What a wonderful day for the Rural House Walk last Saturday. Over 300 people visited Rural. One of our guests has a blog and shared her pictures: Katie Jane Ferrito is an interior designer and great photographer. See her work at  http://katiejaneinteriors.com/2016/10/14/fall-travel-series-the-town-of-rural/

Here, in front of the inn, goes the horse-drawn wagon transporting visitors around the village.

It’s been a fairly wet year here in Rural and so the colors are a bit muted but still delightful as it signals the turning of the seasons. We loved living in Southern California but we certainly missed the distinctive four seasons. Here in Wisconsin we welcome fall, delighting our senses with its many distinctive characteristics: shorter days, cooler temperatures, hillsides like a patchwork quilt of many colors, birds flying south, harvest continues with zucchini and pumpkins. My favorite “spiritual midwife,” Joyce Rupp, says that Autumn tells us all things are passing and even in the passing is beauty! This same truth can be celebrated in our own lives. If we are receptive, our lives are enriched.

We lost a yew bush last year and had a spot near the house where we didn’t know what to do and since coleus do so well in the shade I planted some from Turners’ Farm Market and all summer long they were a constant companion, brightening my day as I walk by or look out the window. When Robert and I replaced the old lattice work around the Breakfast Room this summer we installed it onto the cement foundation behind the coleus and I’m so pleased with the result!

We have many Asian friends and when we lived in California we learned about the Chinese Moon Festival celebrating the harvest moon when millions of Chinese look at the full moon while savoring these wonderful delicacies. Robert’s been getting them each year for a long time and now of course has to order them online. So we stood outside on this gorgeous, clear evening and gazed at the full moon and ate this moon cake. There are many flavors and this one happens to be bean paste and like most moon cakes has an egg yoke inside so when you cut it in half you see the moon!

Here are some little girls who stayed in the Little House on the Prairie – actual fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder – who have dresses like the pioneer girls of the later 19th century exploring our re-established prairie with plants that Laura and her family would have seen here in Wisconsin back then. The silphium is still blooming up a storm!

It’s still summer so come on and enjoy the beauty of Rural, Wisconsin! There are hints of the change of seasons – note some fallen leaves – but it’s still warm: it was nearly 80 degrees today and flowers are still vibrant… See what’s on the back steps leading to the Crystal River? We’d love to have you stay with us this weekend! Enjoy all the many opportunities to be on the water: how about taking a kayak on the Crystal or Chain O’Lakes? If you need to rent a kayak see Adventure Outfitters. Our guests have been raving about their experience with them on the Crystal and Waupaca Rivers and the no-wake-lakes out of Hartman Creek State Park.

We are so fortunate to have some of the most beautiful views! This is seen from the Inn Sun Room where we serve breakfast looking south . . . even though we’re in late August the phlox are still glorious. They’re the tallest I’ve ever seen them – some over 6 feet tall!  I love putting fresh bouquets of these on the table and around the inn.

We still have a few rooms for the Labor Day weekend and we invite you to come to this quiet, beautiful place and enjoy some recreation and relaxation! With so many wild flowers, the Crystal River and many options for activities this is just the place to be!

An unavoidable cancellation opened up our most popular room, the Canopy Room and we’d be happy to have you stay there: private screened-in porch entrance, king bed, double jacuzzi… local and organic breakfast… a wonderful get-way is here for you!

We’re so pleased to have a freshly painted inn thanks to the excellent work of Christensen’s Home Decorators. The crew is considerate and professional. We’re thoroughly pleased with them and what they did! Here’s a little look at it although this picture emphasizes the rain garden and walk to the screened in porch!