We blinked, and it was over!
Summer, that is. It’s hard to believe it’s September already. This seemed like the quickest summer ever. At Old Rittenhouse Inn, we kept very busy welcoming visitors to Bayfield, Wisconsin and extending our special brand of family-run hospitality. In addition to the normal summer routine, we also had a special occasion: the late-July launch of our new cookbook! Of course we also hosted many weddings and special events this summer. No wonder the time went so quickly!
Weather-wise, it was mostly a cool summer. There were a few warm days here and there but mostly the temps were in the 60s and 70s through July and August. Most people attribute this to the lingering effects of the ‘polar vortex.’ Side note: We are hearing that the upcoming winter will be similar to last year’s. If so, we can hope for more Ice Caves madness in the early months of 2015. Last year, over 140,000 people visited the area between January and March!
At the moment, we are preparing for another beautiful fall color season. The leaves are just starting to turn. On the drive to Cornucopia the other day, we noticed some isolated trees that were brilliant red. This morning, a few leaves were on the ground following last night’s thunderstorm. Nature’s cues tell us autumn is nearly here.
Eric Iverson took this picture and the previous image! 🙂
Fall brings so many wonderful things to our area. The harvest time is particularly bountiful here, thanks to the micro-climate created by the interaction of Lake Superior and the Bayfield Peninsula. We’ll soon be seeing fresh apples and pears, squash, pumpkins, and so much more arriving in our kitchen. These items will be featured in Chef Matt Chingo and the kitchen staff’s fall dinner and breakfast menus.
This is also the time for festivals, family and community get-togethers. Perhaps the grand-daddy of them all is the Bayfield Apple Festival, held Oct 3-5. Here you can get your fill of food booths and crafts, carnival rides, music and of course: everything apples! As always, we’ll have special Apple Festival treats available on our porch at Old Rittenhouse Inn: Grilled Brats with Apple Sauerkraut, Creme Puffs with Hot Caramel and Apples, plus Spiced Apple Cider or Applefest Ale from South Shore Brewery. We’ll also have Live Music on the lawn on Saturday, weather permitting.
Bayfield Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Bureau
Another reason we love fall is that it signals the start of our Special Events season beginning Oct. 24-25 with our Fall Brew Weekend, and continuing Nov. 7-8 with our Red Wine Weekend. Thanksgiving dinner is open to the public on Nov 27, and the Wassail Dinner Concert Series returns in December for our 39th year of magical holiday dinner concerts.
There is much to love about fall in Bayfield and the Old Rittenhouse Inn. We hope you’ll be able to join us for one or more visits, and tell your friends about the best kept secret: the quiet season in Bayfield, WI!