A peak at our Business Plan from 2013

Our Mission

"A generous man will prosper: He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed" Proverbs 11:25

We are Ken and Sue Schauland, Currently of Appleton Wisconsin, but soon returning to Marquette Michigan to build a new business and start our second season of life together. We will, with our combined skills and abilities, build an owner occupied Bed and Breakfast lodging, called Nestledown Bed and Breakfast. Here we will earn our livelihood, while providing "Sheltered Rest" for travelers to Marquette. We are creating a new Business in a new structure at 975 N. Lakeshore Blvd. in Marquette Michigan just 174 steps to Lake Superior.  This unique Scandinavian inspired Inn will be our home and a place for Marquette's visitors to enjoy for many years.

Nestledown Bed and Breakfast L.L.C. has three simple goals:

1. Build an energy wise beautiful home that reflects the Finnish/Scandinavian esthetic, on our 1.01 acre of a former industrial foundry site, in one smooth and efficient construction year.

2. Establish and open the preferred Bed and Breakfast Inn for travelers to Marquette that offers comfort, breakfast, quiet, a warm fire, sunny windows, fresh air, gathering spaces, walk-ability, a sauna, and dramatic connections to Lake Superior and the Marquette region.

3. Build a profitable business that is able to provide an income for the owners, jobs for needed staff,  tourists for Marquette's economy and to be a strong, sale-able, debt free business in 20 years.

That is what we set out to do and we are glad to report it's working!

Nestledown 

our Scandinavian Bed and Breakfast 

is 3 years old today.

We are grateful

Ken and Sue 

Innkeepers of Nestledown 

Nestledown's recipe for Rhubarb Bread

Rhubarb Bread recipe from Clarence the Tillerman


Did everyone know Sue, your Innkeeper, enjoys baking from scratch a sweet for Nestledown's evening snack? This day it is Tillerman Clarence's Rhubarb bread.

 It is a favorite of mine and I am reminded of the sweet man who would rototil our garden every spring. He shared his wife's recipe with me one year. 

He missed her very much after she had passed away and told me he missed her cooking and that he should have learned some of her recipes.

He was great at the rototiller. He owned a big Troybuilt that he could maneuver through the soil, loosening it deep and then finish without leaving a single footprint. Cool!

Here are photos of my rhubarb bread recipe card. I never rewrite and I always keep them in the original way the recipe came to me. I love the memories in my bin of recipes and especially like seeing the handwriting of those who have shared their favorites. I don't even file them in order or type. When I need one I like going through the whole pile, seeing all of them. 
It is one of the spots in my life where I keep reminders of tender moments and times shared. I have other places too. 

Boarders on the Bikepath

Here they are again, Father and Son skate boarders. I saw them last fall traveling Marquette's bike path together. It was a moment, a sweet moment when I overheard a little boy say to his Dad "this is really far, how much longer Dad", and then he spotted the playground at Mattson Lower Harbor park and  called to his Dad "there it is, we're here".  His Dad said to him "I knew you could do it." There's the sweet. I melted hearing those encouraging words.

I am not sure where their home is or how far they traveled, but from Nestledown it is a mile and a half to the park. Moving a razor along is a lot of work for a little guy, his Dad obviously a pro. I was glad to see these two again this spring and asked to take their photo.

The bike path is great, it gives us a place to move, be with others, breath fresh Lake air and if your lucky catch the sweet sound of encouragement.

Two years Tomorrow

I think about her most every day. I've tucked items from her home and life around my home, in places that I open, or walk by. We use her toast tongs at Nestledown and I remember her. I miss my Mom and regret not spending more time with her.

 There was an 8 hour drive through Chicago or 9 hours up and over the Mackinaw bridge to visit. I wish she knew my children better. Should have made the drive.

We didn't live close and we weren't close for a list of reasons, but I am like her. I look like her, I am a nurse like her, I have SISU like her, I worry like her, I say things like her. I was loved by her and I am proud of her. She was my Mum.

Inn + Keeper

I am an Innkeeper. I keep an Inn. I am keeping the Inn. I am inn-keeping. I am keeping the Inn for our guests, our children, ourselves, our town. I keep an Inn and in return the Inn keeps us. This often goes through my mind as I clean and do the daily jobs that are my new life. Somehow taking care of Nestledown does not feel like drudgery, but rather a privilege. There is a freedom also in the work of maintaining your own business with an interesting blur of everyday life and responsibility. I like it. I like what Ken and I have built and now what we do together for our livelihood.

Aren't we all keepers, taking care of what we have been given? I think so!

Keep-ing

noun

the action of owning maintaining, or protection something.

Synonyms

care, charge, guardianship, observance, preservation, protection, safekeeping

 The Inn is kept and ready for you, always. It is what we do and we are grateful.

Nestledown Bed and Breakfast is open and we are excited about the Inn's first Winter in Marquette.

The best season in Marquette is Winter! We are crazy here over the UP woods with snow laden branches, the quiet trails, the potential for an exciting blizzard, downhill speed, warm boots and gear, fitness in the fresh air with warm tasty food prepped just for this time, the fireplace and the Sauna too.

January and February bring some very cool events to Marquette County. Plan your winter escape and plan to stay here at Nestledown Bed and Breakfast the Scandinavian  Lodge located in the middle of everything Marquette.

Noqemanon Ski Marathon  noquemanon.com  January 22-24 ( Pick the race that's right for you) This is seriously big skiing.

U.P.200/Midnight Run  up200.org   February 11-15 One of America’s premier 12-dog, mid-distance sled dog races. An Iditarod qualifier that brings mushers from around the United States and Canada. This is a must see.

Downtown is filled with snow and spectators line the street to watch and the teams take off on the 200 mile race to Grand Marais and back. This is a great winter trip especially for families. It provides interesting learning about mushing, the rules of the sport, vet checks, and the sled dogs. Watch how their teams work together.

Especially cool are the mittens on the paws of the sled dogs. They really like to run. You can walk to the race from Nestledown. Check out all the events that coincide with the UP200 here in Marquette.

129th ANNUAL SUICIDE HILL SKI TOURNAMENT  Wednesday February 17 @ 6pm ishskiclub.com    World Class ski jumping. Wow.  They need spectators to ring the bells and cheer. OK we are in.

Northern Fat Bike Summit  February 19-21  These bikes are everywhere and look like an exciting way to be in the woods on a trail in Winter. One guest said" it's like riding a Cadillac" Another recent guest expressed riding his Fat Tire bike on a beach covered with snow was "Ridiculous." Great!
   906 Polar Roll is the Fat Bike Race February 20

Downtown Showdown Ski & Snowboard Rail Jam  Marquette creates a downtown ski park for this event. Streets are closed and the music is fun as snowboarders and skiers show everyone what they can do on the terrain park built down the Front Street hill. Marquette values their young people and creates this great event just for them. Proud of a city that does that! downtownmarquette.org

For winter sports and activities Nestledown is here to make it easy. We have a warm garage if you need to wax your ski's and we can store your bikes here too. Bring yourselves and your gear and be our guests.

Here we are with our shadows, last winter on a frozen Lake Superior. The lake is open and active this winter so far. It sure feels good being outside in every season and watching Lake Superior is our favorite thing to do. An ice coated Lombardi Poplar after the stormy lake splashed up along Lakeshore Blvd.

We hope to meet you soon. Watch for more blog posts from Nestledown Bed and Breakfast your Scandinavian Red Inn just steps from Lake Superior.

Sincerely,

The Innkeepers at Nestledown
Ken and Sue