When the water was brought to a boil, Shirley loaded the pouring kettle with hot water, then poured it slowly into the dripper as the coffee grounds gradually rose up. Delightful aromas flowed in the air as the coffee dripped into the carafe. While Shirley concentrated on brewing coffee with a calm smile on her face, our minds also quieted down with the flowing of water. We were at Sunny Day B&B, where invited the natural elements into its space and presented four spacious rooms to the guests, embodying the hostess Shirley’s dedication to an ideal life.    

Wearing a delicate green sweater and a navy blue denim apron, Karen, the host of Ming Xing B&B, is standing beside the bar to welcome us with a candid smile on her face. Her smile causes her eyes to curve like crescent moons, while the southern sun shines peacefully upon her wheat-colored complexion. She once left home to pursue the brilliant sunshine of Kenting, but left it behind to return to her hometown and succeed her father at the head of the welding shop he had operated for over 30 years. Speaking of this old house, and of Chinese cuisine, Karen’s eyes fill with firm conviction. She has used her inspiration and exquisite craftsmanship to preserve her memories between the walls of this old building, while her contemporary attitude allows the warmth that she recalls to endure.    

Driving through the Xueshan Tunnel, we arrived at Sanshing Four Seasons in the pleasant countryside. The host Jona took off his apron and stepped out from the kiln room in the rear studio, while his wife Ting opened the door of Childhood House B&B to welcome us. Both greeted us with smiles, they introduced their ideal life in the spacious space with a breezy vibe. The landscape of the hometown in their story was composed of farmers operating rice transplanters in the paddies, white-breasted waterhens crossing the street by the fields, and many other rural images of Sanshing. In the hearts of Jona and Ting, the scenery of a slow-paced life in the four seasons of Sanshing fueled their devotion to returning hometown. With the craft pottery grew out of the land, they hoped that Sanshing Four Seasons, a fusion of lodging, pottery studio, and café, would introduce travelers to the local beauty.