Prez. Hall Art & Travel Auction a Success

Conversation at Winslow’s

I met Tracey Barry Hunt, owner of Winslow’s Tavern,

in the bar of her Main Street restaurant for a chat about my new ebook on the trendy little Cape Cod town where we both choose to live: Wellfleet, Massachusetts. We have something else in common: Vassar College. Tracey is Class of 1994. I graduated in 1969, a whole quarter of a century earlier. Sven and I enjoy dining at Winslow’s where Tracey’s chef/husband Philip Hunt serves up fine cuisine and excellent wine from his native country, South Africa. The walls upstairs are covered with enlargements of old postcards and etchings of Wellfleet. The bar makes the perfect setting for our conversation.

TRACEY: What surprised you the most in doing research for the ebook?

ALEXANDRA: The early history. The fact that what we consider the center of town only dates from the mid-19th century. That there were homes on Bound Brook and Chequessett Neck first. That the Native Americans were moved to Indian Neck. I also didn’t know Champlain came here before the Pilgrims, so I learned a lot about Wellfleet. Imagine what Main Street was back then, an ordinary country road.

TRACEY: That’s why I love the postcards.

This is turn of the century. I think of Bob Finch’s description of his daughter, another Vassar grad, my dear friend Katie. It’s pretty amazing to live in a place where history is ever-present. The buildings have not changed in 100 years.

ALEXANDRA: Pretty incredible!

TRACEY: Did writing the ebook make you see Wellfleet differently?

ALEXANDRA: I’m a member of the Economic Development Committee. That experience made me realize a town full of non-residents is foolhardy. We need young children to keep our elementary school going. Schoolteachers should be able to afford to live here. I’ve started worrying about the lack of housing for low-income families, during the recession. Wish I had the time to look for solutions.

TRACEY: I know. I have a waitress here. She’s 36, with two small kids. Her husband works at Cape Associates. They couldn’t afford to stay where they were living for the summer and moved in with her mom at Harborside. That’s how they’re able to be here. It all boils down to housing.

ALEXANDRA: I touch on that in the ebook. There’s even a photo of a Harborside trailer.

TRACEY: We have to think outside the box. We can’t just bring tourists here. The data storage and tech industries are exploding. Those people can work anywhere. I have a graphic designer who bartends in summer. He chooses to live in Wellfleet, in part because he spent summers here as a child.

ALEXANDRA: In writing my blog, I was struck by how many people remember summers in Wellfleet fondly. Wellfleet still means so much to them. That’s one of the things I wanted to explain.

TRACY: There are advantages for young families here, you know? The schools are amazing. Recreation, safety, natural resources, all are unbeatable. I love the fact that my six-year-old can walk down Main Street and I won’t be terrified … What made you decide to write an ebook?

ALEXANDRA: It was born out of my blog. I originally started the blog as promotion for the B&B but soon it morphed into something more.

TRACEY: Having a point of view and selling it is a hallmark of being a Wellfleetian.

ALEXANDRA: Especially because we’re green. I have all B&B guests fill in a registration form. One of the questions asks how important it is that we’re green. The second is about eating organic. That leads to conversations. As time passed, I became more passionate as I educated myself. I often share what I’ve learned over breakfast, if guests are open to it. And, I give them a copy of Our Stolen Future, by Theo Colborn, the expert on endocrine disruption.

TRACEY: Wellfleet inspires a fierce passion, doesn’t it? I see the cycle of nature ever- present here. I see your eBook as an extension of that. You share information with people.

ALEXANDRA: And my love for this town.

TRACEY: It’s a politically-conscious little town, isn’t it? Why did you decide to donate some of the proceeds to the Food Pantry? Why is that important to you?

ALEXANDRA: You see the boxes at the library and the bank.

It’s hard to realize neighbors go hungry. Last winter 40% of the residents were unemployed. I wanted to do something, so I decided to give 75% of what I earn with this eBook to the Wellfleet Food Pantry. The other 25% will go to my son so he can buy more organic produce for his children. Does Winslow’s have a freezer?

TRACEY: We do. There are nights we have leftovers. We could freeze tomato sauce when there’s excess. Give it to the Food Pantry.

ALEXANDRA: In France they had Les Restaus du Coeur, started by an entertainer named Coluche. The idea was that no one should go hungry.

TRACEY: I could help support the potluck dinners at Preservation Hall in winter.

ALEXANDRA: It can all come together. I’m hoping the ebook will inspire people that way.

TRACEY: What’s the first thing you do when you get back here after being away?

ALEXANDRA: Sven and I like to walk through the woods to Dyer Pond. Getting closer to nature resets everything ...

New Reviews Praise Ebook

Today I have two great reviews to share, as well as a guest post at Smarter Travel and an interview on Huffington Post... Patricia Borns suggests my ebook as "Wellfleet Summer Reading" on Boston.com's Globe-Trotting. Popular blogger Donna Hull, who writes My Itchy Travel Feet, The Baby Boomer's Guide to Travel, recommends "Learning About Wellfleet from a Local." My ebook on Wellfleet is also mentioned in an interview I did with Irene Levine for Huffington Post. Finally, I was asked to write a guest post for Smarter Travel. Check out, "Yes, You Can Do Cape Cod on a Budget." If you are on Facebook and have not yet LIKEd the ebook, please do so. And, spread the word. Every little bit helps ... Soon I will let you know how many copies we have sold, and how that breaks down. If you have not yet purchased the ebook, please do so through my author's site, which allows more of the proceeds to go to the Wellfleet Food Pantry (rather than Amazon). Thank you!

Jim Holland Shows at Left Bank Gallery

Our guests reported lots of folks strolling through the village Saturday night, due to the numerous art openings, including new work by Jim Holland at Left Bank Gallery. Or, was that opening a week ago already??? There is so much going on this July that it's hard to keep track of everything. The second half of the month brings new plays at WHAT and Harbor Stage, rave reviews for Payomet's Midsummer Night's Dream in Truro, a party at Castle Hill July 14th. Lots of cool events from the library, including 2012 Distinguished Speaker Jhumpa Lahiri on Thursday, July 19th, at 7:30, at the Congregational Church. Next weekend brings the annual Preservation Hall Fine Art & Travel Auction. (One of the prizes is a three-night stay at Chez Sven for Oysterfest.)

Which of these events/activities have you put on your calendar?

Hot Days in Wellfleet

It's hot. It's way too hot. We should not complain, because other parts of the country are suffering under three-digit temps. Check out the line to use the restroom at the back of town hall. Maybe these people wanted to splash water in the face, and that would have been a good idea. The heat is getting to us all. Today someone yelled curse words at me in the parking lot at Stop & Shop. He was backing up his car and wanted me off the spot he was backing into. I was taking a short cut towards the store. How was I to know he intended to back up? This week I encountered one very unpleasant person on the phone, and another online, protesting that we should do one night. We do not do one night usually, and especially when it gets this hot. Sven beats the heat by taking outdoor showers. I sit in my air-conditioned office. I grew up in Washington, DC, where we had hot, humid days every summer. Not 105 degrees, though, a temperature last week in DC. Do you believe the climate has changed? How do you beat the heat?

Banner Year for Cape Cod Bugs, Beetles, Etc.

It's a buggy summer, no doubt due to the mild winter we all experienced here in New England. Yesterday our cottage guests called us over to see the baby spiders that had been born overnight. They rimmed the space between the wall and the ceiling. Hundreds of them. The guests were from the city. "I hate spiders," the woman declared with a shudder. Can't say as I'm too fond of spiders either, but I vacuumed them up. Still, we must expect critters here in the woods: ticks, spiders, flies, water beetles, gnats. The only insect that seems scarce so far is the mosquito. (In the past, my parents would use chemical bombs to kill the insects inside the cottage. Now we all know better: chemical residue all over the floors and furniture is worse than a few spider bites.) Guests have reported that there are lots of green-headed flies at the ocean beaches. I haven't experienced the flies myself, since I have not yet been to the beach. And, last week, my blog received this comment: "Can someone tell me what those TINY little pesty insects are on Cape Cod National Seashore beaches? They nip, but don't leave any marks. They tend to be around the dunes, not near the ocean, and when the wind kicks up, they are non-existant. How can we keep them at bay? After driving two hours to get to Coast Guard Beach, it's a downer to be pestered by them." What do you think this person is describing?

When Chez Sven Becomes Networking Central

We are always happy to have return green guests, like Rosemary and Jeff, at Chez Sven for the fourth time, or Al and Betty who left yesterday morning, and have been coming as many years to kayak. It's nice to have the opportunity to catch up on what's been going on in their lives. Jeff is the manager at Za, a restaurant in Arlington, where I hope to spend some evenings this fall since my younger daughter now lives four blocks away. I wondered if Jeff knew about Real Pickles? Now, I didn't myself, before Dan and Addie came to visit, on the recommendation of friends, for their honeymoon. When I realized they own and run an organic pickle company, I immediately contacted Elspeth Hay, who writes Diary of a Locavore and organized for her to interview them at the farmers' market here in Wellfleet.

Her post yesterday was on real pickles, but she left out the part about my tip and didn't take their photo. Dan and Addie were a darling couple, so that's a shame. When Jeff and Rosemary arrived, I asked whether they had heard of "Real Pickles." Jeff said that Za does some of its own pickling. He had never heard about Real Pickles, no, but likes the fact that they local-source their product from the farms of friends, and will definitely check them out. Networking central, over and out.

Wellfleet's Harbor Stage Delivers

Yesterday Sven and I finally got to see Hedda Gabler at Wellfleet’s Harbor Stage. Going out at night is a big deal for busy innkeepers. It’s rare we do anything in the evening these days. But Wellfleet has a new theater, which I mention in my ebook Wellfleet, An Insider's Guide to Cape Cod's Trendiest Town. I was elated to attend my first Harbor Stage play and celebrated by putting on a long black dress.

“We visited Ibsen’s house in Norway, remember?” Sven said as I wrapped my polka-dot scarf around my neck. “You were angry, because it was closed.”

That was when I remembered, a beautiful manor house, shaped like a U. It was raining. Henrik Ibsen had lived there.

His play, singled out by the Harbor Stage Company as its first production, was an interesting choice, albeit not an easy one. Written in 1890, Hedda Gabler is Ibsen’s most performed play. There was a definite lightness to the Harbor Stage production, despite the intensity of the controlled emotions expressed by Brenda Withers in the main role. The costumes and set were amazing. The acting, top-notch throughout.

“When you put it into context, it's the ideas of that time.” Sven said afterwards. “The genius who was above everyone else but slightly coo-coo, in comparison with the rest of society.” He was referring to Ejlert Løvborg whose manuscript Hedda burns. Løvborg was played by Robert Kropf, who also directed.

The character that drew my attention was neurotic Hedda herself, the strong-willed woman who wants to live her life without the restrictions society imposes, but does not quite dare do so. Wikipedia says this role is regarded as “one of the most challenging and rewarding for an actress even in the present day.” Fingers twitching, Brenda Withers pulled it off. She became Hedda for me. Jonathan Fielding was also excellent as her husband. (The two actors stopped by Chez Sven a month ago, remember?)

Afterwards, Amanda Collins came on stage to invite the audience to attend the two other plays of the season. She mentioned that the ticket price was intentionally low – $20 – because the troop wants theater to remain accessible. The woman sitting next to me whispered that the last four performances of Hedda Gabler are already sold out. When we arrived, there were a dozen people in the foyer, hoping for seats. Word has gotten around about the quality of the production. This is success. Congratulations to the courageous actors of Harbor Stage. Good job!

Have you been to see Hedda Gabler? Did you enjoy the show?

7/15 Update: Check out another rave review for Harbor Stage in the Boston Globe.

Wellfleet on Dwellable

What's On The Bookshelf?

Breasts, A Natural and Unnatural History is an important book. Florence Williams answers all the questions you might have had about breasts and many you could never have imagined. What woman doesn’t have a friend or family member who has gotten breast cancer? One out of eight women in the United States will get the disease during her lifetime. Breast cancer declares itself at a far younger age than for previous generations, as the 2009 documentary Toxic Breast reported. And, Barnstable County has a 20% higher rate, compared to the rest of Massachusetts. But this is a book for every woman … and man. There is even a chapter about Camp LeJeune where marines drank polluted water and developed breast cancer. Williams also investigates early puberty in girls and how it may affect them as women. I especially enjoyed Chapter 6 on, as the author switched from the past to the present and future, reporting on the latest theories and possible causes of breast cancer. I learned that young women who nurse a baby are protected by pregnancy hormones, while women, who choose to bear babies later in life, run a higher risk, and that a new 3D detection test is under development. I met biologists like David Newburg, who studies breast milk in an attempt to duplicate some of the benefits, “the Nutrasweet for the survival set, the mysterious stuff of breast purified into a paper packet.”

I was pleased to have the author confirm my theory on the danger toxic chemicals in the environment pose to human health and shared her dismay that government agencies are not doing more to protect us. “Perhaps it’s time, say many activists, to look deeper into chemical exposures, especially since damning evidence in animals and in occupational studies is slowly mounting,” writes Williams. If you suspected many breast cancers are environmental in origin, here is confirmation. Give this book to every woman you care about. The author’s extensive research may cause them to make some lifestyle changes.

Have you read this book? Did I make you want to read it? What are you reading right now? Do you follow Summer Booklist recommendations or choose books yourself?

Sharks No Longer Rare? Swimmers Beware

These cute little guys make an appearance in my new ebook. They are swimming off Wellfleet, as well as Chatham and Orleans. Again this year great white sharks are in pursuit. Not many people swim in the ocean in July, since it is so cold. Should you venture into the water, or even be kayaking, as our current Green Room guests are, beware of the great whites. A man in Orleans did not take the threat seriously. Read what happened on Boston.com. There is also a comprehensive report on CNN ...

What Is this Wellfleet-Beach Find?

I found this ________ (fill in the blank) during my walk on Lieutenant's Island with Alice last week. Can any of you smart nature-loving, beach-walking veterans of Wellfleet tell me what it is?

Fleet Moves Moves Wellfleet

What? You weren't up at dawn to see Fleet Moves at White Crest? A lot of people were, including your favorite blog reporter. The performance started in the far parking lot and continued, using all props available, until dancers faced the rising sun and even entered the ocean. (See photos below)

Yesterday evening Wellfleet learned that the Fleet Moves troop will probably stage a second dance festival here in 2013, good news, because the energy generated was marvelous for the town. Anyone who saw these dancers leaping through the air during the Fourth of July parade understand what I mean.

They performed a number of scheduled and unscheduled dances, showing off different locations. In this photo, Janet Lesniak welcomes the dancers to Preservation Hall last night. With Janet, stand Wellfleet's Sky Freyss-Cole and her friends Katie Schetlick and Zena Bieber. The Main Stage performance drew thunderous applause after each act. The show was sold out, and fifty people, trying to buy tickets, were turned away during the afternoon.

Chez Sven was one of the sponsors. We even opened our home to two of the dancers, Anne Zuerner and Rishauna Zumberg, who must have logged an incredible number of miles in walking between venues, Chez Sven, and the Holbrook Avenue watering hole chosen by organizers Katie and Zena.

I felt sad to say goodbye to my houseguests. Anne, on the left, choreographed the second dance at last night's show. I admitted during intermission that I had not understood its full meaning but enjoyed watching all the same: the emotions came through loud and clear. The festival continues all day. Tonight there will be a final free dance party for everyone at Prez. Hall. Get your dancing shoes on ….

Fleet Moves' Walk to Dyer Pond Jolts Senses

Performance Art Comes to Wellfleet

It is so exciting to have performance art happening in Wellfleet.

Check out what took place next to Farm, at the Left Bank Gallery, or rather, the side wall of the Left Bank Gallery, in the first of a number of the "secret location" dances staged by Fleet Moves. "Slow Falls" was choreographed by Abigail Levine. A lot of pedestrians on Commercial Street yesterday, what with the excellent weather, and they all stopped to watch. What in the world were those women doing? I spoke with Anne Freyss who commented that the stark silence and slow movement outside was quite a contrast to what was happening inside the gallery, where guests were drinking wine and popping appetizers into their mouth while chatting with strangers and admiring the "In Our Wake" exhibit, but perhaps that was the point? Watch for clues posted around town for the Fleet Moves scheduled happenings over the next three days.

Another Letter Published by Cape Cod Times

"This week another banner went up on Wellfleet’s Long Pond Road bridge. The banner reads 'Thanks NStar for not spraying Cape Cod.' At the tourism roundtable in Provincetown, I asked Governor Deval Patrick for his support regarding NStar’s plan to spray herbicides under the power lines. Rep. Sarah Peake, sitting at his side, explained the situation to the Governor. I learned that a pilot project is in place for Cape Cod. For the moment we do not need to worry about our sole-source aquifer’s becoming contaminated with toxic chemicals. Our drinking water is still safe to drink. Rep. Peake explained that she and Senator Dan Wolf are waiting for the smoke to clear following NStar’s merger with Northeast Utilities. I want to thank NStar for its willingness to push 'pause.' I hope the utility company’s next move will be to hit 'stop.'

Wellfleet, for the Fourth of July? You Betcha!

Happy Fourth of July!! Everyone in town tomorrow will notice the beautiful posters for my eBook that have blossomed on doorways and windows. Above, Hatch's produce stand. And, below, a shot of the window at Hatch's fish store.

I plan to march in the Wellfleet parade, so please say hi if you see me. Feel free to shout at the top of your lungs, “Love your blog!” I have had two invitations: march with Cape Cool or the Recycling Commission. You can’t miss me. I plan to wear the cover of my eBook.

Usually I report on the parade. I love the parade. But, not today. Marching means the impossibility of shooting photos of the floats as they pass by.

I decided, in today’s post, to mention some changes that are coming to this blog. First off, we are moving. Not me and Sven. The blog will be moving, archives and all. My brilliant techie son has created a separate site for Wellfleet Today. It may take his less brilliant mom time to figure out how to post, and I hope you will be patient with me.

Remember how I asked everyone who follows to recruit ten people to buy Wellfleet, An Insider’s Guide to Cape Cod’s Trendiest Town? There will be ample opportunity with the crowds of July and August around to find potential readers. Anytime you see someone with an e-reader, tell him or her about this wonderful new book that has won raves on Amazon. Well, you don’t have to say that, but something to that effect. And tell them to buy it from my author’s site.

I actually did exactly what I just described today, in front of Karol Richardson. A woman sat on the step, with her Kindle open. When I told her about the eBook, that it cost only $2.99 and that 75% of the proceeds were going to the Food Pantry, she immediately bought a copy.

So, be the first to convince ten people to buy the book and you win a prize. The prize is pretty cool. No, it is not a stay at Chez Sven. I will announce the prize around July 18, in two weeks. (A similar item will be auctioned off at the Preservation Hall Travel & Art Auction July 22.) Recruit ten people and provide me with their names. The first person to do so, wins. You do not need to live in Wellfleet to participate. Entries are allowed internationally. The prize can be shipped worldwide. This contest runs until noon Monday 23 July 2012. The winner will be announced on or before Wednesday 25 of July 2012. Good luck!

Wellfleet Jingle, Jingle, Jingles All the Way

There was an amazing amount of interest in my post last week about "mystery shells," which I find at Duck Harbor. Then, I took a walk with Alice at Lieutenant's Island and mentioned the shells again. Above, the roof of a birdhouse, from one of the Preservation Hall birdhouse auctions. Let me share a comment that I received yesterday by email:

"Hi Sandy. I believe the name of the shell that you have featured in your blog is a jingle shell. Your blog is great! And, thank you so much for donating 75 per cent of your new e-book's proceeds to the Wellfleet Food Pantry. We really welcome it. Our clients' needs have increased by 40% this past year."

This email was from Bev Warren, a volunteer at Wellfleet Food Pantry.

As you enjoy the restaurants of Wellfleet this summer, you might want to consider making a donation to the Food Pantry, too. Find details on this post from 2010.

Getting Married? Choose Wellfleet's Prez. Hall

Many of us have fond memories of Wellfleet, but none are as cherished as those of the people who choose to get married here. I’m always thrilled to see a bride in town, dressed in a long satin gown, posing for photos on Uncle Tim’s bridge, where Sven and I were married almost 15 years ago. In the past few years, a number of wedding venues have become available locally. Brides can be married at Winslow's Tavern, Holden Inn, Chequessett Yacht & Country Club, or Preservation Hall, which seems even more perfect for having once been a church.

I was able to experience the excitement of a Wellfleet wedding two Saturdays ago when Gigi Ledkovksy, Preservation Hall Event Coordinator, invited me to a reception for newlyweds Charlotte Agger and Asa Palley. Charlotte looked radiant. The couple graciously allowed me to take their photo. The wedding, reserved for family, had taken place on a beach near the summer home of one of Charlotte’s uncles. A second uncle lives in Wellfleet year-round: David Agger practices deep tissue and relaxation massage at Quiet Mind Studio.

Here David and his wife are greeted by Gigi. Buses brought the wedding guests to the reception from Mayo Beach. While Gigi chatted with David, I lifted the elegant ribbon draped across the Prez. Hall driveway so the wedding party could proceed towards the huge white tent where lively music had begun to play. “Simple. Charlotte wanted simple,” Gigi told me later. “She only wanted to get married outside, by the water. Some people get carried away. One couple brought in furniture.”

In my mind, I saw the moving men, installing couches behind Prez. Hall where the elegant tent now stood. That’s what is great about wedding receptions. They can be as simple or as fancy as the bride and groom desire. Charlotte’s mom, Paula Agger, took time away from her latest project – the renovation of the former home of one of Wellfleet’s most famous citizens, Lorenzo Dow Baker – to welcome friends and family, in town to celebrate Charlotte’s wedding.

“It’s been a big year for the Aggers,” Gigi said. “Painting all the rooms in a house and organizing a wedding.”

At most Prez. Hall weddings, either the bride or the groom has long-time ties to Wellfleet. They have lived here, or spent summers working here. “Rosa Miller, that was our first wedding a year ago. She’s the bride on that wedding brochure you’re holding,” Gigi told me as we undid the ribbon again for a couple stragglers, who had opted to come by car. “Rosa Miller worked at Hatch’s. We have fewer destination weddings, but they do happen."

“Oh, my goodness!” a passerby whispered to a companion. “There’s a party going on at Prez. Hall!”

Gigi offered the passersby a smile. She must get this reaction of shocked pleasure and pride a lot from the Wellfleetians who happen to be on Main Street when wedding guests arrive. This year Preservation Hall is booked for two weddings in June, one in July, one in August and four in September. Prez. Hall depends on wedding revenue to survive. “Every year we need to raise a substantial amount from rentals to meet our operating budget. Weddings are a great way to do that,” Gigi said. “People started asking about getting married even before this building had been torn apart. It took a leap of faith at first, to say, This is where I want to have my wedding next year.”

No longer. It was obvious to me that a Preservation Hall wedding has become something for little girls to dream about as they walk into the ice cream shop, across Main Street. Asa was so supportive of his beautiful bride. At first, he walked around holding her train, while guests snapped a few final photographs. The wedding party took shelter under the tent during the thunderstorm that raced through later in the evening.

Massachusetts is one of the first states to allow gay marriage. Two brides were married in Prez. Hall in 2011. Two more brides will get married this year in August.

“Part of the mission of Preservation Hall is to have an economical impact on local businesses,” Gigi said. “The weddings accomplish that. The Aggers are using Sumptuous Foods, based in Orleans today, but many of our weddings, in the past, have featured Mac’s Parties and Provisions. We often use flowers from Kelly’s. Guests stay at the B&Bs. But then, you must know that?”

I nodded. We often receive requests for accommodation from people attending summer weddings in town. Anyone considering getting married in Wellfleet can pick up a brochure in the Preservation Hall foyer. The Aggers were pleased they did. “'This was perfect,' Charlotte said,” Paula Agger told Gigi breathlessly. “What more do you want to hear from a daughter?”

Wellfleet on Dwellable

Ten Tips for Innkeepers

Happy July! We have guests from Sweden and France right now. The Swedish woman told me she is so glad she kept looking until finding Chez Sven and Wellfleet. The Frenchman, married to an American, told me he used to say he had never met an American who spoke French as well as his wife, but he cannot say that anymore!!! Hem, hem. This being said, bilingualism is not really necessary for innkeepers, but it doesn't hurt.

Check out these tips for innkeepers in 2012:

1.) Give your new sheets to older couples and folks staying alone.

2.) Clean as if all your guests hailed from Germany. They will leave the room just as spotless.

3.) Freeze extra coffee cake. That way you always have some on hand.

4.) Don’t book weekends until summer because if weekends are booked early, you will not be able to accommodate guests who want four or five nights, including a weekend.

5.) Don’t book an efficiency cottage with kitchen to a father with two teenagers unless you have a whole day for cleanup after their departure.

6.) Don’t mark off days as booked on the availability calendar until you have received payment.

7.) Carve out periods of down-time and treat yourself to the occasional funky restaurant, like The Juice, above.

8.) Look upon guests not as an invasion of your personal space but rather the opportunity to meet and get to know new people.

9.) If you eat an early breakfast, don’t eat anything while guests are having breakfast or you will end up overweight.

10.) Take on only as much work as you can handle. If you do everything yourself, three rooms of guests at one time is quite enough.

Zen Moment: View While Watering