Monday, July 19, 2010

Welcome to How To Open A Bed And Breakfast - The First Post

My husband Tony and I honeymooned at a bed and breakfast almost 30 years ago.  We've thought about opening one ourselves - someday.

Someday has arrived and we have opened a bed and breakfast on our farm in Sumerduck, Virginia.

Where is Sumerduck?  Well, it used to be very rural - about 50 miles south of Washington, D.C. and about the same distance from Richmond but little by little our tiny village is turning into a commuting community with most people traveling the 2 hours north to D.C. for work.

Oh, don't get me wrong.  We're still pretty rural and we're holding on tight but other areas, not too far away, are feeling the pressure of urban sprawl - but that's exactly where our bed and breakfast comes in. We're a hamlet of green in a jungle of development. 

Worn out, frazzled, over stressed people come to stay with us for fresh air, sunshine and home cooking.  They walk on our paths, put their toes in our steam and reconnect with loved ones.  By the time they leave, they feel like people again.  Tony and I love that.

There's a lot of you out there who want to know how we did this magical thing - what it takes to open a bed and breakfast.  Maybe you want to open one of your own.  Or maybe you're just curious.  What ever the reason, I decided this morning (as I put the first pot of coffee on) that it would be fun to write it all down and share it with you.   More soon!