Meet Laurie Pinnix, half of the duo that owns and runs the Mt. Gainor Inn in Dripping Springs, TX.  She and her husband Jerry stumbled into being innkeepers and have built an inn in their likeness, from coffee based on their annual trips to Costa Rica, to keeping their French inspired décor a little bit Texas.

L:R - Laurie Pinnix and the custom gate to the back

ML: It looks like you’re on quite a bit of land out here.
LP: We’re in the middle of the Procno Ranch, so all around us are big ranch owners. Our 23 acres is just a postage stamp!

ML: It’s beautiful back here! How long have you had this B&B?
LP: We’ve owned it for 10 years. We’re just finishing up our addition; we’ve put in a dining room, a kitchen, and two new rooms. The main house was built in 1910. We moved it 100 miles and then we started restoring it. It looked just like a movie set when we moved it.

ML: That’s crazy! Where was it originally from?
LP: Close to La Grange, TX.  It took us about two years to restore it. And then we opened up a bed as B&B; we weren’t originally planning on it being a B&B, but word got around that people could come stay on weekends. So we just kind of fell into the business! And it’s been fun.

ML: Were you originally from La Grange, TX?
LP: No. It was a friend of mine’s family home and they were going to tear it down. So we took it and put it out here. It actually got put in a sheep shearing pasture. Then we went, “Okay, well, what do we want to do?” We just started working on it, and it just kind of took on a life of its own.

ML: Wow! How do you like being an innkeeper now?
LP: I love it. It’s the best thing to ever happen to me! Sometimes when you’re not prepared, you know, some things just fall into your lap.

ML: What’s your design aesthetic? I really love the distressed wood in the common areas.
LP: You know, I have no earthly idea. It’s mine. Would you call it eclectic?

ML: I don’t know. I like it though! It’s a little Texas, very cute.
LP: It may be a little, hm, French country?

ML: It’s French Hill Country, how about that?
LP: I love it! I’m going to use it on my website!

ML: Take it! How many rooms do you have?
LP: We have the main house of five rooms and then we have two cottages. We have the Side Oates cottage and we have a new one that is absolutely gorgeous. That’s our newest cottage, and it’s kind of—it’s French décor! What started that was that a friend of mine gave me a set of old French doors from Louisiana that came up during Katrina and they were in good shape. So he picked them up off the beach and brought them back for me.

The Hideaway room

ML: Do you guys ever get to go on vacation?
LP: We do. We close up once a year for about three to four weeks and we go to Costa Rica. And we hang out there for the month of January. And when we come back and we’re ready to go again! We stay booked all year long.

ML: Wow. What’s in the area that draws your guests here?
LP: We have 10 wedding venues in the area and we’re within 15 minutes of five wineries, Pedernales State Park, Hamiltion Pool, Reheimer’s Ranch, and Westcave. And within 20 minutes of two olive oil companies that grow and make their own olive oil. And we’re right next to Wimberley! So you can do as much or as little as you want. We have a lot of people that come and they have a lot of plans and they hit the hammocks and that’s it! There’s nothing to do if that’s what you want, or an all-day adventure. We also have a lot of people who come for anniversaries and birthdays. And because of the wedding venues we have honeymooners. And we have a lot of folks who will come back for their one-year anniversary.

ML: Do you host weddings at the inn?
LP: We do them for up to 20 people, so it’s more of an elopement than a wedding. With so many venues around the area doing large weddings, we just don’t have the facilities for it, but we’ve got a perfect facility for small intimate weddings.

ML: I’m sure they’re beautiful in the backyard garden area.
LP: The last wedding we did was in the back and it was gorgeous. We also have packages, like in-room massages, chocolate dipped strawberries, romantic dinners, so we can do just about anything that people want to make their weekend perfect.

ML: Do you both live on-site?
LP: We live on the 23 acres. We don’t live in the inn.

ML: That’s perfect, plenty of space!
LP: It is! Everybody gets their privacy. It’s a good arrangement. We’re here on-site if anybody needs anything, but we’re out of their way if they want to be very private.

Nell, the inn kitty

ML: Do you offer dinner?
LP: We do, by reservation only. We don’t have a restaurant open to the public, but we do by reservation only for our guests.

ML: Do you do all the cooking?
LP: I do most the cooking, but I don’t do all of it. We do have a professional person that does come in, because I am not a chef. I’m just a down-home cook. I do very good breakfasts and things like that. But I do have people come in and help me out!

ML: I saw a sign about bikes, do you do bike rentals?
LP: No, we don’t do rentals, but we have a lot of people that bring their own bikes. And because of the Austin Cycling Association, which we’re a member of, they have mapped us out maps for bike riders, so they can go on 12 to 60 mile rides. They’re all loops that begin and end at the inn. And since Pedernales State Park is so close, there’s also mountain biking. People from Austin just come out here and park and they ride. So we’re open to bike riders and stuff.

ML: I saw that you have your own brand of coffee—would you tell me about it?
LP: We have a special blend of coffee that we do, that’s made specifically for the inn.  When we went to Costa Rica, we had the best coffee we’ve ever had. We came back and couldn’t find it, so we went to a roaster and we started blending our own.

ML: Oh, that’s nice! Is it a strong- or light-tasting coffee?
LP: It’s not strong, it’s full-bodied and rich. It’s a coffee that I think most people like. It’s not bitter at all; it’s really smooth. I guess they like it—our guests buy a lot of it! They can buy it as whole beans or we’ll grind it for them.

ML: Can you give me an example of what breakfast here looks like?
LP: Here’s a sample breakfast: tarragon-orange French toast, a side of sausage, fruit with yogurt, and vanilla orange juice. A sample dinner would be pecan crusted rainbow trout, or the Texas classic: King Ranch chicken casserole.

It’s not every day that someone decides to leave their successful business and follow a risky dream. Doreen Birdsell and Lisa Feistel, a pair of entrepreneurial women with busy careers, decided it was time to slow down and find something more fulfilling. In a serendipitous moment, they found their calling. An unexpected opportunity arose to buy The Inn at Cook Street in Provincetown, Massachusetts—an inn they had previously stayed in as guests and fantasized about owning—and the rest is history.

I interviewed these partners in business and in life to learn about their peaceful inn, their brand new tea room that benefits elephants, and the pleasant surprises they’ve encountered after eight years of running a B&B.

Emily Gerson: What led you to become innkeepers?

Lisa Feistel: It really began as we were in our regular lives in Connecticut; we just always loved to entertain. We loved hosting people at our house for whatever event or dinner. We loved having people stay over, and it was oddly an easy fit for us...We were looking for a change in our life. One day we said, “Geez, what would it be like innkeeping?” There were other things that were precursors. The big thing was that we both have been in professions that were really high-paced, then 9/11 came. It just really changed our thinking. We know at that time that it was a big eye opener, and we were ready for a change.

Doreen Birdsell: We had made our commitment prayer at the end of August right before 9/11. We met [an innkeeper] and said, “Wow, this felt like a good life for us.” A friend had just died. Our businesses were owning us rather than us owning them. Things had become very busy for my photography business, and Lisa was in the car business. They were very high-strung jobs, and innkeeping looked like a way for us to use our entrepreneurial skills and give back to other people while doing what we love to do--to entertain.

EG: How wonderful that you followed your dream! How long did you plan this out before buying your inn?

LF: It was one of those real turning points in life that come, and you just have to recognize it. We went back to Provincetown for a vacation. We weren’t really looking at B&Bs. It was sort of a fantasy and a dream. We weren’t really out actively seeking it out. Doreen decided to write a book, which she has written. I was going to go to seminary school. It’s 2005, and we’re up in Provincetown. We were staying [at a B&B]. We got on our bikes and started looking at real estate as a hobby.

This is the fun part of our story. It’s something I love to share with guests to help them recognize when there’s a vision, and when to take that risk. We’re on a bike ride, we pop in a real estate office, and we see The Inn at Cook Street for sale. Three years prior, we had been guests there. We saw this inn for sale, and it all came flooding back how we fell in love with the building, this beautiful house. It needed a lot of updating and an aesthetic makeover, but we remember being guests and sitting in the living room I now own, and I thought, “Man, what I could do with this place,” never imagining that three years later, it would be for sale.

EG: When did it become real for you?

LF: I thought it was just a dream and vision; I didn’t take it seriously. We walked in the office and saw it was for sale! We might as well do it! And she said it’s sold. It sold the same day it went on the market. We left, but that night we went to dinner with a friend. A woman they had invited, who I’d never met, said she knew who bought it. She said they were going to break it up and sell it as condos. That’s what was happening in Provincetown at the height of the market...We thought how it would be awful to turn that beautiful B&B into condos! She asked us if we wanted their number. Now it’s back in our court again! This dream just keeps coming back at us. We called them, and we realized they’re just in it for the money.

D: If it was an inn, we’d let them pursue their dream. But they just wanted it for a profit.

L: So we took the next step, and that’s when it all began. We had to sell everything we had to make it happen. In one way, the charm is that we saved a beautiful B&B from being broken into a condominium.

D: The neighborhood really appreciated it, too! People have found us online a long time later and said they’re so happy they found it had remained a B&B. It was really gratifying to see people applauding our purpose. Provincetown has lost many of its B&Bs.

EG: What drew you to this B&B in particular?

LF: When I was a guest at the inn, I was so charmed by the beautiful building. When I sat there as a guest, I thought, “Wow, this is such a special place!” There are beautiful gardens. There are many days when I walk through, and I can’t believe we’ve done this! And it’s ours. There’s something very special about it, but I think most people reflect that it’s a beautiful, amazing home that goes back to what we love doing--being entertainers to family and friends. Now we do that with people from around the world. But it still feels like a home, though it’s a B&B—people say they feel like they came home! We make sure it stays that way.

DB: Even though it has the home appeal, for the traveler that wants privacy, five of our accommodations have private entrances, and we have two cottages. People can be anonymous. As an individual innkeeper, you have to know when someone wants to talk versus when someone wants to left alone. I think we’re pretty savvy about how to be intuitive about that.

EG: I saw that you’re adding the Triangle Tea Room to your inn this year! Can you please tell me about it?

DB:  Lisa started a loose leaf tea company. Since I’m a professional photographer, I have enlarged many canvases that will go on the wall as we open about a tea room and gallery. We have the go-ahead from town to do that and incorporate that in the inn.

LF: We are doing that, but we’re very aware of our guests and making sure that it maintains itself as traditional B&B...Last year, we began to do tea tastings at the inn. It was only for our guests. It went over so well because it gave people something to look forward to. It was also another opportunity for people at the inn together and to get to know each other. I make sure it’s fun! Where some guesthouses do wine or cheese to bring guests together, I do tea tastings. It’s also something that we feel has become another benefit we offer to help people in general…It’s a quiet place where people can come if they like, and it's separate from the rest of the inn

EG: I saw that part of the proceeds go toward helping elephants. Why did you choose this cause?

LF: There’s a worldwide awareness right now about elephants becoming endangered because of the ivory trade. Both of us are drawn to philanthropy, and it’s a big calling for us. The biggest goal for both of us is to be able to give back. My tea is a product, but we are really very focused on making sure partial proceeds go to organizations we believe in. Right now, elephants really need help. It’s all over the news. There’s a huge demand to stop ivory trade and a huge amount of money is needed. I’m a big animal lover. I was very moved by a woman who her and her husband were pilots. They’re in Africa; they gave up their pilot positions to go open an orphanage for elephants. Because of that connection, they hosted two orphaned elephants.

I became so interested in this, and I started realizing how much they needed. I thought I’d tie the tea in to help them. It’s a win-win. People digesting tea are healthier, and I can do something about tea—something I love—and part of the proceeds are getting sent to elephant orphanages. It’s so beautiful...it’s a greater reward when you can share prosperity where there’s a great need. We’d like to share that…I make sure people get to see how it’s changing the lives of the elephants. And the people who are donating their time tirelessly to help.

EG: That’s incredible. Have there been any surprises about being innkeepers? Are there any aspects of the job that you weren’t expecting?

DB: I had no idea that our outreach would extend around the globe. That today I’m Facebook friends with so many of our guests! We have heard so many incredible stories, met such amazing people.

LH: Yes, amazing stories from people all over the world! The best part of innkeeping is there are people we’ve met that we’ll know for a lifetime. We’ve been invited to stay in our guests' homes; people who have said, “Whenever you’re in Ireland, come on over!” I know there’s a sincerity around that. The other part is that there’s nothing more satisfying as an innkeeper—nothing—than when you have a return guest…when that guest comes back, that says to you that you did a good job. I’m not talking just about things like fine sheets. There’s something about coming back to your home; they feel welcome and cared for. We really work hard to make sure that happens.

EG: When your guests ask you what to do in Provincetown, what are your favorite recommendations?

LF: Whalewatch. You have to do it—the whales are beyond special here. There’s just something magical about it.

DB: The art!

DB: And the ocean. We have the most beautiful National Seashore. Sometimes I stand at the top of a dune and I can’t hear anything but the wind. But I say, “Somewhere in the world, it’s rush hour.” We tell people to take magnificent walk through dunes and forest.

LF: Here’s the other thing--you don’t need a car in Provincetown. Get a bike! When staying where we are in the Gallery District, we tell them park your car. The only thing you’ll need it for to get to the National Seashore if you don’t like to bike.

DB: If they don’t want to go to the ocean, we have a private access to the bay beach for guests right down the block. We give guests beach umbrellas, chairs, and towels. Because we’re in the Gallery District, we have some of the finest Provincetown restaurants like The Mews and Devon’s. There are some great galleries. Walk five minutes in the other direction, and you’ll be at The Provincetown Theater. At the end of the night, you get to return to the neighborhood, not a commercial center.

EG: What else makes your B&B unique?

LF: You get to come home at the end of the day! Also, because Doreen is a professional photographer, guests very often ask her to take them on photo shoots. It’s a really wonderful thing we can offer, since we already have an intimate relationship with guests. I also do video work. It’s just another special thing that happens for us. We also do small weddings and family events at the inn. There’s something really magical about that.

By Emily Starbuck Crone

One of the most fascinating aspects of many B&Bs is the history within their walls. Some B&Bs were built in the last few decades, but the majority are in historic homes with architecture that just isn’t used anymore. I recently visited one such inn, 1908 Ayres Inn in San Antonio, TX. The neoclassical gem tucked in the Monte Vista Historic District was built in 1908 by Atlee B. Ayres, one of the most famous architects in Texas. One of my colleagues actually stayed there as her very first B&B and loved it, so I was eager to I sit down with the innkeepers, Michael Eifler and Hector Llanas. They allowed me to come visit with them and learn about their experiences as innkeepers and what it was like renovating and opening this historic B&B. My photos don't do it justice!

Emily Gerson: Mike, I saw that you used to work in IT, and Hector, you were an aspiring interior designer. Why did you decide to change careers and become innkeepers?

Michael Eifler: Well, we always wanted to do it. But this was a good time and a good place. We lived next door. I worked at USAA. We decided we wanted something different, and this opportunity presented itself. We said, OK, let’s try it! We were aware of it because we lived next door and it went up for sale. We finally decided to do it. We were looking at other places, but it was cost prohibitive.

EG: Were you only looking for a B&B in San Antonio, or were considering you elsewhere?

M: Oh, we were looking everywhere. Statewide, anywhere, and everywhere, even in Colorado. We were looking at cost, and it made more sense to take this and convert it.

E: I saw that you are both from Texas--was that a big factor in choosing San Antonio?

M: Well, since we could do it here, since it was in the historic district, then it really did make sense to stay here. And there was a lot of character in the house.

Hector Llanas: And there’s a lot of tourism here already, so it made sense.

E: Hector, did you do all of the interior design here? It’s beautiful!

HL: We both did. I think we went to every furniture store in the state!

M: I think he has a good grasp and really is good at fabrics, colors, furniture, and how it all goes together. More of my stuff was materials, like the tile.

E: How did you balance wanting to be true to the history of this home with wanting it to be a contemporary B&B?

M: What we try to do is keep the character, but then provide the modern conveniences. Each room has flat-screen TVs, iPod docking stations, Blu-ray disc players, and there is wireless Internet. So we tried to take the existing character and add those features to it to make it feel more modern.

E: Could you tell me more the history of the inn?

M: The house was built for the Hartung family. They owned a grocery store. It was built starting in 1907 and completed in 1908, and they lived in it for 50 years.

E: So it was loved!

M: Oh yes, it was very much loved! The family spent a lot of time here. In fact, we got some pictures from the granddaughter of the original owner. She found us online by searching the address and said she’d love to come see it and bring some pictures. We were expecting one or two, but she brought 12 or 13 of these amazing pictures from it back then.

E: [They showed me black and white photos from the early 1900s.] These are amazing—San Antonio has such history!  When did you actually open the inn?

M: We started renovating it in late 2006 and it took a year to complete.

E: How much did you change?

M: The overall layout of the house remains about the same. What was changed is was taking the additional space and adding bathrooms. Two bathrooms—a lot of bathrooms were already here. In the upstairs, we had to re-do a bathroom, add a bathroom in the bottom room, and re-do the carriage house-that needed the most work. It was pretty much gutted.

E: What has been the most gratifying part of being innkeepers so far?

H: We meet a lot of nice people that we would never meet otherwise, and from all over. We’ve had folks from Singapore, UK, a lot of Canadians, Australia, Mexico…

M: To meet them and hear their stories and talk to them for a bit, it’s great!

E: Did they come to San Antonio as a destination for tourism?

M: Yep, sure did. A lot of them make their way across—they have a good amount of time for vacation, so they start at one end, work their way down and work their way back up.

E: I wouldn’t think people from Singapore would be interested in San Antonio, Texas!

H: You know what, that was the best experience we’ve had. They were a family—there were three generations. They brought a little kid. Normally we don’t accommodate children, but it was fine. But the kid, as soon as they walked in, he took off his shoes and put them on the side. It was so cute.

E: Wow. What do guests say they love most about staying here?

H: They love the fact that we’re so close to downtown, but far enough that you can enjoy the neighborhood, and it’s quiet.

M: you can get right in the middle of things, but it’s quiet, and their ability to relax. And people love the memory foam mattresses. They say, we love this mattress! This is great! A lot of them try to go out and buy them themselves—what brand is it? I love it!

E: When somebody comes and stays here and asks what they have to see, what do you tell them?

H: They have to do the River Walk, The Alamo, the missions. We’re very close to the Pearl, which has become a very cool culinary center.

M: They have apartments on top and it’s very unique. All of that is right there—the Culinary Institute of America with the five or six fantastic restaurants. It’s a great destination.

H: And of course the water parks, and we’re close to the Hill Country.

M: A lot of people base themselves here, then head out to Fredericksburg and the Hill Country, then come back. You have a lot of different options when using this as a base.

E: Had you stayed in a lot of B&Bs before deciding to be innkeepers?

M: A few. But we did have a really good friend in Houston who opened a B&B two years before we did. It’s since been converted to a hostel. We even got to babysit one time and see what we did and didn’t want to do. His was a lot bigger, 12 rooms, plus they did weddings. So we jumped right in and got to see and get the whole jibe.

E: Has there been anything about being innkeepers that has surprised you?

H: I think it’s weird that a lot of people don’t have fruit. We serve fruit in a little cup, and they don’t want it! I think it’s weird!

M: Even on pancakes, they’ll eat everything but leave raspberries and blackberries, and I’m like, that’s the best part! Also, the kindness. A lady made quilts, and she had always wanted to stay at B&Bs, and she gave us a brand new quilt. It was so sweet.

E: Which of you does the cooking?

M: Hector does most of it since I’m still a consultant. I’ll help the food cups and baking, and he’ll take it from there. And he can do omelets blindfolded. He does them really well. I’m more nervous when I’m doing them.

H: But you should have seen the first one I made—it was so shaky!

E: Did you have a culinary background, or did you learn as you went?

H: Not at all. I think we go out to eat a lot, so you get a lot of ideas.

M: We experimented. Because before we opened, we did have our friends over as guinea pigs. And they’re not shy about saying what they do and don’t like. We bounced ideas off them. One of our friends, Robert, is a good cook himself. He gave us ideas.

E: What are some of your guest’s favorite dishes?

H: I think the waffles and the eggs.

M: We have buttermilk Belgian waffles, and we looked a long time to find a recipe that didn’t require yeast to rise and sit overnight. That took a little bit of effort, but once we found it, buttermilk without the yeast, we’re really happy with it. I think they like the presentation because we do it with powdered sugar with the fruit on top with the whipped cream.

H: it almost looks like dessert!

M: It looks so good. Also, the scrambled eggs. We had seen all over the place with truffle oil. We were like, ok, we have to try this stuff. The first time we tried it was on French fries, and it was not bad! We wondered how it would taste on eggs. Hector experimented, and it doesn’t take much, just a little bit. That with the fruit cup and the croissant, and bacon—all that together! And his patience when he scrambles the eggs, he’s very patient—he doesn’t overcook them and doesn’t try to cook them fast. He has a nice low heat, and it almost turns into ribbons when you’re using the spatula. So you get a really good texture, and then with that texture and the drizzle, it’s an experience. People say, “There’s something different about these! I really like these!”

E: When somebody asks why they should stay at a B&B instead of a hotel, what is your answer?

M: Really, it’s the environment. There’s no waiting in the lobby. There’s no waiting to get your room. It’s a more home away from home experience. We always make sure to introduce them to the gathering areas in the house. We tell them this is open for you. Just relax, read a book, have coffee. We have DVDs--a huge collection that we show them. It’s interesting, some people will do a staycation from San Antonio, come here, and for several hours they’ll just enjoy watching three DVDs because they just never get to do it. They’re away, they get to relax. The breakfast, going back to their room, then going out to dinner is a great experience because they have a chance to do it otherwise.

By Emily Starbuck Crone

Escape to The Inn at Westwynd Farm in Hummelstown, Pennsylvania, and you will find a quiet countryside retreat with 25 beautiful horses roaming the hills. The B&B is situated on a working horse farm in a rustic setting, but it's conveniently only a few miles from Hershey. Innkeepers Frank & Carolyn Troxell turned their family home and 32-acre land into a charming inn with 11 guest rooms. Carolyn kindly took the time to let us interview her and learn more about her unique inn, the best things to do in the Hershey area, and why she loves her job.

1. How long have you been an innkeeper?
We have been innkeepers for 10 1/2 years.

2. What were some of the first steps you took once you decided to become an innkeeper?
My career in bank marketing and administration served me well. We felt we had an excellent location, but we still did our research on tourism statistics and developed a detailed business plan and five-year pro forma. We also gave a lot of thought to what it would mean to our lifestyle and whether we were ready for all the challenges. It's definitely a team effort. We both love what we are doing--our joke is if Frank (an engineer) couldn't fix stuff we couldn't do this. The cooking is the easy part. We also have wonderful staff and great marketing partners in Whitestone Marketing. It's important to be very clear on knowing what you don't know and then finding folks who do it well.

3. What do you enjoy most about being an innkeeper?
Most importantly, seeing our guests really enjoy the inn and farm. Their smiles are sunshine to us. We love every aspect of innkeeping--meeting new people, entertaining , cooking,  problem solving  even cleaning

4. When you opened The Inn at Westwynd Farm, what was your vision for it?
We wanted it to be a lovely respite that reflected some our own best travel experiences.

5. Why did you choose to have an inn in Hummelstown/Hershey?
We actually have owned our horse farm since 1980. When I retired from a career in banking, we added on and remodeled to create the bed & breakfast. We knew we were fortunate to have an ideal location just three miles from Hershey but also close to Lancaster County and the Amish and Gettysburg as well as Harrisburg, our state capitol. The farm also has a beautiful setting.

6. What are some of the local attractions or activities that make your town worth visiting?
The entire list could take pages. We are very close to Hershey Park, Chocolate World, The Hershey Story Museum, The Hershey Zoo and all the concert and theater venues in Hershey. In addition, there is a wonderful Antique Car Museum and Indian Echo Caverns and some great wineries all within a few miles. Lancaster County and Gettysburg are also nearby. The area is great for biking, and the Swatara Creek offers canoeing and great bird watching

7. What is your B&B's history?
Our children were showing horses, which led to purchase of the farm. We thought it would be more economical to keep their horses at home, and we would board a few to keep them company...The few horses now number 25 in addition to two alpaca, a goat, two dogs, and some very friendly barn cats. We stayed in a bed & breakfast on our 10th Anniversary and liked it. The more we traveled, the more we felt we would like to offer this special type of hospitality to others. When the children went off to start their own lives, that is exactly what we did.

8. What sets your B&B apart from others?
Our farm setting, yet still having the proximity to so many attractions. We often say we are "so convenient but a world apart."

9. Do you have any food specialties that guests love?
We try to use seasonal and local foods as much as possible. We have a small garden, and it's great fun when asparagus comes in or wonderful summer tomatoes. When we have a bumper crop of concord grapes as we did this year, we make juice and jam and really good pie. As for breakfast, our egg blossoms (eggs baked in ham cups) are always a big hit.

10. Why do you think travelers should choose B&Bs over hotels?
It's all the little unexpected extras, but most of all, the caring attention of the hosts that sets B&Bs apart.

By Emily Starbuck Crone

Patti and Patick McLead are the owners and innkeepers of Songbird Meadows Bed & Breakfast, located in Johnson City, TX. They have three private cottages on 18 acres in the Texas Hill Country. Each cottage sits at an angle so guests have a private view from their porch, and they all feature large hammocks fit for two.

Relaxation and rejuvenation is encouraged and can be accomplished in a variety of ways: breaking dishes for stress relief, peeling cedar bark on your private porch (it’s addicting and encouraged!), or by watching the abundance of nature. To maximize their guests’ privacy, breakfast is delivered to your door in a vintage picnic basket. BedandBreakfast.com’s Maggie Lundy visited the inn and interviewed the innkeepers to learn more about what makes their property special.

Patti and Patrick McLead

Maggie Lundy: How long has the inn been open?

Patti McLead: We opened in April of 2011.

ML: So you two are pretty new to innkeeping?

Patrick McLead: We bought the property the first weekend of November 2010 and opened six months later. Our first cabin was just a shell, with nothing on the inside. My cousin, brother-in-law, and I finished that one out. And then we found this builder out in San Antonio that built the other two and our house.

ML: Did you go into this knowing you wanted to be innkeepers?

Patti: Yes. It was kind of a dream we never thought would really get to happen.

ML: What were your occupations before this?

Patrick: I was a hairdresser for 37 years. I owned a salon.

Patti: I taught 8^th grade history. It was fun; I loved it.

ML: Are you from the Austin, TX area?

Patti: No, we’re from Rockport, TX.

ML: Do you like the Johnson City area so far?

Patrick: We love it. We’ve been coming up here for years. My family had a ranch in Blanco, TX. They sold it, but kept 14 acres and split it into lots amongst themselves and their families. So every year we’ve gone up there and had a family reunion on the property. Everyone has a little family house, so I’ve been going there since I was a little kid. When Patti and I married, she wasn’t quite sure about it because they used to call it “the cabin in the woods.”

Patti: It was a shack! And I had lived in Houston. I was very Houston.

Patrick: Yes, she was very citified.

(L:R) Destinations near and far, sign made by Patti and Bosco the countrified city dog

ML: Has your dog, Bosco, adapted well to country living?

Patti: Yes, he loves it! I have a golf cart, and if he hears it in reverse he is out that door and up on the bench seat. He’s ready to ride! He loves to run the trails with me.

He got all brave out here. We used to have to go in the backyard with him; it was that ridiculous. But out here, he just takes off after rabbits. He’s hilarious.

ML: I’m a big fan of Bosco.

Patti: It’s funny, we have journals in each of the cabins and they write about what they liked or saw, and so many of them mention Bosco. He goes with us when we deliver breakfast, since we deliver to the cabins. We have antique picnic baskets; we load them up and bring breakfast, and he’s always with us. So they get greeted by him in the morning.

ML: What's a sample menu for the breakfast basket?

Patrick: A sample menu could be frittata with sweet peppers, mushrooms, shredded potatoes with cheese on the top, jumbo blueberry muffins with orange zest, a fruit bowl, and orange juice.

Patti: It’s usually so much food they have to save some for later! We load the baskets up. There are coffee pots and all that sort of stuff in the cabins.

ML: You seem to offer your guests a lot of privacy.

Patti: Yes, people love that. They like having their own cabin; none of them look at the other ones. They all face different directions. We tucked their parking in too, so you don’t have to look at a car. They’ve each got their own little spot.

Chickadee Cottage

ML: I saw on your site that this is a great place for birding. Can you tell me about that?

Patti: We do have a big number of birds. There are two more that I need to add--a few hawks that I’ve seen. All the winter birds are coming in now. The Juncos are all flying in; they’re called the Dark-eyed Junco. They’re awesome, with the pink legs and a pink beak. 

I’m trying get into the Audubon Society so I can count the birds. There’s a yearly bird count, and it’s a real official thing across the country, so we can keep track of what birds we have coming through. I know that sounds funny, but we do, we actually count them. It’s called the Christmas Count. You set one day, and set up. There are circles, big 15 mile circles, to do a count on your property.

ML: With that many birds, you and your guests must have many opportunities do a lot of birding photography.

Patti: Yes. My friend, who is a professional birder and photographer in south Texas, helped me pick where I was going to put the professional photography blind out in the woods. It’s set up for morning and afternoon shots. We built a little pond for it and we can make it drip to make the birds come.

ML: How long have you been doing this type of photography?

Patti:  Six or seven years. When we lived on the coast, it’s huge birding down there--a whole different ballgame of birds. Water birds. They have the Whooping Crane down there, it’s an endangered species. They’re five feet tall!

Patrick: Imagine standing in front of a bird as tall as you!

ML: What was your design inspiration for the property?

Patti: All of the wood is reclaimed wood, so we kind of wanted it to be rustic, cozy, and not wasteful--very Hill Country-ish. We wanted it to be very natural; there’s not a lot of frou frou on the grounds. It’s supposed to be nature; we have deer walking around, jack rabbits, and the birds!

Patrick: The cabins are very romantic, nice cozy little areas.