Salmon Film Festival Anyone?

 Even though we are miniature donkeys who blog, we still think salmon filmmakers are pushing the envelope. The first ever salmon film festival is on in conjunction with nearby Fort Bragg's Annual World's Largest Salmon BBQ, this July 2nd.


July 4th is best experienced in small towns and villages such as ours here on the Mendocino County coast. Not only is our food fantastic (and July 4th is all about the food, isn't it?) but we have the best weather (warm in the day, slightly cool at night) and a rich history all around us that reminds you what the founding of our country was all about.


I believe our Inn is running some type of July Special Deal, so call and get all of the details.

We are standing by for your call!

Oh, and there are fireworks too, of course.

Continuing to be delicious...

Our Creekside Restaurant here at the Inn has been open now a couple of months and the raves are in!

People love the intimate, peaceful atmosphere, the beautiful setting -- and of course most of all, they adore the food.

Our rich soil here in Mendocino yields the most wonderful bounty.

But don't take a miniature donkey's word for it, come up and see for yourself.


Summer is our season here on the Mendocino Coast, with festivals devoted to film, food, wine and so much more!


Visit Mendocino, our official website, is one easy way to learn what's going on: http://www.visitmendocino.com/festivals-events.

Or just call us at 800-731-5525 and talk to an Innkeeper. They love to chat!

Babies!

How's that for a beauty shot?

Courtesy of our African hoofed friends at B. Bryan Preserve down south of us in Pt. Arena. This baby antelope is a honey and by now, I bet they have some baby Hartmann's Zebras running around too. This preserve is dedicated to caring for rare, vanishing African hoof stock, and they are doing a terrific job, from what our cousins there tell us.

Check out a whole album of fresh photos from B. Bryan on Facebook and stop by and visit them on your way up to see us. You have to book ahead for a tour, but it's worth it -- especially at this time of year!

Up here at the Inn, Google has alerted us to enthusiastic blog posts from Inn guests about the baby bunnies who join us for breakfast each morning. Chunk has just about had enough of these little cuties, because he doesn't appreciate having pastry crumbs whisked away just when he was on the verge of enjoying them, but really, that's just sour grapes. It's nice to have happy babies popping around at this time of year.

And no, the bunnies don't come inside at breakfast, but this is what it would look like if they could! They have a few dedicated stumps outside the Farmhouse window where they dine instead, very happily.

Heritage Days in Mendocino County

All this month, our proud county celebrates the history that is never far from us, with the Heritage Days event.

Heidi and I are very historically-aware donkeys, by virtue of our surroundings.

For instance, did you know the Ledford Farmhouse, which is the main building of our Inn, is an important historical structure and that our Inn was the first resort on this stretch of the coast?

We equines have always played an important role in the history of Mendocino -- as you can see above -- and we continue to be a key part of life in this still rural and breathtakingly beautiful corner of the world.

Check here for some of the events that have been scheduled around this wonderful month of reflection on Mendocino's colorful and sometimes surprising past.

Heidi and I are surrounded by this rich history every day.

Come up and join us this month and learn more about the goings on and characters who shaped our county.

Apparently, now it's summer here in Little River

The Mendocino Coast really has the best weather on earth. It's supposed to be in the 70s tomorrow! Heidi and I can hardly wait. We are basically sun-loving donkeys, due to our Sicilian roots, and we are looking forward to some nice long sun baths tomorrow.

Chunk and Punk's niece, Lovey, took this photo. She's quite the little shutterbug, isn't she? This is a view from our pen, that surrounds our lovely Donkey Cottage, here at the Inn at Schoolhouse Creek. 


Perhaps we are biased, but we do believe that our ancient trees are the most majestic, our ocean views the most pacific, and our food, of course is the freshest in the world!

Here's a shot of the new onsite Creekside Restaurant, courtesy of Lovey's busy fingers.

Gorgeous, yes?

She's a very talented chipmunk. We have high hopes for our Lovey!

She's growing up into such a nice girl too. She's a real asset around here, greeting all of the guests at breakfast.

As you can see, she's a real morning "person."

Bleeding Hearts and Tiny Donkeys!

We get a weekly (or so) "Bloom Blast" from our fabulous Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens. They include photos of what is just coming out, flower-wise, in these e-newsletters, as well as events and other items of note.

This week's gem is called Bleeding Heart. Isn't it exquisite?

The gardens were recently named by AOL's Shelterpop as one of America's Most Fascinating Public Gardens. Do you suppose it's because you can whale watch right on the premises (it's the only coastal garden of its kind in the contiguous United States) or might it be the fact that dogs are welcome -- and there's even ice cream for them in season?


Speaking of new things blooming this spring, our Creekside Restaurant here at our Inn is open now to rave reviews.

But get here and try it before Chunk eats everything in site!

Mendocino Sunsets

Hi!

Heidi here!

It's not often that Monique lets me have access to the laptop (that's a topic for a whole other post), but while browsing around today while she got her pedicure,  I discovered this great website that has a camera pointed at the ocean in Mendocino Village:

http://weather.mcn.org/

There are also complicated weather maps and the actual temperature on this page, but as a mostly home bound donkey, it was the live view that interested me. It occurred to me that this website could be used to observe the stunning, justly famous Mendocino Coastal Sunset, from anywhere at all on earth.

Of course I can see the sun set over the Pacific every single day from right outside Donkey Cottage at my Inn.

But maybe you aren't so lucky?

I would recommend that you come up here before the busy season hits us. Chuck has been raving about the dishes they are cooking at the new on site restaurant that opens April 15th, and I believe they are running some kind of a special to encourage people to come try it.

You'd be silly to miss out on something like that, at such a beautiful time of year up here.

Heidi over and out!