There are a million and one ways to feel about mud season in the Adirondacks. Some people fly south, soaking in some sunshine and warmth to skip it all together. Other people view this time of year as opportunistic; no bugs, no maxed out trails just the area to yourself. For locals you are in one camp or the other but there are certainly very few inbetweeners. Right now I think you could hear a pin drop in this town as the school is on Spring Break and many business owners take the time to be with family after a busy season. For us we have always taken the month of April to begin planning for the spring projects which lead us into awakening the property for the summer. The time for the transition blueprint. I keep thinking back to this time last year. How nervous we were, the uncertainty and the ravenous planning and intense strategizing that was occurring.  The 10pm pots of coffee being brewed, the constant back to back zoom meetings and sleepless nights. What will become of our area going into a busy season in a pandemic? What about my sweet soon to be married couples?! We rounded our wagons. We re-thought every single plan, procedure and aspect of operation in order to do our best to ensure the safety or our guests and team and also how to maximize our space to continue to see the property into the future and through this. Some things changed. We did not open the fine dining restaurant The Lodge. Instead, we focused all of our energy into the Lean To casual restaurant. We worked to elevate the menu, providing 5-8 dinner specials every night and opened enough seating outside to be able to serve 85 people every hour. Personally I felt a hole in my heart with the Fine Dining sitting absent. That’s when we engaged the chefs table private dining experience of the Green House which then continued into the Fireside tables this winter. The response to this was more than I could have ever imagined. People were so grateful for a safe, curated lovely tablescape and creative elevated menu. And I was happy to host them, grateful for their business.  The Lean To and Green House remained so busy that we stayed open through November for the first time ever. Kudos to the team for non stop work for a year with no break! To say we were grateful for this business would be an understatement. Looking ahead this season we see a bright future. A vaccinated team, a declining rate of cases in our state, travel bans lifting and restaurant capacities easing up. We are prepared because of all of the work we put in in the past year. While we are so grateful for all of you that showed up for us and trusted us to keep you safe through this we hope that those of you that were hesitant are beginning to feel safer too.  That you’re looking to step outside of your home in safe and conscious ways.  This season is certainly shaping up to be a busy one and we are ready. Ready to see you. Ready to watch you get married (FINALLY) and ready to keep you safe.  Much love to you all and counting the days!- Britta