Many people are thinking this spring in the Pacific North West has been cold and wet. I don't blame them, yes, ...but there have been years that set a record and I don't think this was one of them. Actually I would say this spring made our garden incredible lush and green and full of colors of blooming flowers. The rhododendrons , azalea's, lilacs, snowballs are so voluminous and big and with so many flowers it looks like our yard is on fire.

With weddings coming up next week and summer we called in some help us to get the whole property to look at it's best. Ellie, my innkeeper and sister in law, has made together with Yvette and my wife a tremendous effort to get all the flowerbeds, pathways, sitting area's, trails etc. ready, and it looks fantastic. There's still work to be done, but for now the blend of the manicured and natural area's make this Bed and Breakfast stand out in it's own way.

Last weekend it was gorgeous weather and guests enjoyed the property sitting in lounge chairs watching the river flow by and by walking the river trail that starts at the waterfront. With fresh wood chips on top it will take you into the forest and meanders towards the entrance bypassing many indigenous plants and trees. There's even an old trunk covered with lichens (see picture below: a combination of a fungus and algae) some of them in bloom. It is beautiful and the McKenzie River Inn is shaping up for summer.

Nice weather and a spring garden

Nice weather and a beautiful spring garden have drawn many guests to our spot on the McKenzie river these first five Months. January and February gave us many sunny day's to bridge the change of seasons from winter into spring. After the first week May was warm and gave us the stunning view on the blooming Azalea's, Camellia's and Rhododendrons.

We are very content with having so many returning guests. Some are coming back every year, others several times a year and other guests return after they stayed with us at the McKenzie River Inn years ago. The connection and contacts we have with our guests is for us unique and is one of the reasons we appreciate being in the hospitality industry. It also means we can rely on a strong following even if this industry is hit hard by the economic decline and accommodation reports are showing 50 to 54% less bookings. So, thank you all for coming back to our spot in the Cascade mountains, it means a lot to us and are always looking forward to your stay with us.

This year we welcome back the Weinberg/Reppert family who have their biannual reunion week in July. We are all excited to see you playing Bacchi ball again in our orchard and having fun going down the river rafting with us. We love to show you the improvements we have made to our facilities and above all the new paint-job.

In the meantime we prepare for our annual BBQ and wine tasting. This year Bert will perform acoustic songs along side with Rachel Barton-Russell on cello and vocals and the latest news is that Hubertina's and Ellie's brother Alphonse will do the honor of introducing a variety of wines. Alphonse is a winemaker for over twenty years and recently opened his own winery with partner David Verwolf on Bainbridge Island called "Rolling Bay Winery". His dedication has lead him to several award winning wines over the last four years. He still follow

classes in wine making to achieve that edge that is needed to make outstanding wines. For guests at the McKenzie River Inn having a taste of the several kinds of fermented grapes is complementary on the days we are having wine tasting and till so far we received raving comments about the Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris.

Alphonse told me the other day that his blend of Pinot Gris and Chardonnay left him with quite some satisfied customers and the "Pinonnay", as I call it, sold out pretty quick. I'm looking forward to our tenth annual BBQ and to see colleagues, guests, friends and family again.

The river levels are dropping as we speak and this will tremendously improve the (fly-) fishing over the coming weeks. So wade out to cast out a line, or climb in my boat and start fishing. Life is good!