Windows and Dog Envy

Linda approximately 25 years old. Hobbies include drinking champagne, frolicking in Manhattan hot spots and vintage shopping.

This is Linda approximately 35 years old. Hobbies include sorting the garbage and taking it to the dump, raking leaves and window shopping (literally).

We never arranged for a garbage pick-up but have just been putting it off and off ... in the barn.

This is 2 months...

But this is just from one night... That's a joke of course.

But sunday we finally got our act together and sorted it all and took it to the dump. Who knew that this was one day going to be the highlight of my weekend!?! It used to be buy backs and closing down the local bar. Things certainly have changed.

Last weekend had an equally exciting highlight in the form of the tree trimmer! We know how to have fun in Clintondale!

Our tree trimmer came recommended from a friend at work whose brother owns 1-2-Tree. Brilliant name! (845-564-3513)

Trying to save the hollow maple in the front... We'll see how many more years the town will let us keep it...

It's very sad to see grand daddy sugar maple's branches on the ground, like stripping him of his manhood a bit, but we know it will lengthen his life and make him healthier in the spring. Besides, we can't cut him down cause he will definitely haunt us if we do. Just look at him:

Windows are here! Chillin in the dining room waiting for our contractor Scott. He starts installation today. By this weekend there should be some significant progress.

Hey, is that a living room? It's shaping up, still in the wrong part of the house though but it's something.

Knot so pretty. Denial denial...

Red neck kitchen with patio table.

One has to sometimes bury the guilt under the sofa cushions and just sit back and relax. We are going to have this house for a long long looooong time and we can just paint next sunday. This sunday we buried the guilt under mimosas with the neighbors from Little Dog Orchard and the Gunk House and their significant pooches. This IS the little dog and he did NOT help settle my puppy fever.

It's getting colder and it was time to try out our fireplace. City style. The Montana Kid is no stranger to making fires but we still settled on Duraflame logs... They promised "more robust flames" on the packaging. You be the judge.

I guess I won't be surprised if a cord of wood shows up at the house in the next few weeks. The Kid will play innocent but we all know (especially in my family...) how obsessed one can be about firewood.

Looking forward to Thanksgiving which will be spent at the house cooking with friends. Ah bliss.

And lastly some recipes of course...

Pasta with Italian sausage

1 lb Italian sausage meat

1 can (15 oz) crushed tomatoes

1 onion

3 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

salt and pepper

Brown the sausage meat in olive oil and break it up in small pieces. Remove the meat and dry off on paper towels. Saute the onion and the garlic. Drain the tomatoes and add the chunks, but save the juice. Saute with the onions for 4 minutes then add the juice, herbs and sausage. Let it simmer for 20 minutes.

Serve with your favorite pasta.

Mushroom Risotto

2 portobello mushrooms

1 cup shitake mushrooms

1 Spanish onion

2-3 garlic cloves

2 cups rice (We used Arborio rice)

1 teaspoons dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon

white wine

stock

Chop the onion and saute with olive oil. Add a little butter and keep sauteing. Chop the mushrooms and saute them with the onion and the garlic.

Add the rice and then start adding wine and stock a little bit at a time. Don't let the pan get dry. Once the rice has reached desired consistency, add the herbs and the salt and pepper.