The first one is a picture of the house. The second one is a picture of our wreath, turned from Christmas Wreath to Spring and Summer and Fall Wreath. Keep your eyes on the wreath. 😉

Now for the famous Snapping Turtle Pictures. Also, as you can see, boy have I gotten flabby. Not only gained weight but flabbed up. Life of an innkeeper. Kim and I were going to go walking today and didn’t because it is raining so hard.

I bet you’d like the stracoto recipe, would you?

Let me hear from you.

Well, here is the Stuffed Peppers Recipe.

I’ll do this for 4 peppers, that’s four servings:

Stuffing:

1. 1 cup of Italian Bread Crumbs, basically, you can make these or buy them.

2. 2 eggs

3. 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese, shredded

4. 1/4 cup of olive oil

5. Cubanelle Peppers

Mix that all together. Make sure the mixture is wet. Very wet. If not, add olive oil. Then, core the peppers and stuff them with the mixture. Stuff it as tight as you can. Close to splitting the peppers.

A variation of this, the one I normally serve calls for putting 1 1/2 sausages into the mix. Just dice the sausage up and mix it with the rest of the stuffing.

Heat the oven to 350. Put the peppers on a cookie sheet and cover with olive oil. Cook for about 20 mins and then turn them over. Cook for another 20 mins. They should start getting brown spots of them and the skins should be very wrinkled. When that happens, they are done.

You can also pan fry these. That’s what my grandmother used to do. I bake them allowing me to do 30 of them at one time.

Enjoy.

Well, it’s cloudy and 70 degrees. Both some of the rainiest looking weather, though yesterday it only rained for a few minutes, and some of the warmest we’ve had so far. Yesterday, with fluffy clouds in the sky, it got up to 78-80.

And now? Well, it looks like it’s the hurricane that has flooded New Orleans. We stopped off in NO when we came here. It was cold and everyone kept telling us how dangerous it was. We didn’t have a good time and it wasn’t worth the 20 hour detour that it took for us to get there and back on our trail to Greenville.

Well, now, after it’s been flooded, I wonder if they’ll reconstruct it and if the “dangerous” elements are coming back? Too bad about NO. I hope they weather, no pun intended, this through. However, I wont be going back for a visit any time soon. Much better to come up here to Greenville. However, to be fair, my brother-in-law, Donald, loves the place.

John has been following the news. The only news I saw was a reporter crouching down behind a mail box. He let a rebar go and it skidded away in the wind. Ouch. Good luck New Orleans. I hope all goes well, for Donald’s sake. 😉

This is a favorite of everyone. First what I do is cut up the salmon to 6 oz filets. Then I make this simple sauce:

1 cup salmon
1/2 cup soy sauce
2-3 tea spoons of minced garlic
some pepper, ground

OK. Now this I put over the salmon. This recipe makes about 18 servings. You can cut it down if you like or just use less salmon. You should reserve about 1/8 of a cup of the sauce to use over the salmon right before you serve.

Marinate for at least one hour. I like to marinate over night.

Next, in a cold oven, cook the salmon for 20 mins at about 350. I like to put the convection on for the last 5 mins just to get the salmon a little crispy. If you don’t like your salmon over cooked, which I don’t, then don’t use the convection oven.

Give this a try. It’s easy and it is very tasty. The hardest part for me is cutting up the side of salmon. I get them in sides (4-6lbs) and have to cut them into pieces. You can just buy salmon in the store and go for it.

InnPhotoSane

Well, so far we covered a few months. All the digging pictures are from April and that was a March picture of Spot.

The first May photos will be of the kitchen. Here are a pictures of Eliot, Tish, Kim, Kimberly and me all in the kitchen either making breakfast or doing prep or something.

The things we did, do, to give you Greenville in the Winter…

First we rip up the ground to get the drill in to dig…

Then we rip it up some more getting it out once it dug…

Then we dig it up…

Here’s Kim looking at the vast destruction…

Well, we were able to get the lawn back in shape almost in time for the art workshop season. Not quite. Probably after the first 3 or 4 workshops the grass came back in. However, it looked cool with all that yellow tape around the dug up areas. 😉

Here are some pictures of the work we did making the Arms ready for Winter. As everyone knows, we know have Winter Workshops. But, as I said before, it isn’t always about the workshops. We will also be open for lodging guests during the winter.

Here are some pictures of laying the water line from the main inn to the Carriage House and the Cottages.

These pictures don’t begin to show how much we dug up the yard in getting water to the buildings out back. Nor do these show the big drill that was in here.

Nor the amount of work we did connecting to the main house. Here are a couple more pictures.

Just so you think that it’s all about the art workshops, here are some Greenville Arms 1889 Inn pictures. The first one is Spot, a 120lbs puppy, trying to hide. He doesn’t want me to put in his ear medicine. Silly dog.

As you can see, he doesn’t look like a chicken dog. He looked more chickenesque as he got older and the cancer took its toll. Here he is in March.

Maybe Fall IS here. It’s very misty and foggy today.

But hot not cold so it cannot be Fall yet. Sigh.

Now that I have all these photos, I don’t want to flood the blog with them. So, I’m going to stop here with the Jerry Brommer workshop pictures.

Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll put up the photos that we have. There are many workshops worth of photos and I don’t want to flood the readers of this blog either.

Sitting around, waiting to eat and drink. Well actually, drinking a bit before waiting to eat. These nice people shared their food and wine and had a fine time.

Eating and drinking

This wont be in order or anything like that but here are some pictures we took of Betsy’s workshop. This was at North-South Lake, about a 40 min drive. No other workshop wanted to go that far. This was a beautiful spot. Plenty of water. Huge vistas. Trees. Beautiful.

Fooled you. This last one is at the Greenville Arms.

Just type in the word that you see when creating a comment. This’ll help prevent all the spam we’ve been getting.

The idea is that the comment has to come from someone who can read the text and then knows to type it in. This way, a robot cannot simply insert spam. That is, until the robots get sophisticated.

Well, we’ve finally made it to England! 😉

It’s very cool right now and very overcast with thick cloud cover. Yes, it’s just like high summer in England.

69°F
Feels Like
69°F

UV Index: 0 Low
Wind: From SSE at 9 mph
Humidity: 89%
Pressure: 29.97 in.
Dew Point: 65°F
Visibility: 9.0 miles

It’s probably in the 50s for real.

No I just checked. It IS about 69. That means, this isn’t cold enough for High English Summer. 52F degrees is probably just about right.

Fall is here. Let’s see if it stays.

InnSane

Actually, they aren’t from Violet, they’re independent photographers. Nice kids. They have a baby with them also named Violet. Cute kid.

The mag’s website is only a 0/10 on Google and it has too many gewgaws and heavy with flash and dhtml. It’s nice and I guess it appeals to the kids. (I can’t believe I said that. Ouch. I feel my bones aging.) Way too much graphics and not enough content. But I’m sure that’ll change.

So, I’ll give them a leg up and refer to them from my Google 4/10 blog. 🙂 Well, sometimes it’s 4/10. On most of the Google databases, that is. On some it’s 3/10.

Probably because of all the spam! 😉

Our breakfast for the workshops is from 7:45 to 8:30 AM, class begins at 9:00 AM and for inn guests from 8:30 to 9:30 AM. Coffee service is usually at 7:00 AM.

Well, today Kim went to the New York State Faire. (Not sure about the extra “e”.) Well, as usual, even though people groan when they here 7:45, people started showing up at 7:30. Normally, what we do is start serving. Why not? By then, Kim and I have prepped, had our coffee sit down, and are generally ready to go. Today was a different story.

Since Kim left, we had our sit down but I had to do all, not just most, not some, but all of the prep, and I had to handle check outs and ins and stuff. So, John, as usual, started taking orders early, even though I asked him not to. Well, because he started taking orders, people had to wait. That is, if he doesn’t take the order, people aren’t expecting food.

So, I took his note pad that he jots down orders on. We started taking orders at 7:45 today, right on time. Sometimes, drastic measures are needed. 😉

InnSane: Greenville Arms 1889 Inn

Don’t that beat all? Bunch of people. I feel like a townie. 😉

Oooh, big sity people here ma.

Their cute kids. They’re here for a night shoot. I’m not sure what mag they are with. I’ll have to ask. I made cookies for them but they have not been up to eat them yet.

InnSane

Don’t forget, you can come to the Arms any time you want. You don’t always have to take a class. You can also come to Painter’s Week.

In the new brochure and the new website for next year, we’ll be listing the Painter’s Weeks.

Well, people have been clamoring for my recipes. I’ll get to it. I may even start a new blog, who knows.

The Stabin workshop is done with. They tipped the staff very well. Everyone was happy. Next will be the Ratcliff workshop. We are looking forward to having you.

I promise, I’ll get Kim to give me the laptop with all the pictures. Most of the pictures up here are Kimberly’s and that’s just sad. 😉

Kim went off to the NY State Fair to give our our brochures. 3 hours there, 6 hours in the booth and 3 hours back. All in all, not worth it. Next time, if we both can’t go and make a weekend of it, I don’t think we’ll be going back. I think she’ll concentrate on the quilt venues.

Well, just in case you don’t what painter’s week is, it’s a time for getting together with your friends and painting here at the Greenville Arms and Hudson River Valley Art Workshops.

You only pay for the lodging portion of the stay. That is, there is no instruction though our instructors do show up for a vacation. So, it’s a great time for everyone with plenty of painting and partying.

We have two a year. The next one is from Oct 10th to the 16th.

It’s the same great food and the same great people. Come and enjoy.

Mel and his wife Aileen are great. They’re fun and such a treasure. As a matter of fact, the whole group is a ball of fun. Low keyed and lovely.

The one dark spot, they didn’t, sob, like my, sob, sob, cold melon soup with Asti Tosti. Boohoo. 😉

The really sad part is, we would have drunk it in the back. Hic!

Here’s lookin’ at you kids. Hope you come back soon! It’s been fun.

Finally a moment to blog.

I’ve been busy researching and tracking down more art quilt/fiber art instuctors for 2007 and 2008. So far I have had the good fortune to sign on Velda Newman, Esterita Austin, Paula Nadelstern, Katie Pasquini Masopust, Laura Wasilowski, Carol Taylor, Jane Sassaman, and Pamela Allen. All of these artist are just outstanding. I can’t wait!

Yes, I know Mark has been promising to get all the photos from me and I’ll get to as soon as possible!

But first things first — besides my work as art director, I’m trying to meet some deadlines for submitting some of my art for a show with the California Fiber Artist group, a group I still belong to. I’m working on my first 3-D fiber piece — an interesting experiment. I’ll post a picture when it is done. Really, I will!

Kim picked up his ashes today. He is in the bedroom waiting for us to plant a noble fir so we can plant him underneath it. Cherry’s cherry trees are already planted. We now have to plant a noble tree. Suggestions? We were thinking a noble fir. We also need to plant a Cherokee dogwood for Cherokee, Kim’s Dalmatian.

Well, Kimberly has taken these photos at the risk of her tongue. She was stung on the tongue when she mistook a wasp for a canapé.

Soon I’ll get the pictures Kim and I took up here. Soon. I hope.

At home with Anatoly

Olana the House

Eating at Olana

Oh, no! Not another bee sting!

Well, I had to use the blow drier trick on the Hobart. Nothing else worked. I still say that maybe it was just turning the machine off and not the blow drier. I really didn’t dry it that much.

These people are having a fun time. The weather is perfect. The food is good. The service fine. Mel is a great teacher. What else do they need? Oh, yes, they’re ordering wine. 😉

It’s hard to believe the season is almost over. Well, I have plenty of pictures that I need to get posted. Kim has them on her laptop. I’ll have to get them from her.

Wow, I was given a tip today for helping someone with their luggage. (Keith, the bass player of Hot Damn Band, a group that stayed here playing the Woods wedding. They were also wedding guests as well.) Twice, and only twice before, I was offered a tip but I turned down the first one saying, “I’m the owner. It’s not necessary.” Well, thinking that that made the person feel bad, I accepted this one.

BTW, The second one was from an employee who came to eat here and I waited on her and her family. She, a young High School kid, gave me a fiver. Well, this tip was also a fiver. She snuck back in and put it on the table. I had been waiting on her. I thought it was very cute and so spent it in Bar Harbor.

Speaking of tips, this is important so listen up. The service charge that we charge is NOT a tip for the staff. That is, it doesn’t increase as the number of guests increase. Their salary stays the same no matter how many guests are here. What the service charge does is allows us to give slightly higher salaries to our staff. This helps us retain good people and give you the quality service that you desire.

Because of the confusion surrounding the service charge, that is, people don’t know if they should tip, we are thinking about rolling in the service charge into the price of the workshop in 2007. So, if you see the price of the workshop spike in 2007, don’t worry, it’s just us rolling in the service charge.

We are rolling in the service charge next year for inn (only) guests. We’re thinking about rolling the service charge in for the art workshops later.

If you have any questions, well, please ask us. The reason for this entry in the blog is that the Brommer workshop brought this to a head. They were very confused about what the service charge was about. So, I told them exactly what I just put above. John got more tips this week than almost any other and he is happy. He got is lovely cards, which he appreciates, and the tips which he needed. Kris got some as well as did Kimberly and housekeeping.

So, remember, it’s up to you whether you tip and how much. The most important thing is to enjoy your stay and your workshop with us.

OK people, I promise. No Veggie Lasagna! Promise. So, you don’t have to include it in your dietary restrictions anymore.

Don’t worry. Be happy. I gotcha back. 😉

InnSane

Well, this crowd had a real lima bean dichotomy. What does that mean, 1/2 the class love lima beans and half the class hate lima beans. OK. Maybe not that bad. 1/3 loves, 1/3 hates, 1/3 will eat anything. 😉

Well, what does that mean? That means, more lima beans for everyone.

Well, the tradition continued with Glenn yesterday and now Joan picking up tonight’s wine tab. What a great group.

Lima beans on the house for everyone.

Well, Kim is in New Hampshire, Manchester, as a matter of fact, where my aunt and uncle live, unless they are at the coast.

Kim is at a Fiber Art Convention and having a great time. She’s handing out fiber art brochures for next years classes. We are already getting responses from the Manchester fiber arts people. Can you beat that. They are very enthusiastic about coming here.

Don’t forget, we are taking enrollments for all classes starting NOW! Lots of people have already signed up.

54 degrees this morning. It’ll probably get back up to 70 or maybe 75. Let me tell you. The kitchen was 70 degrees this morning.

Well, a funny thing happened on the way to the dinner table. Sandra bought everyone wine. She bought 4 bottle of our muscadet and we served it to everyone. The next night, the Brommers did the same, depleting our muscadet. And tonight Les is buying 4 bottles of the Yellow Tail chardonnay.

Don’t that beat all?

As you all know by now, we are following the tradition of Tish and Eliott, the previous owners, of charging a service charge.

That service charge allows us to pay a slightly higher salary to our employees. What it isn’t is a tip. That is, if there are more people who stay, the employees don’t get more money. It isn’t sliding.

Rather, it allows us to hire and retain better people. So you have service at breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as stay in the cleanest, neatest and best kept inn in the area and probably in the USA.

However, people find this confusing. So, we are going to roll in the service charge into the new rates for lodging guests first. That is, the B&B folks. However, the art workshops people have expressed that they would like for us to roll it in for them. We may not do this next year but perhaps in 2007. We don’t want to change too much what the Dalton’s did.

What do you think? Comments welcome on this.

We turned of the air conditioners in the main house because it was down right chilly this morning.

How hot is it where you are?

It’s a great group of people. Loads of fun. We have some returnees. Josie, Gail to name a few.

They loved the broccoli and cheese dish so as part of orientation, I gave the recipe. It’s easy.

Cook broccoli spears. Lay them in a casserole dish. Then mix cheese, your fav, about 1 cup for 10 spears, with Worcestershire , soy, pepper and then spread that over the broccoli. I used gorgonzola and other hard cheese including some cheddar. Then put Italian bread crumbs over that and then put butter on top of the bread crumbs. Back at 400 for 40 mins and let rest for 10 before serving.

Well, it’s warm and it’s raining again. It’s a bit humid as well.

“Bond, James Bond,” how did I wind up in Malaysia?

A country of southeast Asia consisting of the southern Malay Peninsula and the northern part of the island of Borneo. Malays probably moved into the penisula c. 2000 B.C., eventually reaching northern Borneo and displacing the indigenous Dayaks. Europeans arrived in the 16th century. By the 20th century Great Britain had established protectorates throughout the lower peninsula, which later formed the Union (1946) and then the Federation (1948) of Malaya. Gaining independence in 1957, it joined with Singapore, Sabah, and Sarawak to become the Federation of Malaysia in 1963. Singapore gained independence separately in 1965. Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the largest city. Population: 19,489,000.

But that tells me nothing of the weather in Malaysia.

Updated: 5:00 AM MYT on August 15, 2005
Observed at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (History)
Elevation: 72 ft / 22 m
75 °F / 24 °C
Mostly Cloudy
Humidity: 89%
Dew Point: 72 °F / 22 °C
Wind: Calm
Pressure: 29.80 in / 1009 hPa
Visibility: 6.2 miles / 10.0 kilometers
UV: 0 out of 16
Clouds (AGL): Few 3000 ft / 914 m
Scattered Clouds 14000 ft / 4267 m
Mostly Cloudy 28000 ft / 8534 m

Ah, that’s better. Now Ursula, we’re off to rid the world of Dr. No.

InnSane

Is that cool or what.

BTW, archives are down the side. Just scroll down and click on a month.