Augustus McGutch of the clan McGutch

Our sweet bunny boy died Friday while I was driving to Virginia to get my mother. Kim had to bury him herself. He was the best house bunny ever. He was house trained and just a sweet boy. He was a Rex Rabbit.

He also lived for a very long time. We got him in 95 or 94 and he was already a full grown rabbit. He just died. I think he lived about 14 or 15 years old. Rabbits can live as long as dogs and cats. Rex rabbits are only supposed to live 8-10 years. Guster Bunny lived almost double the normal life span, just like the highlander. That’s why he is Augustus McGutch of the Clan McGutch.

Here is a picture of a Rex Rabbit. That’s what he was. That looks exactly like him but with a different coloring. I’ll have to put a picture of him up. He was a good boy.

We’ll miss him. He was a great friend to both us and the dogs, all the dogs. He outlived both Cherry and Spot and was friends with Hudson and Bree.

Kim knew he was going to die when he refused a yogurt drop.

Ma mere, c’est arrivee!

Well, I went down to Virginia with Johnny, my brother, and Carla, his girlfriend, to bring my mother, Joyce, back up to Greenville. I first stopped off in Brooklyn to pick them up. They live in a nice apartment in Brooklyn. We listened to tunes and ate Bergen’s bagels on the way done. Fun but tiring.

My mother was living down there close to my sister and her family. My sister moved to DC so it was time for my mom to leave Danville, last home of the confederacy, and come up and live in lovely Greenville.

Some of you have met her and some have not. You’ll meet her next year. She’ll be around the inn helping in various capacities. It’ll be fantastic.

The move was arduous. I drove the UHaul 12 hours straight. Ouch. John and Carla drove the cars. It took them 14 hours. I got up early and with the help of Mike, our gardener and handyboy, emptied most of the truck. When John and Carla and my Mom got up, they helped with the rest of the furniture. Big heavy pieces. We packed her up in 2 hours, well, packed the truck, she had already done most of the packing, and we unpacked her in about 4 or 5 hours. We didn’t have as many people for the unpacking though it went extremely smoothly. Now it’ll probably take a year or two for her to settle in. She had a lot of stuff. She went from a 3 bedroom with a front parlor and a formal dining room and kitchen to a two bedroom with a sitting room and kitchen. Basically, half the space. We filled up the second to largest UHaul truck.

I was very happy that Johnny and Carla were there to help both with the packing and unpacking. Colette, my sister, helped gather up the small items that needed to be packed at the last. Donald, my brother-in-law and my nieces, aka Children of the Corn, came way too late to help at all. Kim helped with the unpacking. She had to hold down the fort here so could not come. That was too bad.

I’m glad she is finally here. That’s a load off my mind. This is going to be fun having her around. You’ll see.

Grand Opening of Life by Chocolate

Come and get some free decadent hot chocolate. Pure enjoyment.

The Grand Opening of Life by Chocolate will be at the Greenville Arms, 4 corners of Greenville, Route 32 and Highway 81.

Nov 16 and 17th,
10AM to 5PM both days

Life by Chocolate
at The Greenvile Arms
11135 Route 32
Greenville, NY 12083

Click Here for directions.

Tel: 518 966 5219

Hope to see you there. Or you can always order by phone!

Jane Sassaman Photo Op

I can’t possible say enough about this group. Jane was a wonderful instructor and we had a great mix of people who bonded together in a beautiful way and created some truly beautiful art. So without further verbiage, I give you the Jane Sassaman workshop. (Hhhhhrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaahhhh.)

Jane is the one with the Alien on her head.

Here’s Wendy (aka Uncle Milty, aka Wacky Wendy, Paper Artist Extrodinaire) working on the hats. I was in NJ this day so didn’t get to see it.



And here they are making their beautiful art.



Oops back to eating.
I just love this picture of Madeline and her mom. They both had a great time here.

And yes, they did a lot of quilting. Here’s Jane (in the purple) helping out Diane in the blue.

Finally, here I am with my lobster hat asking Wendy where she put the white truffles for the lobster. 😉
My, my Wendy. With your long curly blond hair, you look just like Sarah Jessica Parker. Check it out, people.

Jane Sassaman will be coming back in 2009. Start making your plans now. You just don’t want to miss this workshop Everyone learned a huge amount and had loads of fun. Let the quilting begin.

My dinner

Kim is upstairs quilting and I am down here sitting in the office waiting for our inn guests to arrive. I need to check them in. Kim took a snack of her fantastic sweet potato, NOT squash, soup with the yogurt and apples garnish upstairs with her. I am eating, what else, left over fillet mignon with the delicious bacon by >Alan Benton, an egg and some of the wunnerful Italian Fall black truffles. Oh how I wish they were white truffles but at $4,000 a lb I’ll just keep wishing.

All is right with the world. Of course, if you have never been here or had my cooking, all may not be quite as right as it could be.

Right after I put up the Jane Sassaman photos, what a great class that was, I loved those guys, I’m going to put up chocophotos over at the Life by Chocolate blog. Take a peek.

Carol Taylor Photo Op numero dos!

And then we had another glorious week of Carol Taylor. Boy, did we have fun and I mean fun.

Here are the pictures to prove it. Most of you don’t realise just how much of a good time everyone has. The pictures do not do justice to the rooms, the food, the instructors. But they do give you a peek.





I know, I know, I overdid the dining pictures but I wanted to make up for Carol Taylor 1 blog entry where I had none.

Carol Taylor Photo Op

And here is the amazing Carol Taylor. Boy did you miss a great class. Well, two great classes.

Here are the photos from the first session, Carol Taylor 1.





Sorry no photos of the food. Sigh. For that you’ll have to look at Carol Taylor 2 or the new Chocolate Blog.

My Cold Core Inc./Alternative Air Fixtures Display Case

Well, after much slipping, I was finally given a guarantee that my expensive, and I hope beautiful, display case will arrive next Tuesday, even if the salesman has to drive it up here himself. I’ve seen their display cases, and if they work as well as they look, it will be grand. Come see for yourself and enjoy a cup of decadent hot chocolate on the house.

Let me tell you folks, this has been exciting, maybe too exciting. In the end, it will be worth it.

Come to our Grand Opening and you can see for yourself, Life by Chocolate at the Greenville Arms.

Recipe: Beet salad

I know that I’ve had many requests for recipes this last workshop or three. I remember the beet salad request. Here it is.

1. peel and cut up beets. I’d say around 1 per person depending on side. If they are enormous, go for 1/2 per person. You may slice them but I like to cut them into chunks. Very large dice.

2. Smother them. That is, put them in a pan with olive oil and some butter, add sea salt, I like Fleur de sel, and add black pepper. Cook (covered and on medium heat) for about 1/2 hour to 45 mins depending on size of chunks. I like to start out on high heat and then lower it and cover it. You might want to cook it for 1 hour, again, depending on the beets.

3. Make salad dressing. I like to make a nice apple cider vinaigrette. The way I do that is 1 cup of olive oil to about 1/4 cup of vinegar. I like to put a little smoked sea salt in the salad dressing or sometimes I put in soy sauce. Add pepper to taste. I like to use a good amount.

4. clean a bunch of baby spinach and then I like to ladle on the beets hot and pour the dressing over the beets, spinach and everything. Play with it. The combination is great.

Post comments if you want other recipes. I’ll put them up in this format. No problem. Just hit the comment button and post it. Or you can always email us. Posting is more sure, though.

Enjoy the salad!

Fresh squeezed orange juice

I’m sitting here taking a break and drinking fresh sqeezed orange juice. I use valencia oranges. We squeeze it fresh every morning and serve it. There is nothing like it. It is truly sunshine in a glass. And remember, a day without sunshine is like night.

With the OJ, I ate a nice ricotta, garlic and oregano on toasted whole wheat. Truly a gourmet delight.