Bed & Breakfast in Estes Park, Colorado

Photo I took and enhanced as a gift to Ron and Judy.

Ron and Judy renewed their 45 year marriage vows at the base of Lumpy Ridge and Twin Owls rock out-cropping. Eric officiated the ceremony while I took photos.

Ron and Judy are two great people we came to know first as a tired corn farmer-guest, than as a couple…I became a house guest of theirs, later as summer residents, and now we were honored with being apart of their 45th wedding anniversary. Life grand.

Hiking to the ceremony location was fun, but tense for me. I knew as a photographer what I believed would turn out the best, but I din not want to the responsibility of creating the wrong environment for Ron and Judy. If I had it my way I would march people into place. Eric tells me to take charge, than over rides my charge. There is something to be said for not making a hobby into a profession. It became a profession for me a few years ago--and miss the love having it as a hobby.

This morning at breakfast our guest Joan spotted ma and pa blue bird outside the breakfast window. I had brought my camera out earlier in the morning, bless my lucky shutter.

Todd and Joan were kind enough to let me take a picture of them while they consumed a strawberry and banana breakfast parfait.

An fellow innkeeper, Gary Mansfield of Romantic Riversong, had suggested I take this shot.  He and I had an early morning meeting at this table a few weeks prior.

Tea parties at Gilded Pine Meadows B&B are always an adventure for us. We spend about 2 hours setting up the room and setting the tables. I spend 4 or more hours prepping and cooking.

We hold about a dozen or so a year. As per request we’ve had birthday parties, employee parties and lady’s clubs. This however was the first time we accommodated a Grey hound…

BUS! The view from the front porch

The view outside our parlor window.

The parties last 2 or 3 hours.

Eric with ladies. The ladies invited Maggie in at end of party.

Ladies, scones, tea and…bus! Farewell tea ladies!

This party was for 21 ladies which is our max. After the party it takes us two or more hours to clean and reorganize the home. We first sit, eat scones and clotted cream, and guzzle iced water.

Guest often times ask us if our home is smoke free. We made a choice years ago to provide a healthy environment for all our guests to enjoy ♥

It’s beautiful this morning! Great way for our guests to remember Estes Park. They found a new home and are closing on the sale of old home in Long Island, New York over the next month.

I’m going now to cook up a Mexican breakfast of black beans, queso fresca with scrambled eggs, skillet potatoes cooked with scallions and tomato. I’ll put avocado on the side with sour cream. Yummy. I started the beans at 5:30 this morning, and baked homemade gluten-free bread last night.

We always ask our guest for their diet preference.

The top photo shows Maggie looking out the parlor window on April 6th. As you can see, April 7ths view out the parlor window shows about 3 inches of snow covering our guest’s car. This picture was taken just before breakfast. It will make our guest’s house shopping a little more eventful.