Bumblebee Logic

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Bumblebee Logic – believing things will happen that weren’t supposed to happen – like that we are FULL for Thanksgiving and that after only 6 months here, we are making real, visible, documentable progress on re-branding and renovating the rather shopworn Resort we bought 6 mos ago. Looking at some past occupancy figures from Webervations (they do our online – and some offline – reservations) last year in October it showed 17 reservations, we had 47 this year. We blew away last November’s whopping 4 reservations the first DAY of November this year. We have had several guests return for a 2nd visit (in 6 months) and we have cabins booked already for December and January – and a wedding too!  And I indeed might be crazy but I swear this property is magic – every week we see guests arrive tense, stressed, grumpy and then see them leave smiling, happy and relaxed – wanting to return.  We call it the “porch effect” – 2 evenings (or mornings) on one of our cabin porches and it seems stress just drains away.

Our guests are relaxed but we are busy as bees, this winter will be our toughest test of faith yet. We are working hard to try and make sure we are ready for freezing temps and other winter related issues we haven’t yet experienced. Oh, and planning for that whole 2 people, 3 dogs, 2 cats  in a teeny cabin together when it’s too cold to go outside thing…yeah, that too. Have quite the list to work thru – heaters for the well sheds, firewood cut split and covered (our guests LOVE the fireplaces), some weatherproofing on our our “barn” (the former chicken coop and shed) to keep the ducks, goats and horse cozy, more mulch for the turtle enclosure and of course, making sure the cabins have adequate heat for those truly frigid days we’re bound to have before Spring.  Bumblebee Logic again – I think we will get thru this winter and our Event Center will be ready for a soft opening by Valentine’s Day.

We moved to a whole new place, alone, knowing no-one and yet we have been blessed with loyal guests and great people helping us every step of the way. We are thankful we have survived the 1st 6 months of this totally new endeavor relatively sane and without any huge disasters. It has not been easy and we are still dealing with Dallas issues but our goal is to have all of that behind us by 2010. Buzz Buzzzzz – we have plans…big plans and we are anxious to get on with them.

A big Thank-You to all the people who worked with us in big and small ways to get us this far. We are thankful for our parents – who are always there in so many ways and our families – who have supported us with encouraging words and understanding – and by coming here to experience our little corner of the Ozarks first-hand. Getting The Retreat at Sky Ridge from a dream to reality has been a group effort in many ways. Hiccups, goofs, tragedies and losses aside, it’s starting to feel like a dream within reach.

If I could, I’d give some “Bumblee Logic” to all you dreamers out there. To everyone who longs to make that leap of faith – dreams of launching from solid, grounded today into an unknown tomorrow – I’d give you the wisdom to know that like every fledgling ever pushed from their cozy nest learns – nobody ever likes leaving the known (even if it isn’t comfortable anymore) for the unknown but nobody ever said making dreams come true was EASY, just that you could make it happen if you wanted it enough. Bumblebees don’t know they shouldn’t be able to fly, so they fly. No matter how you look at it the only real true test is in the doing. So, when you’re ready, like the Bumblebee, you have to know that no matter what others say, no matter how improbable it seems, you can fly and then …..spread your wings and go.

So, because of a Bumblee’s unlikely talents – the miracle of his flight – I am here, in this place – where I discover a new wonder of some kind every day. I am blessed that I get to I live every moment of my dreams coming true by helping other people make THEIR dreams come true – how cool is that? I think the Bumblebee would approve.

Wedding Daze

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We did our first Retreat Wedding last night at sunset – on the top of the ridge. It was beautiful and the happy couple was delighted with everything – the cabin, the wedding and the sunset. It really was a gorgeous sunset – the sky was on fire (see above). Now that we have an official “official” for Carroll County we will offer  “get hitched here” packages for the couples who want something a little different – and our Minister is FREE for guests. If they show up with license in hand they can leave relaxed, refreshed ….and married…all without leaving their cabin. And bring 4 legged family to celebrate with  – Fido will give it all 2 paws UP!

It’s a new beginning – not just for Dana and Anthony, but for us and The Retreat at Sky Ridge. Just short of 6 months here and we have reached a new milestone – Wedding DAZE indeed! More to come as we add the Event Center and create different outdoor locations for couples to choose from for their unique ceremony.

There are days when you feel like you are going backward and everything goes wrong. And then there are days like yesterday, when guests allow you to bootleg a little of their joy and happiness and show you all the things you have to be thankful for when you live every day in the place they come to celebrate their happiest moments. Dana and Anthony – your love is more beautiful than the sunset on your wedding day – thank you for sharing your wedding day with us.

Formerly Fairwinds Mountain Cottages

In case you’re puttering about the ol’ www looking for Fairwinds Mountain Cottages – you found it…well almost. That’s what the property now known as The Retreat at Sky Ridge was called for over 25 years. In case you’ve forgotten, the logo featured a big white Goose, a wreath, flowers,  and pink and blue ribbons. The decor was also of a similar era – lots of baby pink and blue and a quasi-Farm/Victorian feel.

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We had a different vision in mind.

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The cabins themselves had great bones – simple and soothing, set into an incredible 135 Acre piece of Ozark wilderness – which was enjoyed from huge covered porches. Now all we had to do was spiff things up a bit, add a few new things and make the inside of each cabin feel as inviting and serene as the stunning setting. Over the last 5 months we’ve done a bit of cleaning, repaired a few things, fixed some roads, oh and added a 2nd pond and waterfall where a big empty muddy hole used to be. Whew! Then we trimmed a LOT of trees, took a deep breath and moved on to gutting and renovating the original stone Homestead House (Circa 1885) – which now features a new interior, new paint,  a blue “tin” roof and has a new life as the Guest Welcome Center, Office and Laundry. And finally for good measure, we are gutting and renovating the old owner’s home (where the office used to be) and if all goes as planned,  Spring 2010 we’ll be re-opening that structure as our new event center (sit down reception capacity 100).

So ol’ Fairwinds got new owners, a new office, a new look and a new attitude…reflecting our passion for nature, wildlife and a desire to give guests the best possible experience when they visit us. Every cabin has been redecorated with a unique theme and new touches like leather couches, new linens, new art and new decor. The wildlife, the birds, the relaxation and the quiet are all the same, we just sparkled up the diamond while leaving it in the original setting.

We still have much we plan to do (every cabin will get a new blue tin roof and an updated bathroom with waterfall shower) but our 1st phase of improvements went so well we thought that it was time to celebrate by gifting Fairwinds with a name that better described the special feeling of this hidden valley – steeped in 125 years of history and new beginnings. So…in honor of the surrounding high ridge that feels like it’s nearly touching the stars, it will be known as “The Retreat at Sky Ridge“.

If you visited Fairwinds and loved it, please come and see what we have done – we think you’ll love the changes. If you visited once and found it lacking in some way, we’d love for you to give us another chance – we’d be happy to answer any of your questions or address any concerns. We’re open year-round and our office hours are 10AM to 4PM Daily. Read more about us and see photos of all the changes here on our blog, at our web site retreatatskyridge.com, on our Facebook page The Retreat at Sky Ridge or contact us directly by e-mail at info@retreatatskyridge.com or phone 800-242-3128.

Let Fairwinds bring you to our Mountain – discover the magic of stars &  firelight at The Retreat at Sky Ridge!