The Beauty of Autumn in the Mountains

We have started to get alot of people coming in to stay at the lodge because they want to wander through the beautiful mountain trails and see the glory of autumn as it overtakes the mountain range and forests surrounding our lodge. The colors so radiant and beautiful  that they take your breath away. You can walk for miles and see something different every few feet. Colors entwined together that no painter could ever do justice to. You have to come here and see for yourself. With your own eyes watch as the wind whispers through  the trees and gently blows the leaves around and around till they settle on the ground.

People come from all over and we have a special menu fixed just for this time of year. Our chef has made a delicious Beef Barley Soup, and Tender Roast Beef AuJu, with Spiced Potatoes and Carrots for the main course. After which there will be Apple Pie ala mode, or pumpkin pie with whipped cream.

The guest are all coming in for dinner now and I have to go to the main dinning room to show them to their seats. How rosy their cheeks are and how happy they all look. This is what walking in the mountains looking at all its beauty can do for you.

I love my mountain lodge and wish all could come and see its beauty each season as it unfolds before your eyes. Each season unique and special. So much beauty and it is all for free.

Come to the Lodge some time if you get a chance and I know you will find peace and contentment here as I do.

 

Stormy Day

It had poured all night and the lightening and thunder were deafening. No one seems in any hurray to come down to breakfast today becasue of the bad weather. The sky looks ominous as you gaze out the dinning room window but also quite beautiful with its dark sky with streaks of  light shinning through the dreary darkness. 

One by one our guest meander downstairs into the dinning area and listlessly order their breakfast. It is amazing how weather can affect such a change in a persons attitude.  Although there are some that nothing would stop their infectious happiness such as our regulars that stay here as their permanent home.  They seem to always find some good to be happy about and that is refreshing. Others here will moan and bemoan that the day is a total lost and there will bet nothing to do. 

There are so many things to do if you can not go out side and enjoy the mountains and the park like setting here at Rainbow Mountain Lodge.  We have many activities that can be enjoyed inside of the lodge itself. The indoor swimming pool is heated and the suna is operating and open for all to use. One for the men and another for the women. There is a game room for the children to entertain themselves and all the games are free in that room. My father felt bad that children should not be able to play the games if they couldn't afford the extra expence so he made sure that these games were set to be played with no money involved.  Many of the parents are surprised when their kids ask to go in and they explain to them that they don't want to spend their vacation money on these games only to find out that they are free.

We have many board games laid out on the tables in the main sitting room area. There is backgammon and chess, along with checkers and a few other ones put there for the young children to enjoy.

Our chelf has prepared an especially appetizing menu today to coincide with the wet dreary day ahead. There will be a nice Irish stew and three different kinds of soup to tempt the appetite of any person. For the dinner menu he has decided on a roast pork with applesauce and mashed potatoes with a nice hint of garlic and parsley . After which his dessert menu will tempt all that are here in the lodge. Apple pie al mode and cherry cobbler with whipped cream. Pasteries that will make anyones mouth drool in anticipation. 

All in all it will be a sedate day here at the lodge, but I don't mind that at all once in awhile.  It gives me a chance to talk to the guests and get to know them a bit. I like this part of owning the lodge. I have gotten to know so many interesting people from all over the world. 

Time to do the morning walk through and make sure that all is running as it should be.  Then I can go into my office and catch up on some of the things that have been piling up  on my desk. 

It will be a quiet day today. A relaxing one for all here.                      

The Wedding Anniversary Dinner Surprise

Everything has quieted down and all the early dinner guest have eaten and left the dinning area. I had received a telephone call from the family of the couple celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary and they have planned a very special dinner and asked my help in keeping the couple busy for a short time as they were all coming up and surprising their grandma and grandpa. I was more than happy to make the necessary arrangements for this festist occassion.

The older couple had taken the trolly ride and they were still out and had not returned to the lodge so there was plently of time to set up the special room and decorate it and sneak in all the family that had come to help them celebrate this special day.

They finally came in and they seemed so tired from their day out and even had gotten a slight sunburn. They were standing in the lobby and I could hear them trying to decide if they were going to order dinner in their room or come down to the dinning area for dinner. I had to think quickly and I put a smile on my face and walked toward them and as I got closer, I asked them how their day had been . They both agreed that the Catskills were wonderful and that they had a wonderful time, but that they were tired and were thinking of having dinner in their rooms so that they wouldn't have to get all showered and changed to come to the dinning room. Afterall, they said, they both were hot and clammy and would need showers and couldnt decide. I put on my biggest smile and said that it wouldnt be a special day if they ate all by themselves upstairs in their room and that it would be worth the time spent getting changed and coming down for dinner as the dinning in room service was slow today as i was short handed.

Wearyly they agreed to go and come back down as soon as they could.  Wow!! That would have been terrible if they had to be told about the family waiting in the other room. I went to that room and told them that their grandparents were back and would be down shortly to dine.

They were pretty quick for an older couple, they must have been very hungry, cause they only took about 45 minutes and they both came down looking like a million bucks.

They asked me to show them to a table and I told them that the dinning area was overflowing and that their were special tables set up in the room that faced the outer face of the moutain range. I asked them to follow me and when I opened the door all the family inside yelled Happy Anniversary!!  I thought they were going to faint. The grandmother put her hand on her heart and the granddad just looked as if he was in shock.  I love these surprises and I love them even more when I can help make them happen. Here were two beautiful and loving people with a loving family that had traveled a long distance just to celebrate this special day with grandparents that they loved.

Of course, we made arrangements for the whole family to stay the night, so there would be no reason for them to have to leave early and miss out on all the fun.

This is one of the many reasons why I love this lodge so very much. I thank God every day that my dad and mom bought and built up this wonderful lodge. 

A day at the lodge

Mr. Hobbs and Lady Izzy are bidding Miss Jen a good day and they are leaving to go sailing . I had thought that Miss Jen was going along with them, but evidentually not. She is coming to the desk and smiling .

"How are you today?" I asked, "It is such a great day I thought maybe you were going sailing with Mr Hobbs and Lady Izzy."

"Nom" she replied, "They don't even realize it, but they are so made for each other and I don't want to get in the way ." "I would feel like a third wheel there. Let them enjoy the day together. I am going into town and wanted to ask you if there was anything I could get for you there, it would be no problem."

What a nice guesture. I did need some little things and asked her if she would be kind enough to get them at the store for me.

"Of course," she said, "I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to ." 

I asked her to wait a few minutes while I made a list and got her some money. In the meantime the family with the twins had come down all decked out for a day in the woods and hiking. I noticed that they were going into the dinning room for breakfast and that the waitress was bring in a basket for them also. They must have called ahead and ordered a picnic basket to take with them. How great that would be. The country around this lodge is breathtaking and they will love the many marked trails. 

As I handed the list and money to Miss Jen and she was leaving from the elevator came a galloping herd of children with mom and dad in tow. I had to bite my lip, because that poor couple had their hands full. The kids were not bad, just curious and active. They never stopped talking the whole time they ate their breakfast and they were taking a vote on what to do first. I walked over to the table and wished them a good morning. The mom asked me what I thought would be a good thing to do on their first day here and I told her about the beautiful waterfalls throughout the mountains and that she could take a small trolly tour offered by the hotel for its guests at a very reasonable family price. They all seemed very interested in that and they decided to get their sweaters and go on that tour. I told them to take a camera and plenty of film because they would want to take pictures of what they saw. They could spend about 3-4 hours on that tour as the guide would wait for them until all were back in the trolly and he never rushed anyone. He loved his job, I explained, because he was a retired bus driver and hated not doing anything all day, so every other day, he drove the trolly and took guests all around a planned tour.

Well, seems that all the new guests are taken care of and now we have to set up for lunch and the people that come here from all over just to eat. We get alot of people passing through and once they come here and see how beautiful it is and the fine food and service we have, most come back again and again and some even come to stay for a week or weekend. 

The chelf is planning a wonderful lunch and his roast beef and dumplings are the best I ever had. He has made a lemon mergine pie to die for and a cheescake with strawberries and he puts a light zigzag of chocolate syrup over all. Gosh! it makes my mouth water just to think of it!!!!!!

Every thing seems to be in order, so I am going into my office and do my paper work and let the crew do their jobs. My assistant and secetary Diane will take care of the front for now and maybe I can catch up on this pile of never ending paper that keeps growing on my desk. I swear there is a nymph that sneaks in here at night and puts more paper on my desk, because it seems the minute I get it pretty cleaned up, the next time I come in here it is overflowing in the basket again.

I will never be able to explain how I feel about this place that my mom and dad ran for so many years and gave to me when they passed on. It is in my blood these Catskill Mountains and I will never leave them. 

 

REGISTERING NEW GUESTS

Our week usually runs from Saturday thru Sunday morning. We have some guests that stay for a week and then others for two or more. I think it depends on how far they come to be here. The closer they live the fewer days they stay because they know they can come back sooner and more often.  We also have a monthly plan for our people that stay here year round. My dad started it when he was asked by a few people if he would be able to accomodate them. They loved it here so much that they didn't want to leave. Dad was a kind and loving man, and was pleased to help these people out and any others should they want to stay on for a longer length of time.

Dad took part of this huge lodge and turned it into more of a condo type situation than a lodge. He made the "apartments" larger and put in a very small kitchen and sitting room as well as a small dining area if the long term guest would like to entertain in their "apartments". He made up special leases for them, because he really didn't know these people well when they first asked him to let them stay and it provides for us to evacuate anyone that is distructive or not compatable to the other guest here at the lodge. We have been very lucky in dads choices so far, and have a few that stay here as their home year round.

Today there is a family checking in and they seem so excited to be here. There name is O'Reily and there is a mother, father and two children about the age of 15, twins in fact. What a lovely family they are. I have set them up on the third floor overlooking the waterfalls and the lake from the side windows. I know they will enjoy the view from there.

Now, an elderly couple has come to register and they seem so happy like newlyweds. They have stated that it is their 60th wedding anniversary and that their children had made these resversations for them because they knew that they always wanted to come to the Catskill mountains and this lodge. I thanked them and helped them register and sent them off to their room.

All of a sudden a lot of noise and laughing could be heard from the doorway and I looked and smiled as a frazzled mom and dad came in with 4 small children in tow. I love children and I could see the excitment in their eyes as they looked all over the main lobby and each child was asking  a different question from their parents. "Can we go swimming?""Can we go look at the falls?""Can we get something to eat, I am hungry?" All talking at once and the poor parents trying to register, I nodded to Diane to take the children to the main sitting room and show them the view out of the windows. It was early morning and with the mist rising you can see a rainbow that extends from one mountain to the other. We are ideally situated in a valley between the two mountain ranges.  She called to them to come with her and she would show them something wonderful. All the kids ran after her in excitement and the parents just sighed and thanked me. They registered and I told them to go and look also and that I would have someone take up their baggage for them. They hadn't had much of a breakfast they said as they had left early because they were coming from New Jersey, so I told them that they would be able to see the rainbow from the dinning room through our massive windows there. As they left to gather up their children and take them for breakfast, Miss Izzy came down for her breakfast and tipped her head to me and said good morning. She was dressed in a blue cotton dress and a blue shaw. On her feet she had small blue sneakers with little bows on them. I had to bite my tongue not to smile, because they looked so cute and she would not appreciate me smiling about them. I know my Miss Izzy. We all call her Lady Izzy here. She is quite the lady and always speakes her mind whether you want to hear her opinion or not. I wondered if she was going out on Mr. Hobbs boat with him again today. Mr. Hobbs is another regular and he loves sailing and we are taking bets that he loves Lady Izzy too.

Just as I was thinking all of this, Mr. Hobbs came down and approached Lady Izzy and the two of them went into breakfast together. Just as I had thought. They were going sailing today. Mr. Hobbs had on his Captains hat and a shirt and short set. He usually dressed that way when he went for a sail. He promised to take me one day , but I always seem to be too busy to go. Maybe one day, I would really love to go for a sail.

Our family with the 4 children have finished their breakfast and they are going into the elevator and to their rooms . I am still smiling as the doors to the elevator are closing and you cand still hear the children asking a million questions. God bless moms and dads, I can remember being the same way myself.

Diane is coming in laughing and saying that those kids must have asked her a million questions about why the rainbow is there, and if it always came and many, many other questions she said she didn't have time to answer one before they shot another at her. We just smiled and laughed. I love this lodge and I love the people that come to it and enjoy all we have to offer.

Time for me to go to the meeting with the chef and sou chef and decide on tomorrows lunch and dinner menu. Then I have to see Mrs Landers and make sure she has all the supplies that she needs to take care of the rooms. Paula, our entertainment advisor asked to speak to me to later this morning and so I will have another busy and active day, I hope I have time for lunch. I am starving.

Just as I was heading out Miss Jennifer Sanders, or Jen as she likes us to call her came out of the elevator and approached me. She asked how I was and said that I looked a bit over taxed today. Our Miss Jen could tell by looking at you how you were feeling and sometimes I swear she could tell what you were thinking. I smiled, and reassured her that all was well, and that it was only the ritual of registering all the guests today and seeing to the running of the lodge that kept me hoping today. She nodded and started walking in to the dinning room for her breakfast and I noticed that she sat down with Mr. Hobbs , and Lady Izzy. Maybe they were all going for a sail today. I hoped they were because she seemed so lonely sometimes and it would be good for her to socialize with the others. Miss Jen is a retired counsler and has chosen to live a quiet life here with us at the lodge. I feel she is much to young to be here all by herself and I hope that one day she will meet someone that will make her happy and maybe just more than that.

Well, I really have to get a move on , or I won't get any dinner either. Now, who was I seeing first? Oh! the chef! ok off I go.

Introduction to the Rainbow Mountain Lodge

The Rainbow Mountain Lodge has been in my family for generations and we have made it into a paradise that anyone can come and enjoy all kinds of sports and nature walks. There is a beautiful lodge inbetween two mountain ranges in a valley that has a beautiful sandy beach and huge lake. There can be seen sail boats and cruiser running up and down the lake all throughout the day and night. The beaches have a clean white sand and our guest love to lie on the beach and absorb the sunshine. We have many transit guest that come for a week or two, but we also have a few regulars that stay here year round because this lodge doesn't stay open only for the summer. There are so many winter sports and activities to do in the fall and winder that we never close this lodge. I enjoy running this place and I have become very fond of our regulars .  There is Miss Izzy, a wealthy lady from New York City that has decided that she likes living here better than the hectic life she had in New York. Our Miss Izzy is about 68 or so, for she will not tell anyone her age, has a rather sharp tongue and says things as she sees them. Not mean, just very overly truthful at times. Never unkind for her manners are impecable, but she is very sharp and people tend to underestimate her because of her frail appearance. You see, Miss Izzy is only 5' 2'' tall and wears a size 0 dress. She always dresses neat and prim. You will never see our Lady Izzy as we call her not properly attired for the ocassion.

Next there is Mr. Hobbs. He is a retired army major and quite demanding. He has decided that he likes the mountains and lake here better than the city . He came here to get away from all the hectic life that he was used to while he put in his 30 years in the service. He enjoys sailing on the lake and has a 30ft. sloop that he docks at the marine that is attached to the lodge. It is beautiful when in full sail and he often invites Lady Izzy to go sailing with him. Mr. Hobbs, or Major, as we call him, is in his late 60's also, so they make a lovely pair as they sit and talk and enjoy their breakfast together from time to time.  Everyone here feels that their is a spark between these two, but no one dares say anything.

Jennifer Sanders is a retired counsler from Buffalo, New York. She has decided to stay with us and enjoys the many amenities that this lodge offers . She is aavid swimmer and usually goes for a morning swim every day in the summer. In the winter she takes advantage of the indoor pool here in the lodge itself.  Our Miss Sanders was never married and is rather mysterious about telling anything about her life. She looks to be about 45 years old , which isnt that old for a person to retire which makes her all the more mysterious to me and my staff.  I do know that she has a rather healthy income inherited from her parents, otherwise it would not be possible for such a young person to retire. We all enjoy her sweet smile and winning ways. When she talks to you it seems that you want to tell her everything. She has a way of drawing people out and making you know that you can trust her with anything that  is bothering you . It is like having our very own counsler right at our fingertips.

Our staff consists of me, Janice Marie, the owner and hostess, Diane, my secetary, and a waitress staff, chef, sou chef, housekeeping staff managed by  Mrs. Landers, Entertainment organizer is Paula and she is very good at coming up with ideas for the guests to enjoy. She has her own staff that she directs and we all have a meeting once a week to decide the following weeks activities.

There is alot of work involved in running this lodge, but I wouldn't change my job for anyones. I love the Catskills and the valley and our great lake.  I have been managing this lodge for about 5 years now, since dad passed on and left it to me. I have no other brothers and sisters, so it is up to me to make this place the best it can be.