How Do You Define Well-being?

  Have you taken stock of your well-being lately? Basic human needs like being in nature, knowing where your food comes from, getting a good night’s sleep, and making time for the people most important in your life can often be addressed with a B&B getaway. Transformative travel is next-gen wellness travel. It’s a getaway that helps you reset and recharge. And it isn’t about an age as much an attitude about what’s important in life, addressing all aspects of a person’s life – exercise, meditation, healthy food, relaxation, unplugging, preventative care, even the goal of using up your vacation days. In Wisconsin, a number of B&Bs really get transformative travel and the power that little moments have to put guests on the path they’ve always longed for. [caption id="attachment_2536" align="alignright" width="358"] Forest Therapy for all seasons at Inn at Wawanissee Point[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2546" align="alignleft" width="212"] The Crystal River by Apple Tree Lane B&B[/caption]                       At Apple Tree Lane B&B, it’s their interpretation of the Japanese practice of “forest bathing” that has guests flocking there in the warm weather months. Lest you think forest bathing is walking through the woods barefoot or taking a dip in a lake – although it can be those – it is so much more. The practice of slowing down to connect with nature in an immersive, mindful way can boost mood and reduce stress. Apple Tree Lane B&B's location by the river lets one get accustomed to this practice. Also nearby to the inn, the Waupaca segment of the Ice Age Trail starts within Hartman Creek State Park, running north of the park to Indian Valley Road, and south of the park through the Emmons Creek Fish Hatchery and Wildlife Area. The segment is part of the 1,000-mile National Scenic Ice Age Hiking and Skiing Trail. Another pristine place to forest bathe in solitude is the Inn at Wawanissee Point's 42-acre wooded sanctuary adjacent Parfrey’s Glen State Natural Area, both nestled atop the Baraboo Range, ancient quartzite bluffs topped with 55,000 acres of oak, maple and basswood forest, the largest tract of its kind remaining in the upper Midwest. Their 3 miles of private trails are secluded, groomed just enough for easy walking, meander mature forest intertwined by a stream, and intersect their small, restored prairie, with meditation benches, stumps and boulders for quiet reflection. Nature power-melts away tension here. Other B&Bs where you can untether from technology and get back out in nature include Country Comfort B&B and Sheer Memories B&B, with miles of hiking trails right on these properties. Country Comfort is located right on the Red Cedar River and Trail with nearby Hoffman Hills Hiking Trails adding another place for forest bathing while in Menominee. Sheer Memories is located on the rolling hills of Southwestern Wisconsin overlooking the Wisconsin River Valley with trails, gardens, fields, and woods, and where breathtaking views lend itself to a peaceful retreat. [caption id="attachment_2542" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Farm fresh ingredients[/caption] Mindful eating is another aspect of transformative travel. At Parkview B&B, the innkeepers take pride in preparing delicious, creative, homemade breakfasts while using seasonal, fresh, local, & quality ingredients. The Altemus Corners B&B lets you enjoy fresh produce and berries for a full breakfast including fresh farm fruit (berries and melons) juices, coffee and tea. Lazy Cloud B&B has restorative spa treatments right at the inn. Franklin Street Inn hosts experiences in a Group Art Workshop like no other in the area and is another path to well-being for many. They will allow each participant to create a unique painting of their own. Seasonally, these are conducted in their lovely garden area. Artha Sustainable Living Center includes a guided meditation option in one of its packages. When it comes to a restful night’s sleep, you’d be hard pressed to find anything as dream-inducing as the beds at Ye Olde Manor House and Grapevine Log Cabins. Plus the quiet, rural atmosphere at both properties lends itself to falling asleep and staying asleep. Lots of ideas to be well!   WBBA Seek the Unique

Are you ready to Seek the Unique?

 

No Nitpicking, It’s Strawberry Picking

We’re not nitpicking by a day or two as to the readiness of the strawberry crop.  Usually the berries are ripe come mid-June.  Thanks to the unusually warm spring in Wisconsin, they’re already ripe.  The picking season is short too – just three weeks.  So if you like to pick your own, here’s a handy map of where to stop and stoop, courtesy of the Wisconsin Berry Growers Association.   The Strawberry Festival in Cedarburg is June 23-24, a good reason all by itself to visit this pretty little burg.  You can also expect some incredible strawberry treats from innkeepers this time of year, like the Cranberry/Strawberry Topped Cheesecake from Altemus Corners B&B in Stoughton.  The innkeeper there tells us her guests sleep great after this evening dessert – better than a glass of warm milk we suspect! Cranberry/Strawberry Topped Cheesecake Makes 1 Pie

“This cheesecake is served regularly at the Altemus Corners B&B.  The lemon taste is always fresh in summer or winter with berry topping and it’s always wonderful to have a dairy treat for the guests.  The sleep really great after an 8 p.m. dessert like this one!”  --Innkeepers, Altemus Corners B&B

1 (8 ounce) bag animal crackers, finely crushed ½ cup butter 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened ½ cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided 2 eggs 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, divided 1 ½ cups sour cream Whipped cream  TOPPING ¾ cup fresh cranberries ¾ cup water 2 teaspoons corn starch ¼ cup sugar ¾ cup fresh sliced strawberries 
Preheat over to 325°F. Melt the butter in a glass pie plate.  Add the cookie crumbs, mix, and press into the bottom of the plate and up the sides.  In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and ½ cup sugar.  Add the eggs one at a time.  Stir in the lemon and 1 teaspoon vanilla; mix to combine.  Pour the cream cheese mixture into the pie plate and bake 20 minutes, or until set. In a medium bowl, mix together the sour cream, 3 tablespoons sugar and ½ teaspoon vanilla.  Remove the cheesecake from the oven and top with the sour cream mixture.  Return to oven for an additional 10 minutes.  Cool and refrigerate.  Serve with whipped cream and berry topping.  For the topping:  Boil the cranberries in the water for about 5 minutes.  The cranberries will pop.  Mix the cornstarch in a bit of cold water to make a thick slurry.  Remove the cranberries from heat and add the slurry and sugar.  Allow the mixture to cool 10 minutes before adding sliced strawberries.  [caption id="attachment_672" align="aligncenter" width="150" caption="Picture yourself breakfasting in the morning or fire-fly gazing in the evening on the gazebo-porch at Altemus Corners in Stoughton. Innkeeper Marge promises the Cranberry/Strawberry Topped Cheesecake is served year-round."][/caption]
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