Summer is in full swing at Bedford Landings Bed & Breakfast:Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia! Running a Bed and Breakfast is busy work, but we are also trying to be contributing members of the community. So, we have been involved in many of the extra special events planned for this summer, which is a celebration of the 50 years that this lake has been in existence.

Smith Mountain Lake became full pond in 1966 (on Karen’s birthday actually March 7^th! And yes, she is a little older than the lake!). The events that are planned for this year are happening almost faster than we can keep up! We have attended a Photo exhibition, an author signing (Sharyn McCrumb), the New Crusty Minstrels sing-along performance, a Caribbean night featuring Jane Powell, a jazz singer; The Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, complete with a special composition by Maestro David Stewart Wiley; and a Sunday afternoon festival at the Virginia Dare.

Lending leadership to a few events, we helped host a Wings and Wheels fly-in at the SML airport. It seemed like a fun time for those who attended except those who showed up right as a storm was rolling in. We had to close down 15 minutes early. Classic cars and antique planes don’t like wind, mud and heavy rain!

Since February, we have been giving leadership to recruiting/hiring a director, and recruiting singers to prepare for the Lakeside Singer’s Wake the Mountains, Rock the Shores concert. Under the (new) direction of Josh O’Dell, and with 60 voices strong, we practiced weekly for five months before the concert. We heard raving reviews of this being among the very best concerts they have heard the Lakeside Singers give! Dressed in “Lake-type Colors,” we crafted a program full of music about water and lake life. It was great fun for those of us singing too!

 

All the while we are leading and planning these events, we are still hosting guests at the B & B, getting up early to prepare breakfast, waiting on guests to check-in and washing and folding sheets and towels. One couple we hosted were travel bloggers and we appreciate their blog about the B & B as well as the Air Tours business. They were here on the day we had the Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting for Bedford Landings Air Tours. (Video)

We took off one weekend to fly to Indianapolis to attend the 100^th running of the Indianapolis 500 race. Jack joined his brothers in a traditional family event and we donned ear plugs to experience the decibels of the race while enjoying the hot sunny day complete with balloon lifts, flags, traditional singing and celebration. Rookie, Alexander Rossi, won the race, “drank the milk” and kissed the bricks after his victory. While at the race, Karen’s sister and husband watched over Bedford Landings, serving our famous pecan-encrusted bacon and making everyone happy on Memorial Day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, summer is in full swing, and we are enjoying every minute of our life here at Smith Mountain Lake and running our B & B. The gardens at Bedford Landings are improving.

I must thank my high school friend, Agnes, for the work she has done to help me get many of these plants established. She came for a very quick visit to see what had grown since last fall, so I took her out for a ride on the jet-ski. It didn’t scare her a bit, especially since is used to having the wind in her face.

 

The birds and the bees love our house. The Carpenter Bees love to bore holes. I go around plugging them with bits of cork! Mud daubers think they have found a special spot, wasps are building under deck boards. It’s a full time job keeping up with nature! The birds think we have built them a large birdhouse. Baby birds in my hanging ferns, mama birds have built more than one nest on the ledge of the porch timbers and Mama Dove finally hatched two babies on the star gazing deck.

The fields nearby have been mowed and baled and the sunsets are a time you just can’t help but snap a photo. Each one is just an incredible gift!

These are fun and busy times and we live in an amazing place. It is a little piece of paradise at Smith Mountain Lake.

I must admit that turning on the television, hearing the news of terrorism, the sadness of Orlando families, and the political rhetoric being tossed around all distress me. We continue to offer prayers and surround ourselves with the happiness of the good people who have chosen a life at Smith Mountain Lake. It is a jewel in the crown of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

There are more things to celebrate and take part in this summer! Jack has a mental picture of what he will build for the cardboard boat regatta. We await excitedly for the time when we can get over 600 people to float as part of the Guinness Book of records for the most number of people floating on inflatables on a lake at one time. and we hope to go to a couple of the Sunset Saturdays at Hickory Hill Winery!

Plan your visit soon! We are filling up fast for weekends. Many weekdays still available.  We welcome you to Bedford Landings: Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia! We will try to make you feel right at home!

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