OUR JOURNEY

   I have often wondered how many people these words actually reach. I don't expect them to captivate an audience though I would hope that someone finds them a benefit.The journey has been rewarding to us as a family. We certainly have learned a great deal a long the way. Meeting as children in a forested community along the river gave us roots in finding our way. Both of our parents sacrificed and worked extremely hard to provide us tiny cottages away from surburbia. We were the generation that grew up outside,so it came naturally that the river valley became a second home to us as we explored its treasures.

    Age seperated us by eight years though our cottages were a block apart, we never became friends until adolescence crepted in. During the years of  high school and college we miracously found each other. This odd union would last decades. We married on the mountain that over looked our childhood playground and shared the same treasures with five beautiful children that became our gifts to one another. As parents we stumbled a long,wanting to give our family security but also not wishing the burdens of society to mold their minds. The outdoors became our safe place where we felt connected, so connected that we began to steward the lands surrounding our cottage inherited from Paul's parents. We fought to preserve and protect culturally historic property.This fork in our lives brought us pain and glory while teaching our children how important it was to dedicate yourself and stand up for your beliefs.A decade of labor and sacrifice saved the land by protecting it with the first easement to preserve culturally historic land in Pennsylvania.

Our family gave so much in time, dedication and finances that we lost our footing.I found that gardening was my therapy and source of income that added to Paul's historic renovation business. We were laborers with passion and drive that worked to provide skills to share with our family. Like our parents, we thought lifes lessons would teach our children more then anything else. With luck at our sides we found this life fulfilled us.Our talents led us to a histoic estate that was in desperate need to attention. An evolution occured as we restored portions of eight historic gardens and the historic cottage of a famous industralist in America with our children in tow.They shared in our labor and seen first hand as we transformed the landscape and grand hall. Greed and hatred abrutly halted our triumph as our careers ended over a family freud for power. Patriachy won and we found ourselves tumbling with no direction. I found a clue to the leg of the journey online as i searched for new bearings.

Weak and damaged from our faith in others, i searched for purpose and found a key on a website depicting a bed and breakfast along the Allegheny river not far from our childhood cottages.I would watch the short video over and over wondering if this was the path we needed to take.My parents death led me to make the hardest decision of our lives, to up root our youngest children from a surburban life style to a rural rustic borough in Pennsylvania with less then 1000 persons.

We made a fresh start, reinventing our lives as innkeepers.We moved 80 miles north to begin again by purchasing a 1893 Victorian home along the river. Here we would test our strength and perserverance to the limit. Long days of hard labor in renovating the home. We purchased and adjacent home as a vacation rental and renovated it as well. Time was consumed in the many details that would craft these structures into dwellings that would provide a caring space for others. After three years the structures were beautiful and we focused on the grounds and gardens. Every inch was transformed into peaceful places that evoked history and whimsy. Our business plan focused on the hard working entrepreneurs and small businesses that dotted the back roads and small towns. We shared their products, foods and services with our guest in every aspect of their stay. 

After 10 years our business stands out as the best bed ad breakfast along the river and trail. We have strived to create the most unique spaces and provide our guest as amassadors to our region with detailed knowledge we have acquired after growing up in the valley that changed the world. Folks hail from across America to enjoy natures bounty in the foothills of history. As innkeepers we have evolved with each person we met. Their journey becomes part of our map. We have been fortunate as our lives experienced such diversity as we met 1000's of good people. 

This season 2023 is a celebration of all wonderful things. We were gifted a good life by living in our forested town. In Spring we will list the 3 homes for sale. We have aspirations that the business of The Barnard House will continue and evolve as we have. Our doors will stay open and we will continue reservations until the busy season ends in November of 2023. Hopefully by then a passionate person or family will find themselves as we did along the river and trail. SO COME VISIT and experience all we have come to find. Help us make this year the best!