Do, Do, Do Lookin Out My Back Door

March came in like a lion! On March 1st, in the wee hours of the morning, five inches of snow fell. It was a heavy snow for this part of the country. On this day, the world stopped. As I sat by the fire to read the paper and enjoy my morning coffee, I marveled at how quiet it was. No school buses, no birds, no telephone calls, no guests - only the sound of the crackling fire could be heard. What joy. It's not often that I can sit back and relax in the quiet of the inn. My routine is usually to awaken before my guests stir, making sure that everything is ready for breakfast. I've learned over the years to celebrate both a full house and an empty house. So on this day, I celebrated being alone with my two dogs, Petunia and Rufus. Running an inn has its rewards and challenges. I decided that I would not do any laundry, cooking, checking the internet, painting, cleaning or anything that remotely resembled work. It's hard to resist these temptations when they're staring you in the face. Since innkeepers live and work in the same place, there's no escape!

I must say though, that after 10 years in the business, I'm still enjoying the adventure. I've met the most interesting people on this journey. You never know who's going to walk through the door. Several years ago, in the aftermath of a huge ice storm, I was visited by a local who'd lost power to his home and was in need of a place to stay. Upon meeting him, I knew immediately that he was a local celebrity. I was so captivated by him that I didn't notice his companion. After recovering my manners, I glanced at her and said, "But, you look familiar", and her reply was, "Kiss My Grits!" Now, for those of you who are old enough to recall the TV sitcom, Mel's Diner, you'll recognize the phrase. Her name was Flo (big hair) who played the part of a waitress on the show. Her real name is Polly Holiday. She still practices her craft and lives in Philadelphia. She spent the next two days with me, and the pleasure was all mine!

So many stories, so little time. I've got to get back to work. But before I go, I'll share with you a recipe to usher in Spring in hopes that March goes out like a lamb. No pun intended

Spring Lamb Chops

8 lamb chops

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

flour

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

6 green onions, sliced

4 medium cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup beef broth

1/2 cup dry red wine

Sprinkle lamb chops with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Lightly coat chops with flour; place in hot skillet. Sear until well browned, turning once. Remove to a plate and set aside. Reduce heat to medium.

To the skillet add the mushrooms, green onions, garlic, and butter. Cook the vegetables, stirring, for 4 minutes. Add beef broth and red wine and simmer until reduced by about 1/3. Add lamb chops, cover skillet, and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until lamb chops are done as desired.

Serves 4