The Wild Turkey Inn

08/31/2026

It’s us again.

Still inhaling lath and plaster over here in Rossland.

Renovating a Gold Rush-era house is beginning to feel a little like our own low-budget version of The Money Pit — except every so often, the house gives us something back.

This time, it was shoes.

Old shoes. Very old shoes. Two pairs, hidden inside a wall, with rows of tiny nails still visible in the soles.

Then a visitor arrived whose father and grandfather had lived in this house — and suddenly we had clues.

Not answers. Clues.

And we still have questions.

👞 Turkey Diary #3: The Shoes in the Wall

Come down the rabbit hole with us. Full story at the link in bio.

08/30/2026

A new Turkey Diary is up.

In early 2025, two pairs of well-worn shoes were found concealed side by side inside a wall during renovations.

One pair was leather boots. The other was a pair of Chinese-style cloth slippers.

For more than a year, we could only guess who they belonged to. Then a visit from the granddaughter of J.S.C. Fraser, the house’s first occupant, gave us a name we had never had before: Mr. Lee Kim, the Fraser family’s cook and an important part of life at Breezy Bluffs.

We may never prove the slippers were his. But the clues are getting awfully interesting.

Turkey Diary #3: The Shoes in the Wall

Two pairs of shoes hidden in the walls of our 1896 Rossland, BC home lead to the story of Breezy Bluffs, J.S.C. Fraser and Mr. Lee Kim.

08/20/2026

We have a confession. The Turkey Diaries exist partly because of Google.

We’re not aspiring influencers. We don’t particularly want internet fame. We’re just two Gen X-ers trying to win at the internet—or at least fight it to a respectable draw.

It turns out we also have quite a few stories to tell.

🦃 Turkey Diaries #2 : Why Are We Doing This?

😉 And yes, horrifyingly, we now have to say it: link in bio.

📸 Photo: Melanie Martin.

08/20/2026

https://www.thewildturkeyinn.com/the-turkey-diaries/the-turkey-diaries-why-are-we-doing-this

We have a confession. The Turkey Diaries exist partly because of Google.

We’re not aspiring influencers—just two Gen X-ers trying to win at the internet, or at least fight it to a respectable draw.

Turkey Diaries #2: Why Are We Doing This?

Why did we start The Turkey Diaries? Part Google strategy, part storytelling: an honest introduction to life at The Wild Turkey Inn in Rossland, BC.

08/17/2026

A little origin story for The Wild Turkey Inn. I originally started writing this back in 2019, when Mike and I were getting ready to trade Vancouver for Rossland. Seven years later, it’s interesting to look back at what we hoped we were moving toward — and what actually grew out of it.

First post in **The Turkey Diaries**.

08/06/2026

Need a break from the smoke this weekend?

Step inside the gardens and heritage spaces at The Wild Turkey Inn and discover the work of eight talented local artists as part of the 2026 Columbia Basin Culture Tour.

📅 August 8 & 9
🕙 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
📍 The Wild Turkey Inn
2520 Kootenay Avenue, Rossland

Browse original paintings, photography, ceramics, and botanical prints in a relaxed setting. There’s no admission and no pressure to buy—just come, wander, and enjoy the art.

Featuring:
• Jamie Bialon
• Niva Harrison
• Karen Lewis
• Nathan French
• Taylor Clark
• Yip van Muijlwijk
• Sharon Roberts
• Shauna Ullman

If you’re planning your Culture Tour route, we’d love to welcome you.

Please help us be good neighbours by avoiding parking in or blocking nearby driveways. Thank you!

07/27/2026

Join The Wild Turkey Inn for the 2026 Columbia Basin Culture Tour!

August 8 & 9
10am - 4pm
The Wild Turkey Inn
2520 Kootenay Ave

We’re delighted to welcome several local artists showcasing their work at The Wild Turkey Inn. With painters, photographers, potters, and more, there’s something for everyone! Explore the Inn and garden alongside a diverse collection of artists and work.

Artists include: Jamie Bialon, Niva Harrison, Josee Monique Trudeau, Karen Lewis, Nathan French, Taylor Clark, Yip van Muijlwijk, Sharon Roberts, and Shauna Ullman.

We kindly request that neighbourhood driveways are not blocked.

07/13/2026

Some places are just places to sleep. This one feels more like stepping through a secret door.

07/04/2026

Open for summer bookings! Three blocks from downtown Rossland.

Included with all bookings:
🦃 Exclusive use of the entire inn
🦃 Three guest rooms, each with its own ensuite
🦃 Chef’s kitchen
🦃 Grand dining room
🦃 Attic art studio
🦃 Laundry
🦃 Games, toys, puzzles
🦃 Outdoor space
🦃 BBQ
🦃 Parking
🦃 Kootenay care package (lots of local treats)

07/04/2026

Wild Turkey Jam by the numbers:

430 meatballs
28 quarts of sauce
26 bags of penne
1 sudden setup downpour
5 dish-pit heroes
1 sound guy
2 sound-guy daughters who saved the day
15 musicians
8¼ hours of music
1 scary ladder fall
0 concussions
0 complaints
4 bags of cans for STEPS Dance
and $2,611 raised for local arts, community, and Record Ridge.

Thank you to everyone who played, cooked, carried, cleaned, donated, danced, listened, and showed up.

Same time next year? Or… maybe 2028. Haha. 🦃