April 2008 News and Views
News & Members' Contributions from Countryside Connection Village
The response has been so wonderful since I began sharing excerpts from our members' monthly newsletters in February! After enjoying this month's issue, you will be able to read all of the February 2008 News and Views and March 2008 News and Views you might have missed by accessing the individual links. I will continue to provide access to all future issues in the same way so that you will not miss any of the news from our village. To enable you to enjoy past news and members' contributions from our Countryside Connection Village please simply click on the link to the appropriate month each time you visit our site.
Please Note : As one of our members from Maine advised in our February issue, you will be wise to prepare a pot of your favourite brew before beginning so that you can sit back, relax and enjoy all of the exciting news as well as the latest adventures and offerings our members have shared.
I hope you will enjoy the excerpts from our Members' Newsletter. If you have a small business in Britain or America that you would like to see featured on our site and enjoy the full benefits of membership in our unique networking community, please send me an email and I will be delighted to make contact with you and answer all of your questions. Send your request to enquiries@countrysideconnection.com ~ I look forward to hearing from you, Heléne
Dear Visitors to Countryside Connection Village,
As I sit here preparing this month’s issue, I am overwhelmed with the realization that on the 2nd of April last year my dream became a reality and as a result, are celebrating our first year online! What an exciting year it has been and how much we have shared together. It is impossible to thank everyone individually who has provided such tremendous support and inspiration, but I hope they know that my gratitude and heartfelt thanks hold them all in a very special place within my heart. They have kept me sane through periods of sheer exhaustion and their emails, cards, notes and telephone calls sharing and trusting me with their personal concerns and problems, as well as those expressing appreciation for my beliefs and efforts have meant the world to me! Our membership and personal bonds are growing and our horizons and offerings are expanding in so many wonderful and exciting new directions. I hope that they never forget that NONE of this would be possible without each and every one of them ~ I certainly NEVER do!
For most of us, winter is taking it’s time this year, bringing more and more snow to many and extremely cold weather to almost all of us. For many of our members and those of you reading this, staying inside and keeping warm is simply not an option, there is just too much work to do outside that requires your personal attention.
Please try and find a period of quiet time when you can relax with that warm cup of tea or coffee you desire for warmth and comfort and settle down with this month’s news and thoughts from our talented village residents. In addition, you will be introduced to our newest members and their unique offerings. As always, they all have so many wonderful current involvements and future plans to share with you. Visit their individual listings, link to their websites and contact them for more information about their unique creations, services, accommodations and others special news and features ~ I promise you that you will never be disappointed and will make many exciting new discoveries!
Another New Category & Two New American Members and Properties
Have Been Added To Our Community Website from California and Florida
A wonderful email arrived in March from Chuck Nighswonger who lives in New Smyrna, Florida. He and his wife, Martha are selling their exquisite Bed and Breakfast Inn after eighteen years as Owner/Innkeepers and he wrote to ask if I would consider adding a ‘For Sale’ Category so that they could list it with us and become members of Countryside Connection. It is with great pleasure that I introduce our newest addition in response to his delightful request: The latest new category on our site, ‘Bed and Breakfast Inns for Sale’
Night Swan Intracoastal Bed and Breakfast Inn, in New Smyrna, Florida, owned by Chuck and Martha Nighswonger is featured in both our new ‘Bed and Breakfast Inns for Sale’ category and is also found in our Country Inn Category. It is with delight that I will share with you information about these new members, their unique waterside property and the area of Florida in which they live, but first I have the pleasure of sharing an interesting coincidence which leads us to the introduction of our second new member.
Although our latest category has just been added, due to another email request for new membership two days later, another new American Bed and Breakfast Inn also appears in the same two categories! As you will read below, the coincidences and connections do not stop there and I can state with great confidence after working closely not only with them, but also Kris Ross, realtor for Night Swan that they are going to be wonderful new additions to our community!
Bradford Place Inn and Gardens, in Sonora, California, owned by innkeeper Dottie Musser, is the second Bed and Breakfast Inn listed for Sale in our new ‘Bed and Breakfast Inns for Sale’ category and is also found in our Country Inn Category.. This wonderful historic property is in an area of California I am fortunate to be personally familiar with and will take pleasure in sharing with you ~ but first, another coincidence involving one of our members that links with both of our newest members! There are others you will notice later when reading more about them!
One of our English members wrote to say ‘hello’ and to let me know that she, her husband and daughter were taking a six day break to San Francisco, California. Her husband had been there about twenty years ago, but it was the first visit for her and their daughter. As most of you know, in my somewhat nomadic lifestyle, before and after marriage (‘settling down’ has never applied to the life Alan, Morgan and I have lived!) I have spent many years in California and, as you would expect, lived in MANY towns, villages and cities ~ including two wonderful years in San Francisco! So, after a series of wonderful exchanges, I am delighted to report that the three from England were thrilled with my recommendations of favourite sites and locations and decided to divide their time between the city and some of the wonderful towns to the north. Another coincidence: the day they left for California, Kris Ross, the realtor from Florida telephoned to discuss Night Swan’s listings and among the many common experiences and interests we discovered, she mentioned that one of her sons lived just north of San Francisco ~ the city was one of the ‘not to be missed’ seaside villages I had just recommended!
Introducing Our Newest Countryside Connection Village Residents
Chuck and Martha Nighswonger Owner/Innkeepers of Night Swan Intracoastal Bed and Breakfast Inn, in New Smyrna, Florida. Chuck and Martha have owned and operated their bed and breakfast for eighteen years and their fourteen year-old son, Charles, has lived there all of his life.
Built in 1906, Night Swan is located in the historic district New Smyrna Beach, Florida. They are conveniently located between Daytona Beach and The Kennedy Space Center on the east coast of Central Florida. From their 140-foot dock, the beautiful front room, or while sitting on one of their many rocking chairs and swings on the inn’s wrap-around porch, or from the privacy of each guest room their guests can watch the pelicans, dolphins, manatees and other wild birds in their natural habitat. They invite visitors to come and sit and enjoy the calm of sailboats and yachts passing by along the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, a perfect way to unwind from one’s usual hectic pace of life.
A choice of 15 guest rooms all with queen or king beds, all with TV and telephone, air conditioning, and private baths, many with a large whirlpool (Jacuzzi) tub and shower, the perfect setting for weddings and other private functions with their large Meeting Room and extensive amenities Night Swan offers something for everyone.
Deep sea, river and fly fishing are all there to enjoy as are relaxing sunset cruises and sandy beaches. For those enjoying golf, shopping for antiques, visiting art galleries, or a wealth of options for fine dining, this is the perfect spot for you.
On their beautiful website with its breathtaking photos, Chuck and Martha invite you to “Come to our piece of paradise and ‘Catch the Charm’ of New Smyrna Beach” Whether you are considering a lifestyle change and wish to pursue information about the possibility of purchase enabling you to call Night Swan Intracoastal Bed and Breakfast Inn your own home, or going there as a guest, please take time to view their listings and see what delights await you at their inn. To entice you even further, read about their Piece of Paradise in the information below that I gathered from the wealth of sites about this special part of Florida. Enjoy!
New Smyrna Beach Information
New Smyrna Beach occupies a notable place in history as the site of the largest single attempt at colonial settlement in what is now the United States. Dr. Andrew Turnbull, a Scottish physician and entrepreneur, obtained a grant of land from the British Crown. In 1768 he established a colony of 1225 immigrants on the coastal plantations at New Smyrna, with a view toward the commercial production of such crops as corn, indigo, rice, hemp, and cotton.
Few historic buildings in the city date from the late nineteenth century. The majority were constructed between 1900 and 1930. Most of the historic buildings in the city exhibit vernacular designs. Bungalow, Colonial Revival, and Mediterranean Revival were the most common of the high architectural styles applied to residential buildings in New Smyrna Beach during the historic period. Most historic commercial buildings reflect the masonry vernacular designs commonly found throughout the United States in the early twentieth century.
Today, the City of New Smyrna Beach is a community of approximately 21,000 year-round residents characterized by hometown charm, friendly faces and a unique location beside the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway. With a vibrant beachside boutique shopping district, historic Downtown with antiques, and a multitude of parks and amenities, there is something for everyone in New Smyrna Beach.
Located close to other active markets, such as Daytona Beach, Orlando, and Kennedy Space Center, residents and visitors can experience a variety of recreational and business opportunities in and around the City.
After experiencing the hospitality and beauty of New Smyrna Beach, it is easy to see why people say it is truly the ideal place to live and work. Come visit us and "catch the charm".
Our Second New Countryside Connection Village Resident
Dottie Musser, Owner/Innkeeper of Bradford Place Inn and Gardens, in Sonora, California has lived in Sonora and been the proud owner of this historic property since 2000; she was awarded an AAA 3 Diamond Rating in her first few months. A visit to her warm and inviting website immediately lets you know of her love and passion for both Bradford Place Inn and Sonora. Another item of special interest which Dottie and I agreed made her listings on our site and membership in our community an ideal match ~ she purchased her California inn from and English Couple from York!
Bradford Place Inn was built in 1889 as a private home for a Wells Fargo agent and remained so until 1988 when it first opened as a bed and breakfast inn. In March 2000 it was christened Bradford Place Inn and Gardens when Dottie reopened it. There are four guest rooms, ranging from cozy and intimate settings to luxurious and gracious, all have private bathrooms and offer every possible amenity.
Located in the very heart of California’s Gold Country, in the very center of the restored historic downtown area of Sonora, you are surrounded by the cities art galleries, theatres, antique shops and fine dining establishments. In addition to its close proximity to other renowned gold coast towns, the famed Yosemite National Park is less than an hour away, San Francisco is only two hours from Sonora and nearby are State Parks, caves and caverns to explore, more than twenty wineries to visit and enjoy tasting sessions, three championship golf courses, sailing, fishing and so much more!
Meticulous care and attention has been paid to the restoration of this unique property ensuring respect for its heritage and original features, yet all modern conveniences including private climate control systems in every guest room are in place for the comfort of all who stay there. There are beautiful tended gardens with mature trees. A carport and off-street parking accommodate all guests.
Whether you are looking for ‘The California Dream’ as a lifestyle choice and wish to enter the wonderful world of innkeeping, or planning a holiday to remember, visit Bradford Place Inn and Gardens listing in our For Sale or Country Inn Category.
Sonora, California Information
Sonora was historically referred to as the ‘Queen of the Southern Mines’. One of the oldest cities in California, it was settled in 1848 and incorporated on May 1, 1851
This “Gold Rush” community still holds on to its historic charm. With the areas largest Historic Downtown District, shopping is an enjoyable experience; stroll through unique, charming shops and restaurants nestled into buildings of the 1800’s. Downtown is also home to the Central Sierra Arts Council and several art studios featuring the brilliant work of local artists. Known as the regional center for arts and entertainment visitors enjoy live theatre, events and festivals.
In 1986, Sonora was chosen as one of the first “Main Street” cities in the State of California. Working with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the California Main Street program the City Council committed over a quarter of a million dollars in an effort to revitalize the city’s historic downtown. The restoration of the Sonora Opera Hall was a component of this revitalization effort. Elements of the “Main Street” program are now carried on by the Sonora Redevelopment Agency. Sonora can look with great pride to its transformation from a country town to a small, vital city that provides a way of life enjoyed by few other communities. Along with historic buildings the city is home to three museums which give visitors an insight into the way of life in California’s mining towns. The California State Parks of Columbia and Railtown 1897, just a short drive from the city, are also important sites and enable visitors to get a clear understanding of California’s “Mother Lode” experience. Sonora and oColumbia are home to three professional theatres. The Fallon House Theatre, East Sonora Playhouse and Stage 3 offer a year round selection of comedies, dramas and musicals.
A twenty minute drive to north will bring you to an area that is home to twenty different fine wineries. In Sonora, the Muir-Hanna Wine Tasting Room features Napa Valley wines and is located just one block east of Bradford Place. It is owned by the grandchildren of John Muir, the famed naturalist and conservationist.
Exciting News from Member Clare Lock,
plus information & Input from our other Members in the Rural Business Support Category
Clare Lock of AnyAdmin. www.anyadmin.co.uk sent the following emails in March:
Hi Heléne
“Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed the March newsletter and that I really look forward to it arriving in my mailbox each month. I have some breaking news of my own – as you know but most of the people on here don’t I currently still hold down a full time job as well as building my business, well as at 31 March I will be going full time self employed – it’s a scary prospect but one I’m full of excitement about.
I decided that I couldn’t do my business justice if I didn’t take the plunge and really go for it so as of the 1st April I will be able to say my profession is a Virtual Assistant – not a PA with a business on the side!"
Hi Heléne
“Thank you for your congratulations below, much appreciated. You can post the email I sent in its entirety if you like – more than happy for people to read it. A couple of things people might not realise about using a VA is that we are entirely tax deductible so you can steal a march on the taxman and offset our costs against next year’s tax bill - let the tax man pay your admin bill and one service I’ve found to be very popular is creating a database of the business cards people collect at networking events. Most people come home, put the cards in a drawer or card holder and never do anything with them. I’ll take the cards from them, build an excel database for them and then they can use it for a variety of things such as sending out newsletters or mailshots or even email-shots (all of which I’d be happy to help them with). It’s a great way to keep yourself in the forefront of people’s minds when you are not able to network with them.
I’ll definitely keep you updated with how my first and subsequent months go!
Take care and thank you again for your wonderful support”.
Warmest wishes
Clare
Please try and think of even one small job you can have Clare do for you to help launch her full-time Virtual Assistant Career and contact her right away! Remember that Clare can work with you wherever you live in the world – the benefits of modern technology! Many readers with their own small businesses will remember what it is like to ‘take the plunge’ and how grateful we are for those who supported us from the beginning!
Visit Clare’s listing and her website and you are sure to find lots of ways she can help. www.anyadmin.co.uk or send an email to her: clare@anyadmin.co.uk
Congratulations Clare and best wishes for success from ALL of us!
Andy Stone of 24/7 Despatch – National Courier Service another Rural Business Support Member has been in telephone contact several times this month. I am delighted to report that business is growing to the point that Andy has had to purchase another, larger Transport Van to add to his original one, as well as employing another person to assist with fulfilling his growing number of delivery requests.
Andy has asked me to please remind members that when you call to request Courier Service to state that you are a member of Countryside Connection as discounts remain in place for fellow members! Thank you Andy, from all of us, for being such a supportive member!
To contact Andy you can Telephone: 077839 18891 or Send an email to admin@247despatch.co.uk
Carla Boulton of Naughty Mutt Limited www.naughtymutt.com has been in contact several times this month to honour her promise to share information about her combined business & pleasure trip to Paris mentioned in last month’s newsletter as well as her thoughtful notes to check in and say ‘hello’ which are always a joy to receive. We often tend to keep the same late hours so our midnight exchanges are especially interesting and often the perfect break needed before bedtime.
Here is an excerpt from one that shares the trip she so clearly enjoyed:
Hi Heléne,
“. . .Paris was fantastic, lots of modern art and lots of ideas for new
work I can be getting on with. Spent hours wandering with a friend
through exclusive galleries, punctuating the walk with lots of
coffee and people-watching! My friend is also a client who I work
for once a year designing a catalogue of his paintings, spending
time with him serves a dual purpose, imbibing art and also getting
into his head about what he's up to at the moment and how his work
is going so that I have ideas for our next project and which I can
bring to other clients' work too. . .
My friend Mario has an apartment in Paris and lives in Suffolk in the
UK, in fact he lives with and cares for a Canadian national treasure
the 90 yr old artist Joe Plaskett - a wonderful inspirational man
(Google him, his art is amazing and I am privileged to know him)
Anyway, as you say winding down is due and bed is calling!”
Carla
Added Note: I did Google Artist, Joe Plaskett as Carla suggested and thoroughly enjoyed his fascinating artwork and life experiences AND, yet again, another coincidence for this month – he lived and worked in San Francisco for a period of time! Sorry, Carla, if I haven’t found time to write separately to let you know this! Thank you for all the wonderful emails!
Martin Kay of Martin Kay Web Designs http://kaywebs.co.uk is the final member in this category and mentioning him is DEFINITELY a case when the statement ‘last but not least’ certainly applies. Martin is one of those delightful, generous people who are always looking for ways to help others! When I told him I was writing about The Rural Business Support category in this month’s newsletter and wondered if he had anything he wished to share, we exchanged some personal details about our current family involvements, etc. and then he suggested that what he could do was offer some helpful suggestions for our many accommodation members (Martin has designed and hosts a wealth of diverse websites ranging from extremely large corporations to tiny, start-up companies and numerous Bed and Breakfasts) and as a B&B Owner/Innkeeper himself (he and his wife, Andrea, are listed in the Country Inn Category with their licensed B&B Bay Rose House in Cheddar, Somerset knows exactly what helps to bring your property to the attention of potential guests.
Important Note to all Members ~ See Networking Feature in Our Members’ Newsletter: Martin's suggestions for improving website visibility on Google and other search engines are definitely not limited to accommodation providers. You will all find his input invaluable and I suggest you read his article thoroughly as you will discover some excellent ideas to increase your website's profile. Thank you Martin for taking so much time from your busy schedule to help all of us and for sharing your expertise!
March email from Debbie Bamford ‘The Mulberry Dyer’ www.mulberrydyer.co.uk
“I would just like to say how much I enjoy reading the newsletters and seeing what other people are doing. It’s a great idea to have this sort of community!”
Important Networking News From Another Member
Sue Keates Member/Manager of The Whitby Bookshop (a favourite of mine for so many years!) was so enthusiastic when I contacted her to see if she might have an interest in hosting a book signing for our member Linda Moss whose latest book, Organic Places to Stay in the UK
was introduced in last month’s March Issue of our newsletter. Linda, received the news with equal delight ~ I LOVE the way Countryside Connection members revel in the opportunity to support the efforts and offerings of all of our other members ! Sue is a perfect example!
A book signing was definitely of interest to Sue and her staff and she asked me to immediately tell Linda of her enthusiasm before making direct contact with her at a convenient time. However, while keeping Linda and the opportunity to provide her with another way to present and share the second edition of her wonderful book with others in the forefront of her mind, Sue was not satisfied with simply stopping there. She went on to discuss some of the other thoughts and suggestions she had presented to her staff ~ a chance for a special event that would highlight Organic Suppliers represented in the book, Countryside Connection and locally in Whitby.
As Sue pointed out, although it is a book signing we are talking about and not a market, if Linda was interested we could create a real event! The Whitby Bookshop has a special arrangement with a larger public venue that can be used when the bookshop is too small to accommodate an event. The three of us have been discussing this for a future date as Linda is about to become a grandmother again (I haven't heard from her in the last two days so the baby may already have arrived ~ the last I heard the baby was late and seemed to be taking its time!) and understandably wants to be fully available for her daughter who is already the mother of a two year old.
******So, a great opportunity for those members who have organic offerings, farm and artisan producers, accommodation providers . . . please let me know if you are interested in being represented ( I will keep you informed as plans progress and the date will be provided as soon as one has been set ).
Note to Members : It would not be necessary for you to be physically present to be involved as I will be attending and there will be others willing to assist with distributing samples of your organic products, displaying your brochures, etc.
Other Networking News & Updates – Isobel Davies ‘Izzy Lane’ and Penny ‘Penny Lindop Designs’ update, plus news from Debbie Bamford, ‘The Mulberry Dyer’
Isobel Davies of ‘Izzy Lane’ who is still overwhelmed with ongoing work as a result of her successful showing at London Fashion Week (link to our February Issue for photo and information about the showing) and Artist, Penny Lindop of Penny Lindop Designs who is coping with renovations which have moved her out into her cabin at the bottom of her garden as she struggles to fulfil all the new orders from recent trade shows as well as ongoing new ones have been in contact.
She and Isobel are definitely going to pursue their exciting networking shared in the same February Issue but are going to get on top of current issues before they begin. The idea of wool from Isobel’s Sanctuary Sheep being used for Penny’s Cards and her creation of special cards to accompany Isobel’s clothing fills me with joy!
Also when time permits, Debbie Bamford ‘The Mulberry Dyer’ and Isobel are going to be discussing Organic Dying and ways they might be able to work together.
News From Cally Smart at Country Gate –Home Finders www.countrygate.co.uk
Note to new viewers of our newsletter - Cally is a brilliant example of the wealth of talents and diverse interests our members possess. Read her latest email below and you will see what I mean! I would also urge you all to visit her blog which is filled with extremely helpful information and the added bonus of Cally's delightful writing style. Be sure and leave a comment and share your ideas and experiences.
Cally's blog is found www.countrygate-blog.co.uk
“Hi Heléne and thanks for your kind comments. I have been so busy since my last contact but I so much enjoy catching up with what's happening with other members of the community and admit to being rather envious of trips abroad.
Life at Easter Cottage has taken on an even more hectic quality than usual . We have recently taken on an allotment and have been clearing it in preparation for Spring planting. The children are busy decorating eggs for egg rolling and decorating competitions at school. I have struggled a little to assist my four year old daughter with her desire to turn her egg into a mermaid - but it's amazing what can be achieved with felt and bubble wrap. I am also producing an open-air Shakespeare performance (of The Merry Wives of Windsor) in the local National Trust gardens in June.
On the business front 'Make Do and Mend' does seem to have become fashionable with several articles on this theme in the lifestyle magazines lately. The entries for my competition included one lovely story of discovering a whole basement quite by accident and converting it into a teenage den.
I have just taken on a new client and am busy hunting for properties with potential. The early stages of any property search are fascinating for me - and more about relationship counselling than buildings as I attempt to discover what is driving the move, whose opinion will carry the day and where compromises are going to be made.
Never one for the hard sell I have indulged in a spot of low key marketing by agreeing to write a regular property advice column for a local magazine. The first entitled 'Time to give your Home an MOT' was no surprise to anyone familiar to my blog where maintenance is my mantra.
Last week I was interviewed live on Radio Wiltshire about the £12.5 million allocated in the budget to support female entrepreneurs. It was a highly enjoyable experience after I had persuaded my three children to stay in their bedrooms listening in and consuming copious amounts of post- breakfast goodies. The interviewer was keen to know about how the government could best help women overcome their fears about setting up in business...which brings me neatly onto some points in answer to Penny's comments...
(Note to Members : You will find Cally’s networking ideas along with those from other members in the Networking Feature in Your Members’ Newsletter.)
Cally wrote again: "Just to update you re: my blog. I was having a few problems with the blog site so my web lady has transferred to another blog provider (If that's the right word). It can be accessed directly on www.countrygate-blog.co.uk or through the site. To leave comments you have to register (username and email address) and a password will be emailed through to you. Future comments just need a login (username and password) but you can ask to be remembered the first time you use it. It's for security.”
Thanks, Cally
Warmest ‘Get Well Wishes’ to Maine member, Artist, Linda Leonard Hughes who is recovering from knee surgery! Having been through this several times in the past, my card and notes to Linda were filled not only with good wishes for a speedy recovery but warnings about the ice and snow still on the ground in many parts of Maine. The weather at the beginning of April is rainy, but having ‘enjoyed’ unexpected snowfalls and the loss of newly planted flowers and herbs further south in Vermont as late as May, I know they are not ready to accept the end of winter as yet!
As we come to the end of this month’s newsletter with its introduction of our newest members, another category and a wealth of news from our members, I want close with gratitude for the past year and all that you have done to enhance my life and that of our growing community.
I know that all members would want me to thank those who have shopped, dined, studied or stayed with them as guests. We are all delighted to have you visit our site and enjoy the wealth of diverse offerings our members have for you. Please continue to return and know that you will always be welcome!
With my best regards and those from all 'residents of Countryside Connection Village', Heléne