Bistro Mirror

Bistro Mirror, originally uploaded by Tall Pines Lodge.

Just got this little mirror, you know, and decided that we needed a little French Bistro-slash-Cooking Show setup here in the kitchen. Really, an eye pleaser.

Wood slab countertop

Wood slab countertop, originally uploaded by Tall Pines Lodge.

Installed today by LPEG. Details by request.

Updated the Pantry

Updated the Pantry, originally uploaded by Tall Pines Lodge.

The kitchen renovations continue -- this time a little update to the pantry.

El Jamon Tempranillo

El Jamon Tempranillo, originally uploaded by Tall Pines Lodge.

It's great to be getting back into the reds. Welcome to cool weather!

Evening sky over Tall Pines

Evening sky over Tall Pines, originally uploaded by Tall Pines Lodge.

Some of the fall evenings up here have been just beautiful.

Connie, rebranded

Connie, rebranded, originally uploaded by Tall Pines Lodge.

Did I ever show you guys my motorcycle?

Drinking Water

Drinking Water, originally uploaded by Tall Pines Lodge.

You ever have a drink of water in New York City? It all comes from upstate you know, Catskills. We ride through the Catskills on bikes, you know, and we're constantly running into reservoirs filled with NYC drinking water and signs like this -- reminding us to relieve ourselves elsewhere.

Moto Season Begins

Moto Season Begins, originally uploaded by Tall Pines Lodge.

Yes, the season of motorcycle trips has started. Here's me at Wallkill Correctional Facility -- a sweet little prison work farm in upstate NY.

Ever seen Brubaker? It's kind of like that. A little friendlier, I guess. Minimum security, which of course, kept us moving.

Chiminea, Busted

Chiminea, Busted, originally uploaded by Tall Pines Lodge.

Of course, nothing lasts forever. The chiminea lasted six days before we busted its side open in a drunken fire storm.

Life well lived.

Pano, Chiminea

Pano, Chiminea, originally uploaded by Tall Pines Lodge.

Got one of those chimineas out at the flea market, too. This is a panoramic photo of the shiz in full fury.

Working the Front

Working the Front, originally uploaded by Tall Pines Lodge.

LP's done a nice job of adding a woman's touch to the front patio. Look at those plants! A piece of beauty on every step, both left and right.

Little Red

Little Red, originally uploaded by Tall Pines Lodge.

Went out to the old Stormville Airport a few weeks ago for a flea market and picked up this little red 4-wheeled beauty for $10.

Priceless when it comes to hauling sticks around the place for evening fires in the fire pit.

Rain Chain, DIY

Rain Chain, DIY, originally uploaded by Tall Pines Lodge.

Gutters are so typical. A rain chain -- common galvanized chain instead of gutters -- is the better way to get water from the roof to the grounds. Trick is, having something to disperse the water at elevation zero. I used terra cotta half filled with dirt, half filled with pond stone.

It's a beautiful mess in a rainstorm, much more pleasing than a ticking gutter.

How to Cook

How to Cook, originally uploaded by Tall Pines Lodge.

Do you guys know how to cook? Well, me sorta. I like to keep a handy chart of meat temperatures on the wall of the kitchen -- scrawled in pencil, naturally.

When I first got this place, there were recipes glued to the inside of the kitchen cabinets. I guess this is the younger generation's way of keeping track.

This photo was taken about 20 minutes before I painted over this with a gallon of Sherman-Williams in the name of Kitchen Renovations.