Beet Red

I have been researching natural dyes to use in my soaps. Not an easy task since the lye ingredient necessary to turn the base oils into soap defies most attempts at color change and fragrance retention. But, what about beets? Would the dark, blood red, beetroot juice hold up enough in the chemical process to produce a blush-colored bar of soap?

I picked up some fresh beets (beautiful in their own right), cut them into cubes, boiled them in water, and then used the resulting beet juice in my soap recipe. Even as I poured the soap solution into the mold, I could tell that the color was no where near red, pink or even blush. If anyone is interested in an oddly tan-colored bar of soap that smells like Peony, let me know.

Even though beet juice proved a bust in my soap making test, I did discover that the nutrient-rich, root by-product still offers a wealth of promising health benefits. It has been shown to lower blood pressure, improve stamina, and even fight inflammation. There is evidence to support its effectiveness in increasing the number of cancer-destroying cells in the colon. And, perhaps most encouraging of all, is a recent Wake Forest research study that found that a daily dose of beet juice could promote brain health in older adults, potentially combating the progression of dementia.

I say, drink up!

The Great Casting Call

This first weekend in April is an important time in my home-town hamlet of Roscoe, New York (a.k.a Trout Town USA). April 1st marks the official opening day of the fly fishing season and, much to the dismay of the trout and the delight of the town merchants, the weekend that ushers in a flurry of activities and visitors.

If you don't think this is serious business—read on. There is a lottery to determine who will throw the First Cast of the season at Junction Pool. There are local politicians in attendance and a celebrity guest caster (this year there were two: Best Supporting Actor Oscar Nominee for The Kids Are Alright, Mark Ruffalo, and jazz pianist and Grammy winner Laurence Hobgood). There are special activities at the Catskills Fly Fishing Center, from live demonstrations on fly tying to historical collections representing the best in the craft. And, if that isn't enough, there is the two-headed trout dinner at the Rockland House . . . an annual occurence since the 1940s.

Now, before you conjure up images of actual two-headed trout rising from the river or arranged with garnish on a dinner plate, the "two-headed" reference comes from a legend surrounding Junction Pool where the Beaverkill and Willowemoc rivers converge. The fable tells of a trout, the Beamoc, who, upon arriving at Junction Pool, was so torn by whether to swim up the Beaverkill or the Willowemoc that it sprouted two heads. Cut! End scene!

Decoupage Flashback

Anyone tackling a DIY project has to have a certain sense of confidence. You have to approach the project with a "can do" attitude and remain unwavering despite personal shortcomings, failed attempts and unpredictable outcomes.

That's the attitude I adopted when I decided to transform a derelict door cabinet that I found on the streets of New York City. The cabinet was in good shape with only one of the wood pulls damaged. It was designed with drawers on one side and a hanging rod on the other leading me to believe that it was probably intended for a child's nursery. But, the scale of the piece—and the need for concealed storage in my home office—made me see the piece in a brand new light.

I decided to paint the interior the raspberry color of my window trim and cover the outside of the cabinet with architectural blueprints; something that would complement the room's blue and white theme and counter the amazing "St. Antoine B951" foral, damask-patterned wallpaper from Farrow & Ball. I made multiple color copies of a single blueprint (photographing it in sections on 11" X 17" paper), purchased a couple of bottles of Royal Coat Decoupage Finish (1401 Clear) from A.C. Moore, and armed with a single edge razor, metal ruler and plastic wallpaper smoother, headed upstairs to give decoupage a try.

The decoupage process is pretty basic. Apply a light coat of decoupage finish to the backside of the material, lay it in place, let it set, and then re-coat it with more of the same finishing solution. Since I wanted the pattern to have some flow, I approached this project like a puzzle; making certain not to repeat the same patterns too close to one another—or too often, joining wall and dimension rules from page to page, and, essentially, turning the blueprints every which way to get the look and flow that I wanted. That's why you will see room titles—living room, kitchen, dining room, etc.—right side up, upside down and left and right-side facing. I was careful to match rules near door seams, too, to give it a more professional look.



I was very proud of my first attempt. My one faux pas was applying a clear "non yellowing" polyurethane finish to the piece for added protection. The finish has yellowed and, while I have been tempted to try to remove the finish, I am going to live with it!

Signs of Spring

Could spring really be around the corner? Apparently so. Due to a sudden burst of warm weather this week, including temperatures near 70 degrees on Friday, the transition from winter to spring has become visibly apparent. The ice dams that plagued my roof all winter are now a thing of the past. And, the near foot of snow that blanketed the ground just a week ago, has melted away to reveal a scattering of budding crocuses. I'm not retrieving the lawn furniture from the barn or firing up the grill just yet, but it is great to know that spring is finally here...on the calendar and at home in The Catskills.

Chicks Galore

Today I visited the local Tractor Supply Co. store. It is something that I seem compelled to do on a somewhat regular basis. Since it is relatively close to ACE Hardware, The Dollar Store, and ShopRite--my other country haunts--it makes the visits that much more convenient and realistic.

With spring just a couple weeks away, the store has already replaced the snow shovels with rakes, hoes, and picks, swapped out the ice melts with seed and fertilizer, and shifted from heavy winter coats and snow boots to more seasonal attire. But, the surprise of my visit this weekend was discovering that "Chick Days are Here." F-I-N-A-L-L-Y!

That's right, from March 4th to May 5th you can pick up a chick or two in the store, or order enough online to fill a coop. Naturally I was drawn to the large galvanized metal stock tanks in the middle of the store where faint chirps signaled the location of Chick Central. And, sure enough, the tanks were filled with hundreds of little chickens, jostling each other for food and warmth. There were a variety of breeds to choose from; each one revealing detailed information on usage, egg production, egg size and color, whether they are best suited for free range or confined habitats, and their overall tolerance to heat and cold. I was amazed to learn that you could buy a chicken for under $2 (particularly given what I pay for a breast in the city).

Although I left the store as chick-free as I entered, I was compelled to go online to learn about the amazing breeds that are available through the Tractor Supply Co. The list is quite extensive. There's even a The Chicken Whisperer. No joke!

The Ice Dam Commeth

Try as I might to combat the problem—the problem is real and serious. I'm talking ice dams.

Despite my diligence of using a snow rake to remove most of the accumulation, I am realizing that my house has a couple of strikes against it. First, it doesn't receive direct sunlight until mid morning and, with the short days, not enough to melt the ice significantly. Second, the temperatures have remained cold; below freezing at night and barely above during the day. Third, we continue to get snow. This week, we received about 5 more inches.

I was talking with my friend Nicole who suggested I use Calcium Chloride flakes, something she learned from This Old House. The procedure requires you to fill a knee-high sock with the flakes, tie the end with rope, and position it on the roof perpendicular to the ice ridge. The chemical helps to melt the snow and provide channels for the water to drain off the roof. Looks like I'll be shopping for Calcium Chloride and knee socks this week.

Step up to the Beauty Bar

As you know, I have been experimenting with a variety of soap recipes lately and made my first batch of Oatmeal and Honey soap this weekend. I found out that I could use the water from the cooked oats (known as oat milk) in the recipe as well as include ground uncooked oats into the mix. I also found out that adding honey—even small amounts—to the cold process soap-making process can raise the temperautre in the mold to "volcanic" proportions if not measured and monitored. So, I measured and monitored.

While I am starting to enjoy the process of making soaps, what I really love is capturing the images of the contents and process: the beauty of the uncooked oats and natural honey. . .the oat milk that I collected by straining cooked oats. . .and the resulting color, texture and scent of the traced mixture as I pour it into the mold.

The soap was probably the fastest curing batch that I've made so far. I am sure honey had something do with it, but I am finding that my skill at achieving better trace has resulted in faster curing times overall. I am just waiting for the soap bars (pictured below) to harden to see if the oatmeal and honey will prove to be a true and marketable "beauty bar". I'll let you know.

Cold Process

The title of this blog couldn't be more fitting as it not only describes the technique of soap making that I have been experimenting with, but it also sums up our winter so far—a very cold process.

This Friday we got about three more inches of snow, adding to the four to five left from the last winter event. So I took to the outdoors to shovel the walkway, stairs and driveway and even hauled out the snow rake to remove as much snow as possible from the edge of the roof. I'd like to think that the chore of wrestling the snow rake's 16 foot extension to essentially pull the snow off the roof will lessen the chance of ice dams. Truth be told, I already have ice dams along the gutters from previous snow melts. I'm surprised that no one has come up with a removable gutter; one that would enable you to take down gutters for winter and re-install them come spring.

So, as I watched the outdoor thermometer hover 10 degrees both sides of zero, I turned to soap making. I removed last weekend's batch from the milk carton mold and, despite its sad appearance (right), discovered it produced another good result— well formed and consistent in color throughout. Cut into bars and trimmed, the soap will be fine for testing purposes (below).

I made another one-pound batch today using yet another recipe and will be anxious to see which of the last three batches will become my primary soap recipe. I've also lined the milk carton with freezer paper which should resolve removal issues and appearance. The batter for this last batch was amazing: rich, thick and velvety. We may have a winner!

More Soap

If you have been following this blog, you know that I have been working on perfecting my Trout House Soap recipe. The batches that I've made so far have all been good enough to use—a soft, creamy lather and subtle, clean scent. But, there has been a slight discoloration in the bars that I want to resolve before actually marketing the soap for sale.

Since I am a stickler for measuring the ingredients and making certain that the temperature for the oil and lye solution are equal before mixing, I believe the discoloration is a result of one of two things: either I'm not achieving the necessary state of trace or something is happening during the cooling/hardening process in the mold.

I have three new recipes that I am testing. Each one offers a slightly different mix of oils, water and lye (all adjusted with the help of the Majestic Mountain Sage lye calculator). I have also invested in a Hamilton Beach hand-stick blender to aid—and speed up—the trace-making process. And, perhaps my smartest move to date, is to experiment with one-pound recipes rather than four-pound batches. It will save me both money and time. I've even gotten creative in "make-do" molds. My new batch is curing in a milk carton as we speak.

The sample bars shown below are from a new recipe I tried last weekend. I just removed them from the mold yesterday and have them out to air dry. I won't know for a couple more weeks, but from all accounts the coloration looks consistent and the bar quality firm and nicely formed. I'll let you know how the experiments progress.

Did I do that?

A couple years ago I found this great solid wood table left for trash on the street. I remember the discovery as if it were yesterday. I was rounding the corner where I live in New York City and there, huddled with mounds of plastic bags, boxes, and other discarded furniture was this amazing solid wood table. I eased the car to the curb, looked the table over, determined it was salvageable and quickly heaved it into the back of our Subaru Outback. (I can't tell you how many times I wished that I had a pick-up truck just to tool around the city to pick up lucky finds just like this one.)

About a month ago I decided to pitch a wood refinishing story to AOL's DIYlife. I completed the project this weekend and am so proud of the results that I wanted to give you a glimpse of the "before" and "after" here. Once the story posts, I'll provide a DIYlife link with the step-by-step details.

Now, I don't want to allude to the fact that stripping and refinishing wood furniture is a fun or easy project. It takes patience, muscle and perseverance. But, if you put the time into doing the job right you too can achieve some amazing results. I am already looking for something else to strip and refinish.

White (Day After) Christmas

While we spent the month watching news reports of relentless rains in Southern California, record-breaking snow accumulations of up to 9 feet (that's FEET) in the Sierra Nevada's, and a slew of deadly and violent weather systems hitting The Great Plains and Midwest, we New Yorker's managed to make it through most of December unscathed. That was until December 25, when a major storm system brought 20 inches of snow to Central Park, paralyzing a surprizingly unprepared city.

The snow accumulations in The Catskills were not as serious and once everything was covered in about seven inches of snow, it was picture perfect. Of course, now that I've had the pleasure of shoveling my driveway, I regret having the house set back so far from the road (something that I considered a plus when I purchased it). It's the same feeling I get when I fire up the push lawn mower every spring--asking myself why I needed such a big yard. I guess the old adage...the grass is always greener...or conversely, the snow is always whiter...is true.

Here's some winter views of Trout House. Enjoy!

An Honest Solution

There are very few rooms in my house that haven't gone through some attempt at make-over (essentially the basement and an upstairs walk-in closet.) I started to work in the basement last fall—applying a sealer to the laid stone foundation and a fresh coat of paint to the floor—but had to stop short because of the increasing cold temperatures. You'll see more of that project when spring returns. As for the upstairs closet, I ran out of excuses not to tackle the project this month.

The closet was originally built into a low-sloping, front-facing dormer, giving it a generous foot print (5' X 9') but gradually diminishing height. Among its positive features, the closet was separated from the bedroom by a door and had a double hung window providing daylight and ventilation. The negatives were peeling wallpaper, cracking plaster, and three sliding doors that had become so warped that only one of the doors was able to perform the job for which is was named.

Here is the closet now (right). I hung drywall, taped and plastered the seams, and cut the doors, using the straightest pieces to create a make-shift wood frame to hold a hanging clothes pole. You can still see the brass thumb pulls that served the original doors.

My dream for the space would be to have a modern-day Shaker carpenter build a floor-to-ceiling wall of units with sleek, flat-fronted drawers, storage cabinets and compartments, and a door-fronted hanging closet. Of course, now that I look at the closet in this photo—uncluttered and clean, it already seems to reflect a Shaker-like aesthetic: necessary and useful . . . and in its simple honesty . . . beautiful.

The Food Chain. . .Oh Deer!

Tis the season! The days have turned cold, the ground has already been covered with a light powdering of snow, the houses are festooned with holiday lights, and nary a vehicle passes that doesn't have a Christmas tree or dead deer tied to it. Yes, hunting season is here and any respectable buck is up for grabs.

I must admit that I personally enjoy a good deer siting. And, while I rarely see them on my property, I know they are frequent visitors. It's evident in the trails that traverse my snow-covered yard and in the ravaged bushes that surround the house.

This year my Rhododendron bushes are filled with buds and I know that if I don't protect them somehow, those buds will be a welcoming buffet for any passing deer. I heard that covering bushes in burlap could be a good deterrent, so I am giving it a shot. Hopefully it will keep most of the buds under wraps until Spring.

I guess it's just the food chain at work: While some deer will be feeding on my bushes this winter, my neighbors--and hunters throughout the land--will be enjoying the deer that they were able to snag this season. And, life goes on!

The Thrill of Discovery

When you renovate an older home, you often find yourself peeling away layers of history—a timeline of prior repairs and alterations that often uncover popular trends and unfortunate faux pas. Some of the discoveries can be scary (like mouse-chewed, cloth-covered electrical wires . . . just thinking out loud here) while others—glimpses of true beauty.

During a recent renovation of an upstairs bedroom closet I uncovered a jewel of a wallpaper when removing the end caps securing the hanging clothes pole. I was struck by how well the paper had been preserved and saddened by the carpenter's "T" mark that permanently defiled it as a document. I spent some time admiring the pattern: the naive floral design, the perfect hues of green and red, and the circle of off-white colored petals that seemed to mimic a daisy-patterned center. Laura Ashley and Ralph Lauren could have built an empire on a print like this. And, to a certain extent, they did. I tried to visualize the room freshly papered and took my hat off to the previous owner who had the good sense to choose it for this simple country bedroom.

But, now as I finish writing this post and having studied the image even more closely, I am convinced it is not a floral print at all, but a fruit print. Doesn't it appear that the red-shaped forms could be the tops of strawberries? And, the center floral design the bloom associated with the fruit-bearing plant? Would a strawberry-patterned paper still have been a smart choice in a bedroom. Apparently so!

The $40 cupcake

October is one of my favorite months. When I was gainfully employed, I would spend the first week of the month on Cape Cod, quietly celebrating my birthday and taking advantage of the fact that the days were still warm enough to spend hours on the beach and the evenings quiet enough to actually enjoy the restaurants.

October and Autumn also usher in one of my favorite seasonal taste treats—Pumpkin. If there was a 12-Step Program for pumpkin eaters, that would be me in the front row proudly stating..my name is Larry and I am a pumpkin addict. I will eat anything pumpkin from seeds to lattes and am just as happy having a store-bought $5.99 Entenmann's pumpkin pie as I am a $19.95 Little Pie Shop version.

So when I spotted Ina Garten's Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Frosting in the October issue of House Beautiful, I knew I was in trouble. Being a "builder" and not a "baker," making the commitment to follow any recipe can be a daunting—and expensive—prospect. By the time I filled my shopping cart with all the ingredients (very few of which I had at home, starting with the eggs) I watched the tab quickly rise to about $40. I was tempted to return everything and opt for the ready-made bakery goods visible in every direction, but stayed the course and took my purchases home to become a student of Ina's. When the room filled with the scent of fresh-baked pumpkin and I dipped my finger in the maple frosting to sample a taste, I knew the cost was worth it!

Pine Needles as Mulch? I'll let you know!

I have an enormous towering pine on the edge of my property that drops a carpet of needles every fall. In the past I've raked, bagged and disposed of the crop, but this year I wondered if the needles could be used as an alternative to cedar wood mulch. And guess what? They can.

Known as pine straw, dried pine needles make a good ground cover particularly for acid-loving plants like rhodedendons, azaleas, berry shrubs and other evergreens. They are completely eco-friendly (since they decompose and add nutrients to the soil), enhance moisture retention, prohibit weed growth and—unlike their wood counterparts—are less likely to wash away during a heavy rain. One proviso: if the needles are green they may alter the PH of your soil, so be sure to use the dried, straw-like needles if you plan to use as mulch. You can find out more at mulchtypes.org

Trout House Soap

During a recent trip to Minneapolis, MN, and The Creative Connection event, I was able to spend time with the soap queen—Ann Marie Craig—who was selling her artisan handcrafted soaps at the event's three-day HandMade Market. Her Century Farmhouse soaps are simply the best and, as you know from my earlier soap posts, she is the one who inspired me to dabble in a soap making enterprise of my own. (See Can I Make Soap? from January.) I brought some of my sample bars for her to critique and, while she offered some helpful suggestions, she did acknowledge that I was well on my way. Being a creative soul and marketer at heart, I have already been playing with packaging that would fit the brand and vision for my Trout House Trading Co. Here is a glimpse of things to come.

Courtney and Jamie get hitched!

This Saturday, I had the pleasure and distinct honor of attending the Woods-Teska wedding. Courtney Woods and I worked together at Country Living and she was one of the brightest and most dedicated assistants that I ever had the pleasure to work with (a sentiment that was shared by another former boss attending the wedding—Donna Warner, long-time editor-in-chief of Metropolitan Home who hired Courtney about six months before Hachette pulled the plug on that title).

Having worked with Courtney, I had no doubt that everything would be beautifully orchestrated and run like clockwork. The ceremony was held at the same Collinsville, CT Roman Catholic Church that her great grandmother was wed and, the cocktail reception on the picturesque grounds of the nearby Avon Old Farms Hotel. As you can see, the bride was beautiful, the groom handsome, the country setting perfect, and the weather. . . now how did Courtney manage to pull off such a glorious Autumn day? Cheers to the happy couple!

Faded Glory (but not the pretty kind)

At Country Living magazine we learned to appreciate the beauty of distressd finishes, like weathered shutters, hand-worn knobs on dressers, and the look of aged shutters, doors and lawn furniture. But, the peeling paint on my front porch—now visible from the road—was anything but attractive. (For the record, my house was painted a couple years ago by a professional, and while the clapboard siding has retained its paint finish beautifully, the old shake shingles on the front and sides of the porch have not.) So, this weekend, I grabbed the rotary sander, goggles and dust mask, and began the process of removing the peeling paint.

Sanding is not fun. It's messy and tedious, and a lot of work. In the beginning, I tackled the project with full conviction; even contemplating taking the shingles down to the original cedar. It didn't take me long, however, to realize that the work was already more than I bargained for. (By removing all the paint I was also flattening the subtle ridges that give classic shakes their appeal.) I needed to make a decision—to sand down to the cedar or sand just enough to prime and repaint? If you've ever tackled the job of sanding a house, you'll know the option I chose.

Magnificent Obsession

If you follow this blog you already know how much I love to find old discarded furniture that I can restore, refurbish and re-imagine. (My Daybed project on Aol.'s DIYLife is one example). But, this week I discovered a kindred spirit in the Handmade Market at The Creative Connection Event in Minneapolis, MN, when I met Sandy Stone of Sandy Stone Design Studio.

Based in Southwest Minneapolis, Sandy showed some of her imaginative and oh-so-stylish chair make-overs. What makes her work so inspiring is the broad range of salvaged materials that she incorporates in her upholstery treatments. Fur coats, oriental carpets, bark cloth, men's neckties, and even old canvas U.S. Mail sacks, are put into service with unexpected and delightful effect.

I have included a couple of photos, but you can learn more about Sandy's creations in her just released book, "Fabric Remix: Repurpose & Redecorate".