The First Frost
I thought this blog was supposed to be about Long Island and the Bakehouse, but I was so impressed with my frugal creativity, I have to share something different. Those 80 degree days last week turned into frost-warning nights this week. Ah, Maine. C’est la vie. All the house plants had to cut their summer vacation on the porch short and get indoors. When I put them back in their winter nesting spots, I always realize that they’ve grown a little too big for their pots. So we split them up. But then what to do with the extra plant parts? Back to frozen death by compost bin? I could not. I am one of those people who brings bugs outside and tells them, “I’m sorry to throw you out in the cold, but you can’t be in here with us.” I might consider cohabitation if bugs had US dollars and pay rent. I digress . . .
Back to my frugal creativity. I find those extra plants spots in other pots, or I dream up new designs—like this in the & Sons bathroom.
Pleased with myself hanging plants.
Two $ .50 Mainstays tumblers Mainstays Dark Blue 26-Ounce Plastic Tumbler, Dishwasher Safe, Reusable, Microwave Safe - Walmart.com and a $3.74 bundle of grass rope Hyper Tough 50ft Brown Grass Rope 18 lb Working Load Limit Durable Twisted for Gardening DIY & Outdoor - Walmart.com got me an eye-pleasing plant display. I drilled three holes in the cups and that was that. Everyone is getting one for Christmas. And maybe some will make their way to the Bakehouse next spring.
Good: Exercise. Sort of. Being back on the mainland, or uptown as it’s called by islanders, I took the ‘ol gym membership off seasonal suspend Find Your Y | YMCA of the USA (Did you know you can seasonally suspend gym memberships, phone lines, cable and internet plans? You can. Up to six months per year. You are welcome. Save those pennies for when you really need them - summer 2026 vacation in Maine!).
On the island, everyday during the summer season, I am in the Bakehouse kitchen baking from 6A until the staff arrives at 10A. Hand cutting and frying donuts, baking the day's goodies, prepping for tomorrow's goods… standing. Definitely not exercising. Nor does exercise sound desirable after that, so I don’t. I believe it’s a genre of ‘skinny fat?’ BUT, I am at the age where the thoughts creep into your head about heart health, mental clarity, bone strength?!… blech. So, now I force myself to take a barr class once or twice a week. What Is A Barre Class? – A Beginner’s Guide to Barre Workouts. It’s good, and the & Sons come along sometimes to “get swoll’.” (And more!)
Bad: Had to take my business partner to the airport. AKA Matt. AKA Husband. AKA Dad. He lives with me and the & Sons. Sometimes. Yes bad, yes sad, he will be missed. But we’ve been doing this since the beginning of time and at THIS time, he’s not gone that long. Two weeks-ish each time, usually.
Unexpected: THC DRINKS! Here in Maine, cannabis is legal and has made its way into the commercial mainstream. Realizing the market for such provisions, I asked my local beer and wine rep, Nappi Distributors - Your Maine Source for Beer & Wine - Gorham, ME, “What’s the word?” And wouldn’t you know, they have a small line of products. Why don’t we dip a toe in? Unexpected and still mostly unknown. But I bet the people will like it.
What I’m reading: Vintage National Geographics from a roadside flea market in Turner, Maine. & Son Number Three had a football game up there. The players must be an hour early to a game for their warm-up calisthenics, and Turner is an hour north, so Matt and I were killing time. 44.19442,-70.241541 - Bing Maps I didn’t catch the name, if there even was one. But it looked fairly permanent, if you are interested in a drive up to apple country. It’s right next to Greenwood Orchards Farm stand (1) Facebook, which we also patroned. Get the cinnamon swirl bread. Excellent.
All that’s left after breakfast is one slice of the loaf
To give credit where due, Matt collected the magazines. I purchased a box labeled “doll parts” and couldn’t stop laughing as I thought about who might receive it as a Yankee Swap Christmas gift this year. What’s that, you ask? Yankee Swap Rules – Yankee Swap
What the & Sons are asking for: Not much besides the usual snack money. It’s my birthday today, so everyone was on their best behavior.
This week’s paper cup contains:
Herbed White Bean and Sausage Stew. I love this stew. It’s a repeat in my yearly repertoire. I use dried beans and do the overnight soak. Dried beans have this texture that you could never achieve with their canned brothers. It’s almost like the shell has a crunch and inside a creamy middle that adds a velvety feel to each bite. I use the same Italian sausage in this version that we use for pizzas at the Bakehouse, and it’s all tied together by bundles and bundles of fresh herbs—rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves.
