Labor Day

And labor we did.

We had guests for the weekend who were just wonderful. Two breakfasts which included new recipes, they were adventuresome. But both were really scrumptious!

Elegant Eggs which turned out to be really high fluffy eggs served piping hot with a dollop of sour cream and a drizzle of lingonberry sauce. We first experienced lingonberries in Norway and they were delicious. That was served with fresh local bacon, english muffins, orange juice, and locally grown peaches and pears. Today I served Baked Eggs and I believe that the company liked this recipe even better. These are made in individual 8 ounce baking dishes and so yummy. We had slices of my heirloom tomatoes and herbs from the garden, pumpkin apple muffins (apples picked yesterday from one of the apple trees I planted for the wedding 6 years ago), ham slices, fruit, cranberry apple juice and coffee.

Ethan came in at the tail end of breakfast and had his breakfast with the guests. He was made to be an innkeeper. He's a natural.



Dad and Ethan tore down old rotted boards from out back porch and temporarily "fixed" the part where the wall attaches to the roof and then Rob used some old flashing that he had from his grandfather and cemented and tarred parts of the porch roof that had disappeard. We're still wondering what to do with the back porch. I'd like a more permanent structure, one with heat that I could have my washer and dryer in but that probably will be sometime in the distant future.



Ethan then took over Jon's job of trimming the bushes and did a fantastic job! I had trimmed some of the front about 2 months ago but with the heat and the rain everything was very overgrown. He kept saying he knew nothing about trimming bushes but did an excellent job. That's good because I don't think Jon will be home anymore when it's appropriate to trim.



And we made up a big basket of 42 and 44's local produce for Ethan to take back to the city. Heirloom tomatoes all the way from northern New York. And I had to include several potatoes that he had harvested the day before. And then after a long nap, it was back in the car for the journey back to the Big Apple.

Blessings of a Simple Life

Sitting in the den listening to the slow steady clip clop of an Amish horse pulling it's buggy as it made it's way to the intersection of our small village, made me acutely aware of the blessings of a simple life.

I really like it here. It's a wonderful blessing to be able to call this place home.

No, there is no shopping. But that's why we have the internet isn't it?

We certainly have beauty here. Farms and mountains, streams and the raging St. Lawrence, historic homes but no skyscrappers. Wonderful music; music theater, opera, symphony, bands. We have four universities and we have churches. We still have neighborhoods and friends who look out for each other. People who we see almost everyday and new people we're meeting each week now at our B&B.

The Amish, who are quite industrious to say the least, bringing their quilts, aprons, homemade baskets into town almost everyday in the summer. If you want to purchase their picnic tables, chairs, adirondack chairs, gazebos or cabins, you must go out to one of their homes where all of the carpentry is done. Plus you can also purchase baked goods, produce and eggs while out and about.

In the summer here, between May and October, we have a wonderful farmers market down on the village square. This is the time of year when we have corn on the cob almost every night. There is now electricity in the square so that local meat producers can bring their home grown, non steroid injected cuts of meat. I've come upon a farm that has the most wonderful bacon. It's the only thing I serve at Litengard. And free range chicken and their eggs are so different from mass produced food we're so accustomed to getting in the grocery store.

I've been on this sustaining local farmers kick now for a couple of years. It's so beneficial in so many ways.





After a very busy four days of guests, I made my way, with the dogs, to see Elizabeth. They were happily reunited. This is a picture of her living room in the apartment. Very cute and very big. The bedroom is huge. The kitchen is small. Doesn't anyone cook anymore? We did a lot of organization, throwing away of boxes, bringing stuff back to the Suburban to cart back home. hanging of pictures and moving of furniture. We have to wait till Dad comes to hang some of the larger pictures and mirrors. No one can hang pictures better my hubby. Armed with all the right tools, including a level, pencil for mathematical figurings (no eyeballing for him mind you) and the correct weighted picture hangers, nothing comes off the wall when he's done hanging it.

Anyway, the apartment and the area are so cute. There is definately a revitalization of that area now. The Cheesecake Factory is just one block away from the apartment building and i think tapas are all the rage now. There is a really cute restaurant called the Double Wide which is an old Texaco gas station. Looks so cute and I understand they have great food there. When we go back, that's where we're headed. The other way, within walking distance, like a block, are blocks of fantastic stores. Hope that's not a problem. And there are plenty of dogs! The natives told us they are opening a dog park, right in that area, in November.



Look at these beauties!! Someone told me we couldn't grow eggplant up here. Hey, there are plenty more just like these two out in the garden at 44. These babies are going for eggplant parmasean tonight! Ethan's home and he loves it. Plus the pounds of beans that I keep harvesting everyday. I think this must have been the perfect year for green beans.




Ethan has never been one for the garden but when he got home today and saw all the tomatoes a collinder came out and he was out there gathering all sorts of tomatoes. I'm sending him back to the city with a big basket full for all his co workers. Rob had brought a big basket full to the hospital last week plus a steady stream going over to his mom and brother. The heirlooms have been a lot of fun. My personal favoites are the purplish Paul Robeson and the pink Mortgage Lifter. Camp of Joy are wonderfully sweet cherry tomatoes. Anyway, after his interest in the tomatoes, I thought perhaps he would like to harvest the potatoes. And he did! I may make a farmer out of him yet!!

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.

A Long Obedience......In The Same Direction

I went to a funeral today.

He was the grandfather of a good friend of mine. He was 90 years old. And he lived the New Testament.

He had a long obedience, in the same direction. A direction similar to those of the "greatest generation". An obedience like my father and Rob's father had, and live by.

The funeral was two hours and I could have listened and stayed longer. There was the usual family, including a brother who was 13 years younger, tributes and memories. A devoted husband of over 60 years, a great father who welcomed all his daughters friends, a wonderful grandfather who read books endlesssly to his grandchildren, played games with them and took them fishing, a brother who bought his siblings Christmas gifts during the war when the farming parents could not afford toys, a hard working teacher at Canton College who developed the HVAC program and instructed students who would come to the house for help, a loyal and active church member for decades, a committed and productive community member and finally a friendly nursing home patient. A long obedience, started early.

The pastor gave a wonderful homily on Luke 6, about building on a solid foundation. Both houses could look the same and be built out of the same material but if one was built with no foundation, the river could and would sweep it away when it raged against the houses. Rivers, (some of lifes issues that we all face) are not selective or respective.

And then he said...."they don't grow them like... anymore". Yes, the people in my father's generation were generally moral, honest, full of integrity, law abiding and God fearing. But I believe that this generation, our sons and brothers can and will be great "in the Lord". We're raising men out of a generation like Jeremiah. God was constantly asking Jeremiah to tell the people to amend their ways and turn back from their sins, because He loved them and wanted them to prosper and He wanted it to be well with them. Unfortunately, they only hardened their necks and went backwards, never a good thing wth the Lord.

I'm counting on my son's generation to hearken to the voice of the Lord, raise His standard, follow after those who have faithfully gone before, and become the continuation of "the greatest generation".

And We Are Up and........Running!!!!

My head has almost stopped spinning. Almost.

I haven't posted since May so I thought perhaps I should let everyone know I'm alive and well.

We did it! We managed to "finish" the project, have the Open House and today I will have my first guests. Wow!

Looking back, I can't believe that we finished this major renovation in a little over four months. We had a great contractor, who worked, himself, on Saturdays and some Sundays and on several occasions came in to 44 well before 6:00am. In fact, one morning when I could not sleep past 4:30pm I wandered over to 44 in my pajamas and was standing on the back porch when in comes Dominic. "Oh, you couldn't sleep either", I said. He had promised me three months, which Rob and I knew was a fantasy but he was determined to get done quickly.

But I really couldn't have done it without my family and some dear friends. Elizabeth worked tirelessly on 44. She shopped with me, she and Jon dug an entire new front garden (he was only home for 5 days before leaving for Kentucky), she mowed the lawn, she moved furniture, she cleaned the upstairs when the contractors were done and the floors had been sanded and refinished, she set up the bathrooms, ironed bedskirts and sheers and she made us dinners when it looked like we would not have any food for that particular evening. She is my hero and soon she will be headed off to Pittsburgh. Hope I didn't drive her away with all her involvement at Litengard.

Ethan came home from the city several weekends to give us muscle moving furniture into Litengard, help with the back deck, powerwash everything outside, set up the croquet court, set up the beds, the daybed with trundle (it came in a box with a thousand pieces, I couldn't have figured it out), and a host of projects too numerous to name.

Christian has been my contact person. I get calls all the time now telling me that a nice man at the Best Western recommended Litengard Bed and Breakfast. He had lots of ideas about hospitality and what people are looking for. He doesn't say much but I think he is really proud of our "product".

Jon is the inspiration for the whole project. Rob and I had thought about doing a Bed and Breakfast for years and had actually looked at other houses with that in mind. 44 had been for sale for almost a year and yet it never occured to us to take on the project next door. Off and on the house had been sold but the deal feel through so it lingered on the market. One day, Jon suggested "why don't you buy 44? You've been talking about doing a B&B for years, I don't what to hear you still talking about it when you are 80." I don't know why we never thought about it. And with some vision, it did become a possibility and then a reality. He was disappointed that he could not be here for the whole process but he is up to his eyeballs in equine surgery and medicine now in a really spectacular internship. Just hope that we will be able to visit him sometime in the near future.

Rob, of course, was my second contractor. He built and built and built. He would love to do carpentry. The finishing work on the back deck is all his workmanship. He hung absolutely every picture and mirror in the place and developed the headboard concepts to all the beds. The general contractor left on Thursday, and we worked continuously until Sunday when we had our Open House. He did have to take a couple of days off and change hats from surgeon to handyman!

And Aunt June....my 83 year old aunt from New Hampshire. She had come a previous weekend and worked on projects, but she came the Tuesday before the open house and began to work. She rewired lamps, she polished silver, and she was my constant gardner, endlessly dead heading and weeding. I really don't know how she did it. She did rest on Monday, per my demand, before going back to New Hampshire and securing a new job. I hope I'm like her when I'm 83.

Greg and Jeremy took the deck to the swimming pool down and reassembled it on the back of the house. And whenever Greg came over he was pressed into service doing "whatever" But he's really good with power tools now and can probably build a deck, hang pictures and mirrors and generally do whatever is needed around a house. And he and Elizabeth helped me log people in who had called wanting reservations before I had a website. The little notebook I was carrying around wasn't at all profession and Ethan was horrified!

My adopted neice, Carol, designed my business cards, and Open House invitations. We went on a fun shopping trip to Penns. but now she's bought a house and is going to have a baby so I hardly see her for now. But she is one of the most creative people I know and I will be selling her wares at Litengard.

And not the least or the last are my really good friends Ryan and Jamie. Ryan is helping me navigate my way through this internet business. And Jamie set up the Resovation software for me and I speak to him almost everyday now as I encounter the next situation that I don't know how to handle. He's one of the most patient people I know. I had to bring Ethan with me the last time he was home to learn how to "do it" and then help me out. Ryan has been invaluable in encouraging me with the website, connecting me to a designer (from CA no less), having loads of ideas which iI could not possibly implement now...he's a visionary. And I'm surprised he even associated with someone like me who is so not hi tech!!

Anyway, here are a few pictures of Litengard. The website is up and running and I am taking reservations on line but the pictures have not been uploaded yet and there is a fantastic virtual tour thanks to Ben. And the music on the tour, I believe, is from suggestions his Mom, the concert pianist, had.

The first couple of pictures are of the outside and the diningroom/living room.






The next three are of the suite in the back of the house. It has a small room with a daybed and trundle and the larger room with a fun chandelier which shines through the stain glass window to the bathroom. Really neat at night.





These two are of the Trondheim, we named the rooms after cities in Norway. The particular city is where my family is from and many still live there. This was the first room we "put together" and Elizabeth says it is her favorite. It does have a room size bath with a pedestal tub and crystal chandelier so I can understand her point of view.




These are pictures of the Bergen, Rob's favorite city in Norway. He wants to live there when he grows up. We had a great time there....the fish market, the ancient city on the harbor, the funicular and spectacular meal on top of a hilltop followed by a concert.




I actually prepared a new recipe for tomorrow morning but... I have one kringle that I had in the freezer and always the standard cereal, local fruit purchased today at the Canton Farmers Market, coffee from our local roaster and lots of good North Country friendship. I'll let you know how it goes.......