Little House in the Big Woods

DH and I finally got away for the weekend to celebrate our anniversary and his birthday. I had mentioned finding this Bed and Breakfast which was only a couple of hours from our house. It sounded really terrific on the Internet (and you know everything on the Internet is true!). What really interested me was the fact that it was a "farm to table" Bed and Breakfast and had been named one of the top ten culinary experiences by some Bed and Breakfast authority! (??)

"Set on the banks of 2 creeks and surrounded by pecan trees, this upscale bed-and-breakfast is 4.7 miles from Muenster. Elegant rooms and suites, some with antique furnishings, feature free WiFi and in-room breakfast made with food grown on the property, plus iPod docks, TVs, DVD players, minifridges and coffeemakers. Some have private gardens or patios. Cottages add private decks with hot tubs. There's a spa with a sauna and an exercise room. Other amenities include an outdoor pool, a hot tub, hammocks and a giant chess set. Free snacks are served each night in the library. Gourmet dining is available at an extra cost." (as described on their website)

We found it to be as nice as described, and the hospitality the best of any bed and breakfast we have experienced. 

So here is the entry to this wonderful B & B!

As you drive up the hill

You pass by a small herd of goats.

All the cheese served at the house are homemade from the goats' 

and cows' milk. We didn't get to see the cows.

Chickens provide fresh eggs for breakfast and baking, and ...

ahem, uh, so sad, my chicken dinner!

The chickens are free range, but kept in the coop at night

to protect them from predators.

A view of our little cabin through the trees

Loved all the stained glass windows.

According to Brad and Marcia, the owners, they

spent several months traveling all over Europe to find

special touches for their home and the cottages on the property to

make it as authentic as possible to a European manor house.

The interior of our cabin was sweet, but the interior

to the manor house was amazing!

Yes, it was a tiny little storybook type cottage decorated with all kinds of interesting things. A tree in the middle of the room (holding the beam for the ceiling??) My fear was that in my many trips up during the night I might run into it, but never once did that happen. We had a deck and hot tub outside our back door.

The pool was nice to sit around, but it was a bit chilly for swimming.

Sunshine in the morning.

Waiting for breakfast to arrive.

Finally!

The breakfasts were so delicious, a special egg casserole and apple strudel the first morning, quiche with German sausage and a very moist coffee cake the next morning, always served up with fresh fruit, orange juice and coffee!

Hors d'oeuvres, wine and homemade cheeses, served with a variety of homemade breads. They grow everything on their farm and even grind the wheat for the bread! (Only the kiwi came from the market.)

For dinner

Southern Slow Roasted Pinot Noir Savory Brisket, 

Free Range Lemon Herb Rotisserie Chicken, 

Roasted Vegetables, kale salad and for dessert, a mixed berry pie with a tender and flaky crust.

All the vegetables, herbs, berries, nuts are grown on the property.

Sweet little baby goats. Love watching them play.

The front of the big house at Elm Creek Manor

A view of the big house from our cabin.

The back patio and deck

This unusual gazebo came from Europe

So relaxing to sit on the front porch rockers just enjoying the sunshine and view of the grounds

 

We went for a drive on Saturday to visit one of the local vineyards, Blue Ostrich

 This is a picture of a portion of the vineyard.

You can see the ostrich on the left side. It

appears that he is burying his head in the sand!

There were so many floods earlier this year in North Texas and since that time, it's been dry as a bone. Texas isn't known for Fall color and this is as much as we saw on the drive around the Muenster area. 

All in all, our time this weekend was very relaxing. We talked, rested, read, sampled a few wines, enjoyed the company of the other people at the B & B and ate a lot of very good food!

While we were there, I did a little of my BSF homework. As it turned out, a woman there with her three lovely daughters were also BSFers! We had a very nice visit together. It's a small world, and always good when you travel to meet up with friendly and kindred spirits!