Here at Hangman Hill

First Trip to Vermont for 2012

2012-01-25T22:33:00.001-05:00

We traveled to Vermont over the weekend in search of snow and some snow covered peaks. Packing up the car on Friday with predictions for 6-8" of snow in CT for Saturday wasn't easy. But we were so glad we did we woke Saturday morning to light snow on the Green Mountains. Indeed it snowed in Connecticut too, but in Vermont we found enough snow to play with. Also, we had a nice time at the Thames Ski Lodge with fellow TSC members.

On Saturday we went to Bald Mountain in Menden armed with snowshoes and a picnic lunch. There wasn't enough snow to require snowshoes (so we were glad we weren't on snowboards at nearby Pico Mt). We have fond memories of hiking the same trail with Jo and Eric in the peak of fall color, so it was fun to hike it in the snow (and in some places ice!). On Sunday we traveled to southern Vermont were the snow was a bit deeper. There we had a great day on XC skis in Londonderry on the Viking trails. We can't say enough about how nice it is to XC ski on the Viking trails, the people and trails are lovely.

Overall it was a great weekend. We were glad to see the recovery effort from Hurricane Irene had paid off. While evidence of the storm remains, much of the hard hit areas like Menden have made tremendous progress!

Christmas Card Winners

2012-01-19T22:10:00.000-05:00

Last week we took down our Christmas cards, and judged the annual competition for the best cards received at Hangman Hill. It was a very close race this year, and we managed to pick out our top-3 and an honorable mention. As you can see below we are definitely suckers for colorful 3D cards. Congratulations to Jo, Eric, Danny, Michael, Janel, Rich and Deb. You really brightened up our Christmas.

Hike to Mount Tom, Exeter RI

2012-01-15T17:07:00.001-05:00

We have been enjoying the adventures prompted by a couple of books on local walks in Connecticut and Rhode Island that Sheri received from Santa. Today we ventured to Arcadia Wildlife Management Area in Exeter, RI and hiked the trail to Mount Tom. It was crisp (18F at 1pm), but sunny as we set off from the trail head at the Wood River just off of Rt 165. We have paddled from this same spot, so it was nice to come back to explore on foot. The trail is a rambling path that soon took us onto a ridge with fantastic views in all directions. At times we almost felt like we were in the Adirondacks or New Hampshire with rocky outcrops and clear views to distant "hills". It was a fine day, and we even found a warm spot near an old farm where we enjoyed hot soup for lunch in the brilliant sunshine.

Tuscan Stained Glass

2012-01-09T18:52:00.001-05:00

One of our Christmas gifts from Pam and Nick was a small stained glass scene of Tuscany. This beautiful piece was designed and made by Nick based on a photograph from our vacation in 2010. We have found a sunny window to hang it in so that we can get that Italian-vacation feeling at least once every day!

Hiking in the sunshine

2012-01-08T10:43:00.001-05:00

Yesterday (Saturday) was a sunny and warm (59F) day, so we headed out for another local hike. We packed a lunch (and blaze orange vests to scare off the hunters), and took the trail to Ell Pond, Long Pond, and finally Ashville Pond. What a spectacular hike and beautiful scenery! Kokee found lots of mud and there were great views in every direction. After a round trip of 5.3 miles we returned to our car in the failing light with big smiles on our faces!

Holiday photos

2012-01-03T18:57:00.000-05:00

We've just managed to merge, edit and label our holiday photos. Here is the link for anyone who would like to see them all. Enjoy!

New Year's Day Hike

2012-01-01T22:13:00.003-05:00

Today we celebrated the start of 2012 with a hike, following directions from our new local trails book (a present from Santa). The hike was about 4 miles long and near the Green Falls Pond. It started just a few miles from our home and we explored caves, lakes, old mill ruins, and mature forests. The day was beautiful and we hiked in T-shirts and soaked up the sun on every flat rock on the trail. Kokee especially enjoyed swimming at every opportunity! We were home in time for tea and cookies in front of the fire - a great way to start 2012.

Nick & Pam visit for Christmas

2012-01-01T22:02:00.001-05:00

We were very lucky to have Nick and Pam (Bruno's parents) with us for Christmas in 2011. They arrived well in advance so we enjoyed lots of fun activities together. This included a trip to the Granite Theatre christmas show, a carol concert at the Watch Hill Chapel, a visit to Mystic Seaport for the Lantern Light Tours, and a day of culture at the Rhode Island School of Design art museum. We also enjoyed relaxing at home, some long walks with Kokee, and completing a jigsaw puzzle in the quiet moments. As always, we ate like kings & queens with trips to WholeFoods, Buon Appetito, the Golden Lamb Buttery, The Ocean House, Mangetout, Bruna's Table and "Chez Jen". The weather was very mild for the time of year, and this allowed us to be quite active. There were a few impromptu shopping trips (Mystic, New London, Westerly), a couple of home repair projects (light switches, bath plumbing), and even a chance to harvest kale and Brussels sprouts from the garden. We hope you enjoy the pictures below from our time together.

Happy New Year! Celebrating with friends in Mystic

2011-12-31T22:36:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas!!

2011-12-25T06:40:00.002-05:00

It is still cold and dark at Hangman Hill Road, but soon the sun will be up and the wood-stove will be keeping us warm. We will be thinking of you all wherever you are - in the city, on the road, or out in the mountains. Have a wonderful holiday!

Watch Hill Carol Sing

2011-12-23T10:54:00.001-05:00

As part of the pre-Christmas activities this week we attended the Christmas in Song event held at the Watch Hill Chapel that was co-sponsored by the Ocean House. The chapel is a quaint wooden building that was warmed only by the holiday spirit, some lively local residents and cheerful music. Thankfully it was a warm evening. Performances by the Ad Hoc Carolers were particularly jolly. We throughly enjoyed the evening and hope it becomes a holiday tradition.

You can see a couple of us at in the Westerly Sun Spotted album at this link.

Lunch at Mangetout in New London

2011-12-19T12:51:00.000-05:00

The Sweetback Sisters come to Old Saybrook

2011-12-04T18:19:00.001-05:00

We kicked off the weekend with an evening in Old Saybrook at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Center, also referred to as "The Kate" locally. The theater opened two years ago and we have been looking for an opportunity to visit the theater. We noticed the Sweetback Sisters were playing on Friday night and we couldn't resist. We have been enjoying the Sweetback Sisters and their eclectic mix of old-time country and rockabilly but have wanted to see them perform live for sometime. We were suitably impressed with "The Kate" as a venue, and the Sweetback Sisters for their talent and showmanship. The music included many original tunes and covers of songs by Willie Nelson, Bob Wills, Josh Ritter and a favorite by Roger Miller, "My Uncle Used to Love Me But She Died". The talent of the six band members was impressive as they moved through a variety of musical styles, passing instruments back and forth and achieving harmonies that were stunning. You can see highlights of the performance The Kate at this link; and their version of Patsy Cline's "Love Me Honey Do" from a previous performance here.

By comparison the rest of the weekend was fairy quiet and included typical household chores, and a FEW preparations for the Christmas holiday. Our holiday preparedness seem to be hampered by the unseasonably warm temperatures. Let it snow, let is snow, let it snow.

Christmas Tree Tag

2011-11-27T11:24:00.000-05:00

Bruno tagging our Christmas tree with a ribbon AND a GPS location (so we can find it later).

Asleep at the Wheel

2011-11-20T10:50:00.000-05:00

In our part of the world, live music opportunities come in fits and spurts. So, last night we were headed out again for the second time in less than a week. The venue was the Knickerbocker Cafe in Westerly, and literally required only a short 10-minute drive to get there.

The band we went to see were the internationally recognized group "Asleep at the Wheel", who play classic Western-swing and a little rockabilly. Their set included covers of many Bob Wills songs and even a version of "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens" (see video link below). It was a great evening and fantastic to see such musical talent at close quarters. Next time we need to practice our dance steps in advance and remember to wear our cowboy boots!

Jake Shimabukuro

2011-11-18T20:52:00.001-05:00

On Thursday we traveled north to the town of Storrs, CT to see Jake Shimabukuro perform at the Jorgensen Theater. We first came to know about Jake, like many others, when his version of George Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" went viral on YouTube. Seeing him perform live was amazing. It is hard to grasp what he can do with a ukulele, a very simple instrument with only four strings. We loved the stories he told before each and every song. In addition to being awed by his musical ability, we were enamored with his sense of humor, passion, compassion and humility. He played many of his own original songs, a favorite being "Five Gallons Unleaded" He also performed a few covers including Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah", Queen's "Bohemian Raphsody", and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by George Harrison. His finale included another George Harrison song "In My Life", which he performed with Bettle Midler for the Queen of England. You can see a few highlights from the show.

Two-Steppin' in Texas

2011-11-18T19:10:00.001-05:00

Sheri joined her sister Kerry in Texas to pay a visit to their grandmother "Mimi" for a long weekend. They enjoyed mild temperatures and sunny skies. Their visit included lunch with cousin Chris, a short visit with Mimi at Kruse village, brunch with cousin Sara and a few days in New Ulm with Aunt Cindy and Uncle John. It was a relaxing few days and they really enjoyed their time with everyone. The extended draught in Texas is taking a toll on the flora, and also to the morale of those living there. While landing in Providence it was nice to return to the lush state of the East Coast.

Mimi and Kerry

Cindy, Sheri, Mimi, Kerry and Chris

Cindy and Mimi

John's to be named new friend

Kerry Sara and Sheri

More pumpkins...

2011-11-03T22:13:00.000-04:00

We are back from the land of the living dead, and wanted to share a few pumpkin pictures.
Click here to see the most amazing carvings ever!

Boo!

2011-11-01T21:51:00.001-04:00

Tonight we went to the great pumpkin festival at the Roger Williams Zoo in Providence, RI. A very scary and enjoyable evening out!

S'no Way

2011-10-30T07:59:00.000-04:00

A bright and sunny day here, with a little more than frost on the pumpkin the day before Halloween. Trick or Treat?

Young@Heart comes to New London

2011-10-16T13:41:00.002-04:00

We spent Friday night in New London enjoying dinner and a concert. Dinner at Chaplin's was superb, we will definitely return. Chaplin's clearly has a following and reservations are recommended. The menu was varied and we highly recommend the seafood specials, and the homemade desserts

After dinner we strolled to The Garde Theater to see the Young@Heart Chorus. Several years ago we saw a documentary about this dynamic group of musicians from Northampton, MA called Young@Heart. It was fantastic to seem the live at a local venue, and once again we were inspired by their energy and talent. We hope you get the chance to see them perform live, and also recommend the film.

Please see some highlights of the evening at this link.

2011-10-10T22:45:00.003-04:00

We were happy to be back in Keene NY for an amazing fall weekend. We enjoyed Indian summer weather with clear sunny skies, temperatures in the 80's during the day and mild evenings. We were pleased to see that Keene Valley and Keene were recovering after some devastating floods as a result of the heavy rains brought by Hurricane Irene. We were shocked to arrive at Styles Brook Road, our turn for Keene Farm, and find it completely gone. Thankfully some kind neighbors allowed a temporary road through their property to provide access to the farm and the properties that still remained along the road. It is hard to imagine a "brook" could do some much damage, including washing away several homes.

We arrived early enough on Friday to claim our favorite spot at Keene Farm, set up camp and enjoy a peaceful late afternoon cup of tea. We spent the weekend with friends we haven't seen since last fall when we celebrated Andrew and Brenda's nuptials at this same spot. Many thanks to Martin, Michelle, Allison and Katrina, The Rogers Family, and Brian Kinzie for coming down for the weekend. We did some great hiking during the day and enjoyed peak colors across the High Peaks region. The evenings were very mild and suitable for dinner and the usual festivities including plenty of singing accompanied by Martin on guitar and many others on the ukulele. The highlight of the weekend was a surprise visit from Andrew and Brenda who were there "in spirit" all the way from Kelowna!

Downtown Keene NY

Back at Keene Farm

Styles Brook Road: End of Pavement

Styles Brook rerouted by Irene

Baxter Mt

Sunset from Keene Farm Ledges

Andrew and Brenda "in spirit"

You can see more photos here

Frost!

2011-10-06T07:35:00.000-04:00

Quite unexpectedly, we had the first frost of the season last night. Brrrrr! Autumn/fall is undoubtedly here and we'll need to get busy in the garden this coming week.

2011-09-22T21:21:00.004-04:00

Every year the produce from the garden seems to get a little better, and that includes the flowers. This year we have had more variety than ever. It was been a treat to have fresh cut flowers in the house all summer and even into the fall. We find that the Japanese vases that Joey made for us are especially good for displaying flowers of all shapes and sizes, and when you have limited flower arranging skills. You can order these vases online from Joey's website Funkware Pottery.

Return of the Raspberries

2011-09-22T21:14:00.002-04:00

We have been very pleased by the recovery of the raspberries which took a pretty serious beating from Hurricane Irene. The vines were twisted and broken and many undeveloped raspberries littered the mulch floor of the fenced garden in the wake of Irene. However several weeks we are seeing peak in production with approximately one basket per day. We are enjoying them on cereal for breakfast and freezing the rest for a mid-winter treat. Nature never ceases to amaze us.

Labor Day Weekend

2011-09-06T22:39:00.001-04:00

We spent the second half of our weekend basking in the delight of water running from the taps and switches that activate lights, sound and motion. This included restoring Command Central back into a working kitchen and doing several loads of laundry. The fridge and freezer are now clean and free of UFO's (unidentified food objects) that have been lurking for years. We had a celebratory dinner at Mark and Jen's house on Saturday night, and were pleased we could arrive clean and dressed in clothing that was pulled not at random from a dark closet.

"Command Central" just before the power was restored

By Monday we were back to "normal" with Sheri working in the yard and Bruno returning to the downstairs bathroom renovation project. Irene left a lot of limbs and branches in the yard, the veggie garden required some damage control. While Sheri was picking up sticks and re-staking tomatillos, Bruno installed the new IKEA bathroom vanity with help from Mark. There was a lot of grumbling about actually doing labor on Labor Day. However, the multitude of power tools that were used in a single day suggests there was SOME fun involved. Once again, Mark's help was appreciated. It is just too bad the tractor wasn't somehow involved.

Mark and Bruno tackle the IKEA vanity

(Note: We only allow Mark to work when he wears this shirt)

We are heading back to work this week and hope the rain from Tropical Storm Lee doesn't cause too much flooding locally and to our neighbors to the north.

We got the Power...and water to make tea

2011-09-03T17:05:00.001-04:00

Irene - part 9

2011-09-03T08:42:00.000-04:00

Saturday has arrived (powerless of course) and we have the whole day to ourselves. What better way to start the day than with French toast and a little bacon cooked on the barbecue grill.

Lessons learned from Irene: fill your bath tub with water (sounds crazy, but it really works for flushing). And buy a good headlamp (just google 'Petzl headlamp'). This just could be the most important item in your emergency kit.

Maybe next time we will have a backup generator too.........

Irene - update #8

2011-09-02T21:54:00.000-04:00

Friday night. Sixth day without water or power. Headed into the long weekend without sight of any utility crews. Hard to believe the press releases from the electric company. Had dinner at Bruna's Table in Westerly to take break from eating and doing dishes by flashlight. The drive home was very dark.

Irene Update #8: phone but no power

2011-09-01T08:54:00.000-04:00

Progress is being made albeit a little slower than we hoped. The trees have been cleared from our local neighborhood, but the wires hang loosely from poles in many places. We do have a phone line now, but no way to charge the handsets! We continue to eat well with fresh produce from the garden. We grilled some tomatillos last night and they were delicious. The culinary creativity spurred from lack of power/water has been a good outcome!

Adirondack Almanack: Irene Leaves Widespread Damage in the Adirondacks

2011-08-31T17:39:00.000-04:00

We thought about going to Keene NY to the Adirondacks this weekend since we are nearly camping anyway. Staying at home sounds better based on this sad report. We have fond memories in many of the places mentioned, including hiking/scrambling on Mt Colden, sleeping under the stars on Dix slide, carrying Kelsi down Wright peak and arriving at Marcy Dam after long hikes - with a few more miles to the car.

http://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2011/08/irene-leaves-widespread-damage-in_31.html?spref=fb&m=1

Sheri

Irene update #7

2011-08-30T17:37:00.001-04:00

The outage map is still very dark in our parts.

Irene - part 6

2011-08-30T07:58:00.000-04:00

Another beautiful day dawned in Connecticut with the Governer saying that we could be without power for over a week. All the signs are that he is being rather optimistic! Hence, we started our day with a breakfast of eggs and toast cooked on the BBQ grill. This helps eat up some perishables and saves on washing dishes. Otherwise all is normal and well at home on Hangman Hill. Oh, and we got another ten hours of sleep last night too :-)

Irene update #5

2011-08-29T20:27:00.001-04:00

36 h in and the large trees lying across the state road that connects us to I95 are untouched; power, cable and phone lines are hanging on the road. But we had showers at work and stocked up ice. At least we have candle light dinners and are getting lots of rest.

Irene - the aftermath

2011-08-29T06:48:00.000-04:00

Monday has dawned as a beautiful day. It's bright and sunny. We've had a good nights sleep after going to bed at sundown.

We've seen enough tree damage that we don't expect to get power back for several days (best case). Last night we moved our freezer full of garden produce to Mark and Jen's garage and plugged into their generator. Once again we owe them a big "thank you" for their help.

No power means no water when you live with a 250' deep well. So, we expect to take showers at work for the foreseeable future. It was good that we remembered to fill the bathtub with water before we went to bed on Saturday night. At least we can still flush!

This will be the situation for the next few days. It's a good thing that we are experienced campers! If we can charge our cellphones at work we will keep on posting blog updates as the week progresses. Needless to say our landline doesn't work!

Stay tuned!

Irene - part 3

2011-08-28T17:13:00.001-04:00

It's 4pm and the rain has stopped. Still very windy. A few big branches down, but nothing serious. Still no power!

Irene - part 2

2011-08-28T12:16:00.001-04:00

We have been without power since 6am. Lots of wind and rain (no surprise!) and several branches and trees down. No sign of the power company! Enjoying a quiet morning reading and napping.

Irene - part 1

2011-08-27T23:11:00.000-04:00

We spent the day preparing for Irene's arrival. We staked plants in the garden, moved patio furniture, and filled the cars with gas. We also had fun removing a wasp nest from a downspout and re-digging a ditch in the yard to take water away from the house. All this activity was finished off with an impromptu dinner with Mark and Jen, and swapping past flood and huricane stories. As of 11pm we have received only minimal rain and almost no wind. All this is expected to change by tomorrow, so stay tuned.

Dinner at Spain

2011-08-24T22:24:00.000-04:00

One of the best parts of living in Southern New England is late August and September when the water temperatures are warm, the weather is great and the summer visitors have returned to their homes. We took advantage of this late August midweek evening with a trip to Narragansett RI for a stroll along Scarborough Beach at sunset, followed by dinner at Spain. Spain has been highly recommended as a place to dine by several friends. We weren't disappointed! We enjoyed a really nice dinner outside, with friendly service and terrific food. Perhaps we have finally come to the point of celebrating our employment status (for now!). We were also reminded that we live in a really great place. Una gran noche!

A Long Week

2011-08-20T09:01:00.000-04:00

We enjoyed a delightful evening on the beach with Mark and Jen on Friday night. It was a cool and quiet evening. We had most of the beach to ourselves since many of the summer visitors seem to be headed home. We had a quick swim (partly due to lots of seaweed), followed by a picnic of sandwiches and other goodies from Sandy's Market in Westerly.

The evening was a great way to unwind after learning about the 50% reduction in employees in our department at work. We were relieved to learn that we both still have jobs, but also very sad that good friends and colleagues who we have enjoyed working with for over ten years will be leaving in the next few months. With heavy hearts we focused this week on taking some walks with Kokee, spending time in the garden and taking in this peaceful setting on Hangman Hill. We are also grateful to have our friendship with Mark and Jen who have been so supportive. They are always willing to head to the beach, take a walk or share a great meal...oh and dig holes with a tractor.

Bathroom renovation - part 1

2011-08-14T19:09:00.000-04:00

Our 1st floor bathroom has no windows, so it needs redecorating on a frequent basis. It doesn't help that it is also the location of the cats' food, water, and litter box. Need we say more?

This time around we decided to redo the maze of pipes in the basement that passed for plumbing, and to add some tiling above the shower. We are also planning on moving the vanity and to tackle the condensation problem from the toilet cistern that occurs at this time of year. The well-water is just too cold when the humidity is 95%!

Tiling was our job for last weekend (see below). Next weekend we hope to be painting, assuming that the humidity drops low enough for the paint to actually dry!

Damsons?

2011-08-14T19:00:00.000-04:00

Somewhere along the way we developed a healthy respect for damsons. For the uninitiated, these are a variety of wild plum that makes great jams and tastes really good when stewed and eaten with ice-cream.

So....... several years ago we planted three small damson trees in our yard and patiently waited. This year we have been blessed with our first crop of home grown damsons. We couldn't rests eating them immediately, and they were everything we had hoped for! With any luck we'll get a second crop before the summer is over.

New Roof for the Llama Shed

2011-07-23T11:58:00.000-04:00

When we purchased the house on Hangman Hill it came with a garden shed that held llamas which belonged to the previous owners. We fondly refer to it as the llama shed in spite of the fact it currently houses mice that live in the firewood pile, and some gardening supplies. "Mouse shed" somehow lacks the same endearing quaintness as "llama shed".

Last weekend Bruno replaced the roof shingles on the llama shed with help from Mark. We can't quite figure out why Mark agreed to spend a full Saturday in July on a roof with Bruno. This says a lot about Mark and what a good friend he is to us. We greatly appreciated his help!

Bruno is finishing up a bit of trim work this weekend in spite of the searing heat that currently blankets southeastern CT.

North Stonington Fair

2011-07-23T11:43:00.000-04:00

The North Stonington Agricultural Fair was held the weekend after we returned from our trip to Colorado. During the week we harvested the produce and herbs from our garden that we had entered into the fair just in time for the opening on Thursday evening July 7th. The evening was clear and the temperatures perfectly suited for exploring the garden and home arts offerings, the dog dancing and flyball demonstrations from the local AKC chapters and the chickens, cows, bunnies and more. We did well with rosemary and lettuce this year which won 1st place ribbons.

We managed to leave without this beauty

Prize money paid for one our entrance fees

Growing collection!

What every dog owner dreams of?

Garlic & rhubarb harvest

2011-07-22T18:40:00.000-04:00

One of our over-winter projects was to grow garlic. It was quite simple really; we just planted cloves of garlic in September and harvested them in July. It is hard to imagine an easier crop to grow!

We did pretty much the same with rhubarb, and it gave us the best crop in recent years. Mmm, rhubarb pie and ice cream...

Hot, hot, hot!

2011-07-22T18:35:00.000-04:00

We officially hit 99 degrees Fahrenheit today in North Stonington (that's 37.2 degrees Celsius for our European and Canadian friends). Either way it's dang hot, and we are simply doing our best to stay cool for the weekend. Thankfully, we just installed a new home-brew fridge in the basement (thanks to Freecycle) so we are prepared for the circumstances. Perfect timing!

Kokee's surprise guest

2011-07-19T07:23:00.000-04:00

We had a fair bit of rain last night, so Kokee (our golden retriever) awoke to find an unexpected guest at breakfast time this morning:

Cukes on the Hill

2011-07-18T23:11:00.000-04:00

July Face of Produce.. Need we say more?

Estes Park, CO Adventure

2011-07-09T12:02:00.001-04:00

During the later part of our stay in Colorado we joined DiAnn (Sheri's mom) and Mike, Michael (Sheri's brother) and Janel, Kerry (Sheri's sister) and Brandon, in Estes Park to celebrate DiAnn's 70th Birthday. We stayed in a lovely house outside of town which was well suited for relaxing in the Colorado sun, cooking and dining together and serving a launch pad for day hikes, trips to Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP), fly fishing, oh... and bear watching! We were joined several evenings by very large black bear who was keen to join in the festivities, but kept a safe distance (15 feet). During the day time everyone made the most of the local trails in RMNP and the town of Estes Park. One day all made a hike at Lumpy Ridge just outside of town. The time spent was fantastic and the setting couldn't have been better suited for our get together. We celebrated our last evening together with fajitas on the grill and watching fireworks over Lake Estes. Thanks to DiAnn for suggesting this adventure, to Kerry and Brandon for serving as local guides and hosts, and to Michel and Janel for making the long drive to Bozeman.

Fun with Kerry and Brandon

2011-07-06T23:22:00.001-04:00

We traveled to Colorado for an extended vacation that began in Fort Collins where Kerry (Sheri's sister) and her husband Brandon live. The week included lots of hikes, some scrambling, climbing and a 3-day backpacking trip in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP). The weather was all that we hoped for, i.e., sunny, hot and arid with cool evenings that made for some great sleeping. The first few days we stayed close to Fort Collins, exploring the trails to Horsetooth Ridge, and climbing at Duncan's Ridge. We also had great day hiking to Emerald Lake in RMNP as a warm up for our backcountry trip. The backpacking in the Wild Basin area of RMNP took us to higher elevations where we had plenty of snow and some cooler temperatures. We saw lots of wildlife, wildflowers, snow and even got to swim in a spring-fed mountain lake with fantastic views; that is, until we were driven out by a beaver. We missed Brandon on the backpacking trip, but were glad to have Kerry as a companion and guide. She did some great route finding when the trail became buried in snow and the way was uncertain. She was rewarded at Thunder Lake with a cup of tea prepared by Bruno who remembered to "put in the stove".

Horsetooth Ridge in Fort Collins

Hiking to Emerald Lake

Tea at Thunder Lake

View from Thunder Lake (we heard thunder!)

Ouzel Lake

Climbing at Duncan's Ridge in Fort Collins

You can see more photos at this link

Meet the Mountie

2011-07-05T12:19:00.000-04:00

Whilst grocery shopping in the US on July 1st we were surprised (and pleased) to find that the staff of the store were celebrating Canada Day. They had even enlisted the help of a real Canadian Mounted Policeman! We didn't see his horse, but Bruno did shake his hand and get his photo taken to show that we were not dreaming.

Happy Canada Day!

2011-07-02T12:34:00.000-04:00

We're a day late, but we wanted to wish all of our Canadian friends a happy Canada Day. Many of you will be celebrating in the great outdoors, and we are thinking of you camping, rock climbing, canoeing and the like.

We are also getting some healthy exercise and fresh air over the July 4th holiday in the US. We'll provide more details of how we celebrated Canada Day and the 4th of July weekend in an upcoming blog posting, so stay tuned.

Bruno in England

2011-06-21T07:37:00.000-04:00

Last week Bruno made a trip to the UK for work. Despite a cancelled flight on the way there (thanks Delta) he was able to spend a short weekend with his family. Lunch and a beer with Nick and Pam (his parents), and cream-tea with Dmitri, Julie, Bryony and Keira (his brother, sister-in-law, and nieces) were very much appreciated. After that he spent 2-days in Cambridge and 2-days in Sandwich. It rained for much of the week, so there were not too many photographic opportunities!

June Face of Produce

2011-06-19T11:16:00.000-04:00

It is beautiful in Connecticut and we are enjoying some fruits from the garden!

Sheri's Midwest Tour

2011-06-12T20:53:00.000-04:00

It was Sheri's turn to travel to the Midwest during the first week of June. She spent several days in West Lafayette, Indiana teaching at The School of Pharmacy at Purdue University. This trip included her annual stay with the Owens-Taylor clan. In the evenings she enjoyed time with Anja, Isabelle, Connor and Daisy. Activities included reading books, playing hide and seek, walks with Daisy and a few games of Hangman with Anja. She even got to do some gardening in-between games and books.

On Friday Sheri travelled with Lynne and Paul to Madison, Wisconsin to celebrate the 75th Birthday of George Zografi. George was Sheri's professor at UW, and an advisor to Bruno during his postdoctoral studies. The weekend was full of activities which began with drinks and dinner at The Great Dane Brew Pub. The weekend also included a visit with Julie (a member of the Brown House and a friend of Paul and Lynne), a trip to the Farmer's Market with Lynne, lunch at Buraka, an Ethiopian restaurant that legendary (according to Lynne and Sheri), an afternoon drinking beer on the terrace and a celebration at George and Dorothy's home with the extended "Zografi family". It was a great chance for Sheri to catch up with former classmates in Madison and many others with whom she is connected through Professor Zografi. The weather could not have been better, and the only thing lacking was a little more time to see some other friends, and perhaps one more trip to Buraka for Misirwot. You can also check out Paul's post on the weekend at this link

Sheri, Lynne and Sandy at The Great Dane

Farmer's Market

Lynne at the Farmer's Market

Julie and Henry

Lynne and Sheri on the Terrace

Lunch at Buraka on State Street

Lynne and Paul on the Terrace

The Merry Month of May

2011-06-02T23:15:00.000-04:00

The month of June seemed to arrive unexpectedly leaving us wondering what happened to the month of May. It has been nearly onne month since our visit to Raleigh, and last blog post; it is hard to imagine what has kept us too busy to upate the Blog. So here is a quick update on what we have been doing:

Bruno traveled to Wisconsin to teach a course at UW which gave him the chance to visit Eric in Jo in their new home in Milwaukee. They are settling in and have found a nice place near the lake and close to the University. He also had lunch with George Zografi, and a nice visit with long-time friends Mike and Sue.

We enjoyed a very nice evening out with our friends Cindy and Ted at the Ocean House. We thought it would be good to kick of the summer season and enjoy an evening in Watch Hill before the summer visitors arrive. It was a lovely evening, and drinks, food and the company all were excellent.

The month of May brought a lot of rain and mild temperatures which has been good for the plants in the garden, especially the weeds. We elected to take an extra day for the Memorial Day weekend to allow time for weed management, to plant the last of the seedlings, paint the entryway, and rest (?). We did take time out one night for a play at the Granite Theater which was a hilarious comedy that left us chuckling as we walked out of the theater.

The garden news is that the strawberry harvest has begun. Please send us your favorite strawberry recipes.

Visit to Raleigh, NC

2011-05-15T07:20:00.000-04:00

Last weekend we traveled to Raleigh, NC to visit Sheri's mom DiAnn to celebrate Mother's Day and DiAnn's Birthday. DiAnn and Mike have recently made Raleigh their new home and have a beautiful place that seems to be near everything, including the airport! Raleigh and surrounding area is rich with history, and has all the benefits of some great universities, friendly people and lots of green spaces to enjoy. We explored The Duke University campus and Sarah P Duke Gardens, and we ate BBQ at Bullock's where Mike dined during his tenure at Duke. There are MANY restaurants in Raleigh, and DiAnn and Mike have found great outdoor dining spots, including a great local pizza place with an excellent beer menu. They also took us out for an Italian dinner that brought back found memories of our trip to Tuscany. On Sunday, Mother's Day AND DiAnn's Birthday, DiAnn cooked roast beef filet lunch and we were joined by her friends Sue, Megan and John. Don't worry we helped with lunch, a little.

The winter of sprouts...

2011-05-04T06:54:00.000-04:00

At HHR, this has been the winter of sprouts.

In a quest for interesting winter salad materials we re-instated the kitchen sprouter and started experimenting. With the help of resources on the web, we found that you can sprout all manner of things. beans, sunflowers seeds, peanuts, almonds, buckwheat groats, rice, wheat, and all sorts of exotic grains.

If you stop by any time soon, expect a healthy crunchy salad to feast on!

April Face of Produce

2011-04-28T07:26:00.000-04:00

The first few spears of asparagus were ready for harvest this morning. They appear in the April Face of Produce along with along with kale that overwintered. The eyes are grape hyacinths that are popping up everywhere (the lawn, the strawberry bed), and the nose is a strawberry from the 2010 harvest that emerged from the freezer.

We enjoyed a white bean, sausage and kale stew last night made with tomatoes from last year. The freshly harvested kale in the stew was sweet and tender, so different that what we buy it from the grocers. It sure makes those long days in garden even more rewarding when the fruits of your labor taste so good.

Fun with Rocks

2011-04-23T10:15:00.001-04:00

As we ease into the weekend a quick update from last week seemed in order. After a cool rainy day on Saturday, followed by extremely heavy rain and wind on Saturday night, we were happy to see blue skies on Sunday morning. Bruno spent the day laying wire for outdoor lights, which included rebuilding rock walls. Sheri met Joey in the middle of Connecticut to hike Ragged Mountain. Ragged Mountain is located in Berlin, CT just south of Hartford. The area offers some of the best and only climbing in Connecticut, and some nice hiking too. There are great views west into hilly areas. We chose to appreciate the craggy outcrops with both feet on the ground but accepted the challenge of hiking through some very wet areas that were flooded from the heavy rains the night before. Ragged Mountain is a great place to hike in CT. Let us know if you'd like to go a'wandering sometime.

More photos from the weekend here

Hau`oli la Ho'omana'o (Happy Anniversary)

2011-04-20T21:57:00.000-04:00

We celebrated our 9th year of marriage on April 11th with a return visit to Buon Appetito in North Stonington. It was great to have a very nice dinner right here in the town where we live and wish Buon Appetito continued success. We also look forward to celebrating many years to together! Aloha

Ko maua la male 'ana (Our Wedding Day)

April 11, 2002

April 11, 2011

The United Theater, The Ukuele and The Seedlings

2011-04-11T18:36:00.000-04:00

We had an interesting weekend that began with Bruno's safe return from Brazil, although he was a bit weary from lots of sitting and eating too much rice and beans. It was good to have him back to share in the blooming daffodils and warmer temperatures.

On Saturday morning we visited a "Green Fair" in Westerly, RI which was held in the United Theater, which is currently under renovation. The theater was bought by The Westerly Land Trust with the renovation is being overseen by Mr. Charles Royce who recently rebuilt the Ocean House in Watch Hill, RI. It was fun to see the "guts" of the theater and to imagine the possibilities. We also learned about growing native plants, the history of Wilcox park, environmentally friendly lawn care, AND that there is a great Artisan bakery within minutes of the Spruce Street house (all this time!). You can see more photos of the United Theater as it stands now at this link. We walked through the actors entry to the back of the building and popped outside into the parking lot of 84 High Street, a favorite place to eat. It was fun to link these two locations together; and to rediscover a place that you think you know so well.

On Saturday afternoon Sheri and her new Flea attended a Ukulele workshop in Worcester, MA taught by Jumpin' Jim. Jumpin' Jim is a local celebrity who has been playing and teaching ukulele for many years. He and his family make Flea and Fluke ukuleles by hand in Connecticut. Jim is also famous for playing uke with George Harrison. The workshop was well attended and a lot of fun. She has mastered Surfin' USA and Somewhere Over the Rainbow, but has a long time before she will be playing bluegrass like Jake Simabukuro.

The remainder of the weekend was spent planting onions, setting up the automated hydration system in the raised beds and starting seeds inside. We look forward to salad greens in late May, followed by beans, carrots, beets, beans, strawberries... oh MY!

Signs of Spring

2011-04-03T23:05:00.001-04:00

Slowly things are emerging from the ground and the transition to spring feels more official these days. The grass is just starting to turn green and some flowers would certainly brighten the brown-grey residue of a long winter. So far the crocuses are shining merrily and the daffodil flowers look as if they will open any day.

The peas were officially planted on April 2nd. Can you see them yet?

Bruno is currently getting settled in Brazil where he will be working next week. The travel was reportedly uneventful, if not long. His trip report thus far suggests he has his priorities in the right place! A prize is being offered for the correct identification for the offering on the saucer.

While Bruno was navigating his way through Portuguese, Sheri and Kokee made the first trek of the year to Barn Island. The temperature was nearly 60 degrees (F) which accounted for the many cars in the parking lot. We met some nice folks and their dogs. The views to Watch Hill and the sand dunes at Nappa Tree have us longing for a late afternoon swim and a ride on the Carousel. You can see some more photos from Barn Island here.

Birthday at Buon Appetito

2011-03-26T08:27:00.000-04:00

It was Bruno's birthday this week (on Tuesday). Many thanks to all those who sent cards, gifts and greetings - they were all very much appreciated. To celebrate we visited North Stonington's newest restaurant, Buon Appetito. We are pleased to report that the food and service were great and we'd certainly go back again. The asparagus soup, arugula salad and the calzone were all very good.

Brian's Back: Tree Trimming at Hangman Hill

2011-03-20T08:58:00.000-04:00

We first met Brian when he helped us remove some very large trees at the property Spruce Street. While the impact of removing some very large trees on leaf raking was minimal, it opened up the yard and brought more natural light into the house. Hopefully we have reduced the chances for a hurricane to place a large tree on the roof as an added benefit!

We realized that at Hangman Hill there were a lot of dead trees around the perimeter of the property. While these trees don't threaten our house, we hoped it would make Darren's efforts to keep the lawn cut significantly easier (and safer!). In addition the aim was to help some young Redbud and Damson Plum trees that currently are dwarfed by some rather unremarkable trees.

See some more photos here.

Spring Break in Park City

2011-03-19T13:49:00.000-04:00

We had a great week at Park City Utah and spent most of the time on our snowboards. We stayed at a condo at The Canyons Resort which was only a short drive to the gondola that took us to the base of the mountain. We found The Canyons so vast and so good that we spent four days riding in fresh powder. Many folks we met recommended different places for us to explore in Park City (Park City Resort and Deer Valley) and surrounding areas. However, we found plenty of good terrain at Canyons, got to know a couple of lifties (a few from the UK), and came to appreciate the accessibility of the coffee stands at remote location on the mountain. So, back too Canyons we went again each day. We love riding in Vermont, but sometimes that means soldering through very cold weather (morning temperatures of -3F or less) and often less than ideal snow (i.e., New England loose granular). Waking up to temperatures in low 20's (a daily high in Vermont at best) was a treat. Of course the abundance of untracked powder was pure pleasure.

We also explored some XC trails in Park City Round Mountain area. We met some nice locals on two and four legs who seemed surprised we found their spot, but happy to share it with us. If only Kokee could have come along, she would have made some friends too. We didn't see the mountain lion fortunately! Park City seems like a great place to live if you like to be outdoors given the many trails for biking, walking and skiing that connect many parts of the city.

We spent a little time exploring the town of Park City, but mostly we were skiing, riding which left little energy other than a simple meal in our condo and some reading in the evenings. It was a great way to rest and relax.

See a few more photos from our trip here

Spring!

2011-03-13T19:46:00.000-04:00

It is hard to believe last week that we were riding on 100+ inches of snow in Park City, Utah. The temperatures in Connecticut went well above 50 degrees today and we enjoyed working in the yard and garden for the first time. We even had a harvest!

Strange Travel Signs

2011-03-12T11:45:00.000-05:00

We were recently on a trip that took us to Bradley Airport in Hartford, CT. As you can see below, this was the first time that we'd been to an airport that was apologizing the fact that it was trying to improve itself!

Sun Seekers

2011-02-26T10:23:00.001-05:00

The days are noticeably longer and the sun feels a little warmer each day. When finding all three pets basking in the sun one Saturday morning, we were reminded why we appreciate them so. They remind us the joy of just doing nothing but taking in the warmth of the sun. They also seem to enjoy our new "Poppies" rug that arrived this week. You can see more photos of the pets, the new Poppies and Kaleidoscope rugs (in the spare bedroom) at this link.

Sheri's Early Years

2011-02-24T21:43:00.000-05:00

Some things you just can't out grow, as we discovered when archiving Sheri's childhood photos. Her appreciation of good beer and the music of Patsy Cline, the love for cold weather and snow, and her quest for cool eyeglasses and a hip hair-do have a long history. These years are the good ones, it seems. As a teenager in the 80's things get more interesting... stay tuned.

More photo memories

2011-02-18T22:17:00.000-05:00

A recent comment on our blog has encouraged us to share a few more pictures from the archive of Bruno's youth. In each of the pictures below you can see both Bruno and his brother (Dmitri). These two pictures date back to 1980 and 1981 (when hiking gear in the UK looked a little different from today!).

Can you tell who is who? Use the 'comment' link below to post your answers....

Winter fun

2011-02-16T22:05:00.000-05:00

We have enjoyed several great weekends on the trails in Vermont this winter. The conditions have been very good for both riding snowboards and gliding through the remote Vermont countryside on XC skis. It was surreal on one occasion to dig our way to the garage and out the driveway only to drive to Vermont which had considerably less snow than we had in Connecticut. Thankfully, the Green Mountains were still there making the 4-hour trek worthwhile!

We had an excellent, but LONG day in skiing Goshen starting at Blueberry Hill. We skied well beyond the boundaries of Blueberry Hill into the Moosalamoo Wilderness area. It is a pristine area and we shared the trails with just one other-a self-described "former Californian who came to Vermont for a few years...30 years ago". It was nice to meet someone who lived in and loved that wilderness so much and was willing to share it with us.

Old photos

2011-02-05T21:12:00.000-05:00

One of our ongoing projects is to convert our old photographs to digital format (by having them scanned). On a cold and wet day like today it has been fun to look back through pictures from the past to see if we can remember where they were from. A few of the most recent discoveries from Bruno's collection are shown below. More to come in future installments of the blog......

Bruno on his bike in ~1983

Hiking to The Ledges at Keene Farm, NY in 1989

Bruno's brother & parents camping in (~1980)

Bruno's brother and paternal grandparents during a visit to their home (~1980)

After the Storm (again)

2011-01-27T10:11:00.000-05:00

We are shoveling again! On Wednesday we had snow, rain, freezing rain, pellets, thunder and then about 10" of snow to top it off. The sun is shining now though!

The snow has been coming down almost daily it seems; it really feels like winter. We have many colleagues from the Midwest with whom we can reminisce about real winters in the Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana (the main difference in CT is bigger hills and the inclusion of sleet/freezing rain between the snowflakes). We think this is storm #4, perhaps we should call it Duncan. We have been out for some walks to say hi to the locals, and even took respite from the snow clearing to watch the AFC final game between the New York Jets and the Pittsburgh Steelers, which was a great game! The Terrible Towel is flying here in North Stonington in preparation for the Super Bowl. Go Stillers!

One of the locals

Digging out

The milk truck on it's daily route -slow enough for a photo this day

Go Steelers

Coal miner's daughter

2011-01-19T22:32:00.000-05:00

This weekend we re-discovered the film biography of Loretta Lynn, called 'Coal miner's daughter'. Its full of classic hits (such as the one above) as well as some classic outfits from the 60s and 70s. It is worth watching for the hairstyles alone! As we spent the earlier part of the weekend making a batch of home brewed beer this tune seems particularly appropriate for the blog.

Tune of the Month - The Secret Sisters

2011-01-19T22:22:00.001-05:00

This month's favorite CD is from Secret Sisters. It was a Christmas stocking stuffer from a very hip Santa Claus. We may be late to appreciate this classy singing duo, but I guess it is better late than never! Anyway, check out this YouTube sample and if you like it their CD is easy to find on Amazon or "at your local record store".

Storm Benedict

2011-01-15T08:15:00.000-05:00

Late Tuesday evening the snow started and continued to fall through early Thursday morning. By Wednesday morning we had about 8" of snow, work was cancelled and we were glad for a day to catch up on things. Of course those activities were limited once the electricity went off. However, we discovered that you don't need electricity to clear snow, an activity that also keeps you warm (this important when you don't have heat either!). Heavy snow and blowing winds most of the day made just keeping a path to the door a challenge. Thanks to Mark we have a clear driveway too!

First Weekend on Snowboards

2011-01-12T16:16:00.000-05:00

We made our first trip to Vermont last weekend. The temperatures were very warm the week before and the snow/trail report didn't look good. However, we arrived on Friday night to some light snow that continued to fall through Saturday afternoon. We had some great riding at Pico on Saturday afternoon. Some "freshies", small crowds, friendly Vermont locals and a quiet weekend with the Thames Ski Club made for a great weekend. We headed home Sunday as there wasn't enough snow for XC skiing in the woods, and our legs were not up to another day on boards.

The falling snow didn't do much for action shots on boards, but we did manage to catch a photo at the The Farmer's Diner in Quechee, a favorite spot. We learned about The Farmer's Diner when reading "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver. The locally sourced bacon, fresh eggs, breads and jams can't be beat! We especially like the mugs that say "As for butter versus margarine, I trust cows more than chemists." - Joan Gussow.

Best Christmas Card Competition 2010

2011-01-05T22:17:00.000-05:00

As we took down our Christmas decorations tonight we held a fun contest to find the "Best Christmas Card for 2010". So here are the "Top-3" cards we received in reverse order (based on appearance only!).......

3rd prize winner. From Eric & Jo, for humorous facial expressions.

2nd prize winner. From Sandy & Ali, for overall jollity (and caveman-like art).

1st prize winner. From Evgenyi & Marina, for real simulated snow fall in the window of the card!

We thank all of those who sent us cards and enlivened the cold winter evenings with their bright colors and warm wishes. We wish you all the best for 2011!

Out with the old

2011-01-02T09:17:00.000-05:00

We have spent the holiday relaxing, creating, cooking, sharing time with friends and enjoying life at home together. One of the creations was Gingerbread Trifle with Cognac Custard and Pears that we made for a New Year's Eve dinner with Eric and Jo.

We also spent the holiday replacing some tired very tired plates and bowls with colorful Fiesta dinnerware. The sunroom also has been spruced up with some new cushions. Out with the old in with the new!

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T22:17:00.000-05:00

We hope that you have a happy new year! We spent today doing chores, yoga, making trifle, and generally relaxing. The weather was much warmer today (40F)and Kokee enjoyed a day of chasing tennis balls in the rapidly melting snow. It was a great 2010, and we wish you all the best for 2011!

Post Christmas Cheer

2010-12-28T09:46:00.000-05:00

We are hunkering down in very cold windy weather and enjoying the post Christmas glow. The big storm that has "paralyzed the East Coast" brought all of three inches to Hangman Hill. The gusty winds and cold temperatures are keeping us gathered around the wood stove. We enjoyed Huckelberry Pancakes from Montana compliments of Michael and Janel for a hearty breakfast on Boxing Day. Sheri has been busy making new covers for the beds in our spare bedroom (guests welcome any time to test them out!).

Chatra and Kokee by the fire

Christmas cracker #3

2010-12-26T07:27:00.000-05:00

We hope that you had a great Christmas. We finished it off with dinner at the Ocean House in Watch Hill. Very nice! And now its starting to snow.....

Christmas cracker #2

2010-12-25T15:34:00.000-05:00

Ho, ho, ho! We hope that Santa brought you (and bought you) everything you wanted. Now, time to have some Christmas cake...

Fiesta Navidad

2010-12-25T14:54:00.000-05:00

Christmas began today with walk in the morning sun. Finding our neighbor Fran on top of his roof cleaning his chimney was a bonus. Yes, for real - you can't make up that sort of story. Apparently Santa couldn't make it down his Chimney, hence the sweeping. And, if you know Fran, with his shoulder length white hair emerging from his hooded coat, dimpled cheeks and jolly laugh, it was like seeing Santa himself on a rooftop when he bellowed "Merry Christmas"to us both.

While much of our family, including those in Colorado, Montana, Pennsylvania and even those in North Carolina and England are enjoying snow, it is a green Christmas here in CT. We opened a few gifts and enjoyed coffee and cake using our new Fiesta dinnerware. The plate features pound cake from Kerry and Brandon, Cranberry bread from Gene and Kathy and Chocolate covered marshmallows from Mark and Jen. Feliz Navidad!

Christmas cracker #1

2010-12-25T10:04:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas! Time to open those presents.....

Snowmanatron

2010-12-23T21:16:00.000-05:00

In celebration of the season we thought we'd share a link to this short Wallace & Gromit clip. We'll be working on our own "snowmanatron" if we get enough of the white stuff !!!

Solstice Party

2010-12-22T06:52:00.000-05:00

In celebration of the solstice and the lunar eclipse we had a candlelight pizza party. The crust was eclipsed by the sauce at 6:52pm. We have turned the corner to longer days, as the Stephanie Davis song goes "We are turning to the light...."

Brussels and Carrots

2010-12-21T06:48:00.000-05:00

Just before the ground was fully frozen we pulled (ok -we tugged) a crop of carrots and harvested the remaining Brussels sprouts. The low temperatures have rendered these gifts from the earth into tender treats. We have been enjoying them roasted, steams and on salads. Yummmmm!

Christmas Preparations

2010-12-12T17:00:00.000-05:00

This morning the options for today's activity included Christmas shopping at Providence Place or cutting our own Christmas tree at one of the local farms in the driving rain. Those of you who know us well will guess correctly the decision we made... It only took a brief break in the raindrops just as we were Providence bound to choose to go Christmas tree hunting. We were lucky to find Pendleton Hill Tree Farm, only a few miles down the road, was selling trees despite the rain. We found the best tree ever and enjoyed a cup of coffee with some very friendly neighbors. We managed to get the tree in the house before the deluge returned. We are relaxing in front of a decorated tree and hoping we won't spend the evening with the shop-vac given a current rainfall rate at 2" per hour. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

Thankful for 'Sprouts

2010-11-28T18:37:00.000-05:00

At this time of year it is traditional to be thankful for all the good things in our lives. For us folks at Hangman Hill Road this includes being thankful for one of the best vegetables of the season, brussels sprouts. Try them roasted, or steamed - the nutty flavor of 'sprouts is just the best.

We have just harvested the specimens shown above from our garden, and this enables us to combine this blog posting with a seasonal 'face of produce'. A similar face appeared in one of our January 2010 blogs, but we say you can't get too many brussels sprouts!

Happy Thanksgiving

Pici Party

2010-11-28T13:06:00.000-05:00

During our stay in Tuscany we came to appreciate pici, a pasta that is best described as "fat spaghetti". Pici is usually served with a rich meat sauce made with wild boar meat. Last Saturday we tried our hand at making pici, quite literally since we don't have a pasta maker. Making the dough was very easy; we just spread some flour on the counter, mixed in eggs and olive oil and kneaded the mixture to a soft dough. Forming the pici into strands was more challenging. It tasted great though, when with a Bison Red Sauce using garden tomato sauce from HHR gardens.

Now, we have an appreciation for both the old world methods for making pasta and modern pasta makers.

Pici

by Martha Stewart

Ingredients

	4 c All-purpose flour
	5 lg Eggs
	1/4 c Extra-virgin olive oil; plus
	1 ts Extra-virgin olive oil
	Coarse salt
	1/4 c Coarsely-ground cornmeal
	1/4 c Grated Pecorino-Romano

Preparation

Place flour on a clean work surface, forming a well in the center. Add eggs to center of well; beat with a fork. Add 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup water, and coarse salt. Use your hands to slowly mix the flour into the liquid. When dough forms and comes together, lift it out of the remaining flour on the work surface using a bench scraper. Sift the flour on the work surface; set aside. Knead dough for 2 to 3 minutes, adding a little more flour if necessary to prevent sticking. Brush top of dough with remaining teaspoon olive oil to prevent skin from forming, and cover with an inverted bowl. Let rest for 30 minutes. Sprinkle two baking sheets or platters with cornmeal. Divide dough into eight pieces. Lightly flour a work surface with a little of the reserved flour, and roll out or pat one piece of dough into a rectangle about 1/4-inch thick. Cut dough crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Transfer dough to a clean surface and, using your hands, roll each strip into a strand of spaghetti. Place on prepared baking sheets or platters. Repeat with remaining dough. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, adding salt. Cook pasta until al dente, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain, and toss with 2 tablespoons cheese.

Monday Morning Shocker

2010-11-08T06:49:00.000-05:00

Pictures are worth a 1,000 words, possible more on a Monday morning in early November with a forecast for rain and temperatures in the 50's. It was supposed to snow in Bozeman, MT today, according to Michael (Sheri's brother). We thought we had a few more days of fall before it arrived here!

CD of the Month: Eilen Jewell - Butcher Holler

2010-11-07T20:56:00.000-05:00

Our current favorite CD is a tribute to Loretta Lynn by Eilen Jewell. It's called "Butcher Holler" after the town in Kentucky where Lynnn was raised. This YouTube video captures the spirit of it, but the CD is even better.

We hope to be going to see Eilen at our local venue, the Knickerbocker Cafe in Westerly, on Friday November 19th. Join us there if you can!

Available at Amazon and other fine outlets......

Trip to Kalamazoo, MI

2010-11-07T10:53:00.000-05:00

This week Bruno was in Kalamazoo, Michigan for a business trip. The Pfizer site in Kalamazoo was formerly the Upjohn company and it has a very storied history (More details...). It was good to be back in the mid-west and to enjoy some warm late-Autumn weather, and to learn about the work that is being conducted at this manufacturing site.

Trip to Amboise

2010-10-23T14:44:00.000-04:00

This week Bruno was in Amboise, France for a business trip. Travel to and from France went smoothly, despite the strikes and blockades due to the protests against the French government. Amboise is south-west of Paris and situated on the River Loire. It has a fantastic chateau (see above) and many good places to eat and drink. A great place for a few days away if you ever have the chance.

More pictures

Celebration in Keene

2010-10-13T07:31:00.000-04:00

We made a trip to Keene, NY last weekend to celebrate the nuptials of Andrew and Brenda who were married the previous weekend on Grand Manan Island. Were were joined by a large group of friends from the Alpine Club of Canada (ACC) that we have known for many years. It was a tremendous event! The weather was perfect and the leaves were in peak color creating a backdrop for some great climbing, gentle hikes and all-around good fun. Friends traveled from as far as Edmonton, and many with kids in tow. Thanks to Andrew and Brenda for hosting a great party, we were so glad to be part of it.

Views of the Great Range in the High Peaks, Adirondacks

More photos here

Kerry and Brandon

2010-10-01T21:42:00.000-04:00

Last weekend Kerry (Sheri's sister) and Brandon were married near their home in Fort Collins, CO. The weather was spectacular (not so different from the weather in Tuscany, in fact). The weekend began on Friday evening with a gathering on Brandon and Kerry's new deck, enjoying brews from New Belgium Brewery (where Brandon works), and chicken/steak fajitas prepared by Kerry and grilled by Michael (Sheri's Architect by day and grill master by night - brother). The wedding was held outdoors on Saturday at the Historic Flowers House in Bellvue, very close to Fort Collins. It was a perfect day for a wedding and the Miller-Shamblin extended families and friends celebrated with a well orchestrated party that featured live music and great food. The setting offered beautiful views of the Colorado hills and the festivities continued through a lovely sunset into a warm summer-like evening. Congratulations Brandon and Kerry!

Tuscany

2010-09-29T23:06:00.000-04:00

We spent ten wonderful days in September with Pam and Nick (Bruno's parents) in Tuscany. We stayed in the town of Cortona, a splendid hill town in central Tuscany. Cortona alone offered much of what is best about Tuscany- beautiful views, cafes, gelaterias, ancient walls, and a rich history. We made this classic Tuscan hill town our "home" for a brief time. We stayed at 5 Pancrazi, an "in-town" location that enabled us to explore the town on foot, stroll to a pizzeria for lunch, or make a trip to the local bakery for fresh bread. We also beautiful views from the rooftop terrace.

View from rooftop terrace at 5 Pancrazi

Cortona at Sunset

In Cortona we explored many of the churches, an ancient fort and several Piazza's, and dined at as many of the cafes and restaurants as time would allow. By the end our our stay we learned to appreciate the Vin Santo (a locally made fortified wine) and Cantucci (a type of biscotti local to the region), after our evening meal. The smell of breads and pastries from a local bakery that would wake us every morning was also something we grew to love!

From the nearby town of Camucia, we took the train to Florence, which presented a nice contrast to the sleepy character of Cortona. Favorite stops in Florence included the Boboli Gardens, where one can amble through gardens sprinkled with sculptures by some of Italy's most famous artists, and the Mercato Centrale (Central Market).

Mercato Centrale in Florence

We also explored the nearby towns of Assisi, Montepulciano and Sienna. The weather was perfect and our time was nicely balanced, with ample time to enjoy the afternoon sun whilst sitting in a Piazza with an espresso, to read a book on the rooftop terrace at 5 Pancrazi, or to explore the architecture, history and locally produced foods and wine that make Tuscany famous. You can see more photos from our trip in our Tuscany Album.

Thanks to Pam and Nick for giving us an excuse (not that we needed one?) to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in Tuscany!

Esther's Grapes

2010-08-31T21:45:00.000-04:00

Grapes grow very well in this part of Connecticut. The first fall at Hangman Hill we noticed wild grape vines covered with dark purple grapes growing in the trees and on the rock walls that line our property. The smell was intoxicating and we made grape jelly by the quarts. We just enjoyed the last jar only recently (and yes it was still good!).

It is that time of year again and just this morning we caught that scent as while walking to the garage en route to work (this is one benefit of a detached garage). During a walk this evening we met Esther, our neighbor just up the road on Hangman Hill at the Cool Breeze Farm. She insisted that we take some of her cultivated grapes. She had been canning grape juice for two days and was looking to share the joy! It must be a good year, the grapes taste as good as they look. Esther and the grapes are two of the many things we love about living on HHR.