12/10/2017
The Grist Mill House Bed & Breakfast says goodbye but not farewell to South Woodstock
BY NOELLA MAY PICKETT
South Woodstock, Vermont – After decades of whipping up local eggs with Cabot cheddar cheese, maple smoked bacon, and Green Mountain Coffee for guests from all corners of the world – The Grist Mill House Bed & Breakfast will be closing its doors as a Bed and Breakfast on December 31 of this year.
“Hello, I am Peter, your innkeeper!” Peter Pickett says followed by a rolling laugh from beneath his neatly tied bow tie, as he welcomes his guests into his home that he and wife, Carole Pickett have called home since the early 1980s.
A historic landmark to the village of South Woodstock, Vermont, The Grist Mill House was built in 1779. The machinery used for grinding grain still rests on the ceiling of the great room where guests can be found enjoying a cup of hot cocoa in front of the wood burning stove or ringing the game table bell announcing yet another puzzle piece has been found.
“It’s interesting to me, I never got to the point as an inn keeper that I felt that I had it all figured out – it felt new and exciting to me every morning,” Peter said. “I invested whole heartedly the whole time we have done it.”
After more than 30 years the house has been well-loved not only by the Picketts, but by their guests as well.
“I never met a guest that I didn’t enjoy. Every person presented me with the joy of learning – I was always learning how to meet the needs of each person’s agenda and I feel that I was able to do that fairly successfully, as a good proportion of my guests came back. Meeting those needs so successfully, so many times, was a real delight for my soul,” Peter said.
Carole and Peter said they plan to use their retirement and remaining years helping their children and grandchildren.
“I am convinced that the lord has closed a chapter in my life and is opening a new one for me,” Peter said.
The Picketts will remain residents of the The Grist Mill House hosting both family and friends come the new year. In addition to traveling the world trading in the role of inn keeper for guest.
