Big Mill B&B has been chosen Inn of the Year by North Carolina Bed & Breakfast and Inns.  We are waving flags and tooting horns. This is a great honor – we are thrilled.

At the celebration dinner at King's Daughter Inn (in Durham) our outgoing president Frank Salvo of White Gate Inn (in Asheville), standing in for Ms. Paula Deen, presented the Inn of the Year award to Chloe Tuttle, innkeeper and owner of Big Mill Bed & Breakfast in Williamston, NC.

The President's Award went to Rachel Reid of Andon-Reid Inn (in Waynesville, NC).  It's pretty obvious — we had a good time at the festivities.

North Carolina Bed & Breakfast & Inns is a great organization and it just celebrated its 25th anniversary. If you see the NCBBI logo beside an inn's name, you know this inn has been inspected and is held to the highest standards. Big Mill Bed and Breakfast is proud to belong to this wonderful group.

(Photos by Chloe Tuttle of Big Mill B&B)

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We sailed into Green Turtle Cay in the Abaco Islands in 1978 and I met Hank Cochran that day. Hank was lounging on the back of his Grand Banks 50, aptly named "The Legend."

Photo by Chloe Tuttle

Garland Perry "Hank" Cochran was born in Isola, Mississippi in 1935. Hank moved to Nashville in 1960, and with Harland Howard he wrote "I Fall to Pieces." Patsy Cline recorded it in November of 1960 and, as we know, it became a big hit.

Hank wrote many songs including "She's Not You," "Don't You Ever Get Tired of Hurting Me?" "Little Bitty Tear," "Why Can't He Be You?" and "Make the World Go Away."

Hank Cochran (left), Chloe Gurkin McHorney Tuttle (middle) and Captain Joe (right) 1979
(Photo by Joy Greyer)

Hank invited us to go fishing one Sunday afternoon – we didn't get back until Wednesday. But that was Hank. It was fun to watch his creative process – it would just happen. Someone would say something, or a thought would come to him. He wrote it down on anything handy, and soon it was a song. He told me heartache made writing easier. He surely knew how to do that.

  Hear no evil, See no Evil and Speak no Evil… photo of
Chloe Tuttle, Captain Joe, and Joy Greyer
(Photo by Hank Cochran using Joy's camera)

When I met Hank, I had no clue I was meeting such a character.  That same day I also met a wonderful woman Joy, who would became a cherished lifelong friend. We weathered many wet days that winter in the Bahamas, the guys played lots of Crazy Eights and Hearts. We took many trips to Miss Emily's Blue Bee Bar.

Back then I was cleaning conch and making slaw.  Now I am an Innkeeper growing blueberries and making jam. What a great life, eh?

Some times when I am here on the farm that is now Big Mill Bed & Breakfast, my mind wanders back to my sailing days. I remember places I went but mostly the people I met. And Hank Cochran, The Legend, the Man…is high on that list.

The world lost Hank on July 15, 2010. He left behind a legacy in country music. We will miss you, Hank. And you made it to the Rolling Stone.

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Kermit never looked so cute…and green!

(To see a pretty version of this post go to Chloe's Blog)

Photo by Guy Livesay

Wildlife in North Carolina magazine's 2009 photo competition had over 7,000 entries. This photograph taken by Guy Livesay, who lives right here in eastern North Carolina, was a winner! Other winning photos can be seen in the January, 2010 issue.

Many a late afternoon here at Big Mill you might see Guy and other photographers wandering around looking for that perfect photograph. Some of the folks are snapping shots of brides, graduates, babies — often with Old Red Truck taking center stage.

Photo by Guy Livesay

But Guy can be seen patiently waiting by a zinnia, sunflower, cleome or azalea for just the right shot of a hummingbird or butterfly or bee – any of Mother Nature's creatures are beautiful in the photos of a gifted artist like Guy. 

Photo by Guy Livesay

With these wonderful photos each perfect creature momentarily stands still for us to see. When you come to visit Big Mill B&B, be sure to bring your camera. These birds and butterflies will pose for you.

Note: You can see more of Guy's work at Livesay Photography. Other really fine photographers can be seen here at Big Mill are Peggy Rogerson and Andrea Wood. If you see a bridge, a pack house or an old red truck in their photos, chances are that the photo was taken here at Big Mill.

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We won!  BedandBreakfast.com, the foremost online Bed and Breakfast directory has released their 2009-2010 winners for the “Best Bed and Breakfast of” series.

And we won – Again!

This is better than winning the lottery. Winning the lottery is totally by chance.  But winning a BedandBreakfast.com award is an honor given by our guests. The winners are chosen from guest reviews… all 85,000 reviews. 

In 2007-2008 Big Mill was selected as one of five “Best of the South” Inns. For 2008-2009 Big Mill’s innkeeper was selected as one of 10 Best Innkeepers of the Year. 

It seems only fitting that during this holiday weekend full of celebration and time with family, I share this fun news with all our wonderful guests.  Above all, we are most thankful for YOU!

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Not one to toot my own horn, I just have to share this good news.  Big Mill B&B has been singled out as one of the Top 10 earth-friendly inns by BedandBreakfast.com.  And we are the only North Carolina Bed and Breakfast to make the cut.  WOW! 

Of course, it was wonderful to be acknowledged last year when the Washington Post ran the article about our clothesline.  And now, to be in such good company with other environmentally-friendly bed and breakfast owners … I’m just tickled. 

That said, I realize that so many of the things we do here at Big Mill are second nature.  I’m always surprised when guests thank me for sharing a green-friendly tip or trick they didn’t realize.  I have a million of ‘em I learned from my mom  Hmmm, I should post some of these on my blog. 

In fact, I’m working on a new post called "Paper or Plastic."  It should have been finished by now, but I got so fascinated learning new things retailers are doing, it has taken me longer to wrap up the article.  But, I promise to have it ready for you in the next day or so.  It’s very interesting, if I do say so myself

We save the seeds every year from these stately sunflowers; some to feed the birds, some to grow new sunflowers.

Curious about the other inns who won the Top 10 Eco-Friendly Inns?  Click here to read the full press release. 

                 Chloe

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Update:  Photo of bicycle, sans Bunny soon to come.

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