been seeing lots of tracks on the ice. Last weekend the folks out ice fishing measured 10 inches of ice of the main part of the lake. Once the people fishing leave, another crowd moves in to take care of any “leftovers”. This however was a truly amazing sight – 7 eagles at one time. They were chasing each other trying to steal a frozen fish. While I couldn’t get them all in one photo, the shot with the tree limbs has 4 and if you look closely you can see the fish that was causing all the excitement.

Air-conditioning in January?

Well, what kind of improvement would you think we would be doing in December and January? Putting in air-conditioning of course. We were working with Powell Refrigeration to install three 3-ton units for the building. A little snow can’t slow down these guys. The pictures are amazing. Yes, that is a picture of a guy on the roof taken from INSIDE!

When I first came here 10 years ago, I could truly say that we needed air-conditioning a few days each summer. Now it is more like a few weeks each summer. So as of now, there won’t be any more events where folks are to warm indoors! I have to say my staff and I are looking forward to the comfort as well.

Happy New Year!

It has been a great year for meeting new folks and getting to see so may of our returning guests who have become friends. I want to thank everyone who came to the Inn. It's been so much fun being part of so many beautiful weddings and celebrations. The year ended with a beautiful sunset. And the new year was greated with a gorgeous sunrise. I wish everone a safe and happy New Year!