The bed and breakfast house was built in 1981 and the cabinets reflected the times. They were hand constructed, and the craftsmanship was very excellent, however; the wood was plywood with oak veneer. This kitchen was also one of the poorest laid out kitchens I have ever seen. The homeowners planned the house and built it themselves and shouldn't have. They were also left handed. 

My first preference would have been to relocate the uppers to the opposite wall, where there were no cabinets at all and put the fridge in the left corner to the left of the sink and change the range to a gas drop in on an island in the centre with seating on the side where the fridge and stove are now located. There was just enough room to do that renovation in this kitchen and I had planned it carefully, but it was too expensive. So, the next best was to give the kitchen a facelift. I had considered painting the oak cabinets green, but decided to go ahead and antique them instead. It is a long and paintstaking process to do that. 

The doors had to be removed, cleaned, lightly sanded and undercoated with white first. They got two coats of white latex. Then they were stained with an oil stain. Now, oil stain over latex does odd things , and unless one is familiar with the process, it is best left alone. I have done that before on several occasions. One of my careers, my favourite one, was an interior designer, and although I did not do this type of faux painting for clients, I learned how to so I could give them advice or instruct the painters properly. So, the oil stain was applied and then in spots, a second coat was applied. Then there is a very long wait for the doors and cupboards to dry, especially right then, since our weather was wet and rainy, wouldn't you know it. 

The walls were a beautiful red before, which complemented the oak that had quite an orange tinge to it. Now they are a light celery green, painted with Bioshield organic clay paint. The double sink is new as is the faucet and the rest is as it was, except for the two windows, which were replaced due to condensation warping the wood when the house flooded last February. The blinds are also new and are the type that have no cords and are simply pulled down or gently pushed up. I will be making some rustic burlap and fabric curtains too. 

The kitchen features a hand wash station and three sinks, all required for a commercial license. Now, I can bake and cook and package goods for sale there, as well as run the bed and breakfast, now Moose Hills Inn, a full facility little establishment. I hope you like the kitchen results! Come and stay a while next time you are in town. Love to have you!

The floors were mopped, the toilets scrubbed, the dusting done and the vacuuming meticulously carried out. There are always a few last minute things that will need doing. I need to pick up two bottle of water for the dispenser. There is now a reverse osmosis tap on both floors, but people still love chilled bottle water. The cooler also has a mini fridge at the lower half, so honour system drinks will be kept there. 

A few changes will be done with the registrations as well. Upon entering the facility, the guests will have to register, even though they have provided a credit card to secure the room. There is some legal stuff they need to agree to, now that we are a full facility with a class 3 license. That allows all meals to be prepared, plus catering. The kitchen is under restaurant rules too, meaning that guests are not permitted in the kitchen at all. I have already been asked about renting the whole house, which is possible, however; does not include the kitchen. The reason for that is because there is food stored there and it is from government inspected sources and needs to be free of possible contamination. The kitchen is to be kept locked except when occupied. 

The signs will go up tomorrow. Alberta Bed and Breakfast has been a good source of customers and we will be on that site again, plus a few more. I am still debating about Air B n B, which seems to be where everyone is shopping these days. We are not really a vacation destination though, so maybe not. 

The Inn can sleep up to 8 guests. There is an infrared treatment room as well, plus a choice of oil annointing. That service is for guests only. Meals are currently for guests only too. It is a hard decision when the locals are always asking me if they can book dinner for two. That may come in the future, but for now, we will see how it goes. 

Tomorrow is the official photo session and then the website will be launched officially. It is mostly done, just not online. 

I absolutely love doing the bed and breakfast. It is my heart to be a servant I guess. I love to provide the best for my guests and treat them to authentic gourmet meals and special treats. The camaraderie shared between us, if amenable with the guests, is wonderful. They share some of their life stories and I share some of mine. They are such fascinating individuals! They make the work all pleasure. 

So tomorrow is the official day. Yahoo!  Wish us well! 

The bed and breakfast is almost done! 

Today the carpenter came and we worked together to install the blinds and curtains and rods that were still needing to be done. Some things were hung too, like the towel holder and magnetic knife holder. There are just a few minor details, like to clear coat the table I refinished and to clear coat the wooden shelves recently installed in the china cabinet hung on the wall. The inspector specifically stated that wooden shelves must have an easy to clean surface impermable to moisture. So, the dishes have to come out and the shelves, then be coated and dried and everything reinstalled. 

A great house cleaning is in order too. The house has been cleaned several times, but has remained empty, so the usual dust and flies have collected. Surfaces need to be disinfected with the sanitizing solution and every solid surface touched needs to be wiped down with the sanitizer. This sounds like it is more work than it is. Once I get in the routine of sanitizing, it is like second nature. Most home owners do a version of this without considering even what they are doing, from the walls to hand rails, to floors. 

Once the last cleaning is done, the professional photos can be done. The photos will be used to create the new website and also to put an ad on some sites, like the Alberta Bed and Breakfast webpage, Air B n B, Trip Advisor and so on. When the bed and breakfast was opened previously, there were some very awesome reviews on Trip Advisor, but they were deleted when the listing closed a year ago. 

The insurance has been settled. The result of almost a year of negotiations, renovations, innovations and so on is coming to a close. Finally! Yay! It has been difficult to redesign the home. Some of the furnishings were damaged and others were sold when the facilty closed due to the downturn in the economy and the oil industry being nearly closed. The oil business has started to come out of the ashes too, so the timing is perfect. 

Moose HIlls Inn will be officially opened for business on January 3, 2017. Wish us luck and do come in for a visit when you are in the area. Moose Hills Inn is going to be fun, with retreat packages being offered, infrared treatments, body annointing, and of course, farm to table gourmet fare. We are specializing in unique diets such as Paleo, GAPS, SCD, AIP and Celiac. If you are following one of these diets, you can preorder your meals and even a birthday cake that is diet compliant. Special charges will apply. Stand by for the official opening on January 3. Ta DA! almost done, except for those last little things. 

Moose Hills Inn is about to launch. 
The inspections have been passed. The insurance is in place. The fire extinguishers have been updated. The only detail left is to take a water sample to be tested for bacteria in the well. There has never been any, so I am not overly concerned. The results are back within a few days and then the permit will be issued. The Inn will then be a class III facility. That means that all means, baking, repackaging, freezer meals, canning, pickling, and preserving can be undertaken in the kitchen. This is a step up from our previous license, which was class II, meaning that most of the above could be done, with the exception of reheating anything. For a class II, all foods must be freshly prepared. Now, leftover soup can be frozen and served at a later date. This is all excellent. 

The photos will be taken, either tomorrow or the day following. The stationary and business cards are designed and are ready for the pictures. Isn't it great in this day and age that the digital images are instant? 

The official opening will be likely November 7th. The signs will be hung this coming week. The carpenter is coming one day next week to finish some loose ends and help hang the blinds and curtains, and the large infrared units, as well as a very large mirror. I cannot do those on my own. Well, I could likely do the curtain rods, only mine are never straight, so it will be nice to have a more precise job. 

And then that is it. Moose HIlls Inn will be underway! I cannot wait. How about you?

The Fat Ewe Farm desperately needed a new truck. I had been on the lookout for months now. The last time I drove to Calgary to see my son and his family, the wheel bearings on the front tire fell off just as I turned off the freeway and it was a wonder I survived the remainder of the drive without losing the tire. It cost a thousand dollars to fix and there was a small leak discovered and repaired then too. 

That truck has been a good truck for the farm, especially with the canopy. I have hauled every sort of farm critter in there, from chickens, turkeys, pigs, dogs, sheep, goats and yup, even an alpaca! The first pigs I had included a pregnant sow who decided she would stay in the truck and have her babies there. So many folks tried to get her out and she would just not go, that is until a pig farmer came along with a cattle prod. One touch with that, she looked at him, and gently swayed down the ramp, finally, after 3 days, leaving the truck! It did smell of pig for some time thereafter, however!
 
But the time has come to say goodbye. The new truck is the same design by a different company, that is an 8 foot long box and single cab. I hardly ever have anyone else in the truck except my trusty border collie, so we do not need extra seats in the back. The new truck has a larger motor, but is supposed to be very fuel efficient. I am going to look for a small livestock trailer to haul the animals around in rather than stick them in the canopy. I am not sure the canopy will fit the new truck since the one I have now is the GMC and the new one is a Dodge. I will see. 
Both trucks are white. I am hoping that the new truck will easily last for the next few years while I continue to play farmer. I do not know if it is strong enough to pull my 24 foot Airstream, but I will find out. Won' t that be a fun adventure? 

I have new signs for the doors for Moose Hills Inn, which passed its inspections this week. Moose HIlls Inn, formerly the Fat Ewe Farm Bed and Breakfast, is now a class 3 facility, which means a full fledged restaurant designation. Plus it is an inn. Yay! The fire and safety was passed as well with the extinguishers being updated and the insurance was updated too. November 5th is when we should be able to open the doors, just in time for the holiday season. New truck, newly reopened bed and breakfast...isn't life grand! 

It has been almost 10 months since the flood in the bed and breakfast when the old underfloor heating system sprung a leak. There was a ton of damage, but fortunately, insurance has covered the majority of the repairs and replacements. The work, well, that is another thing. Much of it I have done on my own. 

Today, the insurance agent came out to inspect the premises and also to register the new vintage Airstream recently acquired. I told him that was going to be my last home and my plan is to fix it up the way I would love, sell the farm and buy a new truck and be gone. The only things I want will be the trailer. He raised an eyebrow.  Well at least the insurance issues are good to go on the bed and breakfast. 

The second visitor of the day was the man who brings barley for the piggies. Two sows have piglets and are eating me out of house and home. They are thin too, so I plan to call the vet to see what alternatives there are for deworming sows with suckling piglets, especially when the piglets are for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. Then I drove to Vermillion to pick up a freezer full of expired dog meat for the hounds. When I got back the hay man was waiting with a load of hay. He is a great guy and operates a CAT machine plus many others as a business, so he is better at taking the bales off his truck than I am. One bale fell on the fence and broke it to the ground and oddly enough, that is the exact same place that happened the last bale delivery too. He fixed it though, good as new, maybe better. The hay is the best I have ever had on the farm, second cut and full of weeds and clovers and things sheep and goats adore. Then I drove to St. Paul to pick up a 1950's cracked ice grey Arborite table, with chrome legs, but not in good shape. It is for the work area in the steel building when it goes up, whenever that is. The foundation is in, but that is it so far. I dropped 6 silk curtain panels off at the drapery shop on my way too, so be hemmed for the living room at the bed and breakfast. 

The only things left are to finish the kitchen cabinets, clean the house again, stock the cupboards and fridge, somewhat at least, if only with staples and to remove the paint cans and construction things, and some other items. The fire man needs to come and recertify the fire extinguishers, then the health inspector to give us an operating certificate. I was so hoping for the opening to be October 1, but it is pushed to the 31st, instead. There was an inquiry recently from a former patron who has stayed here several times, yay. Hopefully he will get his contract and then we will be able to accommodate him and his team for the weeks he is here doing business. 

So, we are a little closer, but the everyday farm chores do take precedence. Animals need to be fed every day, and watered and now, with October here already, the dog houses and rabbit cages need to be insulated with straw for the winter ahead. At the beginning of the next month the animals will need to be divided into their breeding groups, too. Oh boy. And life goes on, but at least, we are a little closer to Moose Hills Inn at the Fat Ewe Farm opening, whew! 

One of the last tasks at the bed and breakfast, is to finish painting the kitchen cabinets. There were built in place by an old time cabinet maker in 1982. The job is excellent and he was indeed a craftsman, though the materials were not top notch, only plywood and veneer. The oak was then varnished with a shiny finish which has been durable and lasting. 

But the look is very dated and although I love real wood, I do not love real plywood. The ceiling at the bed and breakfast is pine, tongue and groove 4 inch boards, so there is plenty of real wood to be seen. The cabinets actually contrasted with the pine and were not a choice I would have made. So, I decided to paint them and antique them to give the kitchen a brand new look. 

Technically, the cabinets should have been washed with TSP and rinsed, then lightly sanded to help the paint adhere since the finish was shiny. I did not do those steps because with the new look, some scratches and a bit of paint peeling is simply adding to the weathered and worn appearance. So, the paint is a light pink, which over the orangey oak will give a warmer colour without the yellow in it. I have done two coats and a coat of oil stain over the top of the paint. The oil stain does not really adhere to the paint either, but creates a very special appearance that is appealing. The bottom cabinets are already done, but today I spent hours trying to put the doors back on. One would think that two exact size doors would face each other opposing the knobs for one cabinet module. Yet, because these are hand made, I, for the life of me, could not make the doors work. They obviously came off the cabinets so do work and I will try again tomorrow. 

I painted the hinges this time. For the lower cabinets, I took the hinges off, but I am running out of time and energy, so I left the doors on and painted over the hinges. They will look just fine. Tomorrow I will do a second coat and then the next day, do the oil stain. Depending on the weather, the oil stain can take almost a week to dry fully. That is another reason I did not remove the upper doors. A top cabinet from a buffet with hutch (the hutch) was also painted, stained and installed since there were few upper cabinets and not much storage for dishes in the kitchen. I will be using my hand made pottery dishes there now. The kitchen is painted a vibrant green, not quite lime, but close, and the dishes are all green hues, so they are perfect. They were at my own home prior to being installed in the renovated kitchen.

The faucet and sink were replaced as well. There was an inch of ice on the windows above the sink during the flood, and there was previous water damage already, so the unit was replaced. The last bit of work in the kitchen will be to 'paint' tile mosaic on the wall as the back splash. It is done with a one inch square sponge and various colours of paint, and lastly, it is coated with a clear matte varnish to seal the 'tile' and to waterproof that portion of the wall. The kitchen is painted with clay paint. Since the ingredients are clay, earth pigment and water, basically, the walls can stain with grease and will not wash off. By installing the fake tile and clear coat, the most likely areas to be splashed with grease and oils from cooking, will then be protected. 

So, by the end of the week, the kitchen should be complete. I have been doing loads of dishes and putting them away already. The silver will have to be sorted and the pots and pans washed and put in easy access cupboards. The following week will be for tying up loose ends, getting the inspection done, reinstalling fire extinguishers and doing a final cleaning. Then for October 1st, I do believe Moose Hills Inn will be opened! Yay!

I have been working really really hard. I feel that ten hours in a day is about right and feel guilty if I only work 7. Between the farm, readying for winter and the bed and breakfast work, I need more hours in a day! 
I have a potential booking for September 28 and 29, two weeks from now. I still have not finished the kitchen cabinets, which have been completely given a new look, or at least the lower ones have. The top is yet to be done. But the Master Suite, and the Sunshine and Guest rooms are finished except for hanging the drapes. The whole house needs the drapes hung and the windows that were replaced need new blinds, only the store cut them a half inch too big! ARgggggggh! I can either hang them precariously on the outside molding or ask to get them recut. I have a feeling they cannot cut them only a half inch. I will ask. 

I still need 8 pillows. There should be pillow alternatives for each room. Some people love firm pillows while others like soft ones so they can scrunch. If you are not comfortable with your pillows, you will not have a good sleep. And some people feel they cannot sleep with down and require down alternatives. There is cotton or wool as well as synthetic to choose from. And then, that is about it. A final cleaning, organizing the kitchen, fire extinguisher update and inspection and we are good to go. 

Here is a sneak preview of Moose HIlls Inn. The Master Suite is a deluxe room with the exclusive use of the upstairs lounge and the private ensuite. The bed is made from trees, yes, organic foam rubber with a Canadian maple patented dowel suspension support and the bed frame is a French country sleigh bed. The actual dresser, wash stand and armoire are eighteenth century Victorian antiques. There is a small screen with a blue ray player, though most people never touch it. Internet is not available except through phone tethering, so streaming movies is generally out. Instead there are many books to choose from, cards, games, a keyboard, drums and nature. 

The Sunshine Room has two very comfortable twin beds with feather duvets and a choice of pillows. It may share the washroom with the Guest Room if both are occupied. The Guest Room is a no frills room with twin beds as well. These rooms are on the main floor with a deck and comfortable lounge. 

In addition, a treatment room has been added for infra red treatments and spiritual healing. There will be more about that in another post. All meals can now be served at the Inn, including baking to take out to your meetings and lunches to go. The fare is organic farm to table simple suppers and gourmet breakfasts of delectable delights, such as Moose Hills Quiche, Light as Air waffles with real whipped cream and wild blueberries and fresh eggs omelets. The coffee is organic and made in an antique all stainless steel drip pot. There are several teas to choose from including Yerba Mates, herbals and Earl Greys. The Sunshine Room and Master Suite have fridges for their own beverages or snacks. No use of the kitchen by guests is permitted by Health Authority rules. The main floor has a small sink and a table to play, write or snack at. The entire Inn is beautifully decorated with period antiques, collected items of interesting and unusual natures and original art and prints. Staying at Moose HIlls Inn should feel inviting and at home. 

​There is not much left and time is pushing hard. Stay tuned for the next update in two weeks for the reopening of the Fat Ewe Farm Bed and Breakfast, now Moose Hills Inn. Oh, and I need to hang the new signs too! Ta da!

You know, I really enjoy the hospitality aspect of this business. I get to meet amazing people, such as the guest who has graced me with his presence the past two days. Gourmet meals were prepared both evenings and I was invited to share the table, the best part yet, since that means the guest is open to conversation, and he was. 

He has some influence with the group he advises and promised that he would post the Inn as a recommended place to stay in Alberta! Yay! And also that he would like to do a write up for Trip Advisor hinting that he is going to give five stars. 

Now, what could be better? I love my farm, The Fat Ewe Farm, communing with nature, playing with the critters and such, and I love my business, Moose Hills Inn, and serving folks in all ways I can. The gentleman had a tendon problem in his foot. I have quite an extensive background in care and prevention of injuries and was able to alleviate some of the discomfort for him as well. He was dually impressed and suggested that I hang a shingle, but Alberta does not recognize my credentials and forbids this, so the service is free. 

I also managed to finish cleaning the pens and filled the hole in one pen and stabilized the post, so tomorrow I can begin to build the sheep and goat fence feeders. The goats were given hay, but the little ones do not know what to eat much of the time until the bigger ones begin to munch on it. Hopefully tomorrow they will have the feeder finished and can test out the new hay. Many of the goats will be going to the auction this year and I have been toying with butchering one or two for meat. It seems like such a crime to do so though. 

Tomorrow I am up bright and early to cook breakfast and then this guest will be going back home when he is finished his day's work in St. Paul. I am pleased to have made his acquaintance and I do feel blessed and happy with my little life out here in nowhere. I do.