August 23, 2011: We have found a new attraction for our guests!! We now have a Wine Tour! Why visit one winery when you can visit two and have a great scenic ride while you do it.
Heston Farm Winery and Distillery, 1602 Tulip Lane, Fairmont, West Virginia is great.
Heston Winery sign
We stopped by last week to locate it for our guests and check it out. The winery is just 1 mile from I-79 at the Pleasant Valley Exit. The drive in to the winery is beautiful.
A scenic drive - and just 1 mile from I-79
Then you get to the winery. WOW! It is also the home of Pinch Gut Hollow Distillery. I tried a sip of their Apple Pie Shine. Once I swallowed, mmmmm – that was goooood!! The wine is good too. Heston Farm Winery and Pinch Gut Hollow Distillery hours are: Monday – Friday 11AM – 8PM; Saturday 11AM – 10PM; Sunday 1PM – 8PM. There is entertainment scheduled many weekends.
The Tasting Room
Heston Farm Winery is in the process of creating a wine in honor of Jade. Jade is a retired bomb sniffing dog, she served in Iraq. Jade is now a permanent resident of Heston Farm.
Jade, retired bomb-sniffing dog. Veteran of Iraq War
Gillum House then sends you on a lovely scenic drive that includes covered bridges and an antique mall as you wend your way to the second winery – Lambert’s Winery, 190 Vineyard Drive, Weston, West Virginia, just west of Weston. They have a nice selection of wines and a beautiful property. Lambert’s Winery hours are: Monday thru Friday-9am – 5pm; Saturday-11am-5pm; Sunday-1pm-5pm (April-December).
Welcome to Lambert's Winery
Gillum House has been sending our guests to Lambert’s for years and is quite pleased to be able to now enhance our winery packages with two wineries. Both wineries host weddings and other functions.
Tags: covered bridges, Gillum House Bed & Breakfast, Heston Winery, Lambert's Winery, wine tour
August 9, 2011: MountainFest ended 9 days ago. But West Virginia’s roads are still here waiting for motorcyclists who LOVE to ride twists, turns, hills, and KYA (that means kiss your a**) turns. We have had bikers from New Brunswick, Canada (he said my route was just the right mix of scenic and technical riding), Texas, Tennessee, Virginia, New York, the “Biker Boys” from Ohio, many other States, and Labor Day week, we have bikers coming from Mississippi. They are going to do our 2-States – 2-Inns – & Twists Package we do with Hilltop Haven Bed & Breakfast in Toronto, Ohio.
Ready for a great day of riding.
Hilltop Haven offers garage parking for their motorcycle guests. We have off-street parking at Gillum House or (if you have a Trike with a trailer) feel free to use the side yard!
Helmets on! Let's ride!
We have many different routes for our motorcycle guests and several different inn-to-inn packages depending on the direction one wishes to ride – North? South? East? What would you like to see/do? Covered bridges? Antiques? History? Scenery? Or just plain old good riding? We have it for you here in West Virginia.
Since both John & Kathleen were former riders (the tree did not move for him and City involvement cut into her riding time too deeply) and Kathleen knows her State. They know the best places to ride for whatever is the pleasure of the biker guests. Talk with John about the old days of flat track racing. He was the owner/tuner of a BSA Gold Star racer in the Midwest, often his Gold Star was racing the same Sunday afternoons as the greats – Carrol Resweber, Dick Mann, Gary Nixon when he was starting out. (We received sad news Friday that Gary Nixon passed away Friday afternoon.) See John’s paintings of vintage motorcycles in the Library. The paintings of the Matchless and the BSA Dick Mann raced are no longer here – they are joining the actual motorcycles in California.
Serious rider ready to ride
Come on to West Virginia for some of the best motorcycle roads in the good old USA! Go to www.gillumhouse.com and Book Now!
Tags: Gillum House Bed & Breakfast, Motorcycle Art, motorcycle roads, motorcycles, MountainFest
August 2, 2011: Sunday ended MountainFest 2011. It was a great festival with something for everyone. Ted Nugent, Montgomery Gentry, helicopter rides, daredevil exhibitions, food…. And the piece de resistance – the Vintage Motorcycle Show. This year the Vintage Show had the entire building – wide aisles, larger and better displays, and MORE BIKES!!!
Classic-Cycle-Art had an “open-wing” arrangement this year. The 1952 Vincent Black Lightning owned by Gene Brown of Colorado was displayed in our display and positioned so looking across this marvelous motorcycle, one saw the painting of it that was done by our own John Panek. A very special event occurred on Friday evening. By 5 P.M. many of the vintage motorcycle exhibitors had gathered for the “unveiling” of the painting. The painting had been hung with a black satin cloth over it so no one – even Gene Brown – would see it before it was unveiled. Seeing the gathering, many people attending the show also joined to see what it was all about. A video camera was set up and photographers, including the official photographer for the Vintage Show were there.
Bety Carver and Gene Brown (yellow shirt) study the painting
Then, with Betty Carver, West Virginia Tourism Commissioner, on one side of the painting and Gene Brown, owner of the painting he had yet to see on the other, the black satin drape covering the painting was lifted and dropped to the floor to a rousing round of applause. Everyone watched as Gene showed Betty details in the painting.
There is a great display at MountainFest of military vehicles and equipment, including an ambulance and several military motorcycles. In the Classic-Cycle-Art display is a painting of General George Ogden’s motorcycle that is in the military exhibit along with one that belongs to his wife, Nancy.
Painting of General Ogden's motorcycle
This year, the Cannonball Run was honored. This motorcycle race/run consisted of motorcycles made 1915 or earlier – yes, 1915 were the NEWEST motorcycles in this event – from Kitty Hawk, North Carolina to Los Angeles, California! Three of those motorcycles were displayed next to us. There were motorcycles of all eras plus other memorabilia displayed from all over the Country – the best of the best comes to MountainFest. Sunday was the vintage races. The 1915 Indian from the Cannonball – all 3 from that display raced – found a curb as he passed another motorcycle and took a spill. He scraped his knee and had a bit of other minor damage to his body (he must be sore right now) but he was relieved to discover no damage to the Indian. When these folks race, they are serious! There was even a motorcycle with sidecar race!
In 2009 these six gentlemen came to MountainFest fom Ohio – the “baby” of the goup was 67 and the “oldster” was 88. ALL were riding their own motorcycles.
Four of the "Biker Boys" at MountainFest 2009
Departure Day at Gillum House - The "Biker Boys"
If you have never been to MountainFest, put it on your calendar, the last weekend in July 2012 (Thursday thru Sunday). This event gets bigger and better every year!
Tags: Cannonball Run, Gillum House Bed & Breakfast, Harley Davidson, Indian, Morgantown, motorcycles, MountainFest
July 26, 2011: MountainFest is almost here! It opens Thursday and will close Sunday afternoon. The entertainment scheduled is awesome! In the Vintage Motorcycle Show will be the paintings of John Panek Classic-Cycle-Art. Friday afternoon there will be an unveiling of the painting of Eugene Brown’s 1952 Vincent Black Lightning, a motorcycle so rare that we have never seen another – anywhere in our travels.
John Panek shares the duties of host at the Gillum House Bed & Breakfast when he is not in his art studio.
This Triumph gives an example of the paintings of Classic-Cycle-Art.
John Panek painting of 1938 Triumph
Tags: Gillum House Bed & Breakfast, Morgantown, Motorcycle Art, Motorcycle paintings, MountainFest, Vintage Motorcycle Show
July 18, 2011: The annual Shinnston Citywide Yard Sale will be held Saturday, August 6, 2011. As always there will be yard sales all over the City of Shinnston. The Appalachian Rangers Muzzleloader Club will have tables set up at the driveway of the Gillum House Bed & Breakfast on Davis Court. This is an event too good to miss! Maps of yard sale locations around the City will be available from businesses in Shinnston and at City Hall.
Tags: Citywide Yard Sale, Shinnston
July 17, 2011:
Chief Secreto & staff serve up food
The annual Police Cookout at the Park is this coming Saturday! Chief Secreto and the Shinnston Police Department and representatives of the law enforcement community will be at Shinnston City Park on July 23 from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM. Join us for food, fun, and free swimming.
Tags: Shinnston, Shinnston City Park, Shinnston Police Dept.
July 14, 2011: This blog has been silent for a while due to 2 happenings. #1- we had technical difficulties that have thankfully been resolved. #2 – a trip of a lifetime was gifted to yours truly by my “big brother”.
Almost ALL the Paneks
After a family reunion in Iowa with all six of our children and 7 of the 8 grandchildren (the Navy trumps Granny), a KLM jet took me from Chicago O’Hare to Frankfurt, Germany on June 1.
I saw museums, cities, family celebrations, beer garden (picnic grove), and castles in Germany.
One of the castles in Germany
The White Cliffs of Dover
We took the ferry from Calais to Dover. I spent a week in London seeing the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, a ride on the Thames, Madame Tussauds, and the Tower of London.
With Her Majesty's Tower of London Guard
We traveled on the Tube (underground/subway). Then on the way home to Schweinfurt, we went to Stonehenge, Windsor, and Canterbury. Then back across the Channel to Calais.
Eifel Tower twinkles on the hour
A day to empty the RV and do laundry and we were off again – on a bus trip to Paris for 4-nights and 3-days. Then it was June 29 and time to come home. Yes, I did miss Shinnston and the Gillum House. We look forward to welcoming YOU to the Gillum House soon.
July 13, 2011: The West Virginia Hoop Group Jam Fest will take place July 14-16, 2011 in Morgantown and the surrounding area. For anyone scheduled to play at Fairmont State University (the majority of the 16U games and the 15U games), Shinnston is located just 10 miles south of Fairmont State University on US Rte. 19 (Locust Ave. in Fairmont). The Gillum House Bed & Breakfast is located in downtown Shinnston just one block west of US Rte. 19 – approximately 15 minute direct drive. (Things I learned last year – For this event only – room includes ONE washer& dryer load of your athelete’s uniform. There IS also a laundromat in Shinnston nearby.) A full breakfast is served any time between 4 A.M. and 10 A.M. for your convenience. Shinnston is 45 minutes “door-to-door” from Morgantown via I-79. Reservations can be made via phone 888-592-0177 or online.
July 13, 2011: The Lord’s Pantry Food Bank of Shinnston will hold the second annual Music Festival July 22-23, 2011 at the auditorium of Lincoln High School. Here is their Press Release:
The Lord’s Pantry of Shinnston and Tenmile is sponsoring its 2nd annual Lord’s Pantry Music Festival on Friday, July 22nd, and Saturday, July 23rd, at Lincoln High School. The Friday hours are from 6 – 10 p.m. The Saturday hours are from 1 – 4 p.m. and 6 – 10 p.m. This is guaranteed to be a great weekend of Christian music.
The cost of tickets is: one day – $10.00 and two days – $15.00. Children 5 and under are FREE. Tickets will be sold at: Tolley’s Bible Book Store in Eastpoint Shopping Plaza in Bridgeport and Dola Dairy Mart in Dola. In Lumberport, tickets can be purchased at Melissa’s Hair Salon, United Methodist Church and the Baptist Church. In the Shinnston area, tickets can be purchased at Shinnston Shop ‘n Save, Jewel City Church, All Season’s Florist, Shinnston First United Methodist Church, Shinnston Plumbing, CLK Financial, and Shinnston First Baptist Church. Tickets will also be available at Bice’s Greenhouse & Florist in Enterprise.
Featured groups and singers include: New Prophets, Millie Tate, Susie Sigmon, Ron Shamblin, the Goodwins, the Sandy Family, and New Journey. Appearing on Saturday: Josh Oldaker at 1:00 p.m., JP Miller at 7:00 p.m., Taj Rohr at 8:00 p.m. and the Anointed Trio.
Nonperishable food or money donations will be accepted.
Food vendors will be present.
Please attend to enjoy God’s word in song and help to alleviate hunger.
For more information, call 304-592-0637 (Sandra Haggerty) or 304-783-4601 (Kathy Burr).
Tags: Lincoln High School, Lord's Pantry, Music, Music FestivaL, Shinnston
Miss WV crowns our Queen
Tags: First United Methodist Church, Miss West Virginia, Mother's Day, Queen Melba
April 23, 2011: With the sesquicentennial of the Civil War, West Virginia becomes an active participant in the history of that era of the United States. On June 3, 1863 the forces of the Union under the command of General George McClellan and the immediate command of Colonels Benjamin F. Kelley and Ebenezar Dumont met the forces of the Confederate Army under the command of Colonel George Porterfield at the covered bridge at Philippi, Virginia (it became Philippi, West Virginia on June 20, 1863) spanning the Tygart Valley River.
Jarvis House - McClellan HQ
During the preparations for the battle, General McClellan made his headquarters at the Jarvis House in Webster. Many years later, Anna Jarvis would become the founder of Mother’s Day.
It is believed that the first battlefield amputations took place during this battle, both Confederate soldiers – VMI cadet, Fauntleroy Daingerfield and a college student, James E. Hanger who lost his leg. After recovering, James Hanger made himself a leg, hinged at the knee, from barrel staves. The Virginia State Legislature commissioned him to make the “Hanger Limb” for other wounded Civil War veterans – the beginning of the Hanger Orthopedic Group, Inc.
In addition to being the location of the bridge across the Tygart, Philippi had railroad and was near Grafton, a railroad center for the Baltimore & Ohio.
The Blue Gray Reunion will take place June 2, 2011 at Philippi, West Virginia at Noon.
Near the east end of the Philippi Covered Bridge is the Depot that is now a museum.
Depot at east end of Philippi Bridge
The mummies at the Museum are featured on Innteractive Inns.
Come to the Gillum House Bed & Breakfast to find these and more of the history of the War Between the States in West Virginia.
Tags: Anna Jarvis, Battle of Philippi, Blue Gray Reunion, Civil War, Covered Bridge, Depot, George McClellan, Grafton, Jarvis House, Mother's Day Shrine, mummies, mummy, Philippi, Philippi Covered Bridge
April 19, 2011: Today the Fairmont Federal Credit Union held the second annual Mad City Money at Lincoln High School with the aid of the City of Shinnston. Mad City Money was an exercise in the realities of life for 15 students at Lincoln High School. Each student gets a “life portfolio” telling their profession, marital status, their salary and the salary of their spouse if they have one, and how many children and their ages. The students have budget sheets, debit cards and register, how much credit card debt they have, and guidelines for the exercise. They are required to visit each merchant with the exception of the Mall which was optional. Each merchant has options from which the students choose their lifestyle in housing, transportation, and other requirements of life. There were required expenditures at each merchant from which the students were required to choose the necessities and wants of life.
They were required to visit the Reality Realty with Shinnston Recreation Coordinator Nathan Drain as the realtor to choose a beginner, modest, or expensive house or apartment, Richard Herndon the ultimate car salesman was where they chose whether they and/or their spouse would ride the bus or buy a car – new or used, Rebecca Reger, Board member of the Development Authority, for their clothing choices, Bice-Ferguson Museum Director Maxine Weser for Home Furnishings, Shinnston Finance Officer Emma Clarke for Baby/Children Needs, Donna Marra for Entertainment “Fun Stuff”, and City Clerk Kathleen Panek at the “Gotta Eat” table where they had to choose a weekly food budget for each week of the month, dine out at least once (fast food or fine dining) and choose a monthly coffee budget for themselves and spouse if applicable. All were also required to have a savings account. During the shopping,
Mayor Sam DeMarco - the Fickle Finger of Fate
Mayor Sam DeMarco was roaming the area as the Fickle Finger of Fate handing out life lessons – you have a flat tire you cannot fix so you owe $150 for example or windfalls of a bonus check for something. Then there was Mary Jane Wright, President of the Shinnston Development Authority, at the Mall, the only optional merchant, waiting to entice them to over-spend. The object was for these merchants to tempt them into buying more than they could afford, to bankrupt them when it was on paper to avoid it in real life. If anyone had a problem financially, they were required to visit the Credit Union for “counseling”. At the end of the exercise, all had to visit the Credit Union to pay for their “bumps in life” or collect their windfalls and to go over their accounts to see how they fared.
These kids were a surprise to all. Very few of them over-spent. Mrs. Marra was not able to entice any of them, not even the high-salaried stock broker, to take a vacation to London or Hawaii. They were quite sensible in their purchases. After the students had all visited the Credit Union to settle accounts, there was a debriefing of what they learned and how they rated the exercise. The merchants stated opinions of the buying practices of the students – impressed at how conservative the students were in their spending.
My personal sadness is that only 15 students were able to participate as this is something each student should experience before landing in the quagmire of real life with all its joys and sorrows.
Tags: Fairmont Federal Credit Union, Lincoln High School, Mad City Money, Shinnston
April 18, 2011: A wise decision was made early Saturday morning as the sky shouted (no, there was no whispering about it!) the facts. Our sunshine on Saturday was going to be more liquid than not. By 8 A.M. the tables filled the Shinnston Women’s Club. There were many tables of wonderful crafts of every kind. Across the street at the Fire Department, the fire trucks were in the process of being moved to the street to make room for more arts and crafts. The bays also filled quickly.
The Shinnston ON TRAC/Gillum House table selling genuine City of Shinnston logo mugs and Gillum House freshly roasted coffees (also several varieties of loose teas and the WVBBA cookbook) was set up in the Shinnston Volunteer Fire Department.
A Toast to you at Lamberts Winery
Lambert’s Winery set up a mini tasting room with their table, giving folks an opportunity to discover one of West Virginia’s hidden treasures.
Barbara Delligatti of Ona, WV brought her watercolors, prints, and greeting cards. Shinnston’s own Sulayne Brooks 304-592-0410 brought paintings in oil and in watercolor. Cathy Drain had afghans, quilts, and candle-wicking at her booth. Gary McDiffitt of Pine Grove, WV 304-889-3576 sold birdhouses, benches, and wagons that he made. Karma Kreations of Bellington, WV karma-kreations@live.com sold lovely jewelry, making some on-site. Set up directly behind the jewelry was Gloria’s Gifts G’lore 304-266-7445 from Thornton, WV with cup & saucer florals and “50s” sodas and sundaes. There was also Ann’s Family Tree from Coalton 304-636-5658 and Vi’s Pleasure Crafts 304-592-0519 from nearby Lumberport. Next to the Gillum House table was Kimberly’s Creations of Shinnston (the phone 443-250-0183 is Maryland – long story – but she is Shinnston). She does custom sewing for weddings, dance recitals, christenings, and proms as well as lovely crocheted items. Boyce Art Glass from West Union 304-873-1520 had wonderful hand-blown Christmas ornaments and icicles, glass napkin rings (beautiful flowers), paper weights, and something I had never seen before – beautiful yard birds! That is exactly what they were! Glass birds to decorate your yard (Kevin said the weather does not hurt them except perhaps hail). And these were just a few of the vendors found at the First Annual Shinnston Arts & Crafts Festival.
Even with the rain there was a wonderful turn-out for the FIRST annual Shinnston Arts & Crafts Festival. Even Acting-Governor Tomblin stopped by to see the arts & crafts. I saw Delegate Sam Cann making purchases. He also bought a raffle ticket from the Special Olympics for their fundraiser. The shops on Pike Street had special sales all day and the Bice-Ferguson Museum was open. If you missed it this year, you missed a fun day. Watch for the dates on the City of Shinnston web site and come see why everyone is talking about Shinnston. We expect 2012 to be bigger than this year was!
Tags: Art & Crafts, Boyce Art Glass, fresh-roasted coffee, Gillum House Bed & Breakfast, museum, Sulayne Brooks
April 15, 2011: Tomorrow, April 16, is the first annual Shinnston Arts & Crafts Festival. There will be at least 30 vendors! SUNSHINE OR RAIN!!! The festival will take place on Bridge Street in Shinnston. If we are blessed with sunshine, the Festival will be held in the parking lot between the Bice-Ferguson Museum and the Lowe Public Library. If we are not so blessed, just come to the Shinnston Women’s Club and the Shinnston Volunteer Fire Department, the alternate locations. There is a wonderful variety of arts & crafts signed up for this event. The shops on Pike Street are having sidewalk sales (inside if our sunshine is in drops) and St Ann’s Catholic Church is having a bake sale.
Coffees before roasting
The Gillum House Bed & Breakfast will be represented with Coffee Corner. In addition to selling Shinnston logo mugs for the ON TRAC Team, Gillum House has roasted FTO Peru, Sumatra, Brazil, Columbia, Hawaiian Kauai and Hawaiian Maui coffees to be sold. There will be some tea for sale also.
Come on down to Shinnston starting at 9 A.M. for a fun-filled day from one end of Downtown to the other!
Tags: Art & Crafts, coffee, fresh-roasted coffee, Gillum House, Gillum House Bed & Breakfast, museum, tea
April 1, 2011: All but unknown outside of West Virginia, Mother’s Day was started by Anna Jarvis who was born in Webster, West Virginia and attended Church in Grafton. Although on slightly different routes, each of these historic sites is 22 miles from the Gillum House in Shinnston.
Looking to the front of the Mother's Day Shrine
Paintings line the walls of the Mother's Day Shrine
The Mother’s Day Shrine in Grafton is open Friday and Saturday 10 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. and Sunday Noon to 4 P.M. April 15 to October 31. The Anna Jarvis birthplace in Webster will be open 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. Tuesday thru Sunday starting April 5, 2011. There is a $5 donation per person at the Jarvis House.
Show your Mother how you love her – bring her to the Mother’s Day House and the Mother’s Day Shrine. From April 5 thru May 11, any Mother’s Day Special will include a carnation corsage for Mother, directions to the Anna Jarvis House and the Mother’s Day Shrine, and Mother’s donation fee to the Anna Jarvis House. Reserve now – online at http://www.gillumhouse.com/accommodations/#reserve or by calling 1-888-592-0177.
Tags: Anna Jarvis, Grafton, leaded glass windows, Mother's Day, Mother's Day Shrine
