Murder mystery season begins

Now that the glorious days of summer and fall are behind us, most of us are spending time indoors. Winter brings many great pastimes – skiing, snowmobiling and holiday get-togethers with family and friends.

But Wisconsin winters can be long and cold. Together with short days and lack of sunlight, it’s easy for cabin fever to set in. So, it’s important to make an extra effort to get out and do something fun and entertaining throughout the winter to keep our spirits up.

One way would be to give yourselves the gift of a winter getaway with the one you love. Any of our charming, unique inns would be the perfect place to get away and spend time alone together. Many of our inns have double whirlpools and fireplaces to keep you cozy after a day of shopping or winter sports.

Another great way to pleasantly pass the winter would be to take part in a murder mystery evening. Murder mystery season is just getting underway at Brambleberry Bed and Breakfast. There are still a few places at the table for the Thanksgiving mystery “Gobble, Gobble, Death and Trouble.” Call upon your sleuthing skills to discover who murdered famous Chef Ramsay Gordon. Order dinner with your room reservation on murder mystery evenings and participation in the mystery is free.

Costumes need not cost money. Be creative with things you already have in your own closet and choose a couple of props. But if you want to go all out and really get into your character, go for it.

Brambleberry has a number of murder mystery dinner evenings planned throughout the winter months. Visit their murder mystery page and choose one to participate in. The first to book are the first to choose their character.

Whole house rentals can always choose their own murder mystery anytime of the year.

Consider a romantic winter getaway or an intriguing murder mystery night to stave off the winter blues.

Come to the St. Croix Valley for fall fun

Fall is in the air and the St. Croix Valley is brimming with activity. October 1st started with the St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin Oktoberfest. Where hundreds of people descended on the town to enjoy games and fun for kids, crafts for those looking for gifts and runners and bikers racing and touring the St. Croix River roads and autumn countrysides.

 

While the leaf watching was beautiful the "peak" is definitely going to be around Oct. 5-10th this year.

 

Come for the "Leaf Watching" and stay at one of our Inns. Wissahickon Farms Country Inn in St. Croix Falls, WI. http://wissainn.com/ or Canyon Road Inn in Turtle Lake http://www.canyonroadinn.com/ or St.Croix River Inn in Osceola http://stcroixriverinn.com/

 

The Festival Theatre http://festivaltheatre.org/ is presenting "Mystery of Irma Vep" which opens Thurs. October 6th 2:00pm. Shows play Thurs-Sunday until October 30th.

 

During the Oktoberfest the Grand opening of a new shop "CyclovaXC" http://www.cyclovaxc.com/ So if you like to Cross Country Ski, Bike, or Run head up and join them for the Superfit Weekend from Oct 28-30th.

Art festival coming to Hudson

Spirit of the St. Croix Art Festival will be September 23 and 24 in Lakefront Park in Hudson, WI on the St. Croix River.

This year's event will feature an artist village, entertainment, food & beverage vendors and more! The festival is free and open to the public. There will be even more art in the park, with over 70 juried artists showing their best! Acoustical musicians will add to the atmosphere of fine art and food along with a marketplace of business vendors. This two day community event will begin on Saturday from 10am to 5pm and continue into Sunday from 11am to 4pm.

For more information go to www.hudsonwi.org

Come and enjoy cranberry festival time

Now is the time of year when the cranberry harvest begins in Wisconsin, which leads the nation in cranberry production.
There are two major cranberry festivals in the state as well, the Warrens Cranberry Festival and the Stone Lake Cranberry festival.
The Warrens festival, which is Sept. 23-25, draws more than 110,000 people and there are more than three miles of craft booths, vendors, food and the state's largest band parade.
The Stone Lake festival is Oct. 1 and also features craft booths, vendors, food, entertainment and a parade.
Two Western Wisconsin bed and breakfasts are located near Warrens -- Brambleberry Bed and Breakfast and Tufts Mansion.

Cobblestone Bed and Breakfast is located near Stone Lake.

Warrens Cranberry Festival features over three miles of shopping and over 1,300 booths, including:



Arts & Crafts

•More than 850 booths
•Handmade Jewelry
•Wood Sculptures
•Metal Garden Art
•Knitted Items
•And much more!

Flea Market & Antiques

•More than 350 booths
•Primitives
•Fishing & Hunting Supplies
•Purses
•Collectibles
•Toys
•Clothing
•Sports Memorabilia
•And much more!

Farm Market

•More than 100 booths
•Fresh Fall Produce
•Dried Flowers
•Honey
•Soaps and Lotions
•And much more!

Stone Lake Schedule of Events 2011


Friday September 30th
Luncheon ~ Stone Lake Lion’s Hall
11:30 Social Hour~12:30 Luncheon
Royalty Coronation

Saturday October 1st
Arts, Crafts and Flea Market
Over 300 Vendors • Inside & Out
9:00am - 4:00pm

Cranberries, Craisins and Festival Apparel
Cranberry Corner
Located at the top of Main Street Hill
9:00am - 4:00pm

Marsh Tours
Located Under Water Tower
10:00am - 4:00pm

Cranberry Pancake Breakfast
Stone Lake Fire Hall
7:00am - 11:00am

Cranberry Baking Contest
Stone Lake Fire Hall
Registration 10:00am~Judging 11:00 am

Pie and Ice Cream Social
Stone Lake Lutheran Church
9:00am - 3:00pm

Beer and Brat Tent
Stone Lake Lions Hall
9:00am - 4:00pm

Parade
Main Street & Hwy 70
2:00 pm

Krate Derby
Main Street Hill
Immediately Following Parade

CRANBERRIES • CRAISINS • ARTS & CRAFTS
FOOD BOOTHS • FLEA MARKET • SOUVENIRS
FARMER’S MARKET • STREET ENTERTAINMENT

Festival in the Pines

The 29th Annual Festival in the Pines will be held on Saturday August 27 (9 AM – 6 PM) and Sunday August 28 (10 AM – 5 PM) in beautiful Carson Park in Eau Claire, Wisconsin – just three miles from the Otter Creek Inn!
Festival in the Pines has traditionally been a place to gather with friends and family to enjoy fun, food and shopping! With over 250 vendors, there is something for everyone. The festival features more than 200 arts and crafts exhibitors, 14 great food vendors, two stages showcasing acts by several local performers – such as a ventriloquist, a magician, a classic rock band, a country rock band, an acoustic guitar performer, and a karate demonstration.
There are games and a free petting zoo for the kids and a beer garden for the adults. Each year non-profit organizations benefit from the success of this community event. Due to the popularity of this event, you are encouraged to take one of the free, air-conditioned shuttle buses to Carson Park to avoid the traffic congestion. The buses will operate from 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM on Saturday and 9 AM to 6PM on Sunday and will pick up and drop-off at 3 different locations (Hobbs Ice Arena on Menomonie St., UWEC Fine Arts on Water St., and Eau Claire Courthouse on Lake St.) Admission is $5, ages under 11 are free. Visit the website for more information: festivalinthepines.com

Flowers and rain gardens

Flowers Anyone … Everyone?

The 13th Annual Artful Garden Tour is June 25 and 26. The tour begins at the Octagon House, 1004 Third St, Hudson and consists of six beautiful gardens in the area. Tour hours are 10 am to 4 pm Saturday and 1 pm to 4 pm on Sunday. Tickets for the event are $12 and available at the Octagon House on tour days.

This self guided tour is sponsored by the Hudson Women’s Club and profits from the tour go to the hanging flower baskets in downtown Hudson. Master Gardeners will be available at each location in addition to the homeowners to answer questions.

Artists and musicians will be at the Octagon House displaying their talents. The 2011 Official Garden Tour Poster, “Roses of Summer” by Joyce Ells will be available for sale ($10). Ells will also be there to sign her posters.



Artful Rain Garden Fair: Cirque du SOIL

Enjoy learning about rain gardens from plant, soil and watershed experts. Fun, hands-on activities, presentations and book signings with Rusty Schmidt and James Wilcox Dimmers. Visit the artful rain garden exhibit with includes original artwork by regional artists featuring drawings, painting, photography, etc.

The event is Sunday, June 26, 2 pm-5 pm at The Phipps Center for that Arts in Hudson and admission is free. Master Gardeners will be available to help those interested in plant selections –both in terms of what the site conditions are (in and out of rain gardens) and in terms of what the garden style is (formal, informal, naturalistic). To learn more about the Artful Rain Garden Project, visit http://artfulgaingarden.net

Enjoy the great outdoors!

Four scenic overlooks provide spectacular views of the water falls and Willow River gorge.
DNR PhotoIf you love being outdoors, this weekend is for you! June 4-5 is statewide free fishing so cast a line in Wisco waters to see if those stories about the fish being bigger and better are really true.
If you have never visited Willow River State Park, June 5 is a day you can do so compliments of Governor Walker! This is Wisconsin State Parks Open House Day and admission to all Wisconsin state parks is free.
With 2,891 acres of prairie, forests, and panoramic river scenery, Willow River State Park offers year-round recreational and scenic attractions in western Wisconsin. Located 5 miles northeast of Hudson on County Road A, the park has a campground, a boat launch, and a 400-foot beach and picnic area centered on 172-acre Little Falls Lake.
Art Along the Willow at Willow River State Park is also June 5 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. This annual event hosts 50-80 artist selling their art including wood working, homemade soaps, jewelry, yard art, weavings and more.

Have You Taken the Road?

The newest bed and breakfast owners in the Western Wisconsin Bed and Breakfast Association region are Patti and Turner at Canyon Road Inn.
Patti and Turner have been very busy giving their suites a fresh new look and are thrilled at the rave reviews. Along with all the Inn has to offer the suites now feature gas fireplaces, luxury linens, Keurig coffee Makers, Kashwere robes, I-Phone/I-Pod docking stations, TVs with DVD/CD players and whirlpool tubs. They are also very excited to introduce the addition of their sixth suite.
The Haven has a modern décor with canopy bed and stack stone gas fireplace. The bathroom has a heated tile floor, double vanity, claw foot soaking tub and huge shower with multiple body sprays and shower heads. Once you check-in you may not want to ever check out!
Take the Road and Take a Look!
www.canyonroadinn.com
Join them this summer for Friday Night Whites. Your Friday night stay in June, July and August includes a tasting of refreshing white wines perfect for summer evenings.
Reservations can be made on-line through the website or call at 715/986-2121 or 888/251-5542

Enjoy bird watching

Ever Considered Birding?

Although the mention of "bird watching" might conjure up stereotypical images of a generation past, the fact is that "birding" is a great way to get out in nature and enjoy some fresh air! Bird watching is again gaining popularity, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports that there are "more than 50 million people in the US that consider themselves birdwatchers". Some of those folks probably never leave their backyards; but if you're looking for a little get-away close to home, consider exploring the possibilities that birding has to offer. It's a great opportunity to fill your lungs with some fresh air, get some walking exercise, and get back to nature.

The Beaver Creek Reserve, just 12 miles east of the Otter Creek Inn in Eau Claire, encompasses 380 acres of diverse habitat including upland woods, river bottom forests, wetlands, and savannah areas. It is bordered by the Eau Claire River and two small trout streams run through the property. The reserve is home to a multitude of birds, wildlife and native flowers. Bird Walks in the Eau Claire area include one at the Chippewa River Reserve on 05/14/11; one at Lowes Creek Park on 05/21/11; and one at Beaver Creek Reserve on 05/28/11. Learn more about the Beaver Creek Reserve and the Bird Walks at www.beavercreekreserve.org .

If the weather doesn't cooperate, you can still spend time birding - indoors at the James Newman Clark Bird Museum at UW-Eau Claire, just two miles from the Otter Creek Inn. The museum houses 530 species collected by Clark from the 1870's through the 1920's. Four dioramas depict native birds in natural habitats. Or just spend some time lounging on the deck at the Otter Creek Inn, as even though they are located in the city limits, their acre lot is home to all sorts of bird life - from House Wrens and Hummingbirds to Hawks, Horned Owls, and Pileated Woodpeckers.

Come to Yellowstone Trail Heritage Days

Come to Hudson May 13-15 for Yellowstone Trail Heritage Days. If you stay two of those nights at the Phipps Inn they’ll treat you to two tickets to the Randy Sabien Master Fiddler concert at the Phipps Center for the Arts as well as two Octagon House tour tickets. Total value of the 4 tickets is $58. Please call to make your reservation to ensure room and ticket availability. Escape by the Lake is also conveniently located for local lodging.
For more information on Yellowstone Trail events go to www.hudsonwi.org
Other events for the weekend, which celebrates the nation’s first transcontinental road – include an architectural treasure hunt, historical walking tours, the Nova Caves, vintage autos, high-wheel bikes, geocaching, river cruise and much more.
Enjoy a presentation by author Barry Prichard as he shares highlights of his Grandfather, Mike Dowling, and his amazing journey in the first automobile traveling the trail to Yellowstone.
Stay for "Fiddlin' at the Phipps" with Master Fiddler, Randy Sabien. His Fiddlehead Band includes triple fiddles, featuring drums, bass, guitar, and a keyboard rhythm section. Sabien describes his sound as "Bob Wills meets Art Blakey (be-bop) meets the Allman Brothers (blues rock)." Randy's band will play just about any style that makes people dance or at least tap their toes in their comfortable theatre seats at The Phipps Center for the Arts. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $22 for adults, $15 for students of all ages call 715.386.8409 or visit www.ThePhipps.org

Earth Arts Spring Art Tour

"Earth Arts Spring Art Tour"
May 7-8, 2011 10 am-5pm
Join us this spring on a self-guided tour through a magnificent world of art! For this first weekend in May some of the best Upper St. Croix Valley artists invite you into their studios. Theses artists include painters, sculptors, woodworkers, mixed-media, jewelers, photographers and potters. Now in its tenth year, the Spring Art Tour draws hundreds of visitors from all over the area.
Take a drive through the countryside for this once-a-year event that offers a glimpse in the the work of some of Wisconsin's finest artists and find you own treasures.
Check for details at www.earthartswi.org

Maple syrup season is a sweet reason to get away

This is a perfect time to celebrate a late-winter, early-spring weekend by visiting a maple syrup open house.
Did you know that Wisconsin ranks fourth in the nation in maple syrup production?
Now is the time of year that maple syrup producers in the state are busy tapping trees and gathering sap to produce on of Wisconsin's most natural products -- pure maple syrup.
Many maple syrup producers hold open houses in March so you can visit and watch the syrup-making process.
For a list of producers, visit the Wisconsin Maple Syrup Producers Association. Come to an open house and stay at one of our inns for a weekend that celebrates a Wisconsin heritage.
Brambleberry Bed and Breakfast, a member of the Western Wisconsin Bed and Breakfast Association, will hold an open house from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 26.
This event is free and open to the public. Brambleberry Farms is a small producer of maple syrup. They practice low-impact, labor intensive methods of collecting maple sap using bags on tree taps. The sap is manually collected, boiled down on a wood stove, and finished on a commercial gas range. The syrup is filtered and stored in glass jars.
The day’s events include sugar bush tours. Visitors can help collect the sap and watch the sap being boiled down into maple syrup. They may also tour the B&B and visit the newborn lambs on the farm. Enjoy coffee and baked goods featuring maple syrup.
For more information about the open house, call (608) 525-8001.

Enjoy winter while you can

This is the time of year when many people are sick of the long, long winters we experience in Western Wisconsin. Thoughts turn to spring and marking the day when we can pack away our winter clothes.
Our innkeepers feel your pain. After all, we shovel our sidewalks just like you do. And while we also look forward to spring, now is the perfect time to enjoy winter, not just complain about it. Before you know it, the chances to snowshoe, cross-country ski, downhill ski, ice skating, ice fishing, snowmobiling and sledding will be over.
Did you know that Wisconsin invented the sport of snowmobiling? There are more than 25,000 miles of trails that link nearly every part of the state, which hundreds of local snowmobile clubs help maintain. There are also more than 200,000 registered snowmobiles in the state.
If you want to check the trail conditions, check out http://www.snowtracks.com/wisconsin/ a site that has links to all sorts of snowmobiling information.

Wisconsin also offers 30 different ski destinations and has more than 250 cross country ski trails.

Hit the trails or the slopes during the day and relax in the comfort of a cozy bed and breakfast that night. Soak in a whirlpool, relax in front of a fire and embrace winter -- don't hide from it!