Prolific Gardens

The garden has really been prolific this year. I've planted some vegetables that I had never planted before, eggplant for one and I have at least 4 or 5 eggplants are are looking really good. Actually, I think they will be ready to pick in about a week. I've had a huge amount of broccoli, so much that even Elizabeth got tired of having it. I've let it go to seed. Perhaps next year I will freeze some. Of course we are constantly eating green beans which continue to produce at a frenzied rate. I had wonderful green cabbages, cauliflower, carrots, lettuce and as you can see, red cabbage, each one is spectacular. I'm preparing the one in the picture tomorrow- sweet and sour red cabbage with apples. We are having the neighbors over for an all vegetable dinner. Rob and I could never eat that many vegetables and I'm not into freezing this year. The beets are a golden variety and are super sweet. Too bad Jon isn't here, he loves beets. I planted garlic last fall and have about 40 cloves- I've given many away already. And if you can see, I grew black peppers. They are interesting, not as sweet as red though. The green peppers are small but tasty. I even tried my hand at growing potatoes. And they even grew despite my ignorance as to their need to be mounded. New raised beds in the back yard for potatoes next year. They were fun.

My tomatoes, which I did not photograph, are my pride and joy. I received as a birthday present, a gift certificate to Whites Flower catalog. I ordered 6 heirloom tomatoe plants. They are now over 6 feet tall in the raised beds at Litengard. My favorite so far are the Mortage Lifter variety. They are huge, pink and so sweet. Wonderful on a sandwich. I'm trying Paul Robeson tomorrow. They are large scarlet and green and look quite good. I think in about another 10 days I will have bushel baskets full. If anyone would like some and try to save some seeds let me know. The heirlooms are the only kind that will reproduce from their seeds. I have to read up on how to save the seeds till the spring.



My girl has left. Off to school again. This time in Pittsburgh. We had a small going away party with barbeque chicken, salt potatoes and corn on the cob. And then a farewell game of Mexican Train. Liz won, how appropriate. Then she and Dorie were off in the Volvo to meet the moving van. I think Dorie came back exhausted from unpacking, sorting, setting up, rearranging, shopping and walking up and down three flights of stairs. No elevators!

New Friends and Farmers Market

We had a house full at Litengard last night.

It was fun. One room went to parents of a Clarkson student. They had never stayed in a Bed and Breakfast before. One room went to a mom and her daughter who was interviewing at St Lawrence. They understood old houses, they have one they go to in the summer in Vermont. The last room went to a couple from Persia, who grew up in Holland and will be working in another city and the wife will be a graduate student at Clarkson. He had a sort of Scandinavian accent which was interesting because he totally did not look like us, not that all nordic people have blond hair and blue eyes!

We had a wonderful sausage, egg, and cheese casserole, almond kringle, fresh local peaches and blueberries, orange juice, and locally roasted coffee. I will try to post the recipes that I have used sometime in the near future. I know that many of you have asked for them so I'll try to spend some time jotting them down.

After everyone left and the wash was started I walked down to our Farmers Market. The Canton Farmers Market is every Tuesday and Friday starting in the spring and running through October. It's the best. Especially if one lives in the village and can walk down on a gorgeous day like today. Not only can one get the best local corn from the Nobles, but the Cook's sell the BEST bacon I've ever had. I ordered 4 pounds over the phone the other day and she had it all packaged up for me. She was showing another customer the bacon when I got there (which was a bit later in the morning) but assured me that she had been saving it for me and was just letting the person look at the quality of the meat. The village has installed electricity so farmers can bring their freezers and sell their meats. The beef looked great too. Maybe next Tuesday! I have grown absolutely huge and wonderful heirloom tomatoes this year but I spied another variety at one of the vendors. I think she called it Scarlett something, I have to look it up. She said it made great sandwiches, which is just what Rob said he wanted for dinner tonight. So I came home with two scarlett beauties.

The other wonderful thing about Canton and the Farmers Market is that one meets all one's friends and acquaintances while wandering from booth to booth. I caught up on a lot of news from the neighborhood, the village and Colton (since I have not been to camp once this year to see everyone out there). Then off to the post office and a visit to my local teller and a lovely walk home again laden with wonderful fruit, veggies, meat and local updates.

And sitting in the back room, my office at Litengard, looking out onto the great backyard, a male cardinal just landed on the porch railing. He was beautiful, his mate must be around somewhere, I always see them together. So sweet!

Does summer have to end?

It's Fun Having......

It's fun having a daughter!!!!

After all the work we have done together at 44, 42 and 34 we finally got a day to relax and do fun girl stuff.

We both had gift certificates to The Spa at the Whiteface Lodge, so we booked some special pampering.



After a massage and facial we went up to the dining room and had a lovely lunch. It was a beautiful day. We thought to eat outside on the balcony but it was a bit breezy.



The decor is totally adirondack, with vaulted ceilings, huge chandeliers, stufffed moose, racoons etc, large comfy chairs and lovely rugs. The lunch was absolutely delicious.



We drove home completely satisfied through gorgeous mountains, tall pines and pristine lakes. It was a wonderful day.