Spruce Street Update: A kitchen... sort of

It has been nearly a year since we bought the Spruce Street house. Before entering the front door into the first floor of Spruce Street to see progress in the main living area, an update from the outside is in order! Taking out trees has really made a difference inside and out. Look for a fresh coat of paint soon.

September 2007

September 2008

1st Floor

The new floor is in, cabinets from IKEA are being built and we have a new fridge, stove, extractor fan and dishwasher "in place".

For an update on the new floor, IKEA kitchen cabinets and appliance you can find more photos at the link: http://picasaweb.google.com/HangmanHill/SpruceStreet09SEPT2008Update#

September Face of Produce (with quiz!)

September's face of produce illustrates the success we've had this year with some new types of plants. Can you gues what makes up the eyes, nose and mouth of our friend? If so, leave us a comment. Winners will receive a produce related prize!

Exploits in Greek Cooking

We have been trying recipes from Greek cookbook that we recently received from Pam and Nick. The recipes bring back great memories from our visit to Greece. This weekend we enjoyed meatballs with prunes and walnuts, accompanied by roast potatoes and green beans (from our garden), and fresh local corn. I couldn't resist making a honey fig cake when I found fresh local figs at the farm stand in town. It's not quite like dining in a taverna with view of the sea and mountains, but not bad!

Weekend at Bernie's

During our stay-vacation in Connecticut we paid a visit to Joey and Bernie in Canaan CT. Canaan is in the opposite corner of the state and sits near the border of Massachusetts with lovely views of the Berkshires in the distance. Bernie and Joey treated us to a lovely picnic at Tanglewood on Saturday night. We relaxed under the stars while listening to Andre Previn conduct the Boston Symphony Orchestra. On Sunday we enjoyed breakfast on the porch with views of the Berkshires, followed by a hike to Mount Canaan. Many thanks to Bernie who surprised us at the Mt Canaan lookout with a bottle of wine and a picnic. You can check out more photos at the link: http://picasaweb.google.com/HangmanHill/WeekendAtBernieSAndJoeyS

Vacation at home

Last week we stayed home from work, disconnected our laptops, and enjoyed all that our local scene has to offer. We took walks with Kokee, rode our bikes, and did a little painting at Spruce Street. We also paddled our canoes on the Pawcatuck river and went to a few local restaurants that we hadn't been to for a while. We thoroughly recommend a "stay-cation" if you're looking for a low-key way to realx and have fun!

Chaise reborn

After 10 years of sitting in a sunny spot as a prime location for feline napping, bathing and having nail filing, our favorite chaise has a new look. Thanks to Tommy D and his crew in Westerly who did a great job.

Hoorah for the red, white and yellows!

Onions, that is. This week's featured crop is our onions. Not too bad for our first year, although they were crowded out by weeds that eventually took over and nearly prevented us from finding the aforementioned onions! We'll know better next year.