Meet Belle
Meet Belle: The Belle of Brown County
When I first brought Belle home through Clancy’s Dream Border Collie Rescue, she had never been inside a house. She didn’t know what a doorbell was. She didn’t know how to play with toys. Everything about domestic life was completely new and strange to her.
But like most rescues, Belle adapted with quiet determination. One day at a time, she figured it out. She found her favorite sunspot by the window. She learned what it meant to belong — to a home and to a team.
And now? She’s a porch pup when it’s calm, a pasture guardian when it’s time to work, and always — completely, entirely — all heart.
Belle takes her work very seriously.
Like most Border Collies, Belle is happiest with a job to do — and she’s taken it upon herself to be the unofficial guardian of My Brown County Vacation. Both properties. All the time.
At the 1891 Schoolhouse Inn, she quietly checks the perimeter — keeping watch over the backyard, the bubbling hot tub, and the tall trees. She knows every inch of that property and takes genuine pride in its stillness and safety.
Over at Helmsburg Homestead, Belle shifts into full homestead mode. She walks the trails with me, comes into the garden, and keeps a careful eye on the free-ranging flock of hens. Most evenings, just before dusk, she makes the rounds to gently guide the chickens back into their coop — no fuss, no feathers ruffled. Just pure instinct and quiet determination. She’s not a barker. She’s a watcher, a protector, and an old soul.
“She’s not a barker. She’s a watcher, a protector, and an old soul.”
Nobody taught her this. She just knew.
When I first purchased Helmsburg Homestead, I brought in a small herd of goats to help clear several acres of thick brush. They stayed for about five weeks. Belle had never been trained to herd. Nobody told her what to do.
Without any instruction, she took it upon herself to watch over them. She calmly circled the property, kept a steady eye on the herd, and made sure no one wandered too far. It was like she instinctively knew the land — and the goats — were hers to protect. I stood there watching her and thought: this dog knows exactly who she is and exactly where she belongs.
Clancy’s Dream Border Collie Rescue
Belle came to me through Clancy’s Dream, a Border Collie rescue in Indiana founded by Ken and Elaine Shuck in memory of their beloved dog, Clancy. Their mission is to give Border Collies a second chance at life.
In Belle’s case, that meant a future full of purpose, peace, and plenty of acres to roam. I am deeply grateful to them for bringing her into my life — and into the heart of these two properties.
If you love dogs or have ever considered adopting a Border Collie, I can’t recommend Clancy’s Dream enough. They do life-changing work, and Belle is living proof. Learn more or donate at clancysdream.org.
“Belle doesn’t just belong here. She grounds these places.”
Next time you visit, keep an eye out for Belle.
She’ll probably be doing her rounds — gentle and alert, tail wagging, completely in her element. Book direct and I’ll take care of the rest.
| Schoolhouse Inn | Helmsburg Homestead |
Belle’s quiet presence is one of my favorite things about both properties. She reminds me — and I think she reminds guests too — what it feels like to be somewhere that genuinely cares about the people and animals in it.
That’s what I’m trying to build here. That’s what she already knows how to do naturally.
Stay cozy. Stay local. Stay with us.
| Book Direct & Save | Meet Your Host |
Leah Lamm
Owner & Host · My Brown County Vacation
I’m a Brown County local, Airbnb Superhost, and Vrbo Premier Host with eight years of experience personally welcoming guests to Nashville, Indiana. I host two boutique vacation rentals — the 1891 Schoolhouse Inn and Helmsburg Homestead — and I’m involved in every detail of every stay. When I’m not welcoming guests, I’m tending the garden, loving on my chickens and border collies, or enjoying a quiet morning on the porch with coffee.
Sourced from: MyBrownCountyVacation.com, ClancysDream.org