Dog Tags
October 25, 2008|Comments (21)
These questions come from YD’s A Little Bit of Everything Place.
1.) What breed are you?
Logan: British Cream Golden Retriever, and a good looking one at that.
Dustin: American Golden Retriever. I have a curly coat though. I’m better looking than Logan.
Remington: I’m a love child and a total babe.
2.) How old are you?
Logan: I have no idea. Ask mom.
Dustin: Ditto.
Remington: I’m ageless. I’m perfection.
3.) What is your full name?
Logan: Logan Bear, Logie Baby, Wogan Puppy Dawg, Logan Berry, Lo, J-Lo
Dustin: Sir Caledon. Don’t ask. It was Mommy and Daddy’s idea. I liked Dustin. Just Dustin. Who calls themselves Sir Caledon?
Remington: I am Remington, Master Cat of the Universe.
4.) Do you have any nicknames?
Logan: See above. All of those are acceptable. “The most beautiful dog in the world” is preferred.
Dustin: Dustin-puppy. Son. Sunshine. Bubba.
Remington: The humans insist on calling me Remi. I’m planning a revolt. Kitty coup.
5.) Where do you usually sleep?
Logan: Mommy and Daddy gave me a Swedish foam dog bed. It’s more comfortable that their bed. I know. I tested it.
Dustin: You tested Mommy and Daddy’s bed? Not fair. I have the same model as J-Lo over there.
Remington: The humans have not provided adequate bedding for me so I am forced to sleep on the couch cushions. See how I suffer?
6.) What is your favorite thing to do?
Logan: I love to fetch and chew my toys. All of them. But more than anything… I love Bear. Bear is wonderful.
Dustin: Sticks! I love to chew the bark off of sticks. All sticks. I’m not picky.
Remington: I enjoy stalking the lizards who live in the front yard. They only exist to amuse me.
7.) What is something unusual/intersting about you?
Logan: I am the most beautiful Golden Retriever in the world.
Dustin: I am the most beautiful Golden Retriever in the world.
Remington: I am the most beautiful cat in the world.
8.) Who is your best friend?
Logan: Daddy and Bear
Dustin: Mommy
Remington: Mommy
9.) Did you go to obedience school? If so were you “TOP DOG” or did you flunk out?
Logan: Nope.
Dustin: I was king of the class. Not to brag or anything, but I am extraordinarily bright.
Remington: I don’t believe this question involves me. I demand to see the director.
10.) Can you do any tricks?
Logan: I can sit, fetch, stay, show you my belly, smile, and sleep on command.
Dustin: I can sit, shake, roll over, stay, give high fives with alternating paws, give hugs, and am a trained therapy dog.
Remington: I come when I am called and tolerate the humans. Most of the time.
Make Homemade Dog Treats
August 13, 2008|Comments (13)
We LOVE our dogs and have a great deal of fun spoiling them. Treats are part of that equation but buying them in the store is costly and sometimes dangerous. First of all: when were those commercially produced treats manufactured? What is even in them (most recently, rat poison!)? Why don’t they ever seem to expire? They appear to have the shelf-life of Styrofoam! Regardless of the vitamins and yummy stuff companies may claim to put into those treats, I can promise you that none of them are as good for your dog as food you have in your kitchen right now. I’m including (at Aunt Julie’s and Uncle Raul’s suggestion) one of the recipes I use for our dog treats. Just a quick note about using garlic in treats: I like to put a little bit of garlic in the treats to discourage fleas. It’s probably a good idea to consult a vet before giving garlic treats to puppies. You can always leave the garlic out. WARNING: these treats will eventually grow fuzz so just throw them in the compost bin and make fresh!
1 cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup organic wheat germ (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
1/2 cup Bob’s Red Mill Mighty Tasty Cereal or steel-cut oats
1/2 cup organic, no sugar added applesauce (I use homemade)
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup warm water
1.) Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl and add the applesauce.
2.) Grind the cooked chicken breast and add to the mixture. Oh, you knew I was going to pull out that old grinder!
3.) Crush, mince, and use your knife to make a paste of the fresh garlic cloves. Add to mix.
4.) Add water and mix until you have a nice pliable dough. Knead on a floured surface them roll to 1/4 thickness. Cut into shapes and place on floured or lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Turn off oven and do not remove until morning (or until cooled and hardened).
Be sure you take some breaks or get the kids involved with all those little cookie cutters. Gosh, I can’t wait to have kids to take over this step.
Quick story: My neighbor and a guy that my husband works with came over a few months ago and saw these babies out cooling on the island and being schooled in the ways of our home… they both grabbed up some cookies and began hoovering them. My neighbor made a funny face and said (still chewing), “These cookies taste funny.” When Josh and I told them what they were eating, we expected them to spit them out — instead they both finished their cookies and grinned. Classic.
Decorating Tips for the Country Home & Garden
April 30, 2008|Comments (29)
When creating trendy outdoor living spaces… don’t forget to give the chair rungs some flare.
Break up the monotony of green grass with tasteful lawn ornaments.
Adding accents to flowerbeds keeps spaces interesting and also serve as a great places to hide your spare keys. Dual purpose landscape-design details are always a plus.
A classic country item like a barrel or trough can easily be converted into a fountain. To keep water from becoming stagnant, it is a good idea to install a windmill water pump.
When updating your country kitchen, keep in mind that faucets are one of the most important components of your kitchen area. Select a faucet that is not only functional but also gives your kitchen a customized look especially when matched with a unique and stylish spout.
If you choose to carpet the bedrooms of the house, be sure to select shades to compliment any color or style of furniture.
The garage should be outfitted with workbench and storage. Artwork may be added to define the space. Remember to bring the outdoors in with elements of nature in every room.
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I also wanted to touch on a more personal issue: depression. We keep it pretty light around here — with plenty of animals and adventures but we weren’t always so fortunate. Before moving to our home in Georgia, we lived in Washington state. Washington is a beautiful area of the country but spends several winter months with reduced sunlight and a great deal of rain. It’s difficult to imagine that such a gorgeous place could ever be dark and dreary when you experience the summer there:
Oh, but winter is NOTHING like summer. Constant rain fell for twenty-seven days in a row during Josh’s first deployment of our married life together. I could scarcely drag myself out of bed and tasks like like leaving the house or getting the mail became incredibly taxing. Apart from intense loneliness (I was 3,000 miles from home and my husband was in the war), I had no energy. Zip. All I wanted to do was curl up in a big blanket, wear my husband’s pjs, and sleep.
I discovered that I was suffering from S.S.A.D. or Subsyndromal Seasonally Affective Disorder, which is quite common in the northwest and other regions where there is reduced sunlight in the winter months. My husband and I began researching natural treatments for my depression. We found several easy ways to create positive energy in our home to combat the depression. Guess what? They worked. My good friend, Robin, encouraged me to share this information with you:
In order to increase the flow of negative ions into our home, Josh converted an inexpensive resin planter into a fountain for me. He added some bamboo and an elephant (because I LOVE elephants):
He also spent his leave (military vacation time) helping me buy and plant flowers so I would be surrounded by natural aromatherapy and vibrant colors. Color and scent are known to promote feelings of health and well-being.
Josh surprised me with a rose wreathe (which he made using real roses).
He also brought me flowers from the yard to arrange in vases throughout our house. I ended up with potted plants and flowers in every room. See why I love him so much?
We also replaced all of our lights bulbs with white light bulbs. To mimic sunlight during the darkest months (when it honestly didn’t matter whether the shades were drawn or not — the light was the same).
There are many ways to combat depression naturally. Simplifying your life and immersing yourself in the activities which promote happiness may not cure your depression or be a substitute for medication but it can’t hurt to give it a try.
The most important thing to remember when dealing with depression of any level is not to isolate yourself but to reach out because while you feel as though you are the only one — you are not.
Want to heal the past by living in the present? Check out Holly’s site, Looking Through the Glass.
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