Pictures - our sign that was out in a garden on Commerce St.
The before picture - an old train engineers bldg.
The after picture that Mort & crew renovated for our overnight rental cottage.
We think that we remember getting that beautiful old front door from Bruce Howdle - he was such a nice man to us when we were doing all of our projects - we have one of his ceramic pigs and
we cherish it!
THE GARDEN BLUFF COTTAGE @ The Old Lumberyard - when the Crowley's owned it....
Mort and crew took what was said to have been the train engineers bldg. and made it into a cute little overnight cottage. We rented that cottage out - a lot - one long period was 7 months straight....We charged a reasonable amount, it was private, in town - could walk anywhere in town - we left a picnic basket of breakfast goodies at the front door during the week and had our guest over to our atrium (right across the gardens) for a nice full breakfast on weekends. We had many people come back for a 2nd or 3rd time....our very first guests were on their honeymoon. They were employees', radio hosts/producers for NPR Wisconsin. The new 'Mrs.' has one of those beautiful radio voices I will never forget - it was such a pleasure having them as our first guests. There was a corner jacuzzi in the bathroom with a sliding glass door turned sideways. as the large window, that looked out onto a rocky bluff with a trickle of water running. We planted ferns and put tiny solar lights in the bluff for lovely nighttime bathing/relaxation. I made up my own cleaning supplies that were natural and contained sandal wood essential oil. We supplied special French milled soaps, a refrigerator, coffee maker and a microwave - bottles of water, popcorn (to microwave) and cookies from our restaurant. Many of our guests said that they just wanted to take the smell (scent) with them. I did give a few of them my recipe for sandal wood cleaner upon request. There was a beautiful sleigh bed, a dresser with many interesting levels of drawers, two Queen Anne chairs and an electric fireplace for cool evenings. We always had live orchids in the room, as we had many in our home to share.
We loved all of our guests and enjoyed meeting all of them. It was fun! We went on (after we sold all of the parts of the Old Lumberyard) to having one of the houses we owned as a BNB - and enjoyed that also.
I would make small loaves of pumpkin quick bread and banana nut bread to put in the picnic baskets that we would leave at the door of the cottage each morning during the week - along with fresh fruit, orange juice and yogurt. Here are those recipes:
BANANA NUT BREAD
350 degrees for 60 - 65 minutes
Loaf Pan 8 x 4 x 2 or adjust for smaller loaf pans
Cool in pan 10 minutes
Remove from pan - cool - wrap and store overnight
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup mashed ripe banana
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening (I used butter)
2 eggs
2 Tab milk
1/ cup chopped nuts - (I used walnuts)
Stir together flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Set aside.
In a mixer bowl, beat sugar and shortening with electric mixer until light, scraping sides of bowl often. Add eggs, one at a time, and the milk, beating until smooth after each addition. Add flour mixture and banana alternately to creamed mixture, beating until smooth after each addition. Fold in nuts.
Pour batter into lightly grades 8x4x2 in loaf pan (or several smaller pans) Bake at 350 degrees for 60 -65 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan (s) for 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool, for easier slicing, wrap and store overnight.
This recipe makes 1 loaf in an 8x4x2 in. pan - directions apply.
IF
you are going to make smaller loaves (which I did) it has to divided into the smaller loaf pans and should be monitored in the oven. Look for brown color, crack down the middle and test with a toothpick - will certainly be less than 60 -65 minutes (which is required for the larger loaf pan) - so test it out. I think I remember baking the smaller loaf pans for 25 - 35 minutes.
PUMPKIN BREAD WITH RAISINS AND PECANS
Oven 350 degrees
Bake 30 - 40 minutes depending upon size of pan
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tab baking soda
1/2 Tab pumpkin pie spice, or more to taste
1/4 teas baking powder
1/2 teas salt
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup orange juice
3 eggs
1/2 teas vanilla extract
Mix flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Toss raisins and pecans with 1 Tab of the flour mixture in a separate bowl.
Beat sugar and butter together using an electric mixer in a mixing bowl until fluffy. Add pumpkin puree, orange juice, eggs, and vanilla extract, blend until well combined.
Add flour mixture slowly and blend thoroughly. Fold in raisins and pecans.
Pour batter evenly between 2 prepared loaf pans
Bake in preheated oven until firm and tops spring back lightly when pressed, 30 - 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely on racks before serving. I find that it is better to cool and then wrap the loaves overnight - brings out the taste so much more.
Thanks to Mineral Point for so many good memories.
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