Joseph Oregon Lodging

What to do near Wallowa Lake - Day trip along the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway

Thursday, July 15, 2010 by Heather Tyreman

Harl Butte Historic Fire Lookout on the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway

It's nice to find things to do near Wallowa Lake when you're on vacation in Eastern Oregon. With Highway 39 closed near the junction of Highways 39 and Oregon 86, you can still reach most of the Wallowa Mountain Loop Road (Highway 39) from the Joseph Oregon side.

Even the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast innkeepers get to enjoy the sights around here every now and then! Bill & I recently drove out to Harl Butte off of Highway 39. There's an historic fire lookout there. When we arrived we were surprised to find not only the historic building but an individual manning the lookout as well. From his vantage point he could see into the Imnaha River drainage, plus from his location you could see the fire lookout tower at Hat Point and across Hells Canyon into Idaho.

What impressed us most was the hand-stacked volcanic rock wall surround the lookout site (he told us a previous lookout had spent 10 summers erecting the wall). Someone obviously had a lot of time on his hands in between watching for lightning strikes and monitoring fires in Northeastern Oregon and across Hells Canyon in Idaho!

Harl Butte is about 1 1/2 hours from Wallowa Lake. When planning your Eastern Oregon vacation, consider adding it as an out-of-the-way place for vast beauty. We keep maps here at our Eastern Oregon lodging to get you there and back again. Hope to see you soon!

Hells Canyon Scenic Byway (unofficially) Open!

Tuesday, June 1, 2010 by Heather Tyreman

So here we are at the end of May 2010 and the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway is now unofficially open! Checked with the Forest Service this week and, although there are parts of the road that are down to one lane because of snow, the road between Joseph and Hells Canyon is passable. What a relief!

My contact at the Forest Service tells me that the road will be officially open once the snow is all melted and any rocks and debris are cleared from the road (which will be soon). So, if you've wanted to know about Highway 39, or the Wallowa Mountain Loop Road, or the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway (all the same places)--the answer is yes!

This photo was taken in July 2009 at Hat Point and you get the idea of the abundance of wildflowers in the area. It's a little early yet, but the flowers are coming soon too!

If you're looking for some Hells Canyon lodging along the way, our Eastern Oregon bed and breakfast is right along the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway. We're not the most convenient to Hells Canyon Dam (about 2:45 hours from the dam), but we're about 2 hours from scenic Hat Point in Hells Canyon and less than 2 hours from the Hells Canyon Overlook. Not much is convenient in the way of Hells Canyon lodging, but Joseph Oregon is a good jumping-off point!

Artists Looking for the Joseph Oregon Hotels

Saturday, May 1, 2010 by Heather Tyreman

Rollin by Portland Oregon Sculptor Denny Boone

It's funny how people start looking for Joseph Oregon hotels and wind up at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast. This week we've hosted two artists who are visiting Joseph Oregon regularly. Denny Boone is currently working with the Valley Bronze Foundry on his bronze sculptures.   Denny and Mari have stayed in at least five different lodging accommodations in and around Joseph Oregon, and they've finally found their "home away from home" (so Mari says).

We'll see them again in a couple of months when Denny's bronzes reach their next stage of production that needs his hands on input. We're hoping to see the finished bronze of this current work, "Rollin" (pictured at left).

Denny and Mari stayed in the Mirror Lake Suite. Of all our rooms, this suite comes closest to a boutique hotel in terms of its amenities.   Needless to say they've reserved the same room for their return visit. No Joseph Oregon hotels in this town, but the Mirror Lake Suite will definitely work!

We enjoy hosting artists here in our Joseph bed and breakfast.   It's fun to talk with them about their art and, for the bronze artists in particular, to see their work move from clay or wood to finished bronze sculptures. See ya soon, Denny & Mari!

Zoho Music Visits our Hells Canyon Lodging

Wednesday, April 28, 2010 by Heather Tyreman

You just never know who will walk through the door when you own a bed and breakfast. This week Joachim Becker, president of Zoho Music in New York, graced our little Hells Canyon lodging with his presence.

Zoho Music Tribute to JJ Cale Volume 1: The Vocal Sessions

Joachim was on his way to Portland and decided to see a little of our fantastic Eastern Oregon countryside on his way. I wish we could've gotten him the spectacular view of Hells Canyon from Hat Point but the road is still snowed in. Just a good excuse for another visit to our Hells Canyon lodging in the summer or fall when the road is open.

Zoho Music is about to release a tribute compilation of music written by Oklahoma-born songwriter, singer and guitarist JJ Cale. Watch for "Tribute to JJ Cale, Volume 1: The Vocal Sessions" on June 10, 2010. Joachim was kind enough to leave an advance copy with us and with our other guests. The liner notes are clear, concise, and reveal a lot about JJ Cale as well as all the wonderful musicians appearing on this release.

We wished Joachim well on his drive to Portland, then loaded the CD for kitchen cleaning duty. With a variety of artists contributing to this CD from Swamp Cabbage to The Persuasions to Greg Skaff & Jimmy Hall among others, it's just the ticket for a voyage through classic American roots music! Thank you, Joachim!

Scenes from a Joseph Oregon Vacation: Bronze, Blues & Brews Festival

Wednesday, March 24, 2010 by Heather Tyreman

Now here's something that could've happened on someone's Joseph Oregon vacation--spending a Saturday in August at the Bronze, Blues & Brews Festival. I bumped into this short YouTube video prepared by the Wallowa County Chieftain newspaper about the last Bronze, Blues & Brews Festival in 2008.

The next Bronze, Blues & Brews Festival is scheduled for Saturday, August 14, 2010. Same location: Joseph City Park. You'll find more information at the festival website.

If you're looking for lodging, there's still room at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast. And we're conveniently located only one block away from the Bronze, Blues & Brews Festival. Advantages include:

Don't have to drive to the event.
Closest lodging to Joseph City Park.
No waiting in line for the "blue room" port-a-potties.
Easily change into warmer clothes as the sun goes down and the bands heat up.
A quick trip home after spending all day dancing and enjoying the festival.
Breakfast waiting for you the next morning.

Call us toll-free at 866-520-9769 or local at 541-432-0230. There's only one room left and we'd love to book it for you and your Joseph Oregon vacation!

What to do in Joseph OR in August: Bronze, Brews & Blues Festival, Saturday, August 14, 2010

Sunday, March 21, 2010 by Heather Tyreman

Albert Cummings all star band will be headlining at the 14th Annual Bronze Blues & Brews Festival in Joseph, OR August 2010. Photo courtesy of bbb.com website

It's not too early to think about what to do in Joseph, OR in August 2010. The 14th Annual Bronze, Brews & Blues Festival will take place on Saturday, August 14th at the Joseph City Park.
As we have every year that the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast has been open, we're helping sponsor this year's festival. Professional media photographer Dean Davis of Dean Davis Photography in Spokane, WA, will once again emcee this year's festival. Dean and his wife have stayed with us every year since 2001!

Alternative to Joseph Oregon hotels at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast the Sawtooth Mountain Room

If you still need lodging for the event, we have one room left at our Joseph bed and breakfast. Don't bother looking for the Joseph Oregon hotels (there aren't any), but staying in the Sawtooth Mountain Room would be as good as staying in any Joseph Oregon hotels. And our bed and breakfast is walking distance (that's one block) to the Joseph City Park, site of the Bronze, Blues & Brews Festival. It doesn't get more convenient than this!

Give us a call toll-free at 866-520-9769 or click on the links at right to book your room for the Bronze Blues and Brews Festival today!

Planning your wedding in Joseph Oregon? Planning your wedding at Wallowa Lake?

Wednesday, March 17, 2010 by Heather Tyreman

Thinking about planning your wedding in Joseph Oregon? We recently hosted a couple that were doing just that--planning their wedding. They came with the idea that they wanted to be married here in Wallowa County during March, but that was about as far as they'd planned.

A Wedding on top of Mount Howard near Wallowa Lake with the Eagle Cap Wildnerness

They hoped to be married near Wallowa Lake on top of Mt Howard. A lot of people hold their weddings up there at 8,000' with the glorious Eagle Cap Wilderness in the background. A lot of people do during the summer, that is. Everyone rides up on the Wallowa Lake Tramway to the top of Mount Howard. The Wallowa Mountains form a fabulous backdrop for such a wonderful event.

Since she skis and he snowboards, they had visions of swooshing in to their wedding location with their immediate families waiting for them. What they didn't plan on was the fact that the Wallowa Lake Tramway doesn't open until Memorial Day Weekend. This time of year the tram is closed and it's VERY cold up there on the top of Mount Howard!

Enter the innkeeper who knows a bit about wedding locations in Wallowa County. Since they were planning a small wedding with just immediate family they didn't need a large place, and they wanted to be outdoors. And in March--when the weather in Northeastern Oregon could be a sunny 65 degrees or snowing in the mid-20s.

We discussed various possibilities: Salt Creek Summit snow-park, shores of Wallowa Lake near the Wallowa Lake Lodge (the only Wallowa Lake hotel, but mainly closed in the winter and early Spring). . .

"How about a barn wedding?" You can be outdoors or indoors (depending on the weather). You can drive to the wedding location (you're not dependent on the Wallowa Lake Tramway to get you there). You'll be close to support facilities (like heat, changing areas and bathrooms).

So, we sent them off to look at our favorite barn wedding venue about 10 minutes away from our Wallowa Lake lodging out on Prairie Creek. Nancy and Don allow couples access to their lovely barn in exchange for donations to the nonprofit organizations they support. Our betrothed couple returned later that day, flush with excitement over their wedding location. Nancy and Don were very gracious and showed them both the barn and the granary, a smaller building with doors that open out onto the Wallowa Mountains view. Perfect!

And to top it off, Don will officiate at their wedding!

If you're looking for a wedding location near Wallowa Lake or Joseph Oregon, be sure to consult with the local innkeepers. Our couple arrived with a concept and left with a plan. We'll be seeing them again in March when they arrive a day early to check on last minute details. And if you'd like to talk with Nancy or Don about their barn, give us a call here at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast and we'll be happy to put you in touch with them.

New Toy for the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast chef

Sunday, March 7, 2010 by Inside the Bronze Antler

Everyone deserves a new toy every now and than. Thursday, March 4, 2010, was an exciting day at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast. The bed and breakfast Executive Chef and co-owner (that's me) was the happy recipient of a new GE dual-fuel range.

See, Joseph Oregon is not anywhere close to natural gas lines. That's one of the reasons we decided to open our Hells Canyon Byway lodging way out here where we're somewhat remote from things like natural gas. I've been wanting a gas range ever since we opened the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast and it's only taken me 10 years to get it!

It might not excite you, but the beauty of this baby is that is has a gas top and two electric ovens--the best of both worlds. And it fit in the bed and breakfast kitchen without getting out my Sawzall!

Having the ability to quickly control the temperature on the range with the gas is awesome! I tried it out Thursday night with lamb chops. They were seasoned only with salt and pepper and seared in the skillet, then rested in the oven while I made a reduction sauce. I sweated some shallots and threw in some small crimini mushrooms with a little butter, and added a cup and a half of exquisite $3.95/bottle Merlot. Once the liquid reduced to about half, I added a couple of tablespoons of butter.

While the sauce was reducing, I boiled up a big pot of water and cooked rice noodles. I then pan-fried them with scallions and tamari.

Heather & I had a very delicious dinner. We were so excited with the new stove that we forgot to take photographs of the stove in action or of our dinner before we ate it.

Now we're ready for the Eastern Oregon vacation season. C'mon guests!

More Joseph Oregon Hotels and Business Travel

Monday, February 22, 2010 by Heather Tyreman

North Coast Orca I in Western Red Cedar by Michael Keller

This week we are hosting an artist here to do business with Parks Bronze Foundry in Enterprise, Oregon. Michael Keller is an accomplished woodcarver from Chelan, Washington, who is expanding his artistic pursuits into bronze. A visit to his website, White Eagle Studios, makes you want to pick up your pocket knife, put a good edge on it, and get started!

He does have a very important disclosure on his website, however:

Important disclosure: Wood carving and whittling may be habit forming and could prevent you from engaging in household chores and other unpleasant tasks. Carving is enjoyable and you may be prone to sharing it with others; thus, causing them to experience the same distractions from less pleasant tasks as you may experience yourself.

He chose our Joseph Oregon lodging because (among other things) there are no Joseph Oregon hotels, but also because our bed and breakfast is a very comfortable place to stay. This week Michael is working with Steve Parks and the Parks Foundry staff to complete his bronzes--choose and apply the patina, mount the bronzes on their bases, and bring his new works to the foundry for transformation into bronzes. Michael blogged extensively about the process--you can read in depth about the transformation at his blog post, "From Woodcarving to Bronze".

We've not yet seen the bronzes and are looking forward to seeing them before he leaves for Chelan. Our job is to keep Michael well-fed, well-slept, and well-connected to the Internet so he can concentrate on his work at Parks Foundry. So far, I believe we're doing well!

Need lodging during Chief Joseph Days in July 2010 in Joseph Oregon? Look no further!

Sunday, February 7, 2010 by Heather Tyreman

Attitude Adjustment by artist Austin Barton stands in front of City Hall in Joseph Oregon. Chief Joseph Days Rodeo is always the last full weekend in July and rodeo is an important part of life in this northeastern Oregon town.

Are you still looking for lodging during Chief Joseph Days in July 2010? Need more than one room for your party? The Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast currently has all four of our rooms available for the last full weekend in July 2010 (the big weekend of Chief Joseph Days).

Our Joseph bed and breakfast is walking distance to the rodeo grounds (at the other end of town), so you needn't drive your truck back and forth to the rodeo performances.

And if you're not looking for lodging during the rodeo but are thinking that late July is a good time to plan your Joseph Oregon vacation, then we have room for you too. The activity around Wallowa Lake and the Eagle Cap Wilderness starts picking up in July and runs into August. Hiking trails are open; the Wallowa Lake Tramway is open; parasailing is available at Wallowa Lake--all sort of things to see and do there.

And the town of Joseph Oregon is festive for the Chief Joseph Days rodeo! Give us a call toll-free at 866-520-9769 or click one of the buttons at right to start your Chief Joseph Days vacation today. No telling how long our guest rooms will be available.

What to do for Presidents Day Weekend: Snow, Avalanche Awareness and a Great Film!

Thursday, February 4, 2010 by Heather Tyreman

Still wondering what to do for Presidents Day Weekend? How about enjoying the Wallowa Mountains and the great snow we have here in Eastern Oregon? And while you're at it, start the weekend really early, support a good cause, and see a spectacular film. (That's the teaser from the 2008 movie "The Fine Line" posted above and one of the movies that'll be shown at the event)

The Wallowa Avalanche Center Fundraiser is scheduled for Thursday, February 11, 2010. Here are the details:

Who: Wallowa Avalanche Center
What: Fundraiser featuring "entertaining & educational" avalanche films. Terminal Gravity beer and Embers Brewhouse pizza. Drawings for some great raffle prizes.
When: Thursday night, February 11, 2010, starts at 6 pm.
Where: OK Theater on Main Street in Enterprise, OR
Why: Teach & entertain about ways to be safe in the snow, plus raise funds for a group dedicated for this purpose.
Price: $5 per person (such a deal!) Kids 6 and under are free.

And here's a preview of some of the raffle prizes:

Backcountry Safety Package worth ~$700 from BackCountryAcccess: (New backpack, shovel, probe, and Tracker Transceiver)
Black Diamond 165 Kilowatt Skis from Wallowa Alpine Huts
2 nights/2 skiers at Wing Ridge Ski Tours Huts from Wing Ridge Ski Tours
And, of course, more prizes too numerous to mention

Our Eastern Oregon lodging is completely booked for Sunday night, February 14th (it is Valentine's Day), but come early for an impromptu Eastern Oregon vacation. Hey, maybe even start your vacation at our bed and breakfast, head out to the backcountry for a day or two, and stay with us again before returning home! We're flexible! Call us toll-free at 1-866-520-9769 and we'll help figure out what works best for you.

Our Joseph bed and breakfast turns 200 (blog posts)

Friday, January 29, 2010 by Heather Tyreman

We've been steadily blogging about the Bronze Antler Bed and Breakfast since November 2008. I stopped to count the number of posts recently and we're now at 212 posts!

If you search this blog (see the Search This Blog field at the right?) --->
you'll find information about subjects like:

Joseph Oregon and what to do in Joseph Oregon
Wallowa Lake and what to do at Wallowa Lake
Joseph Oregon and Wallowa County events
Planning an Eastern Oregon Vacation
Hells Canyon Scenic Byway, Highway 39 and Hells Canyon Lodging
Recipes from our Joseph Oregon bed and breakfast
Guest rooms at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast
Planning a romantic getaway Oregon style at our B&B

You can also click on the various "Categories" (again, to the right on the template) and move right into specific areas like Joseph Oregon Hotels (there aren't any, but we'll tell you about it).

Or you can just wander through the blog and learn probably more about us, our bed and breakfast, and Joseph Oregon than you thought you'd ever know!

Madigan, Bill, Joanna, Elizabeth, Tiffany and I hope you enjoy reading our blog. If you have some suggestions about what we can do to improve it, you know we're all ears!

Only one room left for Valentine's Day at our Eastern Oregon lodging!

Tuesday, January 26, 2010 by Heather Tyreman

My goodness! Only one room left for Valentine's Day at our Eastern Oregon lodging! If you're planning a romantic getaway Oregon style to Joseph Oregon, our Sawtooth Mountain Room is still available for Valentine's Day and President's Day Weekend 2010.

Sawtooth Mountain Room at the Bronze Antler Bed and Breakfast in Joseph Oregon

Here's a little about the Sawtooth Mountain Room at the Bronze Antler Bed and Breakfast.

This guest room lodging accommodations at any fine hotel. Highlights include:

Queen-sized bed with Simmons Beautyrest mattress, topped with a Sensus latex dense foam topper (very comfortable!), fine linens, down comforter and lots of pillows.
West-facing views of the Wallowa Mountains. The mountains are a little farther away so there's more of a sweeping panoramic view looking out these windows.
Attached ensuite bathroom, complete with deeper style soaking tub and bidet. Oversized microfiber bathrobes and slippers. A two-sided, wall-mounted adjustable lighted makeup mirror (our guests love this). North-facing window over the Wallowa Valley
Free Wi-fi access and a combination clock radio/CD player/environmental sound machine. CDs in the drawer.
Art Nouveau period artwork and decor. My favorite item is the Ecole Nancy parlor stove we brought home from France that now serves as a tabletop.
Warm burnt orange walls adorned with hand-painted Arts & Crafts period stencils painted by decorative art professional Amy Miller.
Full bed and breakfast service including sherry upon arrival, chilled water, restaurant menus (and our recommendations), wine cellar selections, concierge services, activity planning, maps and reservations.

Wallowa Mountain views through the Sawtooth Mountain Room windows are serene in our Joseph Oregon Lodging. Photo by Unique Angles Photography

Still no television or fitness center on premises at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast. But with views like these and the Wallowa Mountains at your doorstep, who needs TV or a treadmill?

A cheesy blog post from your favorite Joseph Oregon lodging

Monday, January 25, 2010 by Inside the Bronze Antler

Madigan sends:

Okay, this is just too cheesy not to blog about. it's not just mice that love cheese. Everyone knows that dogs (ugh) love cheese. And cats love it too. She was on my couch again this morning watching a video about Tillamook cheese--that got me interested. Looks like they're takin' these funny little chopped up VW buses an' dressed 'em up like Baby Loaf Tillamook an' they're drivin' them around the country getting people to sample Tillamook cheese. Something about a "Loaf Love Tour"--I dunno. I'm just a bed and breakfast cat. But I know what I like.

Now, if'n you came to your favorite Joseph Oregon lodging, you might even get some of this cheese. He uses Tillamook cheese around here all the time. He even blogged about it--bragging on his hash browns. If'n you stay here at our Joseph Oregon bed and breakfast he'll probably put Tillamook cheese in your omlette. He might sprinkle Tillamook cheese on your pear or mix it in your hash brown bake.

An' the best part, he might just leave a little Tillamook cheese out for his favorite bed and breakfast cat when he's all through! I love the stuff!

Chief Joseph Days 2010 and a Joseph Oregon Vacation

Sunday, January 24, 2010 by Heather Tyreman

Starting to think about a Joseph Oregon vacation this summer? Looking for the Joseph Oregon hotels?

We're happy to announce that we currently have the Chief Joseph Mountain Room available during the rodeo week--July 21-24, 2010. Chief Joseph Days 2010 promises to be another great outdoor small town rodeo.

Our policy for event weekends, like Chief Joseph Days, is to offer our guest rooms first to those guests who stayed with us for that event weekend last year. If they don't want a reservation, then we offer it to individuals on our waiting list.

As it turns out, the guests who stayed with us last year in the Chief Joseph Mountain Room during the 2009 rodeo will not be returning, and we don't have a waiting list.

Chief Joseph Mountain Room at our Joseph Oregon lodging. There are no Joseph Oregon hotels, but staying at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast provides many amenities of boutique hotel quality--and free wireless Internet access too! Photo courtesy of Unique Angles Photography.

We've contacted our other Chief Joseph Days 2009 guests from our other guestrooms and our suite. We hope to have decisions from them by the end of January 2010 as to whether or not they intend to stay with us for the Chief Joseph Days 2010 rodeo.

So, serious rodeo fans, if you're looking for lodging, book the Chief Joseph Mountain Room for July 23 & 24, 2010 now! And if you check our availability and find that it's already booked, then call us and get on the waiting list. We'll be releasing any remaining rooms by early February 2010.

Things to Do near Wallowa Lake in the Winter: Relax!

Thursday, January 21, 2010 by Heather Tyreman

Wallowa Lake in winter Photo courtesy of Wallowa Lake Resort

What can you do near Wallowa Lake in the winter? How about relax a little? There's really no Wallowa Lake hotel (the lodge is closed for much of the winter), but just 6 miles away is Joseph Oregon and the Bronze Antler Bed and Breakfast.

And we love our wintertime guests! The pace is slower. Any couple booking a reservation at our Joseph Oregon lodging is bound to be the only couple in the house (besides us, of couse). Lots of privacy. Bubble bath refilled daily. Lots of attention from the innkeepers (if that's what you want). Winter rates (lower rates than our high season summer rates for sure).

The solitude of Wallowa Lake in winter is beautiful too. No crowds. Wildlife--bald eagles and hawks starting to think about nesting. Shaggy winter coats on the deer. Snow on the Wallowa Mountains surrounding Wallowa Lake. If you're in the mood, there are hiking trails that are passable with hiking boots (and maybe snow shoes). If you're not, walk along the shore of Wallowa Lake and observe daylight on the ice flows. And if you're really nuts, jump into Wallowa Lake for your own polar bear swim!

Shops, galleries and restaurants are open in Joseph Oregon and happy to see you. It's a different experience being here in winter. And you have a cozy, comfy room with down comforters and pillows awaiting you. Shuck your outdoor clothes for our Bronze Antler signature spa robe and slippers. Make it your own wintertime Joseph Oregon vacation. It's a great time to be here!

Wallowa Lake and Colonial Williamsburg?

Wednesday, January 13, 2010 by Heather Tyreman

Aerial view of the Governor's Palace at Colonial Williamsburg Virginia from website

Wallowa Lake and Colonial Williamsburg? Eastern Oregon and Virginia? Isn't that that place to go to learn about America's early history? Is there a connection? I wouldn't have thought so. However, the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum in Williamsburg, VA, holds a piece of art depicting Wallowa Lake.

From the museum's future events webpage:

The Art of Steve Harley

This exhibition showcases the life and work of Steve Harley (1863-1947) who traveled to the Pacific Northwest and was inspired by such places as Wallowa Lake, Wind River and Mount Hood. His paintings capture the natural beauty of the places in stunning color. Only five paintings survive, all of which are owned by the museum and will be shown in the exhibition along with sketches and photographs. February 13, 2010 through December 2011.

I was fortunate enough to find an image on the Colonial Williamsburg website showing the Steve Harley painting of Wallowa Lake. How fascinating! Looking at this image, Harley might've been standing atop the East Moraine and peering back along the West Fork Wallowa River towards the Lakes Basin. When was he here? No idea. Can't find information about him anywhere.

Probably long before there was any Wallowa Lake hotel (or any other Wallowa Lake lodging, for that matter). . .perhaps even when the Chief Joseph Band of the Nez Perce spent their summers along the shores of Wallowa Lake. Hard to say.

Should anyone reading this post visit Colonial Williamsburg between February 13, 2010 and December 2011, take the time to visit the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum and please let us know how the exhibition went--and a little more about this artist who spent time at Wallowa Lake!

Which gift certificates do you accept at the Bronze Antler Bed and Breakfast?

Monday, December 7, 2009 by Heather Tyreman

Winter is usually the time when people ask, "Which gift certificates does the Bronze Antler Bed and Breakfast accept?" The answer is three:

1. Our own Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast customized gift certificates that we produce and mail out with lots of information about planning your Joseph Oregon vacation. You'll find these by clicking on the button at the right of this blog.

2. Lodging Gift Vouchers from the Oregon Bed & Breakfast Guild. These are sold by OBBG in $25 increments and are good at any Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member inn. Currently, that means 90+ member bed and breakfast inns across the state of Oregon accept these. You can purchase them from the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild by clicking here.

3. Gift cards and Gift certificates issed by BedandBreakfast.com. These items are great gifts to give to friends and family that live somewhere else (like across the United States, for example). We've also noticed that some businesses use BedandBreakfast.com gift cards as part of their employee benefits programs. There are oodles and oodles (that's over 4,000) of bed and breakfast inns that participate in BedandBreakfast.com's gift card program. We recently hosted guests who had a couple of $25 gift cards and wanted a quick getaway trip. Boy, were they surprised to find a Joseph Oregon bed and breakfast that accepted these gift cards! If you want to learn more about BedandBreakfast.com gift cards and gift certificates then click here.

It doesn't have to be just the winter gift-giving season to purchase any of these gift certificates, and it certainly doesn't have to be winter to use them at our Joseph Oregon bed and breakfast. This year a couple stayed with us that received a Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast gift certificate from their children 4 years ago! And they wish they'd come sooner!

Does the Bronze Antler Bed and Breakast sell gift certificates?

Saturday, December 5, 2009 by Heather Tyreman

The holiday season is always a popular one for gift certificate sales, and it's no exception here at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast. Usually there are three or four people who panic in late December and call. We produce customized certificates in any dollar amount and send them out with plenty of local information so the recipient can start planning their Joseph Oregon vacation.

If you'd like to purchase a gift certificate or two, you can click on this icon or call us toll-free at 866-520-9769 or at 541-432-0230. Our little town of Joseph Oregon doesn't have counter service at the Post Office on the weekends, so if you need a certificate on a Saturday, please do think ahead.

Direct link to Bronze Antler Bed and Breakfast gift certificate program

Your guest can use their gift certificate for lodging, a nice bottle of wine from our cellar or even purchasing something from our gift shop--like one of our plush microfiber spa robes. Yum!

And, unlike some gift certificates, Bronze Antler Bed and Breakfast gift certificates don't expire. As long as we're in business (and we certainly have no plans of closing--we just expanded and added the Mirror Lake Suite in 2008!), your gift certificate is valid.

StillTasty: Your Ultimate Shelf Life Guide

Thursday, November 26, 2009 by Heather Tyreman

Rickie, our Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild administrator, recently made me aware of a very interesting and informative website-- StillTasty: Your Ultimate Shelf Life Guide. It's a virtual treasure trove of well sourced information!

How long will beverages or food stay safe and tasty?
"Keep it or toss it?" (I love this tab)
Questions answered for a whole variety of foods (can you freeze raw eggs?)
"Shelf Talk" with topics like the meaning of that date on the package.

Of course, being the Thanksgiving Day season, the lead question deals with the best way to store different parts of the traditional Thanksgiving Dinner and how long is it safe to eat. A very important question!

Today you're probably at home enjoying Thanksgiving with family and friends. Drop in on StillTasty before sitting down to your Thanksgiving meal and you'll undoubtedly be ready with an interesting topic of conversation!

Some of you might take your Thanksgiving on the road and spend it at your favorite lodging in Oregon (like one of your favorite Oregon bed and breakfasts). Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, and think about making StillTasty a favorite for your food storage questions!

The Art of Steve Harley

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