blog @ 1795 Acorn Inn

I Love Spring – Part IV

Innkeeper — Mon, 20 May 2013 17:26:06 +0000

Well, my relief was short lived this morning when we found a poor, little chick on the ground beneath the nest. It was on the brick floor and unfortunately will never know what it feels like to fly. I gently put it in a box and Amanda and I will have a burial service for it later this afternoon. I have to keep reminding myself that this is nature. But it still hurts. There are some things this city girl will never get used to in the country.

On a positive note, just after we noticed that one didn’t make it, another baby was on the ground. This one was hopping around, flapping it’s wings and following mama/papa. There are still two left in the nest and I’m sure they too will soon be taking that leap. Once out of the nest, they don’t really know how to fly. They will spend the next few days hopping around on the ground and learning how to fly. Of course, this is when they are most vulnerable but I think they will make it as we are pretty protected in our beautifully lush perennial gardens.

Will there be a Part V?

I Love Spring – Part III

Innkeeper — Mon, 20 May 2013 17:12:04 +0000

May 19… The babies are getting so big they no longer need their mother/father for warmth at night. Mama/Papa sleep close by on a branch now. Yesterday they were chirping up a storm and it was hard to believe how big they had gotten overnight. I was getting a little worried because I hadn’t seen them getting fed all day. Actually, I was besides myself. I started researching all I could about how to care for these Robins and was almost out the door ready to go dig up some worms when the mama/papa came back to feed. I felt instant relief.

They barely fit in the nest.

Part IV to follow…

I Love Spring – Part II

Innkeeper — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:59:27 +0000

On Wednesday, May 15, I noticed a little head popping out from under mama/papa. It was still very cold in the morning and I didn’t think the eggs would have hatched yet. But apparently they did. A few hours later Amanda noticed two heads. And a few hours later, we saw her/him feeding them… all four. She or he (I think they take turns) would land on the edge of the nest with a worm in his/her mouth and all four heads would reach out of the nest and chirp for food. It seemed like there were constantly flying to and fro. Did you know a baby robin needs to be fed every 10-20 minutes? With four in the nest, that’s a worm every five minutes. And I still can’t figure out how she/he knows who got the last worm.

I think they grow into their beaks.

Just finished feeding.

Can I have some more please?

Part III to follow…

I Love Spring – Part I

Innkeeper — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:50:34 +0000

Spring feels like the shortest of all seasons and passes with a blink of an eye. Case and point… This is the third year in a row that a robin has chosen nest atop the light just outside of my office door. The first year we took her nest down because we painted the outside of the Inn. The next year she/he rebuilt it. This year she/he made a few modifications and reused the old nest. It’s pretty safe there but wonder why she chooses to lay her eggs there given the amount of traffic in and out the office door.

I don’t think he/she knows what to think of me and my camera.

Always close by…

Part II to follow…

May Touring Tips Courtesy Of The Finger Lakes Visitors Connection

Innkeeper — Mon, 06 May 2013 19:05:07 +0000

Take a stroll through the nine gardens at Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion or visit one of the many historic homes and mansions in Ontario County, replete with period furnishings and architectural grandeur of the Victorian, Federal and Greek revival periods. Sonnenberg Mansion & Gardens, 151 Charlotte Street, Canandaigua. 585-394-4922.

During the month of May head over to Geneva, NY and check out the Rose Hill Mansion and Johnston House both once working farms in the Finger Lakes.Take a step back in time to explore these historic estates and learn about historic farming techniques. Contact the Geneva Historical Society for tickets, tours and more! Located at 543 South Main St, Geneva 14456 (315) 789-5151.

Join the Finger Lakes Visitors Connection as it unveils the photography, art, local products and people of Ontario County that helped to make the happiest Visitors Guide ever! Finger Lakes Visitors Connection is showcasing travel happiness in Ontario County with the 2013 Travel Happiness Art Show. The public is invited to the Opening Reception on May 10 from 5 pm to 7 pm at Hazlitt Red Cat Cellars in Naples. For questions contact FLVC at (585) 394-3915.

The Ganondagan State Historic Site is now open! Learn about local Native American History at the site of a 17th century Seneca Village. Make sure to visit the self-guided hiking trails, the 1670 bark long-house replica and Visitors Center. 1488 New York 444 Victor, NY 14564 (585) 742-1690.

The signs of summer are starting to appear! Head to the northern shores of Canandaigua Lake and kick-off summer at The Inn on the Lake – Sand Bar! Featuring live music weekly and great food specials! If you have a boat in the water, feel free to dock along the waterfront at the hotel to take in the sound waves! 770 South Main St. Canandaigua, NY 14424 (585) 394-7800.

Hit the links at Ravenwood Golf Club in Victor. In 2003 Golf Digest Rated it the #5 “Best New Public Course in America.” On Mother’s Day, Mom plays golf for free! 929 Lynaugh Rd., Victor. (585) 924-510.

Spring is here and summer is near! Time to hop on a bike and ride around the lakes! Bike rentals are available at R&E Bike and Skate, 168 S.Main St., Canandaigua, (585) 393-5680 and Geneva Bicycle Center, 489 Exchange St., Geneva, (315) 789-5922. Or, bring your own bikes and check out a fabulous resource at the 1795 Acorn Inn… Take Your Bike, a list of bike trails in the Finger Lakes.

In celebration of the City of Canandaigua’s Centennial, enjoy 100 days of free entertainment in Commons Park, Downtown Canandaigua. There will be music, dance and theater for 100 days – every day something different. Come downtown and see what’s in store. Events begin after May 27th.

Value In The Finger Lakes

Innkeeper — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 21:12:52 +0000

May and June are my two favorite months of the year. I love the sun, the changing scenery and the flowering perennials. So take advantage of our Stay Two Weeknights, Receive The Third Weeknight Free Package. It’s only for the month of May.

Angell/Wilder Rooms: $375.70 ($170 savings)
Bristol Suite/Hotchkiss Room: $475.17 ($215 savings)
Barn Suite: $530.40 ($240 savings)

Package available Monday through Thursday, 4/29/13-5/30/13. NOT AVAILABLE ON SUNDAY. Price includes three weeknights accommodations, full breakfast and all applicable taxes. Package not available on Holidays, Holiday Periods and Special Events. Thirty-day cancellation policy applies. PACKAGE MUST BE REQUESTED AT TIME OF RESERVATION. PLEASE MAKE NOTE IN THE SPECIAL NEEDS SECTION WHEN MAKING AN ONLINE RESERVATION OR INFORM THE INNKEEPER IF MAKING A RESERVATION BY PHONE.

April Touring Tips Courtesy Of The Finger Lakes Visitors Connection

Innkeeper — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 17:43:24 +0000

The spring feeling is in the air! That means it’s the perfect time to throw on those hiking boots and get

out on the trails. Visit the Finger Lakes Visitors Connection for your free hiking and biking kit.

Finger Lakes Visitors Connection, 25 Gorham St, Canandaigua. 585-394-3915

Grape pies are a “must taste” in the Finger Lakes Region. Take a scenic drive on Route 21 to Naples

and stop at a roadside stand or go right to Monica’s Pies. Monica’s Pies, Route 21 South, Naples.

585-374-2139. www.monicaspies.com

Join owners Vinny and Kim Aliperti from 2-4pm on April 14th, for a Vertical Wine Tasting at Billsboro

Winery as they dig into their wine library to sample and discuss the many stories each vintage has to tell.

Billsboro Winery 4760 West Lake Rd. (Rt. 14) Geneva (315) 789-9538. www.billsborowinery.com

Golf season is just around the corner. It’s time to brush off the clubs and head to one of the 9 golf

courses located in Ontario County. For more information and special golf deals visit us online at

www.VisitFingerLakes.com/golf-the-finger-lakes

And they’re off to the races! April 20th is the first day of racing for the 2013 season. Between races

check out the gaming floor with over 1000 video gaming machines. Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack,

Route 96, Farmington. 585-924-3232. www.fingerlakescasino.com

Hang out with the alpacas at Golden Oak Alpaca Farm from 10 am-12pm on April 20-21st . The farm

is family owned and operated with over 10 years of raising alpacas. If you’ve never experienced

alpaca shearing, now’s your chance. The alpacas are sheared once a year for their very

fine fleeces, similar to the shearing of sheep. Golden Oak Alpaca Farm, 8395 State Route 20A, Honeoye.

585-229-5545 www.alpacasetc.net

Watch the crazy rafts run down the stream in Shortsville/ Manchester at the Wild Water Derby. Canoe

and kayak slaloms, a raft parade, a flat water regatta on Canandaigua Lake, food and live music

are all part of the fun. April 27-28. Visit www.wildwaterderby.com located at Canandaigua Outlet/Red

Jacket Central High School, 1506 Route 2, Shortsville.

Enjoy live music from local musicians at Arbor Hill Grapery’s Brew and Brats every Saturday night While

there, enjoy some local sausage from Hartmann’s and a local beer. Brew and Brats, 6461 Route 64,

Naples. 585-374-2870. www.thegrapery.com/Brew-and-Brats.php

On April 27-28th, come down to Sonnenberg Gardens to enjoy a workshop for novice and more

experienced photographers led by award-winning photographer and garden writer Theresa Forte.

Meet in the Carriage House. Includes soup and beverage at lunch. $85 per person/$75 per Sonnenberg

Member. Prepaid reservations required please call for times 585-394-4922. www.sonnenberg.org

March Touring Tips Courtesy Of The Finger Lakes Visitors Connection

Innkeeper — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 21:27:00 +0000

Be sure to get to Sonnenberg for the Annual Orchid Show! See beautiful orchids on exhibit
and for sale, or sit in on a seminar or lecture. March 1-3, 10 am – 5 pm. Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park, 151 Charlotte Street, Canandaigua. 585-394-4922

Come meet the Wizards at the Wizard of Clay. Jim and Jamie Kozlowski combine their talents in making the trademark Bristoleaf® Pottery. Bet you can’t leave the area without it! Wizard of Clay Pottery,
7851 Route 20A, Bristol. 585-229-2980.

Stop down to the New York Wine and Culinary Center and sharpen your cooking and tasting skills.
On March 7, sit down and have a “Dinner & Discussion with Red Newt’s Winemaker & Chef.” Over din- ner, enjoy some of the Finger Lakes’ best local ingredients and award winning wines. For more details or to reserve your spot, visit www.nywcc.com. New York Wine and Culinary Center, 800 South Main Street, 585-394-7070

Don’t miss a chance to get up close and personal with nature! Take your family to Cumming Nature Center’s 35th Annual Maple Sugaring event and enjoy sugaring demos and a pancake breakfast. Be sure to walk the trails while you’re there! March 16-17 and 23-24, 9 am – 4 pm. Cumming Nature Center, Gulick Road, Naples. 585-374-6160.

Experience maple sugaring the old fashioned way during March! See demonstrations and taste the sea- son’s first maple syrup during Maple Weekends. Check out all the great farms and dates at www.mapleweekend.com.

Don’t miss this year’s Spring Carnival Weekend at Bristol Mountain! Greet the change of seasons with a family fun day, Easter egg hunt on Saturday, a frozen stache dash, snow tube slides, live music, and much more! Free lift tickets for kids 12 and under! March 16-17. Bristol Mountain Winter Resort, 5662 Rt. 64, Canandaigua. 585-374-6000.

On March 19, enjoy the Loving Local Cheese event at the Ramada Geneva Lakefront. Featuring local cheeses and juices, it’s a celebration of some of the best Finger Lakes agriculture has to offer.
Sample Red Jacket Orchards juice blends; meet artisanal cheese makers and local dairy farmers! Ramada Geneva Lakefront, 41 Lakefront Dr. Geneva. For more information, contact the Cornell Cooperative Extension at 585-394-3977 x 427 Cost $5 per person.

The Wine Symposium of the Finger Lakes will be an exquisite wine and food experience held in Geneva on March 23. Come learn about and taste wines alongside international experts including former White House Executive Chef Walter Scheib, and, in the process, learn about the Finger Lakes American Viticultural Area (AVA) in the context of the world’s key wine producing regions. For tickets and more information, visit www.winesymposiumfingerlakes.com

Sonnenberg Gardens Orchid Show March 1 – 3, 2013

Innkeeper — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 17:10:06 +0000

Come to the greenhouses of Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park for the Annual Orchid Show & Sale and bask in an oasis of warmth and vibrant color. This year’s event will be held Friday – Sunday, March 1 – 3 from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM each day. Flower fans of all ages will delight in these exotic blooms, showcased in Sonnenberg’s historic Lord & Burnham greenhouse complex. On display, guests will find colorful Cattleyas and Cymbidiums, delicate Dendrobiums, pretty Phalaenopsis, Paphiopedilums and more. Educational seminars on orchid care will be offered at 11 AM and 1 PM Saturday and 2 PM Sunday for visitors. A variety of orchids will be on sale in the Sonnenberg Gift Shop for visitors to take home. On Friday, take advantage of special orchid re-potting services (for donation). Wine tasting will be available in the Sonnenberg Gift Shop on Saturday from noon – 4:00 PM and Sunday from 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM. General admission to the event is $5 per person to support the work of this community non-profit. For more details, call 585-394-4922 or visit online at www.sonnenberg.org. Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park is located at 151 Charlotte Street in Canandaigua.

Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park is one of America’s longest surviving estates from the Victorian Era. The elegant Queen Anne-style mansion was built in 1887 in Canandaigua by New York City financier Frederick Ferris Thompson, and his wife, Mary Clark Thompson, as a summer home. Between 1901 and 1920, the widowed Mrs. Thompson and her staff created the nine formal gardens seen today. The grounds are open to the public from May 1 through October 31 each year. Sonnenberg is a non-profit organization dependent upon the support of members and sponsors and its dedicated corps of volunteers. For more information on the revival of the grand estate on the “sunny hill,” contact Development Manager Lisa Scott at 585-394-4922.

Feburary Touring Tips Courtesy Of The Finger Lakes Visitors Connection

Innkeeper — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 16:50:21 +0000

On February 9th come experience “Vintage Vines & Valentines”, an old-world celebration of love and friendship in the historic Finger Lakes Valley of Naples, NY. The event features several local businesses who are offering everything from free tastings to meal discounts! For more details and directions visit www.facebook.com/VintageVinesValentines

More than 200 artisans showcase their work at Artizanns in Naples. Stop by and pick out that special gift so you’ll always remember your visit to the Finger Lakes. Artizanns, 118 North Main Street, Naples. 585-374-6740.

Got a case of the Winter Blues? Not to worry. The Blues Brothers Revue is in town. On Saturday, February 9th head to the Smith Opera House, a historic wonder of Geneva, NY. Bring your friends and join in as the Revue pays homage to Chicago’s rich history of blues, soul music and gospel in the true spirit of the original Blues Brothers. 7:30 p.m. Pricing $25 advance; $30 at the door. Smith Opera House, 82 Seneca Street, Geneva, NY 14456 www.thesmith.org

Shop for one-of-a-kind items at the Canandaigua Classic Antique Show and Sale where more than 40 quality antique dealers will be showing their wares. Feb.10 from 9 am to 4 pm. Admission is $5. Finger Lakes Casino and Race Track, 5857 Route 96, Farmington. (585) 394-1472.

Celebrate wonderful Finger Lakes ice wines this winter. The New York Ice Wine Festival (Feb. 16) at Casa Larga Vineyards and the nICE Festival (Feb. 25) at the New York Wine and Culinary Center will be full of Finger Lakes wine food and fun! For more details visit www.visitfingerlakes.com/events

Get out for a day of winter fun…and while you’re at it, learn about our area’s history! The Native American Winter Games features a snowsnake game, dogsled run demos, snowshoeing, Native American stories & refreshments. Saturday, Feb. 23rd, 10am – 4pm. Ganondagan State Historic Site, 1488 State Route 444, Victor. 585-924-5848.

Step inside from the cold this winter at Finger Lakes Gifts and Lounge, offering the finest locally sourced gifts, edible treats and beverages from the area. Stop in on your next trip to historic downtown Geneva and check it out! 60 Seneca Street, Geneva, NY 14456 315-759-5247 www.fingerlakesgiftsandlounge.com

Bring the whole family to cross-country ski on 15 miles of groomed trails, or snowshoe on a 3-mile loop at Cumming Nature Center. Nordic Hot Dog Days starts on Feb 23 and 24 from noon to 3pm. Visitors can also enjoy hot dogs, chili, cookies, brownies and hot cider! Cumming Nature Center, 6472 Gulick Road, Naples. 585-374-6160.