84-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 17, 1996
Homey, Hearty, Restful Describe
Walnut Ridge Bed And Breakfast
GAY BROWNLEE
Somerset Co. Correspondent
GRANTSVILLE (Garrett Co.,
Md.) Take breakfast on the
back porch, if you will, with its
view of Interstate 68 slicing
through the not-too-distant moun
tain, and where, nearby, Candy
Fetterly’s lush vegetable herb gar
dens are a flourishing entity at the
Walnut Ridge Bed and Breakfast
Inn. t
Sound homey? It is. Especially,
if Candy’s morning menu includes
a hot entree such as homemade
biscuits with gravy, egg quiche,
Belgium waffles or baked
oatmeal.
There’s a possibility, too, of
fresh blueberry muffins, perhaps
her jelly-filled doughnuts or sticky
buns. But then it might be Cow
boy coffee cake and other sur
prises. Fresh fruits that are in sea
son, of course, and the usual
beverages.
A stand of walnut trees on a
small ridge at the West side of the
century-old house, some two and a
half years ago inspired Candy and
her husband, Tim, with a name for
their new business.
A bed and breakfast inn was
what they had in mind when the
Among Candy Fetterly’s multlpled talents Is a knack for
gardening, which is a bonus for her bed and breakfast busi
ness. She says you’ll always find a zucchini when you go to
the veggie and herb garden.
r etterly has used wicker furniture to create a homey sitting room In her
Cam
home.
Fetterly’s decided to accept a pas
toral call of Tim to the Oak Grove
Mennonite Church, near
Grantsville.
It meant relocating from Arkan
sas. but the change was exciting,
despite the fact that their grown
sons James and Duane, would
have to remain there to attend col
lege and to work.
Rebecca, their 14-year old
daughter now attends the Northern
Garrett County-High School, near
Accident
“We loved the area when we
came,” said Candy. “We loved the
mountains and the farms. It was a
new adventure.”
So after discussing their plans
with a local realtor and looking at
properties on the market, they
were advised that a large old
house, located at 92 Main Street
was available. Unoccupied for
three years, it sat on an acre of
land. Unconfirmed reports listed
1864 as the year it was built
Envisioning its many possibili
ties, the Fetterlys were hooked,
undaunted by the prospect of the
much needed and extensive reno
vations facing them.
At least a spacious kitchen had
been added earlier to the original
structure. And since Candy, her
self, is partial to the color blue, she
opted to keep the existing, prc
dominently blue, color scheme.
She did, however, add a Holstein
cow wallpaper border above the
Cabinets.
Sitting at the long oval table on
heirloom chairs from her grand
mother, and sniffing the herbal
scents of a nearby bouquet a
quart fruit jar of Black-eyed
Susans, Pholox, Yarrow, mint,
and more Candy said die first
rooms they tackled were those
intended for guests.
These evolved into the Country
Suite, the Cherry Blossom Room,
and the Blue Willow Room.
“We started with the guest
rooms,” she said. “And in the cen
tral hallway we pulled up the old
carpet, which had old newspapers
under it”
“I took off five layers of wall
paper in the Country Suite,” she
says of the spacious apartment A
queen bed, a set of bunk beds, a
day bed, a kitchen, large bath and
separate entry make it a home
away from home.
Quilted wall hangings of Can
dy’s creation bedeck every room
in the house with splashes of rich
color.
Two new baths were installed.
Tim, like his spouse, has a knack
for the unusual, and did most of
the work, using clever ideas that
would elude the thoughts of most
folks.
Like that of its counterparts, a
ceiling fan brings summer comfort
to the Cherry Blossom Room,
where a thematic quilt that Candy
pieced together, tops the double
bed and where a love seat, an anti
que desk and a wash stand are
attractively grouped and conve
nient for guests.
An enchanting fireplace adds
wiarm to the Blue Willow Room
where Candy added blue stencils
to the light-colored wall. On crips
autumn or cold winter mornings
its glowing heat is bound to be
welcomed.
Guests find the video library
and game center upstairs in the
airy hallway.
Separating the kitchen-dining
area and the den where the
Amish momentos are displayed—
is the convivial sitting room, beg
ging for company, conversation,
and music.
White wicker furniture with
floral cushions, a fireplace and
chimney, leafy plants, an antique
player piano that Tim gave to Can
dy one Christmas, a grand
mother’s antique lace curtains and
Candy and husband, Tim, have revitalized a large
century-old house In Grantsville, Md. through extensive
renovations. It Is now a homespun bed and breakfast Inn
with a player piano, wonderful antiques, and a den flavored
with Amish accents.
the cuckoo clock from Germany,
blend well together.
A backyard gazebo houses the
wood-fired hot tub used in all sea
sons. Candy recalls how some
skiers last winter bravely got in
when the outside temperature was
down near the zero mark.
“I love flowers,” she says. “In
summer I usually try to have cut
flowers in all the rooms.” She rat
tles off a bunch of varieties that to
spell, one needs aid from an ency
clopedia. “You name it I’ve got
it,” she adds with a grin.
That explains why her house
appears to be well-loved, cuddled
on every side by brilliant, new
flower beds and showy gardents.
An antique wagon on the lush
front lawn will tell you by its sign
if a current vacancy exists at the
Walnut Ridge B&B.
By raising numerous veget
ables, planting fruit trees and ber
ry bushes. Candy hopes the
harvest from her own labors will
eventually yield a good variety of
produce to serve in the growing
season.
Homespun ingenuity caused
Candy to see exactly why a small
gift shop would fit perfectly into a
some mornings are fine enough to eat breakfast outside on
the porch, looking over the mountains split by 1-68.
Homestead
NOTES
nook just off the front porch. And
though a few other folks have con
tributed to its inventory, every
item fits the “homespun” categ
ory. They’ve established a
country-style theme which seems
to project their own personalities
into both the striking and subtle
crannies at Walntu Ridge.
Fall is the busiest time, but any
season in the area offers unique
attractions, plus, the area is rich in
the history of the people of
Appalachia.
Walnut Ridge B&B skirts the
very edge of town, yet is within
walking distance of fine restaur
ants and other quaint shops.
Additionally, the famed Cassel
man River Bridge, built in 1813,
which the stagecoaches rumbled
over long ago when they traveled
east and west on the Cumberland
Road (Route 40), is only a quarter
mile away. It is now managed by
the Maryland Department of
Natural* Resources and oversha
dows a pleasant picnic area.
The Walnut Ridge Bed and
Breakfast telephone number is
(301) 895-4248. The address is;
92 Main St., P.O. Box 368 Grants
ville, MD 21536.