Winter Newsletter 2010

 Berry Springs Lodge
Winter Newsletter
     Hello from Berry Springs Lodge,
  

 Christmas was mostly quiet this year. Our niece has been staying with us for the past few months.  We are not use to having a girl around and compared to the boys, she is much more boisterous. It made for an interesting Christmas; especially when P.J, our oldest son, bought Patrick a karaoke player.  It was not determined who was the better singer, our niece or Patrick!The first week in January we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary on a cruise to the Southern Caribbean and the timing was perfect. The day we left until the day we got back, the weather in Tennessee was very cold and snowy. The average temperature on the cruise was 83 degrees and sunny. We had a wonderful time; but of course, we ate too much.  Patrick found he was allergic to vinyl. The flippers he used to snorkel made his feet blister. We were about 80 miles from Haiti when the earthquake hit; but it did not affect us at all. We kept imaging that a tsunami would hit the ship and roll us over like the movie "The Poseidon".

Again we want to thank you for being our friends and guests.  Hope to see you all soon. 

  

  Patrick's   "Home Inn-    Wintertime is here. Time to work on inside projects. We did our usual touch-up painting in all the rooms and common areas. Melissa has been working on detailed cleaning, taking beds apart, moving furniture and cleaning every square inch of the lodge. It is a very good feeling to hear guest say they cannot believe the lodge is 10 year s old, "It looks like you just opened".  My worst fear would be a guest unhappy because the place was not clean and well kept. I wish every place we went had the same philosophy. We replaced the carpet in the Raspberry and Royal Springs rooms and plan to put hardwood floors in Crystal and Powder in a few weeks. Last year we talked about reeducating the air units in the basement but never got a chance to do it. Hopefully, we will be able get that done this month as well. I have a few tiles in the kitchen and laundry room that have come loose that I will have to replace and repaint the rockers and outside benches before spring. That should do it for the most part for guest areas. I know Sue has some projects for me to do in our living area but you know how that goes... I have to save some time to skiing and snowmobiling up north.   

                                                                        Patrick 

 

 

We are celebrating our 10th year Birthday and would like to offer you a special discount to help celebrate. Starting today through December 31st, 2010 you can save $40.00 per night on weekdays and $20.00 per night on weekends.

Save $40.00 per night on weekdays and $20.00 per night on weekends.

 (Two night minimum stay and not valid with any other special)

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    Sue's  Recipes     

  

 Hi everyone.  This one is very good! 
White Chocolate Cranberry Blondies

  

 

• 3/4 cup butter, cubed


• 1-1/2 cups packed light brown sugar


• 2 eggs


• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract


• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour


• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder


• 1/4 teaspoon salt


• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon


• 1/2 cup dried cranberries


• 6 ounces white baking chocolate, coarsely chopped

  FROSTING:

• 1 package (8 ounces) Kraft Philadelphia® - Cream Cheese, softened


• 1 cup confectioners' sugar


• 1 tablespoon grated orange peel, optional


• 6 ounces white baking chocolate, melted


• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped

Directions

• In a microwave, melt butter; stir in brown sugar. Transfer to a large bowl; cool to room temperature. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; gradually add to butter mixture. Stir in cranberries and chopped chocolate (batter will be thick).


• Spread into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake at 350° for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (do not overbake). Cool on a wire rack.


• For frosting, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and orange peel if desired until blended. Gradually add half of the melted white chocolate; beat until blended. Frost brownies. Sprinkle with cranberries. Drizzle with remaining melted white chocolate. Cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 2-1/2 dozen.

  
 

 

 

Ingredients

 

Thank you, and God bless