Tiptoe Through the Tulips Compliments of the Feller House!

Join us here in the North Willamette Valley for the arrival of spring. Daffodils are in full bloom and tulip blossoms are emerging at the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm with 40 acres of color at their height.

Owners say about 5% color is showing in the fields as of this opening day, March 25th, so there is plenty of time to plan your trip to enjoy the festivities that continue through May 1st. There is plenty to see and do at Wooden Shoe from demonstrations of wooden shoe making to farm equipment displays, crafters market and plenty of food to enjoy.

Stay at the Feller House, sit by the warm fire, enjoy our comfy beds, savor our hearty breakfast and then head out for a day of discovery in the beautiful Northwest. We'll cover your entrance fee at Wooden Shoe Tulips!

Almost Spring Again

Always at this time of year when the kid goats start showing up and the daffodils shoot up and buds swell, I am encouraged and feel an excitement for all the things that will be full of new life this spring.

The hellebores are almost in bloom, violets are showing their beautiful blue color and the buds are swelling on the flowering cherry outside my kitchen window. We have had ten new little goats born in the last week and already they are jumping, playing and making lots of noise.

If you are looking for a getaway in the country, come and stay at the Feller House Bed and Breakfast and enjoy some of my favorite things!

Our Gardening Adenture of 2010

Having heard so much about community gardens and visited a successful one last year, we decided to start one here at the Feller House this season. We wanted it to be cross-generational and cross-cultural. It evolved to include seven families with three generations and what fun it was!

Folks came every Tuesday evening with hoe and potluck dishes in hand to share in the work and bounty of the garden. After greeting each other, the white board was checked for chores to be done and produce to be harvested. A number of children as well as adults shared time together in the garden, then it was time to bring out the many dishes of food to share. Eating together turned out to be a highlight of the summer as we made homemade ice cream, cooked big pots of corn and shared cross-cultural foods with as many as 25 gardeners. Much laughter, story telling and digging in the dirt together made for a memorable experience....and we're sure to do it again next year!

Signs of Spring

I love spring and am inspired at the first signs of it! Looking around me here on our little farm in the Willamette Valley, it appears that spring has sprung and it's only February!

The cheery yellow daffodils are in bloom and in the last few days the willow has been leafing out with its light green spring color and the star magnolia has popped out with beautiful white blossoms...and wait, that's not all! The seeds that were planted in our greenhouse earlier in the week are starting to show their green color above the soil. That is enough to bring me joy! Yet there is even more: this weekend our first mama goat brought cheer and wonder with the birth of two cute little goats and then this morning we witnessed the birth of two more. One of those is a very healthy little doe and the other a little buck who was stillborn, a reminder that there are sometimes disappointments along with the joys of life on the farm and so with life in general. We are looking forward to what the next days will bring as more little goats are born, more seeds sprout, and buds and blossoms burst!!

My Dream

It was my dream for many years to own a bed and breakfast. Since opening almost two years ago now, it has proven to be even better than I imagined! From the remodeling and decorating to now welcoming guests has been and continues to be a delightful experience for Arnie and for me. It has been a lot of fun to share our guests’ stories as well as being able to tell our story about the transformation of the farmhouse to B&B and the history of the home built by pioneer Peter Feller in the 1860’s.

Guests have come from far and near for rest, celebration of special occasions, recuperation from surgery, plane purchases, antique shopping in Aurora’s Historic District, wine tasting in the Willamette Valley, family reunions, and even to stay in the house they were born in!

(Photo: Margaret Feller Meek and her sister Leona)

Amazing Snow

It has been 40 years since we have had snow like this in Oregon! We had over a foot of snow on the valley floor that lasted for about two weeks in December!

Growing up, I remember having three feet of snow where we lived in rural Western Oregon, but I have had a hard time convincing my husband and friends of my true stories! No, I did not walk to school through a snow storm in three feet of snow, but we had alot of fun playing in the snow.

Because our snow in December was such a big deal, there were stories of similar snows in past years and I have finally convinced my husband and friends that this has happened before and I wasn't just telling stories.

What a great way to spend Christmas and think of Christmases past!

Let the parade begin!

My good friend, Sheila, and I tried something new recently. We borrowed this cute little contraption built by a friend and rode it in the Aurora Colony Days parade. We even won first prize for creativity in our category!

Lately, I have been thinking I would do most anything to get the word out about our wonderful place to stay here in Aurora. As you can see, we had great fun and it worked...
at least we got lots of attention (maybe because folks didn't expect two little old ladies to be having SO much fun and being so silly!)

Sheila says "It was a hoot!"
(She's on the left)



Aren't we cute?