Beautiful Autumn..."Warm" Beginning to Winter

Reagan's Queen Anne Bed and Breakfast, Hannibal, Missouri

This 2011 photo of our two sugar maples in late in October, is a magnificent display of nature's artwork. When all other trees on our street were nearly or completely bare, we still had this beautiful array of color at the front door of our home. These maples are stunning and really look so nice against the paint scheme sported by this Victorian queen. If you are one who enjoys the colors of autumn, be sure to bookmark our website to go back to occasionally, or to see updates next summer and early autumn. We always let folks know what stages to expect of the metamorphosis, which occurs in our regional forests and the local trees noted for "showing off" the wonderful artist's palate of the colors of fall.

We'd like to thank all those who visited this year! Thanks to our wonderful guests, 2011 was another good year. Though we would love to have outstanding occupancy every year, matching 2010 and the two top years preceding that, we knew that eclipsing that would be a challenge in this unstable economy. As we've done since we opened our business, we try to help out by offering lower rates on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. We certainly filled rooms a lot during those days this year. So, for all those who will choose to cross the threshold of this beautiful vintage lady called Reagan's Queen Anne, we look forward to meeting you. To all of our wonderful repeat guests, we always look forward to your next booking. We love to hear from our guests, "We feel like we've been friends forever, and are as comfortable as can be in your company." We're looking forward to a great 2012 and providing a cozy, comfy respite for you all in the not-too-distant future! To all of our repeat guests who are participating in our Frequent Stay Program, remember that credit is recorded when you send others too. Just tell your friends, family, co-workers, etc. to let us know that you referred them to us. 

Christmas has passed for yet another year, and this year it was not "White". Time we spent with family helped us forget that Christmas and snow go together like peanut butter and jelly. We enjoyed the Avenue of Lights in Quincy, IL, went to the movie and had fun spending time with family. We're thankful that we have seen only a couple dustings of snow thus far this winter. Our local weather is unseasonably warm for December/January and we are loving it! Now that being said, we do hope for some colder weather to hang around for a bit this month so that our Mississippi River Flyway Eagles will once again dot the skies and trees near the riverbanks with their magnificence. There is a local pair which lives here year round, but local numbers reach into the hundreds of eagles when the river freezes during winter. Check our website for more about our Bald and Golden Eagle visitors by clicking the following: Eagle Visitors near Hannibal

American Bald Eagle

We are working on a few projects, as we do each winter. Our third floor suite will soon have a shower to compliment the clawfoot tub. We'll be doing some interior painting and hauling some things to auction, from closets upon closets full of antiques and collectibles. Rather than keep them packed away, these things need to be enjoyed by others.           

Happy New Year!! Let's hope for an economic recovery that will benefit us all. Blessings, Hope for the Future, and Well Wishes to you and yours. Norm and Judy

Sizzlin' Hot Summer

Ok, so let's catch up! We endured a very busy June here at Reagan's Queen Anne. Thank you to all the guests who crossed our threshold and allowed us to host them here in this grand Queen. As most weather watchers know, the midwest has been scorching this summer. Following a very wet spring, we've been hot, hot, hot here in the nation's middle.


July was not as busy as we've become accustomed to in years past. We're sure that the economy is mostly to blame. A delight in spite of all this heat and the slower July and typically slower August, is the nearly 3 dozen hummingbirds we have battling for food at our numerous feeders. We purchased larger ones this year, so that we were not refilling 10 feeders daily. All of the 8 oz feeders we have are drained twice a day, and 20 ouncers are the way to go. I believe we've used 50 pounds of sugar this year already and they are nowhere near migration yet. I'm guess-timating that we'll use in the neighborhood of 60-65 pounds before they leave. I sure do love watching them and will miss the air show, and even the daily making of the nectar when they depart. We've never had this many birds all at once and they've been here since the 3rd week of July, so it's doubtful that we have any migratory hummers stopping by for a "To-Go" meal just yet. We also enjoyed a visit at the end of July from Gina, Haley and Karen. We've always had fun when Gina and Haley come and can't wait for them to return! We took a ride on the Mark Twain Riverboat and saw one of the resident Bald Eagles in a tree on the island on the east side of the river. What a cool sight!


Continuing with the heat, August has been brutal. Now I did (personally) get a bit of a break from the 1st-9th, as I was in Florida with Tim, Kathy and the kids. I really enjoyed my visit and wish it would have lasted longer. Norm was a real trooper while I was gone. He fed the fish daily, watered the plants daily, and fed those hungry hummingbirds daily as well. He learned how much work it is to care for those little jewels. He also hosted guests while I was gone for 6 of the 9 days I was away. He did all the cooking, cleaning and handled everything while I was enjoying myself. He came through with flying colors, and plates came back CLEAN! I owe him big time for sending me to Florida for our grandson's SECOND Birthday!

Kaden's 2nd Birthday!! Yummmmmmmm, CAKE!

Shortly after I returned from FL, we made a huge change in the Victorian Rose Chamber. Our talented woodworker, Don, made some new sideboards for our mid 1800's Walnut Eastlake bed in that room, and we converted it to a queen! A brand new Sealy mattress set and our "new" room is open for business. The first guests who stayed in the "new" Victorian Rose said that the bed was heavenly. Our next project is to put the shower in on the 3rd floor Captain's Quarters. That will be completed soon! We're also making changes to abide by safety and fire regulations. That is so important in any business where the public is served. We're happy to provide this enhanced security for our guests.


So, it's back to the kitchen to make more hummingbird nectar. They are absolutely
c- r- a- z- y  today! This is the time when hand feeding them is possible. It is fascinating to be so close to these little miracles of flight.

More next month! Until then...This is one of our male Rubythroats who has claimed the spiral staircase feeder as "HIS". He guards it sitting just above it it on a Hummingbird windchime. They will entertain, in more ways than one!


It's off to the mountain of laundry awaiting me, following a full house last night.

A May to Remember!

May was a busy month! On the 3rd, Norm and I left by train and headed to Chicago. We then flew from O'Hare to Honolulu on May 4th, to attend oldest son Billy's wedding!! It was great to finally meet Kacey's family and celebrate such a beautiful wedding in breathtaking tropical surroundings. That is NOT a big poster behind them! The flora and fauna surrounding this historic Hawaiian Fish Pond, which connects to Kaneohe Bay and the Pacific, was paradise at its finest.

Billy & Kacey Shreve - Moli'i Pond, Kaaawa, Hawaii

The wedding party!

Don't you feel sorry for these two? They are forced to live in the beauty of the tropical paradise called HAWAII!! I keep thinking how I could grow my tropical hibiscus "outside" year round. Currently, the dozen potted hibiscus bushes and tree we have, are yet to be set out for the summer.


Ahhh, the sweet aromas stay with you for a long time. The plumeria and tuberose were not only beautiful, but sweetly aromatic and heavenly. I can almost smell them now. The bridesmaids wore yellow plumeria leis, and the Moms' leis were tuberose and roses. The men wore tea leaf and kukui nut, traditionally.


So we arrived home on Friday the 13th. Though I'm not a superstitious person, somehow Friday the 13th was not the luckiest for us. Norm was not feeling well a couple days before we left Hawaii and suffered on the flight back. He's well now, but he passed it on to me!! Thanks, buddy! :0) I've had bronchitis twice now this spring! I'm on the downhill side of it now, thankfully, and am feeling about 98% now! We came home to a hail damaged vehicle too...bummed about that.


Something else we did was to bring the rain along with us. No, not really, but it seems that way. Hawaii was unseasonably wet for this time of year, and it seemed to follow us home. We've been waiting and waiting to be able to paint the porch and can't manage more than a day at a time without rain here. I won't even mention the severity of weeds with all this rain. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...so we're doing our best to work outside when weather permits. Maybe a few more appeals to Mother Nature would help?? So if you're so inclined... Thanks! I'm hoping to get the waterfall working again this week, and am hoping I won't need to replace the pump. Those babies are expensive and it seems that about every 4-5 yrs, they need replacing. Ugh...


Our hummingbirds are back in full force!! I've seen 8 of them that I counted all at once. I'm sure the 2 dozen or so will be here after the babies hatch. We have 4 males and 4 females at the least, so that bodes well for having at least 8 more this summer. They are eating a LOT of our home-made nectar. I'm thinking that we'll go through another 40+ pounds of sugar this year.


Business is good, in spite of being closed for about 18 days from the beginning of May, while we were gone and then recovering from colds. So don't delay in making reservations for the summer. It's filling fast! Not much left for Tom Sawyer Days around July 4th, and weekends in general are pretty full already. Our Fall Folklife Festival still has openings, so be sure to reserve your room in a timely manner.


HANNIBAL IS NOT FLOODED! We have a levee system which keeps our downtown dry, and business as usual. Though the flood gates may be in, our Riverboat still runs from a location just a few hundred yards up river. Retail shops etc on Main Street remain open when the gates are in, so don't let that deter you from making your trip to Hannibal this summer. Hannibal is OPEN FOR BUSINESS as usual.


Hope to see our repeats and new guests soon!
Judy and Norm

Our Stormy Midwest Spring

Thankfully, Hannibal has been spared when it comes to severe weather. So many places around us were hit with tornadoes and ENORMOUS hail! I saw some photos of hail, which was larger than a baseball! The damage that does to the windshield of a vehicle is phenomenal. We hope that all of our guests have been safe throughout April thus far. Hannibal flood gates are in as of today, Wednesday, 4/20. Not to fear, Hannibal is still OPEN FOR BUSINESS! The Mark Twain Riverboat is still cruising too. Don't let the media scare you into thinking Hannibal is flooded. We have a sturdy and BIG levee, and it protects all things tourism.


As the story goes...April Showers bring May Flowers. Well this year our flowers are EARLY! The spring rains and warm(ish) weather has encouraged things to pop! Our Lily of the Valley(normally flowering in May) is blooming and the aroma is heavenly. We have some beautiful RED tulips and Paper Whites, which are also producing a wonderful sweet smell in the air. We are still waiting to see our first Hummingbird. I'm sure they will be earlier than last year. Cinco de Mayo was the date last year...more than 3 weeks later than usual. I've put 2 feeders out, just in case.


The work continues on the yard and maintenance of this old girl. We began a porch deck project this month, and have been "patiently"(not so much), waiting to finish the painting. Last year I painted most of the porch ceiling and will put a finish coat on in May. We have several porch posts which need to be reset as well. Water wreaks havoc on wood, wherever it has opportunity to sit. Ah, one of the most common maintenance issues with an historic house made of sticks.


Timing...Here's the trick: Work when guests are not disturbed, when cleaning and inside housework is complete, and when rain does not inhibit the work. We're glad that we have so many guests scheduled. That makes it easy to put noisy projects on hold. But we sure would like to get the painting done if the rain would just hold off for a few days at a time. I guess it could be mid May before we can get that accomplished, from the looks of the extended forecast! We are booked full the next 2 weekends, with several guests peppering the calendar on weekdays, and we're thankful! Maybe if it's too wet to paint, I can get some of the yard work done. We killed sections of our yard to get rid of some very annoying and hardy weeds. Now the plan is to reseed and get that nice carpet of green down. Some areas will become flower beds, rather than grass. I'll be setting some plants out in current beds in the next week or so. I have hostas, coral bells, Stella lilies, Peony, hybrid daylilies, bleeding heart, liatris, and various other things that are just right for planting now. I'm excited about what things will look like this summer. Norm said he was buying me some Hydrangea bushes this year too...RED ones! We'll put them in the front where the bushes were removed. We planted some ornamental grasses and hybrid daylilies last year and they look GREAT. I have been contemplating putting some grasses in the median between the sidewalk and the street. We'll see how that goes. Seems that there is never a dull moment here. If it's not maintenance, or getting my hands dirty, it's my role as laundress for the mountains of sheets and towels.


Stay tuned for news about our summer special which will be in cooperation with McDonalds! We'll update you when it goes live.

One of Our Favorite Celebrations and SPRING!

                 It's soon to be SPRING!  I look forward to celebrating the Irish heritage of our last name! This is one of my favorite times to celebrate. Now since I was adopted and can't truly identify my heritage, I can claim whatever I want, right? With a last name like "O" 'Reagan, I guess it's ok for me to be Irish in March. There is no question about Norm whose parents' surnames were Mcguire and Reagan, so celebrate we will! Why don't you join us at Reagan's Queen Anne Bed and Breakfast in Hannibal, in March!?

Spring Crocus!

         I LOVE Spring, all the newness of plant growth and G R E E N !

Following a long snowy winter, it's always a welcome sight to see the green sprouts peeking through the soil. Within the past few days, I have seen crocus, daffodil and hyacinth leaves poking through, and I just can't wait to see the wonderful colors of spring flowers. The floral aromas wafting through the air make things feel all fresh and clean.  And...when Spring arrives, I know that soon we'll see our little GREEN jewels, our Ruby-Throated hummingbirds. I hope they are not late arriving this year. We didn't see our first until MAY 5TH of 2010! Cinco de Mayo is about 3 weeks later than usual for our hummers to reach northeastern Missouri. I mentioned last year that we served up over 40 pounds of sugar to these magnificent and amazing little feathered friends. It's quite a job keeping up with them! We hope you will consider a visit to our little slice of heaven here.

   

One of our Females enjoying a morning snack, 8/9/08

 We've had a local flock of about 2 dozen hummers for the past few years. It's not easy to count them, but I have seen 18 all in one place here on occasion.


And I know that having 9-12 feeders out in different parts of the yard, will draw some to the areas I can't see when I'm in the front, side or back yard. It's possible that we have more than 2 dozen. Oh, I just can't wait to see them again!

Two Thousand Eleven

  A new year begins... We are working on projects in places much more snuggle-y warm than it is outside, and we're excited about what's new for 2011. We've been testing new recipes over the winter too. And that is always fun for our guests, who don't seem to mind being our guinea pigs. Thankfully we haven't had a "thumbs down" to a new item on the menu, and hope 2011 will follow that same trend. We worked on a muffin with bacon inside today, but it needs a bit more tweaking before we bring it to our breakfast table. I know exactly what it needs, so in a couple weeks we'll try it again. This is something I enjoy doing. Of course Norm would love being the taste tester more, if everything we made followed the CHOCOLATE theme. But I have to keep reminding him that not every breakfast tastes good with chocolate. I hear you Chocoholics out there, and not to worry, we have no plans to eliminate it from the menu. :^)

Eagles congregate along the Mississippi River

  Our weather this year has been perfect for Eagle watching. The last weekend of January brings Eagle Days to Clarksville, MO.Click the following for the Eagle website-- Eagle Days There's no better way to learn about our nation's symbol, than to have an up close encounter with these beautiful and magnificent birds. Bring your binoculars and cameras and dress warmly. On Saturday or Sunday night, following or prior to your day of Eagle watching, come stay in our own "Eagle's Nest", our third floor suite. We'll warm your insides with hot chocolate, tea or coffee, and provide a place where viewing the river is one of the suite's various amenities. Occasionally, we've seen Eagles soaring from the windows in our Captain's Quarters. **UPDATE! Captain's Quarters is reserved. We do have our Victorian Rose Chamber available. Just click the following to make your reservation: Reserve Here

  We still have some availability for Valentine's Day. As always, we love giving our guests gifts on Valentine's Day too. So make your reservation for a Valentine's getaway and we'll treat you to chocolates, candles and our special "thank you" for trusting us with your special Romantic Escape with a loved one. Click here to make sure that you have beautiful accommodations for your sweetheart. Reserve here for Valentine's Day


  Just click a link above and make your plans to spend a night or two in Hannibal together. We can't wait to meet you!

Deck the Halls!!

Nine Foot Alberta Spruce with Tiffany Ornaments

For the first time in ages, our Christmas decorations are UP by the 3rd of December! The B&B was on the Hannibal Regional Hospital Auxiliary Holiday Home Tour on December 4th. My procrastinator persona was suppressed and we accomplished all the decorating before the sun was visible Saturday morning. 

So far, December has been quiet, allowing us to begin to tackle the indoor projects. We'll be painting again, and we'll be attempting the repair on the Fisher Paykel dryer and ceiling fan in the laundry room. Both were put on hold due to the busy season. Now we have time to work on a few of those lingering projects needing attention.

We are open for business year 'round. So give us a call and we'll turn the heat up for you. This big old girl can really suck up the energy dollars in a hurry, so thermostats are lowered when guests are not in house. Our Victorian Rose Chamber acquired a great little Electric Fireplace this autumn. It sure adds to the ambiance and "warmth" of the room. There may be some exciting additions to the Captain's Quarters this winter as well. We'll see how those projects materialize.

Dolls and Christmas...a little girl's delight!

2010 has been a very busy year here at Reagan's Queen Anne. We were blessed with WONDERFUL guests and must thank all of them for making this our best year!! The Country Magazine feature was a Godsend and we look forward to hosting many more of those Country Magazine folks. Some are already scheduled for 2011.  

We wish all of you and yours, a Blessed Christmas and Happy New Year.

Nativity compliments of Thema Reagan

Gift Certificates are always for sale. So if you have loved ones, co-workers, or friends who would enjoy the gift of a stay in our BandB, click here and we'll set you up!!  
Gift Certificate Purchase

Time to decorate with PUMPKINS AND MUMS!!

It is hard to believe that it is late September. I feel like I'm on a fast train. How can life whiz by any faster?? This is a good time to take a deep breath and be thankful for all the blessings in our lives. Slow down, watch the leaves change and feel the weather cool. I'm also a bit saddened that we have just 2 of our little hummingbirds still hanging around. The twenty-two counterparts have flown the coop and are probably in TX by now. Geeeeeeeeeeeesh...it seems like they just got here. We prepare our own nectar, and used over 40 pounds of sugar this year. The birds arrived about 3 weeks later than usual, but they were fighting with a vengeance, male and female alike. It was strange to see them be so intent upon guarding the 10-13 feeders we put out this summer. I will miss the little jewels until next April/May.

Today I dug out the Autumn decorations. I'll be working on the inside tomorrow. Then it's time to buy some mums for outside. I found some Stella D'oro daylilies at 50% off today, so I'll get those and some tulips planted soon. I'll definitely need to spray myself down with skeeter repellent though...they are wicked right now!!

The year has been GREAT!! We've been fortunate to have a busy year. That allowed us to schedule a few days off for some innkeeper R&R, and visit with Illinois family as well as travel to Florida to be with Tim and his family this month. We definitely feel blessed. Kaylie was here with us for a week too, and she was such a big help with guests! We thoroughly enjoyed having our little innkeeper's assistant here with us.

So, our local trees are beginning to show the effects of the end of summer and beginning of autumn. Some trees have begun to transform. I always look forward to the gorgeous colors of the season. The remainder of September is nearly full, but we do have availability on the 29th & 30th. The Mississippi River Valley puts on a magnificent display of colors in October, so don't delay booking your stay! October is filling FAST! We have just one room open for the Fall Folk Life Festival 10/15-17, and there are more openings near the end of the month. Just click here for access to our calendar: http://www.webervations.com/magic-scripts/resbook.asp.

We hope to see you in the next few weeks. Come enjoy Autumn in Hannibal...

Dog Days of Summer

We've arrived once again at the point when school buses are busy hauling the kids back and forth to school. It just doesn't seem possible that summer will be over in but a month. Here at Reagan's Queen Anne, we've been super busy over the past year and time continues to FLY>>>>>. Thanks to our wonderful guests past, and those we've yet to meet, our year looks like it will be right at the top of the charts.

Many guests ask how the two of us handle this by ourselves. Well, we're both thankful for auto-pilot, that's for sure. Working this hard seems like second nature at this point. This year we are surviving it well. We have taken some short R&R trips this summer, to rejuvenate and refuel for the guests to come. Most recently, we visited Tuck U Inn at Glick Mansion in Atchison, KS. What a delightful getaway! We will want to call Loman and Chris again, for sure. Just a few weeks after that, we thoroughly enjoyed a stay with Bill and Debbie in Augusta, MO, at the Lindenhof B and B. We are looking forward to more sneak aways in the future, just like those. It's great to fraternize with fellow innkeepers and be on the receiving end of pampering. Sharing recipes is always a plus too! We are excited to have some new items on the menu.

So, join us in Hannibal this summer and autumn. If you hurry, you will certainly be entertained by our 2 dozen hummingbirds. Don't delay if you're coming to see them. They'll be leaving in mid-late September. We've prepared over 35 pounds of sugar nectar for them over the past couple months, and they continue to drain 80% of the 9-10 feeders we put out daily. Here is a photo I took on Tuesday. I've been working with them to feed from my hand. What a thrill that is!

We hope to meet you soon!

COUNTRY MAGAZINE!!!

We are Excited!! Not only have we tweaked our website, hopefully making it even better...
We have been featured in the June/July 2010 issue of Country Magazine! Until the photographers came to shoot the recipes we had prepared, we had no idea how involved food photography can be. WOW...it was fascinating. Country published a very nice article and photos, along with SIX of our signature recipes. We hope you enjoy the feature and will try the recipes. Better yet...come to Hannibal in this "Year of Mark Twain" and stay with us at Reagan's Queen Anne. We'll cook you up an extraordinary breakfast, each morning of your stay. Don't hesitate. We're not kidding...you better hurry if you want to visit this summer. The phone she is a ringin', and we are filling fast! Hannibal will be filled with events, programs, celebrations, readings and gatherings, to commemorate the life, legacy and works of Mark Twain. Join us this year as we honor the fascinating life of America's most beloved author.

July 2010

Tom Sawyer's Days have come and gone. The weather was perfect! If you missed out, plan for next year and book early. We were full for several months and were forced to turn away more than a dozen requests for lodging during the Festival. Book early!! Business is brisk, so don't hesitate if you know the dates you'll be traveling through Hannibal this summer and autumn. Availability is limited for the rest of the month and beyond. Hope to meet you!

Look for the cover of the above magazine and the feature inside. Here are a couple of the photos and a couple links to the videos from our local ABC and NBC TV channels.

Courtesy of Country Magazine
Story/ Melissa Phaneuf
Photos/ Alise O'Brien

Click Photo for Video link
Additional video from KHQA

Yes Virginia, there is a SPRING!!

Hallelujah!! There will be no more winter in Hannibal for several months! The scenery is absolutely beautiful here this week. Bradford Pear, Magnolia, Forsythia, Red Bud and Quince trees and bushes are utterly gorgeous now, and flowers are abundant. Pollen is up, of course, but at least we don't have so much pollen that our vehicle has turned yellow. Family in Georgia is really suffering through a heavy dose of pollen the past several days and their white truck is the same color as the Yellow Submarine!

It feels so good to have 98% of the waterfall done! It looks better than ever and the Koi, Shubunkins, Fantail and Comets are loving the fact that warm weather means that they can eat again. Photos will be added soon! I can't tell you how good it feels to get outside to work in the dirt!! Today I tended to the Althea tree(hope it survives the summer), Coral Bells, and some Fairy Rose bushes. The dark (8ish) put a stop to work on the biggest bush, so I will complete that job tomorrow. We fed the dandelions, broadleaf and various other weeds some death juice, in hopes that soon they will wither away. Our plans are to move some of the Zebra grass before the ground hardens. The rain has made that job easier than ever....maybe tomorrow. We'll be planting hostas soon too. I'm excited about some interesting new flowering plants this year, which will make the landscaping fun.

We have some fantastic news! Hal Holbrook will be in Hannibal to celebrate our year of Mark Twain, and will perform at the Hannibal High School gymnasium on May 8, 2010. Tickets range from $35-$100, and will go on sale Friday, April 9, at the Museum, and can be purchased by calling 573-221-9010, ext. 404. Or, book your stay with us and we'll get the tickets for you. For the Twain enthusiast, this is something you don't want to miss. Hal is coming to the end of his days of traveling the country to perform and this summer is a wonderful time to see him in person. Norm and I saw him perform in Columbia, MO, just 2 years ago. We were able to meet him after the performance and it was quite awe inspiring. I read earlier today that he has been portraying Twain for 56 years, about 9 years longer than Clemens himself was known as Mark Twain. Holbrook's performances sell out to audiences around the world, and he is booked solid in 2010. Don't delay in making plans to come here to stay with us, and enjoy this premier performance! We still have a couple rooms open. Click the following link to our Webervations page, to book your stay at Reagan's Queen Anne on May 7th and/or 8th: http://www.webervations.com/magic-scripts/resbook.asp?memberid=jreagan722 Let us know you are coming, and we'll get your tickets!! Again, don't wait too long. This event could sell out quickly.

Hope to meet you soon...

Happy SPRING!!
Judy & Norm

Jonquils and Hyacinths say "WINTER IS OVER!!"

At least we HOPE so!! I've been through a lot of winters in my life and I believe this is the longest I remember. We're so glad that the furnaces (all three of them!), won't be running at a greyhound's pace as they were over the winter. I'm so looking forward to having some decent weather where it feels the same inside as it does outside. A few more days/nights of cooler weather is ok. I'm just really anxious to get outside and do all the neat things we have planned for the yard this year. I know I'm ready to get my hands dirty in flower beds etc! We have many flowers popping up in the various flower beds and back by the pond and waterfall. I just love to see the daffodil heads swaying in the breeze. The little yellow Minnows are pointed straight at the sun and look like little smiley faces with a sunburst bonnet. I fed our fish yesterday for the first time since November. They were following me for a couple weeks each time I stepped near the pond. When the water temp holds above 55 degrees, I start them on cold season food pellets. They were really glad to have some real food. Now that we're in a mini cold snap, I'll refrain from feeding again until the sun warms the water again. Hey, you can feed my fish at the bottom of the page on my google gadget! Check it out. Just click your mouse in the "ocean" and food will appear. They will gobble it up.

We've been clipping along here this year at a pretty good pace for our quiet season. We're really optimistic that The Year of Mark Twain will bring many new and return tourists to Hannibal and it will be a busy summer for us. We don't always look forward to the hard work it requires, but once we're on a roll it all just becomes second nature. We're getting in the groove of being busy with guests every night. I must admit that I did enjoy sleeping in this winter from time to time. Now I know how it was easy for my Mom (who was always up at the crack of dawn), to sleep later in her mid-life and senior years. I'm at the mid-life point and will be a "senior" soon enough! :0) I'm used to the early mornings and later nights again now. Actually, it's 11pm and I'm still sitting here typing away.

We're really looking forward to meeting new folks this summer and are excited about several things for the year of 2010.
**We are opening our dining room to the public (tourists who are staying overnight in a lodging establishment other than Reagan's Queen Anne). Our website tells the whole story, but in a nutshell --we're offering our "Breakfast with Twain Experience" on a fist come-first served basis, when we have open seats at our breakfast table. In the spirit of Twain: "Well behaved adults and children 12 and older are welcome!!" Check our website for dates and Email to: twain@reagansqueenanne.com or call us (888)221-1251, for reservations and pricing.
**We are working on some options for Twain Packages which we hope to have completed by the end of March...stay tuned!
**We are also blessed to have been included in several publications this year, with a very special one to come later this summer...stay tuned! Hopefully, the media blitz surrounding the Year of Mark Twain will make it difficult to find a room in Hannibal this summer.
**If you are listed on Facebook, we encourage you to become a fan of both of our accounts, Reagan's Queen Anne Bed and Breakfast, and also our Mark Twain Adventure page.

Once again, we don't know what the spring and summer will bring with regard to precipitation, but please remember that downtown Hannibal is protected by a very strong and dependable levee system. When the media is reporting that the Mississippi is over it's banks and in danger of Fl------ Hannibal (we don't use the F-word here), the tourist sites are still dry and operating. Even the Riverboat operates in high water when the river is above fl--- stage. So don't worry that Hannibal will be closed. Barring a Biblical Fl---, the town will remain OPEN FOR BUSINESS!

Snow...

January and February 2010 continue the strange weather patterns of 2009. We've had more snow this winter than in most all others combined(10yrs). The winter birds of the area are thankful for the feeders we keep full for them, but they're eating us out of house and home this year! We are really looking forward to warmer weather and spring flowers.

As we mentioned in our last blog, 2010 is the "Year of Mark Twain". We are doing something special this year. As we have for 8 years, we continue to offer an exclusive experience for our over-night guests. When requested in advance, Hannibal's own, Richard Garey(a very talented actor), will join our guests for breakfast as he plays the role of Mark Twain. This has been a very successful and enjoyable addition to breakfast in our magnificent dining room. Guests love the experience. Since Hannibal is celebrating such a special milestone this year, we at Reagan's Queen Anne wanted to do something more for tourists who come to experience Twain. This year, we are offering opportunities for tourists who have not stayed overnight, the chance to join Mark Twain Himself for Breakfast in our magnificent dining room, (limited space available). We'll post "space available" dates weekly, when Twain is scheduled to dine with our guests. The HCVB will also be updated regarding information about the Breakfast with Mark Twain Himself. We'd love for you to stay overnight with us, but if that is not possible, just check our website to see if Mark Twain is dining on the day when you'll be in town, and if we have space available at our breakfast table!

February has been fairly quiet this year, thanks to all the snow and cold. We are happy to have several couples here tonight celebrating Valentine's Day.

We're looking forward to warmer days, and especially the time when flowers bloom and hummingbirds return.

Check out our page on Facebook and become a fan. To all of our previous guests, you can also add photos you've taken during your stay with us. Here is the link:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Hannibal-MO/Reagans-Queen-Anne-Bed-and-Breakfast/50673082233?ref=ts

We hope to see you soon!!

Farewell 2009...Ringing in the "Year of Mark Twain-2010!!"

We just remarked the other day that 2009 passed more quickly than any other year in our lives. It has been a whirlwind. We had many months which turned out to be our best and some which were mediocre. Our year turned out to be exceptional considering the economy, in spite of November and December having been fairly quiet. Gift certificate sales were better than last year, which is encouraging for 2010. A big thank you to our 2009 guests who helped to make it close to our best year in ten!

We're excited about 2010, in Hannibal. This is "The Year of Mark Twain!" Here in Hannibal, this is the year we will celebrate the birth, writings and anniversary of the death of America's most famous author, Mark Twain. Hannibal will be offering many new things this year to commemorate the 175th anniversary of his birth, 125th anniversary of his famous writings, and 100th anniversary of his death. In early January, there will be an article in the St Louis Post Dispatch, showcasing many of the happenings in Hannibal this summer. Reagan's Queen Anne is offering opportunities for tourists who have not stayed overnight, the chance to join Mark Twain Himself for Breakfast in our magnificent dining room, "limited space available". We'll post dates when Twain is booked, and if there is space available weekly. The HCVB will also be updated regarding information about the Breakfast with Mark Twain Himself. We'd love for you to stay overnight with us, but if that is not possible, just check our website to see if Mark Twain is dining on the day when you'll be in town, and if we have space available!

Surely you're aware that it is pretty darn cold here in the midwest currently. We're fortunate that we have excellent heating here in this old house. Our three furnaces are keeping up nicely. We have about 6 inches of snow, but our city does a great job of clearing roads and streets for travelers. So if you're considering a getaway, your favorite room is available this month. We're also offering a lower rate on weekends, and have waived our 2 night minimum this month. On any Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday in January, our rates are $20 lower than the published rate, per night. Just mention the January Special and we'll apply the lower rate for your stay. Click the link above to take you to the info page on our website.

We look forward to meeting you and sharing some of the new recipes we've added to our breakfast menu.

Coolest Summer, Most Rainfall in October, Now Fastest Autumn Color Show...

That's right folks...our colors are nearly gone. The wind has been blowing the leaves off the trees and soon the branches will be bare...better to see the winter birds. Our last hummingbird left about 10/23, much later than usual so we hung the feeders full of birdseed a couple days later. We've seen Goldfinches, Chickadees, Cardinals, Downey Woodpeckers, Red-Bellied Woodpeckers, Purple Finches, Slate Colored Juncos, Tufted Titmice, Nuthatches, and Wrens. Norm raked leaves today and we're trying to get the rest of the outside things finished before the cold arrives next weekend. All the tropicals are inside and they're not liking it much. Little do they realize that they are better off inside than out. Bulbs will be planted by mid-week, and winterizing should be complete. It's predicted that as early as next weekend, as the sun peeks above the horizon, nights will be cold enough to leave "ICE" crystals on the pond. WOW...where did the year go?

We've begun working on inside projects some evenings when business is waning. Each winter we spruce up yet another space with warm colors. There are just a couple remaining spaces where the walls are still white and I'm hoping to get both painted this winter. We also have some "window" work to do, insulating, painting, and eventually this winter, new interior storm windows. We understand that our government is offering 30% back on any Energy Saving upgrades and we're taking advantage. Plus it will help the heating bills now and cooling in the summer months. I'm sure we're not alone in our heating and cooling costs more than doubling over the past 3 years. Ours took a jump of about 15% from last year!

We will be decorated for Christmas as usual and December dates are wide open. We do not have a 2 night minimum in December on weekends. December also brings "A Shepherd's Tale"
performances of Hannibal's own, Richard Garey. He offers a Magnificent Christmas Show from December 19-26, in the Planter's Barn Theater. Book your stay with us and you'll receive a discount on those tickets. The show is a MUST SEE. Shops downtown will be open later for shopping. So come to Hannibal in December and feel the Christmas Spirit!

We have been blessed with very steady business this year. We'd like to thank all of our wonderful guests for helping to make this very close to a record year. We could have our best year in 10, with a decent November and December. So again...to all those who have stayed with us in 2009, THANK YOU!!! To all those considering a visit to Hannibal, we'd LOVE to host you. There are no 2 night minimums on weekends in December and January with the exception of New Year's Eve, and we offer special weekday rates on MON-TUE-WED. Give us a call or click this link to our website! www.reagansqueenanne.com.

Blessings to you and yours and Happy Thanksgiving!!
Judy & Norm

Autumn is upon us!!

I have not visited the blog page since early July, and an update seems a bit overdue. It's been a very busy summer, with guests and family as well. In early August, youngest son Tim, D-I-L Kathy, & grand-daughter Kaylie welcomed Kaden to the family. He is precious and handsome. I was able to go meet him and spend time with Kaylie in mid September. It was hard to leave to come home without them. Kaylie is the BEST big sister and is helping out a great deal for a three yr old! She loves her little brother. She's in Pre-school now too and LOVES it!

Since our super busy July, (:0) Thanks GUESTS!), we've been blessed with lots of wonderful folks and business is GOOD! August weather was nice and September was just as comfy here in the mid-west, as we experienced an unusually cool summer. Hopefully that's not the prelude to a cold, snowy winter. Today is the coolest day since last May I believe. However, I'm sure the cooler weather will boost the changing of the leaves and the metamorphosis will progress quickly. By the time our Fall Folklife Festival is in full swing, colors should be stunning once again. If you didn't reserve your space for next weekend (10/16,17,18), don't miss it next year and book now! We're booked for the Festival weekend, but we still have some weekdays open, if you'd like to come enjoy the beauty of Autumn along the Mississippi River Valley. Saturday, 10/24, we have one room open, so hurry! Halloween weekend offers a bit more availability, but don't delay in booking.

It's time to think about moving the Tropicals back inside. That's a chore, but I've kept many of my Rosa Sinesis hibiscus plants for 10-15 years, and don't want to lose any due to procrastination...my biggest vice. I'll be working on that later today. I'm hoping for some sunshine...it's cool out there and would at least feel warmer with a little bit of sun. We've also been working on Halloween decor and should have that done by tomorrow.

Come to Hannibal the Autumn! Happy Halloween All!!

National Tom Sawyer Days!!

July began busy and has remained so. We were full during Tom Sawyer Days and wished we had a dozen more rooms to offer. If you missed out being able to stay this year, don't wait too long to reserve your space next year. Book early, as we usually fill that weekend a few months in advance. Along with some GREAT couples, we had a delightful family here with their young daughter for 4 days and are looking forward to their return. Weather was wonderful. I don't remember another July in all my years that began so perfectly. It was cool at night and only reached low 80's each day. We did have a bit of a downpour Saturday, but rain stopped in time for fireworks! They were interesting to view through the clouds.

We'd like to take this space and time to thank all of our guests of 2009 who have helped to make this one of our best years of 9+ in the biz. We're thankful for all the wonderful folks who have crossed our threshold and chose us as their lodging in Hannibal. What a great year so far!!!

Oh, and don't forget to visit next year! It is a big year in Hannibal with the 100th Anniversary Celebration of the passing of Hannibal's most Famous citizen. The year 2010 is the "Year of Mark Twain". Come join us and celebrate this marvelous man! Hal Holbrook is scheduled to be present as well as other notables.

Hope to see you soon!! Norm & Judy

May and June are History...

Well, I'm not sure what happened to our Spring, but it was SHORT! We had lots of pretty flowers, but we also had a ton of rain again. Flood gates were in and we were feeling deja vu. It seemed as if we were going to repeat last summer. Thankfully the rain subsided. May was a busy month and was better than the last three years during the month of May! Our hummingbirds arrived and are entertaining guests as usual. We were able to move the Hibiscus outside the 3rd week of May and they are loving the sunshine on the south veranda.

June was another busy month at Reagan's Queen Anne. Our roof is DONE!! It was wonderful to get all the ugly shingles with paint drips etc replaced. We have some repairs to wood shake siding to do, but are so thankful that the roof looks NEW! As we knew would happen, foundation plants were not going to survive the tear off of shingles. On one side of the roof the guys found FIVE layers!!! The bottom layer was wood shakes. We guestimate that they could have been there for a very, very long time...maybe since the roof was new. If the other 4 layers of shingles had been on the roof for 20-25 yrs each, that would certainly mean that the wood(which dissentigrated as they were popped off), could have been original in 1889! Amazing...and boy was it a mess. The wood dust was everywhere. We were thankful for an extremely hard working crew. They pushed themselves each day and cleaned up for us too, knowing that we had guests scheduled during the time they were here working. Following the departure of the crew, we removed mounds of wild daylilies(the orange ones you see along the highway), and bushes etc from the landscaping. We had planned for a long time to dig them and transform the foundation plantings. We're working on that, but saw some setbacks due to injury.

Boy am I glad that I have a Chiropractor "in the house"! While trying to re-set the boulders on the waterfall, I slipped and hurt my back. Thankfully Norm fixed me, but suggested that I refrain from my rock and landscape work for a bit longer. So with that project temporarily on hold, we focused on a couple less taxing indoor projects.

We were visited by some dear friends at the end of June, and at the same time enjoyed a few days visit with our Grand-daughter and her Daddy Tim. We missed having Kathy here, but she was home resting up for the arrival of our Grandson. We had a blast with Kaylie. She is amazing and we can't get enough of her. She was a big help and told Grandpa that she could break the eggs for the muffins, and she did! Each morning, she was my trusty assistant while plating breakfast for our guests, and was tickled that I let her place the fruit on the plates. The girl loves Blueberries! She helped me fold laundry and asked to help with dishes. She assisted with watering flowers and fed the fish and "gave them a drink" :0) . What a great apprentice, training early at 3 years old... Remember the back...well Grandma couldn't say no to a precious grand-daughter who wanted to be held, so I was back to square one with my back injury. This time sciatica was raging. Doc set the portable table out and worked on me again on several occasions. I'm just about 95% now and feel pretty good. No more radiating pain in my leg and I'm grateful! I'm chomping at the bit to get out there and dig in the dirt and plant some of the foundation plants, and finish the waterfall. Then the next project involves PAINT!! Oh boy...

We'd love to see you in July, August, September...or later. We've had Mark Twain HIMSELF here for breakfast several times this year and he'll be back next week. If you come to Hannibal, don't miss seeing this talented actor. You can choose to attend the performance at the Planter's Barn Theater, book the Walking Tour, or ask Twain to join you for breakfast in our dining room. Just load our webpage and check for your ideal time to visit to see if we have availability. Our most recent guests have said that sharing breakfast with Mark Twain was the highlight of their visit to Hannibal. You know he's captivating and holds your interest if guests choose to see the show in the theater, book the Walking Tour, AND ask for a Breakfast with Twain as well!

Hope to see you soon!!

April Fooled Us!

We've arrived at the end of the first week of May and Spring has finally arrived. Fresh cut grass is a sure sign that spring is here, with summer soon to follow. It's been a long, cold winter and I for one am happy to see it draw to a close. Our weather here was just plain cold in April. We had our share of rain too. Spring flowers bloomed wonderfully, and now the rains and warmer weather are bringing out the "GREEN" of everything else. Forsythia, Magnolia and Dogwood trees were absolutely stunning this year and their leaves are now showing. We can only hope that Spring will hang around for a while before the scorching begins.

I'm celebrating being able to work outside! This week we're planting bedding plants in pots, along with continual attending to the clean up of the Maple tree Helicopters and Mulberry seeds. What a chore! Things are looking fresh and green and the temperature is about where I'd prefer it to stay, 70-80 degrees and Beautiful!

As soon as our roofing job (which we thought would have been completed long ago) is finished, we can complete the landscaping in the front of the house. I'm really excited about that. But I won't think about beginning to plant things there until the roofers are gone. We also have 63 bags of Royal Gorge rock to spread, and it too will wait until contractors are nowhere to be seen on the property.

(Adult Male Ruby-Throat hummbingbird photo courtesy of our guest John Crim)

The above photo was taken August of 2008 of one of our 24 Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds. Come to Hannibal this Spring or Summer and enjoy these iridescent jewels. They are certain to entertain. I've seen 4 so far this Spring, and hope to have a couple dozen like the past 2 years. We've also been feeding a pair of Baltimore Orioles, to encourage them to nest nearby. Our wrap around veranda is a beautiful and relaxing place to unwind, read a book, sip a refreshing beverage, watch our resident birds or gaze at the passing clouds. Soon(May 15th), the veranda will be dressed with our 14 tropical hibiscus bushes and tree.

We continue to offer our Special Gift for guests who book Wednesday - Saturday nights, one, two, three...or all of them.

Remember that our weekday rates -Mon, Tue, Wed, **Thurs, are discounted year round too!! (**Thurs are not discounted in June and July.)

Click here for the special:
http://www.reagansqueenanne.com/specials_packages.htm#Specials_&_Packages

We look forward to meeting you!

Judy & Norm

...Waiting for Spring

I am SO ready for Spring this year. It's just not getting here as quickly as I'd like. The things I have planned outside, and I must wait. It's frustrating...We do have daffs, hyacinths and tulips poking through and the earlier ones are ready to pop. We just need a few "warm" days to get that process in motion.

The waterfall project has been on hold for what seems like an eternity, and I'm truly biting at the bit to get out and finish it. I'm sure the fish will appreciate the extra clean water that the waterfall helps to provide. Currently, the pond is a florescent "green" and I didn't dye it for St Patrick's Day either! Having it clear means waiting for the warm weather to get the enzymes growing, which will kill off the algae. My first job outside tomorrow is to clean the pond filter and change out some water. That will help too. I'm hoping to squeeze in a bit of work on the banks of the waterfall too. The filler dirt is actually not mud right now and that is GOOD! The important thing is to get out there and get the waterfall done before the plants start to emerge along the banks. That will happen in a couple weeks, so time is of the essence.

The next job is to cut the ornamental grasses and remove any plant "leftovers" so that new growth can begin. Then comes the BIG task of moving 63 bags of decorative rock. We ordered a whole palate this year from our supplier in Rock Island, IL. The rock we have around our foundation is nearly impossible to find without special order. It finally arrived about 2 weeks ago, but Norm injured his back on Washington's birthday, and we've had to wait to retrieve the rock from our local retailer. He's much better now, so maybe next week we can haul the rock home. We're really excited about the changes to our landscaping this year. It's been a slow process, but we're working on it when time (and energy) permits. Gee...once landscaping is under control, it's time to PAINT!!

February was just average in occupancy. It actually felt a bit lonely here last month. March is turning out to be a good one, with just a few weekend rooms left open. Planter's Barn Theater is offering "The Gospel of Mark" March 14, 15, 20 & 21. Check our website for details. We've been booking summer dates the past couple of weeks too, and we've had some weekday business...a welcome sight this time of year. So, come visit in 2009! If you can arrange a trip to Hannibal in March, our weekend rates are discounted to celebrate O'Reagan's Irish Heritage. Just mention the March Madness special and we'll discount Friday & Saturday rates for you! We look forward to meeting you.

Happy St Patrick's Day
from Reagan's Queen Anne!!