June 23, 2014

Its been ages since I last checked in. To be honest I was really hoping to get out of actively managing or running the business, but we all know that life doesn't always play out exactly as you planned. We ended life as a bed and breakfast at the end of 2013. I was persuaded by a real estate company that I would be better off as a vacation rental and they promised they would really be able to promote the health retreats that my daughter wanted to conduct at the farm. It is such a perfect location and I really wanted the health retreats to succeed. After all they had more resources than I had and I just didn't have the drive you need to start a new project.

Unfortunately it didn't work out well. Not only didn't they manage to get me vacationers, but they didn't book any retreats either. So here I am back to taking over again and trying to decide which direction is right.

After much contemplation I thought of a great idea. We should turn Haley Farm into a veterans retreat. Veterans so badly need a place to heal and get over the traumas of war. Why not let Haley Farm be that healing place? Studies have shown that working with your hands and farming are really therapeutic activities. Well we have the farm and we are surrounded by natural beauty - it's perfect. And even Haley's health retreats could be an integral part of the process.

So that's where are at the moment. In transition. Isn't life always about transition and change? We'll try and operate as a vacation rental until we can get the retreats under way. We have some wonderful people helping us to make the veterans retreats a reality, but in the meantime we have to pay the bills and so we are open for your next trip to the Deep Creek Lake area.

There are five rooms in the main house that we would like to rent out as one unit. So great for a family. The suites in the Carriage House and the Barn we can rent out separately or both together. So please come and support us in our goal of creating a haven for veterans by renting from us this summer. Don't forget there is so much to do in the area: hiking, biking, golf, horseback riding, golf, whitewater rafting, rock climbing, boating etc etc.

And don't forget the Deep Creek Lake area has lower temperatures and humidity than most areas. This is where the rich and famous used to vacation before there was air conditioning!

Kam Gillespie

I can't believe its been so long since I last posted a blog. I keep meaning to, but time just seems to be getting away from me. Anyway I hope that life has been less hectic for you than what I have experienced. There is always something to do here. A new fan here, new carpeting there, a new light fixture there. That doesn't include redoing the barn blocks and gutters and other endless repairs.

I was so sad that I had to chop down my wisteria bushes. Wayne had planted them eigteen years ago and they were so beautiful. I loved the faint scent they gave off and the beautiful flowers. But it is such a strong vine, and it was strangling the silos. So reluctantly I let them destroy it.

Summer has been fairly hot (I am sure everywhere). Much hotter than what I am used to. I used to say you don't really need air conditioning here in Deep Creek, but we have it. Well I think this year we actually needed it. We didnt get above 90 degrees even then, but now we are back to our normal tempratures of being in the 70s. That's a relief.

There has been much going on in the area. I went to some of the free concerts at the Little Yough Music Festival (these are free on Friday evenings). I love it that you can bring your own chair and food and relax to some good music. They had the Pirates of Penzeance on in Cumberland (about an hour from here) and they are going to be doing a Bollywood Festival on August 27 at Frostburg (45 minutes from here). I am definitely planning on going to that. If you watch "So You Think You Can Dance" you have probably seen a Bollywood dance production, and they even had a Bollywood number in the closing ceremony of the Olympics in London.

So it hasn't entirely been all work and no play. We also had the County Fair in the summer, and lots of great bands playing there too.

We have the Art and Wine Festival coming up the weekend after Labor Day (September 7-9). I'm often a guest pourer at these events. Last year I bought some chocolate wine that was just incredible. Its a great way to sample new wines and stock up on supplies for the holidays. I'm offering 10% off a two night stay at the B&B, if you come for the Art and Wine Fesitival, so that will more than pay for your entrance fee.

So enjoy the rest of the summer and keep cool.

Love and blessings,

Kam

Season's Greetings

December 25, 2011

I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a wonderful holiday season with their loved ones, and a Happy New Year. I think this is the first time in the nineteen years that I have been in Deep Creek, that it hasn’t been a white Christmas. We had a fair amount of snow in October and early December and only flurries since then. But knowing Garrett County I am sure we will get our fair share soon.

Now that the new year is around the corner, I am sure many of us are making new year's resolutions. Mine is always to eat healthier and lose weight. I am hoping to achieve both these goals this year because my daughter Haley, who is a personal trainer and nutritionist, will be staying here for a while. I am hoping to get her to start some healthy retreats for a weekend and even some week-long ones. Since these will be more affordable than the usual spa retreats, I hope that we will get a lot of people interested. If you have a group of 6 or more persons interested in attending one of these, please drop us a line and we will see what we can do.

In the meantime enjoy your celebrations,

Love and blessings,
Kam

Here is a recipe for Soda Bread you might want to try over the holidays:

Irish soda bread

4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoon baking powder
1 3/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 lb butter
2 cup raisins or cranberry

Combine flour, salt, soda, baking powder and sugar. Cut in butter. Add raisins. Mix egg with buttermilk, and then add to dry ingredients. Mix until well blended. Flour the counter. Turn dough onto counter and shape into 2 rounds. Place each into 8 inch pie pan. Make cross on each round. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 min. Check after 30 minutes. Use a lot of flour on counter or it will be too sticky.
A friend of mine told me that if you soak the raisins in hot water for 5 minutes, before you put them in the dough, they stay plump and taste yummy.

Summer Heat Wave

Tired of hot summer days? Want to get away to the mountains where its cooler? Then maybe it’s time to visit Haley Farm B&B. You know Deep Creek Lake is where the rich used to vacation before the invention of air conditioning. The temperature is in the low 80s this weekend – I’m sure that’s cooler than where you are – and there is always a cool breeze.

The first time I visited Deep Creek Lake was in July 1993 and I was mesmerized by how beautiful it was. The lake and the mountains reminded me of Switzerland but of course on a smaller scale – the Allegheny Mountains are not that tall. Even after all these years I am still awed by the natural beauty of this area. Just a couple of weeks ago I went on a hike along the Greater Allegheny Passage. This trail is quite lovely and finding wild blackberries along the way was an added bonus. I met a group of bikers who had started their journey in Pittsburgh and were headed to Washington, DC. The trail is at nearly level grade and follows winding rivers, shaded valleys and traditional small towns. It’s definitely worth exploring.

We also recently had our annual visit by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO). They always play at the Wisp and the backdrop of the mountain is a lovely setting for their music. They ended one evening with John William’s theme from Star Wars. We walked out with the music still reverberating in our heads and were greeted by a full moon! A fitting end to a lovely evening. The PSO perform here every July – one more reason to come to Deep Creek Lake.

Another reason I love summers here is because right after the 4th of July celebrations (parades, marching bands, fireworks etc) we have the Chautauqua. Before I moved here I wouldn’t have know what that meant either. But it’s basically a living biography of a historical person. In the old days they used to hold these performances at Mountain Lake Park. But ever since I have been here (1993), it’s been held at the college under a big marquee. This year we had Jefferson Davis, Abraham Lincoln and Harriet Tubman. In past years there have been performances by Coco Chanel, Julia Child, FDR, Frederick Douglas and many more. It’s always interesting and it’s free. In fact we have a lot of free stuff you can take advantage of in the area. There are Friday night concerts in Oakland with varied musical entertainers and Wednesday evening concerts at the Wisp – just bring a chair. There are food vendors or you can bring your own picnic.

Coming at the end of the month (July 30-31) will be the Artists Studio tour where you can go and visit local artists and see and buy unique art creations. Some of the local artists painted 20 life size wooden bears and these are scattered around the county. You can go to the Discovery center at Deep Creek Lake State park and pick up a booklet with a map showing where the bears are located. If you get a stamp from all the locations you will be eligible for a prize.

The week after (August 5-6) will be Friendsville Days. I went to this last year and the parade was really quaint and was followed by musical performances at Friendsville Park. But all summer I look forward to the county fair. It’s got something for all ages. I love looking at the animals (pigs, rabbits, horses, goats and sheep), as well as the giant zucchinis and pumpkins. I also love eating the rotary fries and funnel cakes - these foods just taste better at the fair. There are also carnival rides and tractor pulls. The fair will be held August 14-20.
And after that there is the Art and Wine Festival and the Savage Man Triathlon in September. So you can see not only do we have gorgeous surroundings, but also lots of fun activities. We hope to see you soon so that we can pamper you with our great food and hospitality.

Another thing you might want to check out is my cooking video. Just go to YouTube and search for "Cooking with Kam" or you can follow the link to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnKB1kMFaEo
I'd love to get some feedback on what you think of them.

Wishing you much joy and happiness,
Kam Gillespie

The leaves are back

I don't know if you are aware of this but Spring comes late to the Deep Creek area. The trees are nude till mid May and sometimes even later. But I'm happy to report that the leaves are back and the views are breath taking. I simply love the wild flowers and Haley Farm's meadows are covered with buttercups. Ever do that test to see if you like buttercups? I grew up in England and even though I lived in the city when I was a child, we still did this test. I'm sure it proved nothing but I wonder if anyone knew then that there would be so many alternatives to butter!

Anyway Spring is here and I love this season of renewal so much. It reminds me of the phrase "Hope springs eternal". Well for my part it could be Spring is a reminder to Hope. I know that we certainly need to be reminded of hope when so many people in the Midwest are facing disaster. My prayers go out to them.

Back here we are going to be celebrating the Highland Festival this coming Saturday (June 4). If are into Scottish dancing, bagpipes, games, food etc. you will have a ball. If you haven't booked yet and really want to experience this, I will pay for the entrance fee to the festival on Saturday if you book for two or more nights this weekend. So take advantage of this great offer, get out your Tartan or kilt (if you have one) and head out this way. The Gillespie's (my husband's family name) didn't have their own clan, but were affiliated to the McPhersons' I believe. I'll put up a picture in my next blog of the festival. Hope to see you there.

Much Love, Blessings and Hope,

Kam Gillespie

Ramp Festival

Spring brings ramps. What are ramps you may be asking? They are a cross between garlic and leeks. If you like garlic or onions, you will more than likely love them. But they are strong and I saw somewhere that some dentists wont treat patients who have just eaten ramps!

I heard about the festival last year but was unable to attend. But this year I am not only attending but am going to be entering the competition. I plan to make three dishes. Ramps grow wild around here but I've heard that in New York they are becoming a delicacy. The festival is next Saturday April 30 at 11am at the Discovery Center in Deep Creek State Park. So why not make a reservation at Haley Farm next week and try the ramps.

And if you didn't get on the guest list for the Royal Wedding, don't worry. You can come and have tea with the Queen right here at Haley Farm - Queen Elizabeth I, as portrayed by award winning actress Mary Ann Jung. That will be on May 7 - Mother's Day weekend. It promises to be a fun day. You can see details under the Retreats section of the website.

Spring Offerings

Did you ever wish that you had your own safe haven set in the rolling hills of western Maryland? Of living on a gorgeous farm minutes from Deep Creek Lake and the ski slopes. Here you can escape from the hustle and bustle of city traffic and immerse yourself in nature with clean air and pure water.

Wayne and I bought the B&B and farm over seventeen years ago. We thought it looked like a mini Switzerland with the lake and the mountains. We couldn’t believe we lived so close to the ski slopes. The air was clean and there were no traffic lights (there are a couple now). We raised our daughter here with horses, dogs and chickens and rabbits. We felt totally blessed to have had this opportunity, but seventeen years is a long time and it’s time to move on. So I have decided to sell the B&B. If owning your own B&B and farm seems like a dream come true, then please contact me at my personal email at: kamisfab@verizon.net

It’s a wonderful opportunity for a young retired couple or a family wanting to raise their kids in a safe community. It’s also an incredible place for a business looking for an affordable corporate retreat. You can be your own boss and work hard or barely at all.

I don’t know how long it will take to sell the B&B so of course we are still creating wonderful memories for guests seeking a relaxing getaway. To make it more enticing we are offering a 25% discount for guests staying in April for two or more days. So hurry on down.

Also we have a wonderful actress coming for Mothers' Day weekend (May 7). Mary Ann Jung who last year came as Julia Child will be portraying Elizabeth I. This would be an incredible Mothers Day gift for any Mother especially those who are History buffs. I have seen Mary Ann perform Amelia Earhart, Julia Child and now Elizabeth. She is so entertaining and knowledgeable that everyone gave her a standing ovation... So please join us for this special event. Its free for guests staying at the B&B that weekend.

The Highland Festival is coming up soon too (June 3-4). If you are into kilts, Highland flings, bagpipes and sheep dog herding or anything Scottish, do put this on your calendar. We actually had another Celtic group perform at the college last week. They (Iona) gave us a spectacular performance with a range of music from Brittany France, Ireland, Scotland, Appalachia and New Orleans. This coupled with a fabulous dancer made it a very memorable evening.

So if you need a respite from this crazy world, head out our way and we will spoil you with our great food and hospitality.

Till then, blessings and Joy
Kam