Bungalow & Hideaway on the Bluff

The James House Summer Winding Down

2009-08-14T12:08:00.000-07:00

The weather this spring and summer has been fabulous! What a gift that during the Hood Canal Bridge closure in May and early June, we were blessed with weather that allowed 24 hour construction crews, resulting in an early opening of the bridge. It is our vital link "to the other side" and I think you could probably hear the loud sigh of relief from those of us who were ready to greet our summer visitors. After the prolonged cold of winter, and the economic gloom which has hovered over our country, we were ready with open arms.

And you came........

I want to thank all of our past guests, and the new ones who passed through the 130 year doors of The James House. Many have been here so frequently that it feels like family returning. Others are returning after years of growing families and financial obligations which put special weekends and vacations on hold. And still others are finding us for the very first time. We take nothing for granted and want you to know that we appreciate your choice to spend some Port Townsend time with us! You are what keep us smiling and striving to maintain the standard for which we have become known.

So as the days get a little shorter and have that twinge of fall air, we realize that summer is winding down. The good news is that September is one of the prettiest times on the Olympic Peninsula and Port Townsend has some of our very favorite activities going on. The 33rd Wooden Boat Festival is September 11-13, and Port Townsend Film Festival is celebrating it's 10th year on September 21 -24th. Both are considered home town festivals which the locals look forward to all year!

We also have the Historic Home Tour, and the Kayak Symposium which bring people from far and wide to pursue their interests in history and adventure. So come and be with us this September! It promises to be a fun time!

The James House: Withstanding the Test of Time

2009-07-30T16:05:00.000-07:00

The James House has stood proudly on the bluff overlooking Port Townsend Bay for over 120 years. Francis Wilcox James chose this site for his private home as it was the hightest point on the bluff and adjacent to the Custom's House which was being built across the street. He liked being able to stand on the front porch, or his private balcony above, and see all that was happening in this busy seaport village. He was a businessman after all, and it was important that he was current on the events of the town! He could see the beautifully ornate building that he owned with Mr. Hastings on Water Street, as well as all the ships that docked on the water just below The James House. What a site that must have been! There was a tall stair case that lead from Water Street at the foot of the ship dock, up to Washington Street directly across from the Custom's House. The arriving ship's captain would walk up the stair case to register his vessel, his name as Captain, and the contents of the cargo. Those years are long gone, as is the staircase (however you can still see where the staircase was cut into the bluff)....but the leather bound journals that hold the history of those vessels are still housed in the same building across the street from The James House. The original customs house is still owned by the federal government and is the site of our local post office. There is a small museum exhibit inside where you can see some of the original furniture, and many of the journals which stand as a testament to Port Townsend's legacy as the original seaport village in the Pacific Northwest.

The James House: True Love Stories

2009-07-28T19:14:00.000-07:00

We have so many guests come to The James House to celebrate anniversaries, and I always feel so privileged that they chose us to be part of their celebration. We love hearing their stories.. the highlights, struggles, and celebrations...which make their life together unique and lasting. I admire people who work at their relationships, and take the time to celebrate them. Sometimes it is a joint plan, sometimes a surprise gift from one to the other...and every once in a while, it is a spontaneous moment which brings them to The James House. Today, I was brought to tears by the sweetness of witnessing a true love story between two people who are celebrating 45 years together. A handsome couple, they walked arm in arm to the door. She talked first, and it wasn't until I asked him a question, that I heard that he had difficulty speaking. As they walked closer, I saw that he was leaning on her, as she gently guided him along. I quickly realized that the room they had picked out for the reservation would be a struggle for him, and I was quickly trying to quietly formulate a plan which would work for them. She sensed what I was doing, and sweetly said "My husband has Parkinson's Disease but we manage very well. Don't worry, we will be fine". I was able to offer them something which would require fewer steps and they gladly accepted. As I was turning around to leave, I heard her whisper to her husband...."Oh, my love, this is like a second honeymoon". The smile he had on his face is something that I will always remember. Just sweet, tender moments between two people who had seen, and been through it all....and continue on in their life journey together. This is why I love doing what I do.

James House Video by Jane Champion

2009-07-06T09:34:00.000-07:00

James House Summer Garden!

2009-07-04T09:55:00.000-07:00

The James House summer gardens are always beautiful and this year is no exception! Enjoy!

The James House 2009 Summer Garden

2009-07-03T17:38:00.000-07:00

Despite the dry conditions, The James House garden has flourished! Much of the color splash has passed, but there is always something to enjoy. After all, that is what perennial gardening is all about!

Enjoy The James House video Summer 2009!

2009-06-12T08:35:00.000-07:00

These entires just cannot wait....

2009-05-27T16:08:00.000-07:00

When I think of journal entries that have touched me....these are two that stand out and I must include them.

"Two beautiful nights in the Gardener's Cottage...our miniature James House...has brought us wonderful peace and happiness.

If time travel is possible, this Gardener's Cottage is one of the vehicles, because being here brought us to a place when life moves at a slower, more leisurely pace.

Today, the world appears a little less chaotic; problems have become intriguing small puzzles; worries have become small day dreams; fears have become tiny periods of exhiliration. The Gardener's Cottage is truly a magical place!"

Another entry from the same Gardener's Cottage journal......

Birthday yesterday.

Tea with giddy poppies today.

Chickadee's shaking the day into

their wee frames and so why is

their lavender so huge?

Moss gentles concrete block pavers,

shadows flirt across this page.

The James House. Who were you, Mr. James?

Did you work hard for your dollars like us

who slumber for a night in your potting shed?

Oh--come moss and mildew,

rust and roots---chronicle your

art within our primitive new-ness.

There is a reason for beauty.

The first day of a new year.

Journal Entries

2009-05-27T15:08:00.000-07:00

I love to read the journal entries of guests staying at the inn. We put journals in rooms in hopes that people might be inspired to write something and I know that other guests enjoy reading them. Sometimes when I am tired, I'll pick up one of the journals and get an immediate energy boost from knowing that the people who stay here do notice that we try very hard to make this historical building a warm and comforting place to stay. I'm often amazed and humbled by the insight and talent of the writings, and almost often feel inspired. The journeys of people...... sometimes physical, sometimes emotional....remind me that while we all are very different, we share opportunities to grow, adapt, and heal. We can and do learn...and certainly take comfort in one another. Here are a few....

"We arrived at the end of a journey that began in Fairbanks, what seems like a very long time ago. Our 'mission' was to find wooden boat builders, but we found so much more....the view, the charm, the character and the respite from all. This seaside port and the elegant step back in time of this great mansion is a treat. The James House is a place to always remember."

"Mom and I ran away from home last night and found a comfortable getaway at The James House. We will restore our dreams, taste life and adventure today thanks to the hospitality here. As always, visiting Port Townsend and a night or two at The James House puts life into perspective. Good memories can build bright futures."

And here is one of my all time favorites......

"Forget the house, the bed, the town, the food.....I enjoyed my wife!!"

The Seeds of Time

2009-05-18T15:17:00.000-07:00

When I was a little girl my mother 'gave' me a corner of her garden to plant some flowers seeds which my grandmother had given me. I grew up in the midwest where the summer days were hot and we grew everything from seeds. I'm sure they had starts in a garden nursery, but we didn't have a local nursery. Our seeds were ordered in the winter so that when the ground thawed enough to plant, and the last frost had passed, we were all set to go. My favorite flowers to grow were zinnias because they were so colorful, substantial, and sturdy enough to withstand the ungraceful ways of a young gardener. My summer was spent planting, weeding, and watering my garden; as I proved that I took my gardening job seriously, mother gradually gave me more space, to where I had a respectable flower patch which the neighbors graciously admired. This was a summer event for me until I grew old enough that gardening wasn't 'cool', and I moved on to adolescent activities which were much less fulfilling, but socially acceptable! As an adult, I always had a small garden in my yard but it always took a backseat to the job, graduate school, friends, and all the things that keep us all so busy.

In 1986 I took a job in New England, and bought a small historical house just a stroll away from the Atlantic ocean. It needed work, as most of my homes always did. It had a large yard in the front, and a small rock ledge around the patio in the back. I bought the house in the late fall and thought all winter about the seeds I would plant in the spring, after the snow melt was gone. I walked through the patio every morning as I left for work, and would come back through at the end of the day. The days were warming up and the snow was slowly melting. One day I noticed these small green sprouts coming up through the last of the snow and was so excited! These sprouts turned into gorgeous little green mounds with the most graceful little purple and yellow flowers that I had ever seen! Right behind them were the spring bulbs, and behind them were other surprises which I hadn't counted on. That first year, I was just delighted to witness the fruits of someone else's labor, and what a gift they had left behind. Throughout that spring, summer, and fall I was constantly amazed at how the garden would change, and just when you thought it was all over, something else would emerge. I didn't realize it at the moment, but what I came to learn was the joy of perennial gardening. When planned and planted well, you can truly experience a three season explosion of color and texture. A visual delight, and in my mind, nothing short of nature's miracle. I started learning more, adding a few of my treasures, and enjoyed four years of that wonderful garden. When it was my time to leave, I left that garden knowing that it was full of surprises for the new owner. When spring came around the following year, even though I was 4000 miles away, I could see that garden in my mind and knew what delight the new owner must be experiencing!

I left my little garden on the New England coast for a tiny garden on the shores of Puget Sound....at The James House. Loaded with inspiration, every year we would turn a little more of the grass into a flower bed, planted bulbs, seeds, and starts, and waited to see the fruits of our labor. Nineteen years later, you can enjoy our vision of a perennial garden. It isn't perfect, but it is lovely. We share it with our guests, our friends, and the growing family of deer who are just as delighted as we are when the flowers start emerging in the early spring. I have come to understand that perennial gardening is a lot about patience, anticipation, and hope. Good life lessons for now, but knowing that what is planted now will be here for years to come is the real inspiration. Enjoy!

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T14:40:00.000-07:00

On this Mother's Day, 2009 I am reminded of so many of the special relationships between mother's and daughters that we have had the privilege to witness over the last 19 years of owning The James House. We remember Sue and her mother who always came twice a year for their "special time": Mother's Day and the first weekend of December. Like clockwork, you count on them to arrive, often with mother/daughter friends in tow. They became like family, with their stay always a time to catch up on life events that had transpired: kids growing up and away, relationships changing, job promotions, and sadly, losses.

We think of Allison, who was treated to her first bed and breakfast by her mother who thought it would be fun to sneak away from a day of school and work to share some time together. We could hear them giggling as they would sneak around the corner to see if the chocolate chip cookies were out of the oven.

Other times we felt like voyeurs, reading the special entries in the journals left behind. Sometimes a poem, often a reflection of times past, and always an appreciation for precious time spent together.

As I look back at the highlights of owning this inn, I would have to say that offering a special place where people can connect, reconnect, and rekindle has to be at the very top of the list. It keeps me inspired and motivated to insure sure that in the very busy and sometimes sterile world in which we live, our guests can count on a warm, inviting, and gracious retreat from everyday life.

Happy Mother's Day!

The Test of Time

2009-05-08T16:59:00.000-07:00

The James House was built in 1889 by Francis Wilcox James, who by all accounts, was a man of good taste. Some of that can still be witnessed 119 years later by anyone who stops to admire the beautiful three storied staircase made of wild cherry which graces the entry to The James House. Or anyone who notices the beautiful hand cut parquet floor which was carefully pieced together using select pieces of oak, cherry, and walnut. Or anyone who stops to see the polished brass door hinges, the massive pocket doors, or the elegant wood fireplace mantels and tiles. Yes, Mr. James was a man of detail, a lover of fine wood, who wanted to make sure his house stood the test of time. And he did it for the handsome sum of $10,000!

Here we are a century later and The James House is still one of the most prominent historic structures in Port Townsend. Proudly perched on top of the bluff overlooking the historic downtown district and Port Townsend bay, there is no question that The James House has weathered the bad times, and prospered in the good. Francis Wilcox James....a man of good taste lives on in the historic house that bears his name.

New Beginnings!

2009-05-04T11:11:00.000-07:00

The month of May always seems like a transition month, bringing more hours of daylight, brighter skies, fabulous color to the garden, and the sailboats on the harbor. A reminder to all that summer is just around the corner and who doesn't love those long warm summer days? The first Saturday of May brings the special treat of Saturday Farmer's Market as well as Gallery Walk which highlighted "The Chair Affair", a fundraising event which brings together talented local artists with a great cause. May 2009 represents even more of a transition than in year's past. The Hood Canal Bridge, which is literally our most direct link to Kitsap Peninsula as well as the Seattle metro area, is temporarily closed for necessary maintenance. While it is a temporary inconvenience, it is also brings assurance that we will not have to worry for the next 50-75 years that a floating bridge might be in jeopardy! May 1, 2009 is also the beginning of my 20th year of owning and operating The James House. I will share more in a future writing, as it is too much to include in this, my very first blog. Happy May!