Finishing Touches

The heavy lifting of this experience has been rewarding, seeing the results of our efforts take shape. But the final stretch is all about the finishing touches and ensuring we are making our guests feel at home. This is the phase where we are making sure that you experience the magic of the Shawnee and this beautiful property. But to do that – we have to educate ourselves by experiencing it first. How lucky are we???

I never gave much thought to the guidebooks at the Airbnbs I’ve visited, but I wish I could go back in time and soak in all the details the hosts so lovingly shared with us again. To write a good guidebook, you need to know the property and the area intimately. That means we HAVE to get to know this place intimately. While I’ve visited this area for many years, I’ve never lived here, and that’s different, isn’t it? I can’t share the hidden treasures with others, if I haven’t experienced them myself.

In the first month or so of owning this cottage, we couldn’t make time for exploration. But now that we’re so close to being able to list the cottage, our punch list is reducing in size and our time to explore is expanding. We’re starting to make ourselves at home – at Mandolin Grove and in the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail area.

Last weekend, my son and I went exploring after our to-do-list was completed. We visited the Rootbeer Saloon in Alto Pass (holy taxidermy, batman!,) antique malls (we learned a sordid story about a former proprietor – scandal!,) several area orchards (some open and some disappointingly closed for the season – make note, Google,) and a few wineries and restaurants (The Blue Boar is definitely a destination – with a waterfall and tree swing, firepits, and indoor gaming. what???) All of these experiences are not only enriching our time at the cottage, but they are helping us inform our guests with meaningful and heartfelt recommendations that are free of bias and kickbacks.

This weekend, we have pressing chores that are causing us to miss “friendsgiving” with our dear friends. But I wonder if we will have time after that’s done to have a new adventure? What new/old backroads will we explore? How many deer will we see in the field as we sip our coffee or wine? What will the melting snow look like? Will we hear the coyote again in the dark?

I seriously can’t wait.

But I can’t wait for you to can’t wait either….