Homemade Dog Food

 

I have been making my dogs homemade dog food for the past few years - Started right after that scare of contaminated commercial foods.

Came across the book “The Whole Pet Diet”  by Andi Brown and I swear by it.

She believes in good health through proper nutrition and offers many recipes and holistic solutions for pet maladies.

I have noticed a difference in my dogs’ coat from using her “Recipe For A Beautiful Coat”, which has cod liver oil, wheat germ oil, soybean oil, garlic,rosemary etc.

There are numerous other recipes for both cats and dogs and also treats, all made with fresh, no chemicals or additives ingredients.

Here is my dogs’ standard dog food recipe “Spot’s Chicken Stew” :

(I use as many organic ingredients as I can.)

2.5 lbs. whole chicken

1/4 c. fresh garlic

1c.green peas

1c coarsely chopped carrots

1/2c. coarsely chopped sweet potato

1/2c chopped zucchini

1/2c. chopped yellow squash

1/2c. chopped green beans

1/2c. chopped celery

1 tbsp. kelp powder

1 tbsp. dried rosemary

Oats & barley to thicken

Put all ingredients in a stockpot, just enough water to cover, boil, simmer until cooked , debone, then put through a food processor to a thick pudding consistency.

My little Chaps looks forward to “helping” me clean the pot after I’m done. He sits and stares at me until I put it down for him. Takes him a while but he gets it spotless!

 

 

 

To Walk Or Not To Walk

Well, my little guys Mike and Chaps have been experiencing cabin fever lately but with the single-digit temps. we here in the midwest have been experiencing, we’ve been reluctant to take them for their walk.

After Mikes’ continual running to the door as soon as we are anywhere near it, my husband thought “okay” I’ll try them just around the block” and the temps. did reach a balmy 15 degrees today.

So I put their sweaters on and off they all went….and then back they all came!!!!

Halfway around the block my little chihuahuas’ feet froze up, they wouldn’t/couldn’t move – so he swept them up and carried them home. They may be little, 13 & 9 lbs. but he was huffing & puffing when he walked in the door. I wrapped all 3 in blankets (husband included) and they’re all snuggly and warm now.

………….guess the walks will have to wait until spring with these 3 babies!!!

Dreamland….

How’s this for the perfect way to spend a snowy Saturday?

What are you dreaming about Chaps?

“Cottagey” Stainless Steel ???

My microwave died two weeks ago and considering that we use ours many times daily, knew that we needed to get out there and shop for a new one immediately.

Our kitchen appliances are all the bisque color and around 15 yrs. old so we decided to go all out and replace all of them: stove, refrigerator in addition to the microwave.

I have a smallish, cottage-feel kitchen and love the way the bisque blends into the walls and cabinets and doesn’t seem intrusive. However the bisque is being phased out so we are forced to pick between either bright white, black or stainless. I love the black and stainless in a larger, more modern-feel kitchen but in mine?? Hmmmm….

After several days of shopping in just about everyplace that sells appliances, we ended up buying a stainless steel microwave and stove, one of the newer 2-oven-door models. Haven’t used the convection oven yet…..never had one before so I have some reading to do first.

Now we need to shop for a refrigerator…..french-door? side by side? ice-maker?,etc etc….so many decisions to make. But I must admit it is fun and exciting…..I just hope they fit in with my love of “cottagey” everything.

What do you think?

Autumn In The Park With My Dogs

We have been trying to squeeze every last ounce of fall out of the weather around here, dreading the looong winter ahead.

Our little guys can’t take much of the icy-cold winter, so we are taking them for frequent walks in a lovely park around here.

Some days they have to wear their sweaters but they don’t mind. (next picture is of them waiting to get out of the gate and into the car to get to the park)

Our little Mike,(red leash) who otherwise is quite the couch potato, suddenly becomes a greyhound, running at full speed (which for his size, 8lbs. is quite a sight!). I swear he is smiling as he runs past us in circles.

Our 14 yr. old Chaps, lags behind but nonetheless makes the whole mile, stopping to sniff and leave his “mark” about every 2 ft. or so.

They just love being at the park – but after an hour are quite happy to get into their blanket-lined carriers for the ride home.

They nap the rest of the afternoon each in their respective beds – like little kids….all pooped out. So cute!

Love those little boys and my life with them!

Spirituality

 

I have had reason for the last month to search into my inner spirituality to pray for something that is currently amiss in my family.

I admit to a bit of hypocrisy when it comes to asking for intercession when I need it and then going along my merry way when things straighten out.

But this is a situation that I have no control over and absolutely no other way of coping with.

So I continue to pray,meditate and try to keep a level head about it all -

but know that I need God’s help for this one…..

 

Happy 90th Birthday Dad

  

This Thursday is my dad’s 90th Birthday.

My brother is coming in from Montana and we all plan to have a small dinner party for him at a local restaurant.

He still lives alone (which we wish he wouldn’t), and

drives (which we wish he wouldn’t), but he is stubborn and refuses much help from any of us.

He is in good health for his age…..has survived and thrived thru 3 major cancer diagnoses.

I worked in my dad’s business for over 25 yrs. – and that sometimes caused problems between him and me

but we have resolved those problems and I now enjoy and appreciate him as

just my dad.

 

Happy Birthday Dad !

Jury Duty

 

A few weeks ago, I got the dreaded letter in the mail  calling me to jury duty.

I had done it once before a few years ago, so I knew what to expect……

Loooong wait to be called then verbally answering questions about myself in the courtroom while lawyers decided if they wanted me or not, listening to opening statements, testimony, depositions, closing arguments, to say nothing of the numerous “sidebars”.

It was a civil case and not a criminal one, and really quite clear-cut. As a jury, we came to a decision fairly quickly, all in pretty much agreement and only needing 10 out of 12 to agree.

When all was said and done, I walked out of the courtroom, happy to have done my duty and awe-inspired by the wonderful judicial system we enjoy in our country.

Maybe next time I won’t cringe and wonder “again?”  when/if I get that letter again.

(but knowing me, I probably will!!)

                          

Lesson Learned

 

Yesterday, after Big Mike’s last opthamologist appointment,we took a ride to a local lake, just to sip our lattes and watch the boats being launched and re-entering.

Though enjoyable, we sat there thinking and talking about all we had waiting for us to do at home, how we really should get going etc etc.

My little Chaps looked over at me and somehow conveyed how happy he was at that moment…

to just be there with us

 people-(&dog!) watching, laying around and even dozing,

walking intermittently and just being out of the house.

Another reminder of how we have a lot to learn from them,

I thought,

as I looked out at the water and took another sip of coffee.

Thank You Chaps!

Annual Health Checkup

 

Well, it was today….the dreaded yearly checkup with my internist.

I haven’t had any problems but just the same, I do worry

about the cholesterol levels, blood pressure reading, thyroid levels etc etc,

not to mention the…………

scale!  EEEEK!!!!

The bad news is that my doctor walked in sneezing, coughing admitting “I’m sick”.

(uh huh, I see that….so why are you here?)

the good news was that all my bloodwork turned out fine.

I did gain a few pounds over the last year – phooey -

but I think my doc. was too sick to make anything of it.

Now, if my immune system just keeps me from getting whatever he has,

I can get on with losing those new, unwanted pounds…

fingers crossed….

My Precious Chihuahuas

 

We are a chihuahua household.

Love them to bits.

Sadly, June 11, we lost our beloved little girl “Gucci”…

my 15yr. old “heart and soul”.

I thought I would die….

seriously, my heart was broken.

My 14 yr. old male, Chaps, was missing our Guch too.

Several weeks went by and we decided we needed to get out of this funk – and invite another to share our home.

So off my husband and I went to our local humane society to

adopt “Big Mike” (my husband named him),

after seeing him on their website.

He is 8yrs. old, and 8lbs. of sweetness.

He has come to us with some eye damage from his time

living on the streets,

but he is seeing an animal opthamologist and is improving

little by little -

as are our hearts.

Be It Ever So Humble…..

This has been My Place, my home for the past 39 yrs.

It is on a lovely, tree-lined, quiet street.

We brought up 2 children here, plus many pets.

We have seen many neighbors come and go.

We used to be “the kids” on the block and now

we are one of 3 of the original families left.

We considered moving last year, after retirement.

Charleston SC appealed to us, and so off we went,

on numerous jaunts from our Midwestern roots

to the southeast on home-buying searches.

Came pretty darn close…..

lovely homes, lovely area, lovely weather, lovely people – the whole package.

But when it came right down to it, we realized

we are too deeply entrenched in our neighborhood and city

to leave.

And we’re so glad for it.