Detective Case #1: Gnome Lights

Recently I've been reading the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series and have been obsessed with thinking I too could be a really good female detective. Last week I had to get a new cell phone and decided on a black phone because it would be inconspicuous, just like a private eye would have and I even chose the Inspector Gadget theme song as my ring tone. No joke.

Tonight, I have my first case to solve. I wandered outside to call in the cat and as I turned the corner shaking his food bowl, there glowing in our cedar tree were some gnome lights!

I knocked on our living room window to show Drew my excitement and he acted surprised. I thought for sure when he was outside trying to get the cat in and I talked to my friend Lori inside behind the curtains that he was busy stringing lights. He claims it wasn't him.

Lori had already left when I discovered all this and I immediately called her cell phone. The connection wasn't the clearest and I thought for sure she said, "Gnome it wasn't me, I don't gnome what you're talking about." I asked her if she was saying NO or GNOME, it wasn't clear. I hadn't seen her in awhile and she did just kind of show up at my house acting a little strange, but that's not that unusual. No offense Lori. Really? Were you really "just in the neighborhood?"

Why isn't anyone owning up to gifting me with these fabulous gnomes?

The first person I would suspect just flew across the country to go rock climbing, so it's not her. The second suspect lives in Finland, and I don't think she'd fly all the way here to string up some lights without saying hello.

What would Mma Ramotswe of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency from Botswana do? I looked for other clues. I noticed the empty box in the garage and there were no hints to where it was purchased. However, the person did place it on the table near our Recyclables, so it makes me think it is someone that is organized. I started calling other suspects and no one is fessing up.

It troubles me that friends and family members that have been accused of trespassing and stringing gnomes on our property tonight have laughed at my inability to solve my first detective case. I don't have the equipment to do finger printing, but I do know enough that I am 100% sure that this person contains the "awesome" gene.

This case is not closed. If you have any information or possible leads, please contact me.

Gargoyle Yard Sale

The Gargoyles had a Garage and Yard Sale this weekend.

I stopped by to see just how much two Gargoyles could accumulate. I was surprised to see that when I'm not spying on the Gargoyles and taking their photograph, they have been busy playing the guitar, using a George Foreman Grill and Tubing.

Their Yard Sale also gave me some insight into other hobbies of theirs, such as reading and fashion. They must have outgrown a lot of clothes and I also suspect that they became tired of playing with dinosaur toys.

The Gargoyles were trying to purge many items from their lives this weekend, but they accepted some Easter Rabbit Eggs that I found at a Yard Sale before visiting them.

I thought they'd be a perfect addition for an Easter Gargoyle Party. Stay tuned...

Mulvey's Adirondack Farm Market

I love summer. I love farmstands. I love vegetables on the side of road. I love not having to go to the grocery store for just one ingredient. Sometimes I just need lettuce, other times it's onions, today it was the tomato.

I knew I could rely on Mulvey's Adirondack Farm Market after work today to grab that one tomato. Mulvey's is so convenient, it's on the way home and all I have to do is pull over, I don't even need a quarter for a cart or fight for a basket.

Right away, I found the tomato I wanted, but then I grabbed two ears of corn. I love corn. Favorite summer food ever! It didn't stop at just the tomato and corn.

All of a sudden, I needed creamed honey. Oh, and then I was talked into a purple tomato because it was ready to use tonight in my zucchini pie. I didn't think I was stopping by for a purple tomato. A purple tomato, huh? I guess it's just a fancy heirloom tomato that Jessica said, "looks like an ugly tomato, but it's purple." Another shopper, Cal, told me it probably tasted old since it was an heirloom. "Silent Cal" is just so funny.

So, remember how I thought I was going in for just one tomato? I ended up with with two tomatoes, two ears of corn, a jar of creamed honey and a finger trap.

Yes, I said finger trap. Otherwise known as "Chinese finger cuffs". Mulvey's has more than just fresh veggies and berries. They sell locally made jewelry and other Adirondack crafts.

Mulvey's is open Thursday - Sunday from 10 - 5 pm. It is definitely worth the stop between Wilmington and Jay, but be prepared that just like in big grocery stores, you might not walk out with just one tomato.

Desperately Seeking Help with Herbs!

Every year I plant herbs with the intention of using them. I always think that I'll try them in different recipes, but who am I kidding, I'm not much of a cook. I started to feel kind of guilty that I was mostly using them as a background to various vintage finds.

The guilt finally got to be too much for me and I started cutting and picking the herbs to make some refreshing sun tea and pesto.

I read that I should use about 1/4 c. fresh herbs per cup of water. I washed and salad spinned lemon thyme and pineapple mint and then left it in the sun for hours.

After, I chilled both jars in the refrigerator and strained the herbs. I first tried the pineapple mint tea and pretended that I liked it. Drew sipped it and without trying to spare my feelings said, "It's not for me."

Next up, Lemon Thyme Tea. Much better than the pineapple mint, but it was still nothing special. They both tasted a little bit too earthy. Not like dirt, but maybe like drinking twig water. I don't know if honey or a simple syrup would make it any better. Should I have not let the herbs bathe in the water overnight and do you think a green tea bag might help things? Maybe the pineapple mint should be used in a mojito because doesn't rum make everything better?

Oh, and I made the pesto and it was also below average. I used a simple recipe with basil leaves, olive oil, parmesan, garlic, and walnuts.

It turned out to be a little too dry and garlicky and it kind of looked like poop. I guess next time I'd just add a little bit more olive oil and one less clove of garlic, but I don't think that's the problem.

What do you all do with your herbs? Do you have any good herbal sun tea recipes and what's your secret to a fabulous pesto?

Roller Girls

Tonight we had two thirsty college girls stop by for a water break. Who says you can't train for Nordic Skiing in the summer?

Janie, UVM and Sophie, Middlebury

Their coaches should be pretty impressed by their motivation in this summer heat, I certainly am. I just wonder what happens when cousins have to compete against one another?

Trail Running Adventures

I know it has been awhile since my last post and before any rumors start, I need to tell you that I have not been in rehab. I'd like to say that I have been on a glorious summer vacation far far away, but I've been along the Ausable this whole time.

Honestly, sometimes life here does feel like a vacation. My early morning trail runs have all the elements of a great getaway: beauty, laughter and wildlife.

I see the same landscape everyday and it never gets old. I could run up the Lake Road from Ausable Club to Indian Head a billion times and I think the view would take my breath away each and every time.

Ausable Lakes from Indian Head

Some mornings aren't as peaceful as a running break on top of Indian Head. On Tuesday morning, Drew and I headed over to the trails in Ausable Acres and in the first mile, I tripped on a rock. I flew through the air and fell flat on my stomach in the dirt. Within seconds of landing on the ground and realizing I hadn't broken anything, I began laughing hysterically.

Drew stood over my body on the ground and said, "Wow! That was impressive. You're laughing, so I guess you're okay. I really wish I had a camera right now!"

I stood up with tears streaming down my face from laughing so hard and discovered that the entire front side of me was covered in dirt. He now refers to me as Pete Rose.

The rocks and roots brought me down that day, but it wasn't enough to keep me away from the trails this morning with my friend Amy, who was visiting from Lake Tahoe.

As we were gabbing away on the Wilmington Flume Trails, we heard something in the woods off to our right. This was not the sound of a pine cone falling to the forest floor. We stopped dead in our tracks when we saw a black animal running away from us. At first I thought, "How rare, I've never seen a black fox before." But then we saw a better view of the animal and knew for sure it was a black bear cub.

No, this picture did not come from my camera. The picture I took was a blurry mess. I spent half the day obsessing over images of Black Bear Cubs because it was so darn cute.

As we slowly walked backwards, our eyes scanned the forest around us. We were nervous that we were on the trail between Mama and Baby Bear. A couple minutes passed and we felt safe enough to continue running forward while the cub scurried up the mountain. Amy and I picked up the pace for that section of the trail and made it back to the car without seeing the mother.

I wonder what might happen during tomorrow's run?