Light reading on a Sunday afternoon entertains most & calms others, but for Vivian Abel it inspired…
An ordinary afternoon reading, page after page filled with stories about a quaint bed and breakfast, flooded the imagination of our hosts with dreams of a quiet country Inn. Little did she know that the spark that lit all those years ago would burn bright into the 21st century. That dream turned into a four bedroom Lancaster County Bed and Breakfast with a thriving Wedding Venue.
Marticville road, where Pheasant Run Farm B&B is located, is one I’m very familiar with. A Millersville University alum, I would spend cool autumn mornings or warm summer nights cruising the backroads around Millersville listening to whatever playlist I had in tow. And to be sure, all the seasons are a feast for the eyes on this particular back road. Surrounded by trees on rolling hills, each turn around the corner is like a turn in a storybook – old houses and vast farms dot the wooded landscape. And I get a special treat today. A sunny winter morning with Christmas close in view. What the trees lack in leaves, Pheasant Run makes up for in Christmas lights and decor.
“If you want the truth, she watched too many Bob Newhart shows!” Bob slyly interjected just before taking the last spoonful of a rich tomato soup whipped up by Liz, their Breakfast Hostess and cook. “She probably doesn’t even know who Bob Newhart is!” Vivian jested, chuckles heard all around the table. As someone who grew up watching Nick at Night, a millennial with a love of all things of yesteryear, I knew who Bob Newhart was – and was happy to add the fact. The show, Newhart (1982-1990) gave me a little insight to just how deep the dream of a B&B had been for Vivian. Something worked on for years in the heart, before it ever came to fruition.
Beginning in 1985, Vivian and her husband, Bob, had their eye on a 48 acre estate just south of Lancaster proper with a stone farmhouse, built in 1842. Friends with the family who lived there, the Siegriests, they knew the legacy of hospitality that preceded them. The Siegriests had had their property listed with the Mennonite Information Center, as a place for travelers who needed a place to rest their head for the night. But for years after the couple bought it, 200 Marticville Road stayed just a farmhouse and home to Vivian and Bob while they raised a family and worked little by little on fixing up the old farmhouse and matching barn. Finally in March 2002, Pheasant Run Farm B&B opened with 4 guestrooms, all with private bathrooms.
“It’s enriched our lives. People come to us, which is a different kind of travel.”
– Vivian, Pheasant Run Farm Owner
Our lovely Christmas brunch, decorated in red and gold, was peppered with stories of guests gone by, “It’s enriched our lives. People come to us, which is a different kind of travel.” Vivian remarked, painting a story of old wishes to travel in retirement. As she said, the travel comes right to your door. Deeann, Vivian’s daughter and manager of the B&B, chimes in with a special memory, “Sometimes, people tell you the intimate details of their life. One lady, she always invites me out to the porch and spills about her life. It’s sweet. And I’m just listening. Seeing little windows into people’s lives.“
Conversations could have gone on for hours with stories of B&B ups and downs. But before I went, I had to see some of the great outdoors that this B&B is known for. Deeann graciously offered to guide me to the waterfall, with I’ll admit, a trick up her sleeve. Bundled up in scarves we made our way across the back garden, brown trees against bright blue skies. Over the foot bridge, we saw the frozen waterfall, waiting for spring’s arrival to come alive. But Deeann beckoned me to the left where a curious small cottage sat solitary against the wintery backdrop. The gentleman’s lodge, as they called it, functions as a secret escape from the cold. Decked from top to bottom with decor giving “Christmas Fox Hunt in the English Countryside” and a large gas fireplace along the back wall, this hideaway is even more beautiful than this long, run-on sentence can describe. A whole Hallmark Christmas movie could be filmed just in this small room and the surrounding garden.
“You see people come in the door. They look stressed and ready to be refreshed. And as they head out, they look as though they have taken a deep breath and are ready to go. That’s what we love to see.”
-Deeann, operator of Pheasant Run Farm
And in true Christmas spirit, Deann gives a little insight into what really means the most this season, “You see people come in the door. They look stressed and ready to be refreshed. And as they head out, they look as though they have taken a deep breath and are ready to go. That’s what we love to see.” And isn’t that what we are all looking for during the Holidays – a chance to slow down, watch the snow fall, hug our loved ones and push refresh on what can seem like a never-ending hustle. Here at Bestie B&B, as we look into the new year and this new blog, we hope that we can connect more people with that refresh button they are longing for.
Find the Pheasant Run Farm B&B website here or download our Guide to Lancaster B&B’s to learn more about the Pheasant Run Farm B&B and cut 2 hours down on your research time.
