Farmhouse News

It’s my favorite time of year and I welcome you all into my farmhouse kitchen, filled with the wonderful scents of the season! There’s always something cooking on the old wood stove, so pull up a chair and get cozy!
I’m so grateful to Krista for updating the site, she’s such a busy lady and I don’t know how she does it all. Without her there would be no website! It was a busy year for our band Bittersweet but we were entertained too by great 1960’s groups at the not-to-be-missed Hippiefest concert and a fabulous Beatlemania concert! There were lots of visits with family and old friends, the Mirthquake Film Festival and good fun throughout the year with our vintage film crowd (On the Loose is the name of our Laurel & Hardy “tent”). My sister managed to rope me into helping her write a book and it would appear I’m pretty much re-writing the entire thing (as well as providing artwork and photos!) We have a new kitty in our care, a young male who was abandoned by the same miserable excuse for a person that left Wilburforce to fend for himself. At present he spends nights in my workshop. Unfortunatly he answers to “Pissy Puss”, a not-so-flattering name that came as a result of him not being neutered, so we’re posting his photo with “name that puss!” in hopes something creative comes from viewers! He’s such a love, very chatty, and a real goof.
Photographing pumpkins inspired me to create our wonderful new Harvest Home Pumpkin Soap. You’re going to love its creamy texture, spicy pumpkin scent and lovely vintage packaging! Beautiful New England native Thelma Todd, whose comedic talents were often teamed with Zazu Pitts, Patsy Kelly, Laurel & Hardy and others graces the latest addition to our Silent Soaps line. It’s a delicate Violet scent, Thelma’s favorite flower. Read a bit about her in the soap bio, and also visit our friends at www.looserthanloose.com to learn more about Thelma and all our favorite vintage film stars. As the holidays approach you’ll want to stock up on our ever-popular Bay Rum and Balsam Woods, two great scents for the guys, and some Herbal Pet Soap for those stockings! We have lots of Artisan Shows coming up so email or phone us to get a schedule. The holiday season is always very special in New England so we hope you can visit us soon! Our little Mudroom Shop is open till Christmas but please call ahead first.
What a great gardening year it was! There are gleaming jars of fruits, sauces, chutneys, salsa and other goodies on the pantry shelves. Gardening is a labor of love for me and it means fewer trips to the grocery store for lack-luster food at ridiculous prices. Our peaches were awesome! Nothing beats reaching for a warm juicy peach when you’re working hard in the garden on a hot day! Soon I’ll be sitting by the woodstove with piles of old gardening books and seed catalogs, planning next year’s gardens which of course will just have to be bigger, especially since a kind neighbor brought me tons of manure!
My sister Anita made it up in September for the annual N.H. Scottish Highland Games. With the beautiful White Mts. clothed in early autumn colors as a backdrop, piping bands from all over the world converge on the little town of Lincoln and the sound of bagpipes echoes all across the valleys. For 3 wonderful days in New Hampshire we all become Scots and indulge in the food, music and culture of Scotland. Sis managed to get lost for 2 hours during a concert given by the incredible band Albannach. Those bare chested lads in their warrior dress beating those drums must’ve been too much for her, or maybe she was checking out the kilts (she was briefly married to a Scot!), but we finally found her packing away the fish and chips. During my “other life” I camped throughout Scotland as we lived close to the Scottish border. When our old Land Rover broke down in the Valley of Glencoe, my half-Scottish husband gave me the full history of the great battle that took place there while we waited 2 hours for a tow. I was never so happy to see a vehicle. I swam in icy coves along the rugged and desolate Scottish coast and enjoyed the warmth of the people and their beautiful country. The lovely location of our Highland Games is much like Scotland. Anita’s already planning to come again next year!

As Thanksgiving approaches we have much to be thankful for. In February our guitarist Harold’s daughter Thaisae became critically ill and spent several months at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in a doctor induced coma. She finally came home in late June and is slowly making a come-back. The town of Alton came together as they always do, and held benefits to raise money for the family. We’re all glad Ty’s home, especially her husband and daughter. She even made it to several of our concerts. Now Harold’s preparing to put a recording studio in his house which is pretty exciting to us. After all these years, Bittersweet may soon have a CD to offer!
While sorting through boxes of books in our barn I came upon old photo albums with photos of my sister and I in the 1960’s and our family and friends along with news clippings dad had saved about our first performances with sis’s band “The Wizzards.” There we were in our mini skirts, long hair and guitars! Mom and dad always encouraged our artistic endeavors, buying me my first set of oil paints (I painted a portrait of my sister when I was 14) and our first guitars too. We both played electric organ very well, but our love for the Beatles fueled our interest in guitars. I bought the 1968 Fender Mustang bass I still use with money saved while working at a hairnet factory for $1.75 an hour! It’s nice to know I can still make a living doing the creative things I love. Dad was proud of that, being self-employed himself.
I cherish these and other memories as we face the difficult times ahead for our country. As presidential wannabes invade our little state, I urge everyone to think carefully about their vote. The candidate who is a strong Constitutionalist, mindful of protecting our borders and preserving America’s sovereignty will get mine, because we are loosing that and our liberties each day at a frightening rate. Thanks for visiting our website, and stay safe through this beautiful holiday season!