First Day Hike!

Start the year off on the right foot, the left foot, any foot – take a First Day Hike in a state park near you.

First Day Hike at one of our nearby state parks!
UPDATED - WDBJ7 News was there at SML - video here and Richmond Times-Dispatch touching story here

Mountain of My Dreams

Every so often as an innkeeper I get to meet those guests who have a lasting impression. 
I am not speaking of those bad guests (you know who you are) who make an innkeeper twitch and tense up with the mayhem they bring along to the inn.

A gift for you for 2012

May you have a blessed New Year!

Source: aubrey-jo.blogspot.com via Lynn on Pinterest

I got this started, as I have donned 2012 the year of joy for this innkeeper.
VIRGINIA IS FOR LOVERS
Life is too short for bad coffee...Shellie your innkeeper @ The Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast in Rocky Mount, VA - Blue Ridge Country! You can book your room online at any time right here http://www.claibornehouse.net/

The Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast is 15 miles to three exits off The Blue Ridge Parkway.  We are located at the half-way point of this beloved road in Virginia, exit at MP 121.  We were awarded a Certificate of Excellence from Trip Advisor - click here to see our certificate.

Last Wordless Wednesday of the Year

Que Sera Sera to 2011 - May God Bless you with an amazing 2012!

Covered Bridges of SW Virginia

Shellie created this Google map of covered bridges (KISSING BRIDGES) to visit in SW Virginia back in 2009 and in 4 days it will be 2012! I hope you add this to your list of must see romantic spots in Virginia.

Kissing Bridges

I have been sharing great places to see and things to do when you visit the Claiborne House since 2004. I hope you will innjoy this map of romantic kissing bridges.

Today in Virginia, only eight historic covered bridges still stand out of the more than 100 in the early 1900's. Five have been preserved as landmarks and three are on private property. Six remain in SW Virginia.

Merry Christmas from The Claiborne House!

FROM OUR HOUSE TO YOURS WE WANT TO WISH YOU A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS

May the blessing of Christmas be with you today and always...

Let it snow let it snow let is snow!

Your Innkeepers at The Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast

The Leete Family Innkeepers

Cowboy Christmas in Bedford, VA

I took the prize! I won I won!

Virginia Living Magazine had an online contest for a recipe with photo and I won!

My goody bag arrived today with my tangible winnings (plus the recipe was posted in the magazine online version)

Magazine website header

I thank everyone who took the time to vote for my recipe "Claiborne House B&B Key Lime Pie." I was excited to find in the goody bag:

Time for a Revival?

Holy Ghost Tent Revival is heart-throbbing, foot-stomping, good-time music.

Holy Ghost Tent Revival - photo by Kimberly Bowen

Holy Ghost Tent Revival plays downtown Roanoke at KIRK AVENUE MUSIC HALL Saturday January 7th, 2012

Wordless Wednesday says Merry Christmas to all!

Fitzpatrick Claiborne

Operation Christmas Child - Innkeepers at Boone, NC Samaritans' Purse

Edible ornament for wildlife - Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast

Squiggly Dogs

When the inn is closed over the holidays something very special happens, a teenage slumber-party. 
Part of the slumber party "agenda" at the inn is for the girls to do some fun cooking of their own. I told them this would be a gastronomic experiment.
Meet the Squiggly Dog

Hot dogs meet spaghetti noodles

We've been duped!

Look out Mister Redenbacher, this innkeeper has discovered the secret!

Somehow along the way I bought into the microwave popcorn thing. 
Why? Because I love popcorn, it goes back to my childhood...no really it does! I would go in and heat the oil in the 10,000 lb cast iron pot and shake it til my arms ached, then bring in a big ol' bowl of popcorn for Dad and I while we watched the championship prize fights on TV.  But just today I learned I had been sold a bill of goods.

You can make popcorn in your microwave with nothing more than a brown paper lunch sack and popcorn kernels. Don't believe me? I will prove it, my camera doesn't lie, nor do my kids who are innjoying freshly popped popcorn from the microwave at pennies on the dollar in comparison to the boxed kind. 

For a tasty, fun, healthful snack everyone can innjoy follow the images below:

Put a couple tablespoons of kernals into a brown sack, fold the top over twice

Think Grinch!

We serve Kiwi fruit quite often here at The Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast. Why? a couple reasons: 
#1 they are brilliant and colorful and add some nice color to the plate
#2 they taste great, and we like to serve a lot of fruit here
#3 the "outside innkeeper" aka Tony is a Kiwi

So on that token here are some Kiwi-esque recipe photos I would like to share, I wish I had taken these but I didn't. This time of year "think Grinch" and maybe you will find use for these.  I hope you innjoy these...

Source: build-the-moon.tumblr.com via Heather on Pinterest

Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore!

Factors that effect accuracy
Geographic Features

• mountains
• heavy foliage
• deep canyons

So if you are attempting to triangulate your way to the Claiborne House B&B and do not print off our directions, or bring a map/atlas with you, then what can we say...this is a small town, yes, in the mountains. We do have a highway that has three exits right into town, but for those who head in from The Blue Ridge Parkway and then once there the GPS reads endlessly "acquiring satellite" then bring a map!

Mountain driving can be a new experience for flatlanders

Wordless Wednesday gets seasonal

LET IT SNOW LET IT SNOW LET IT SNOW!

Pumpkin Pecan Muffins from The Claiborne House

SAW A RECIPE AND MY INNKEEPER A.D.D. KICKED INTO ACTION!
Here from start to finish are The Claiborne House Pumpkin Pecan Muffins...

Easiest recipe I have ever made!

Are You Wabi Sabi?

I was reading a book titled "Walking Home" by Lynn Schooler, and in it the author uses the term wabi sabi.

Claiborne House B&B is wabi sabi

Moonshiners

The Discovery Channel premiered a new "reality" TV series called Moonshiners last night. 
Since I live in Franklin County Virginia, officially designated as the "Wettest County in the World" I thought I better watch it, and sure enough it looked familiar.

a Franklin County blockader (different plates for crossing the state line)

Cowboy Christmas!

A couple years ago our family enjoyed a Cowboy Christmas at Reba Farm Inn in nearby Bedford Virginia

Decorated tree with edible ornaments for wildlife

Wordless Wednesday Gets a Little Funky in Roanoke

More Wordless Wednesday from The Claiborne House Innkeeper

Christmas Along the Crooked Road

There is nothing like Mountain Music, it is inspirational to say the least.  I recommend this Appalachian Christmas CD, some of the best pickin' you will find anywhere!

Featuring:
Gerald Anderson, Jimmy Edmonds, Wayne Henderson, Steve Lewis, Jeff Little, Josh Scott, Spencer Strickland, Helen White and The Junior Appalachian Musicians.

Roanoke and Surrounds Featured on NPR

The Roanoke Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau shared this NPR audio file with us

Virginia Wineries and Vineyards make a great destination

Bottom Creek Gorge Preserve - Hike to the Waterfall

OUR OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL GURU PETE AT ROANOKEOUTSIDE.COM RECOMMENDS A HIKE TO VIRGINIA'S SECOND  HIGHEST WATERFALL!

Forming the headwaters of the Roanoke River, Bottom Creek Gorge boasts spectacular scenery: the second highest waterfall in Virginia, virgin hemlocks and hundreds of wildflowers.

This is not Bottom Creek Gorge but a view of Franklin County, if you go can you send me a photo?

TRIPADVISOR ANNOUNCES 2012 TRAVEL TRENDS FORECAST

Annual Survey Reveals Beach Breaks Top Vacation Choice for 2012; Cultural Trips and Cruises Surge in Popularity
Travel Spending to Increase for Nearly One-Third of U.S. Travelers

Bluegrass is pretty cultural, it was invented here!

NEWTON, Mass. — November 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — TripAdvisor^®, the world’s largest travel site*, today announced the results of its annual travel trends survey of more than 2,700 U.S. travelers. Despite the current economic climate, 31 percent anticipate they will spend more on leisure travel next year, while 49 percent expect to spend the same amount as they did in 2011.

Seventy-nine percent of respondents plan to spend a minimum of $3,000 on vacations in the coming year, 57 percent will pay out at least $5,000 and 21 percent will invest $10,000 or more on 2012 leisure travel.

What's Your Poison?

LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR BAD COFFEE!
If you have stayed at The Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast or seen our online marketing you have seen our slogan.  

We have also tried to let you know that bed and breakfasts, unlike most hotels, do not serve gas station coffee! You know the coffee of which I speak, that sitting on the burner all day-heartburn inducing-foul taste on your tongue-black tar. The Claiborne House breakfast blend is a Dark Sumatra (rich and full in body but not bitter and pungent and low on acid) and you can have more than one cup, so FILLER UP OLD SPORT!

So all that to say:

Experience the difference at a Bed and Breakfast!

Real cream or half and half ,and you won't have to drink from a paper cup!

So what is the best bang for your buck? $4.00 a cup in London?

The best value you will find is staying at a Bed and Breakfast Inn, we won't charge you for parking, for WiFi or snacks and refreshments.

THE MINI BAR STOPS HERE!

VIRGINIA IS FOR COFFEE LOVERS Y'ALL!

Life is too short for bad coffee...Shellie your innkeeper @ The Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast in Rocky Mount, VA - Blue Ridge Country! You can book your room online at any time right here http://www.claibornehouse.net/

The Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast is 15 miles to three exits off The Blue Ridge Parkway.  We are located at the half-way point of this beloved road in Virginia, exit at MP 121.  We were awarded a Certificate of Excellence from Trip Advisor - click here to see our certificate.