Several of our regulars open the front door and sing out "We're Home" in a loud voice.
It is music to our ears.
Others will may come in quietly, go straight to their room, unpack, change clothes and return to the common room, to the porch or go out to a hammock. We may not discover them for quite some time after their arrival.
You were always welcome, always comfortable and you felt right at home, but without the chores and the worries that you left behind.
One evening, Rhonda was sitting in the Common Room talking with some guests. Other guests came in the front door, left their shoes in the entry hall and proceeded upstairs to their room.
"Doesn't it bother you that someone would do that?" one of the guests asked Rhonda. Rhonda looked at the shoes and smiled.
"No", she replied, "it makes me feel really good that they feel that much at home."
The next morning when Rhonda went through turning on lights, she discovered 16 pairs of shoes lining the entry hall. She couldn't stop smiling all day!
A guest was sitting on the porch and thought he spied an unusual looking bird in the forest. As he wished for a pair of binoculars and a bird book, he happened to look down at the table beside him. Wishes can come true!
A returning guest was determined to find something we had not thought of. When he brought his solution to Rhonda, she pointed out that he must not have looked in the "stuff closet" yet!
For some, it is the absence of traffic and the constant background noise of the city. For others, it is the sound of tree frogs or a whippoorwill, or the simple beauty of pine trees, butterflies, or a star filled sky. Perhaps it is quiet solitude, or perhaps good conversation and laughter.
And sometimes, it's just finding that little something that would make this moment more complete. Even when you didn't know you were looking for it.
magic - noun - any mysterious or extraordinary quality or power
Our guests are all unique. They come from a wide variety of backgrounds and life experiences. But many share a common feeling about Mountain Thyme for a huge variety of reasons.
The common thread seems to be that there is some hard to define something that is really special for them here. That something gives them what they need most.... a feeling of relief and relaxation ..... a sense of reconnecting with nature, with each other, or perhaps with themselves... something.
When they must leave, most do feel revitalized and ready to face the "real world" again. But many look forward to coming back once in a while to find that something.