Life at Springfield Manor part 1

It never fails to amaze me how much stuff we've accumulated every time we move...  And though I weirdly kind of enjoy it, Danny is less enthused with the process.

Luckily, some awesome men from our church helped us move.  Then awesome men from our new church were waiting to meet us at Springfield, where they helped us unload all 3 vehicles and haul everything upstairs.  (This mostly happened in the rain, btw...)

In fact our first few days were stormy, which is not only our favorite kind of weather, but perfect for unpacking and settling in.

Our apartment is above the "Groom's Lounge," the 2nd floor of the oldest part of the house, built in 1760!

It's probably the quirkiest apartment I've ever had, but we absolutely love it.  There are several entries into the apartment, but this is the main one, a very narrow hidden staircase.

The wooden floors throughout are stunning, and our décor feels right at home here.

There's lots of great natural light for our plants too.  (Ignore the one that looks like she's dying--she's just being dramatic).

It's not a full kitchen, but we've gotten pretty creative with our food prep and we barely miss having a proper stove and oven.  (There is one in the commercial kitchen downstairs, but it's a bit of a hike and sometimes occupied, so we mostly cook in our egg maker, 2 top electric, and waffle-maker--which I learned is perfect for grilled cheese and paninis :)

My room has become my (new) little sanctuary...  Somehow the light and air remind me of my grandparents' beach house when I was a kid.

What truly made it feel like "home" was getting my books unpacked and a few of our favorite pieces of art displayed.  We started Stranger Things (I had seen it, but Danny hadn't and I knew he'd love it), and we finally got a Switch, so we spend a lot of time in here :)

I especially love enjoying my coffee and breakfast by this window in the mornings while I plan out my day...  This is also a great way to get out onto the room to look at the stars at night, which are absolutely beautiful here because we're just far enough from the city.

After a couple days to settle in, we had our first day of work--picking up walnuts in the front yard so the guys could mow, deep-cleaning the first floor in preparation for the events, and lots of little organizing projects.  We also rearranged the dining room and I made new centerpieces :)

We also added our first little bits of fall decorations...

Which have made the Inn feel a bit cozier :)

I love being surprised by the views here, especially when we get storms...

But clear skies are beautiful too!

I especially love it here in the early evening...

And though it's hard to tell, this is a picture of the full moon, taken from our front porch.

And though it's a lot of work (I'm averaging about 50 hours/week), we're having so much fun.  Danny is helping me full-time now, and he is most appreciated.  His favorite chores involve driving the golf cart and 4-wheelers, and I can't say I blame him :)

And him taking a lot of the physical burdens off my shoulders leaves me time to focus on the "girly" details, like this bundle of lavender a guest requested in her room...

We're still getting to know the house, and I'm still finding neat little details I hadn't noticed before, like this incredible hardware on the door of the Linden Suite...

We've also been able to do a bit of exploring!  (More to come...)

A NEW ADVENTURE

Well, it's a long story, but our time at Inn Boonsboro is coming to an end.  We're grateful for our time here, the friends we've made, the memories we have, but we're hoping this new place will be a better fit for us and open up a beautiful new chapter in our lives.

Normally I'd wait to get a few weeks under our belts before opening up about a new place, because you never know how things are going to go.  But we feel very good about this and we're so excited, so I thought I'd go ahead and share--come what may!

We've accepted a Resident Innkeeper position at Springfield Manor in Thurmont, MD, just 35 min. away.  

They have a winery, distillery, and brewery (which is ironic, as neither of us drink), and mostly functions as a wedding venue (though that won't be our area either).

It's a beautiful property, with acres of hay, corn, and most exciting--lavender.

They use the lavender in some of their alcohol, but I'm also hoping to use it to decorate at the inn, put in recipes, and maybe even some homemade bath products!

They also have an active apiary of 35 hives (honey bees), which I've always had a fascination with.  Danny and I are on a bit of a beeswax candle kick--they're supposed to be air purifying.  And it would be so fun to learn how to make them.

 

The Inn is nestled up against a stretch of the Catoctin Mountain State Park, and just in the few visits we've had to the property, I've already seen a black bear and a deer.  It'll be so lovely to be surrounded by nature again...

 

But first we have to settle in and focus on the main job--Innkeeping.  Danny has already worked alongside me at 2 inns, and he is particularly excited about this one.

The oldest part of the house is from 1774, built by James Johnson, who with his brothers built the Catoctin Furnace.  It's also the site of an apparently delicious limestone spring.

 

 

I can't wait to add my little touches and decorate for holidays!

 

 

And though the 6 first-floor common rooms and the 8 second and third floor guest rooms are beautiful, we also love the older, rustic parts of the house which feature our new apartment and this stairwell, which leads to the old servants hall.  (More on this later...)

It's going to be a very different experience from the other inns, and lots of work, but so much creative freedom, independence, and quiet.  Hopefully...

6 months in MD favorite moments

Danny and I have been in MD for 6 months, and there have been a lot of ups and downs.  But all in all, we're grateful for the time we've had here and I think we've grown a lot as individuals and as a couple.  Here are some of my favorite moments from our time here in Boonsboro...

Late-night walks with Danny, especially during the local artsy-events

 

Dinner dates on the balcony overlooking the neighborhood

Stormy skies :)

Finally getting my room finished.  This has truly been my little sanctuary here...

 

Mail from home

Reading by this window in the evenings and watching the sunlight slowly fade

  

This surprise "Megan Appreciation Day," where Danny gave me the sweetest card and gifts and made dinner...

The beautiful sunsets...

 

Watching the flowers and trees in the courtyard change

 

Quiet moments writing and thinking on the balcony...

The time Karen found this doll in the basement, and I put it in Danny's room after watching Annabelle Creation...

When Danny went to visit his dad in Buckhannon, and made these little mushrooms for me in the glass studio :)

The day I discovered this little bronze mouse on the railing at IBB...

Another fake Halloween to lift our spirits.  Because we are weirdos...

 

These little moments during afternoon walks...

 

A quiet evening in front of the fire

This mug from my lil bro...

These lovely little glass suncatchers Danny made me, which look like raindrops.  They're hanging over some of our plants, which are miraculously still alive.

Lots of memories with this guy here, who continues to bless and surprise me with his love, patience, creativity, and kindness.  So happy to have him with me on these adventures...