Cold outside; Warm inside

Brrr...17 degrees outside and it is 3 in the afternoon.  I guess that is close to the high for the day.  Just yesterday it was warm and sunny.  That is February weather in Nebraska.  Yesterday we had a Barnful of guests, when a local PEO chapter held their monthly meeting and a brunch here.  Egg frittata, fruit compote, muffins, country ham, and orange smoothies was the featured menu.  Then guests from Virginia drove in.  Little did they know when they made their reservations that the weather would take a sudden turn.  But that is when being flexible comes into play.  Waking up to an ice encrusted world, they rescheduled their plans, made a few phone calls, and relaxed and layed back  to savor a wintery day in the courntry.  And a beautiful day it has turned out to be.  Intermitent snow flurries, fog banks shadowing the hills, low clouds rolling past.  A slow morning, with pots of hot coffee steaming over a slowly read newspaper.  No need to hurry, a whole day to do nothing.  By 10:30 the aroma of bread pudding filled the house and brought our guests to the dining room.  We lingered at the table with more hot coffee, sweet, steaming bread pudding, and  stories to share.  They told us about their travels to South America and Alaska, which of course, made us ask questions as their stories tickled our sense of adventure.  But even with all of their travels, they were still in awe of our valley; the bluffs, the prairies, and the wide open spaces. So as I watched them pull out of the yard,I reassessed our surroundings, and agreed that this is an awesome setting, nestled here in the shadow of the bluffs.

Rolling banks of fog fell across the bluffs this morning, but now the sun is shining across a white landscape.  Can't work outside in January and February, so we have been busy inside.  For a long time, we have felt that the Pony Express Room was incomplete without a pair of chaps.  Well, we now have those chaps.  Found them in Colorado.  A great pair, too, shaggy bufflao hide chaps dating back to the late 1800's. 
On a trip back to Wyoming, we were lucky to find a red, wool, elk-tooth Arapaho dress.  We have added it to our Native American collection in the main hallway.  On that trip, we also found an Arapaho jingle dress, embellished with 365 jingles that were made from the tin lids of chewing tobacco cans.  This dress was worn in the jingle dance at pow wows.  It now hangs next to a bone chest plate, adorned with a beautifully beaded Shoshoni rose, also a new addition in the Rendezvous room. 
While visiting friends at St. Stephens Mission on the Wind River Reservation, we had the opportunity to buy some beautifully hand  beaded items that we thought our guests would really appreciate.  These items are for sale at the Barn.  The proceeds from the beadwork helps support the mission.  The authentic beadwork makes them true works of art.  There are bracelets, possibles bags, necklaces, mocassins, ear-rings, key chains, and jacket pulls.  It is hard to find the beadwork anywhere, and it is for sale at the Barn.
This cold winter weather sure makes you want to curl up and stay warm and snug inside.  The Barn is the place to do that on a wintery weekend.  You can wake up to steaming bread pudding or savory baked French toast.  Just because it's winter doesn't mean you have to stay away.  Some of our guest's favorite time to visit is on a blizzardy winter day.  They say they love the warmth of the Barn.

Chasing Away the Winter Blues

Christmas and the holidays have slipped away, and what is left is the quiet, cold days of January.  Holiday decoratrion are packed away, and things seem a little plain.  But what a wonderful time to make new plans for the new year, and reminise about the past.  Also a great time, because there does seem to be more time in January, to set a date to have  to share the weekend with nearby friends and family.  The barn is warm and cozy  on a cold winter's night.  Spend time in the rendezvous room playing games, bridge, or just curl up with a glass of wine and spend a memorable night.  Wake up to a delicious breakfast.