Beatrice Euphemie

Monday, February 20, 2012

Tina's Pic Story Link

Glass Ceiling at Chihuly Glass Museum, Tacoma, WA

Linking with Tina's Pic Story - Creative Tuesday

http://tinaspicstory.blogspot.com/

Cozy Weekend

This has been the view most of the long weekend. Rainy, cold, dreary.

But we have been warm and cozy inside with the fire going, lots of hot tea, and plenty to keep us busy.

Lots of candles and newspaper reading.

Some warm homey meals. (Fettuccine Parmesan with a sprinkling of nutmeg)

Fresh baked bread.

A visit from a sweet daughter and her pups.

A trip to the market for groceries and fresh blooming bulbs to bring home.

Some garden planning.

And wistful dreaming. (Courtesy of Country Living Magazine, April 2011)

A girl's gotta dream! (Love the old dish rack used for plant saucers)

So let it rain!

What are you dreaming of?

Friday, February 17, 2012

A Tribute to Dogs and a Recipe for Dog Treats

Have you ever loved a dog?

I have loved a few. I love their devotion, their innocence, their trust, their loyalty. What other friend would put themselves between you and danger, always be happy to see you, never judge you, offer comfort and joy and kisses no matter what, when or where?

"His ears were often the first thing to catch my tears."

Elizabeth Barrett Browning, referring to her Cocker Spaniel, Flush.

My very first dog was the only companion that witnessed my whole childhood. She slept at the foot of my bed each and every night, went everywhere she could with me, including solitary trips in my little row boat, and suffered with me through childhood hurts, stoically leaning into my sad embraces. How I loved that dog! When I lost her due to old age, I thought I would never get over the grief. I love her still.

"The poor dog, in life the firmest friend,

The first to welcome, foremost to defend."

Lord Byron

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."

Anatole France

"Folk will know how large your soul is, by the way you treat a dog!"

Charles F. Doran

"This soldier, I realized, must have had friends at home and in his regiment; yet he lay there deserted by all except his dog. I looked on, unmoved, at battles which decided the future of nations. Tearless, I had given orders which brought death to thousands. Yet here I was stirred, profoundly stirred, stirred to tears. And by what? By the grief of one dog."

Napoleon Bonaparte, on finding a dog beside the body of his dead master, licking his face and howling, on a moonlit field after a battle. Napoleon was haunted by this scene until his own death.

"My dear old dog, most constant of all friends."

William Croswell Doane

"The dog has no ambition, no self interest, no desire for vengeance, no fear other than that of displeasing."

Count of Buffon

Thomas A. Edison was once reluctantly persuaded by his wife to attend one of the big social functions of the season in New York. At last the inventor managed to escape the crowd of people vying for his attention, and sat alone unnoticed in a corner. Edison kept looking at his watch with a resigned look on his face. A friend edged near to him unnoticed and heard the inventor mutter to himself with a sigh, "If there were only a dog here!"

If you have a special dog in your life, here is a treat I am sure he will enjoy!

Dog Biscuits

2-1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 cup Powdered Milk

1 tsp. Garlic Powder

1 Tb. Wheat Germ

1 tsp. Beef Bouillon (granules)

6 Tb. Bacon Grease or Meat Drippings

2 Eggs

1/2 cup Ice Water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all dry ingredients. Cut in drippings. Mix in eggs. Add enough ice water for mixture to form a ball. Pat out to 1/2" thick. Cut out. Bake 25-30 minutes. Cool.

Keep in mind that baking these will fill your kitchen with a smell resembling dirty sweat socks! So crack a window or light a scented candle!

You can buy this cool biscuit cutter at www.AnnClark.com or look for one in your local pet shop. The recipe came with the cutter. The heart shaped cutter is one I had.

This recipe made 4 large biscuits and a dozen small ones.

This would make a great gift for a dog lover! Present the biscuits in a new dog dish along with the cutters and recipe, and tie it all up with a new leash or collar.

They were pronounced 'Delicious' by the 'Test Kitchen!'

Just don't try to steal it back!

Guaranteed to bring a smile (or snarl) to your beloved friend.

Enjoy!

Thursday, February 16, 2012

In Between Time

This is the time of year I call the 'In Between Time'. Winter is coming to a close, but it's not quite Spring yet.

These last few weeks of Winter can really drag on.

It's also an in between time for me, as I have no projects going on at the moment except the never ending clean up from the ice storm. But that is going slowly, as the weather has been rainy and very cool.

We have had fresh snow in the higher foothills. The day before yesterday we had a hail storm. It pockmarked my new Primroses that I had just set out. But it can't dull their bright cheerful faces.

I seem to want to fill every available pot with flowers inside and out this time of year. A cheerful and inexpensive way to keep the spirits up.

My sweet daughter J came to visit me last night and brought me these. Roses for Valentine's Day. You can't have too many roses, I say.

How wonderful is it to have two vases full of roses?

The roses Hubby gave me for Valentine's Day are fully opened and just as lovely as can be.

I guess those 30 plus years of wifery and mothering is paying off!

Speaking of Hubby, he is my Rambling Man this week, traveling to Spokane to stay on top of things for business.

So I offered to have a sleep over with these two little sweetie pies to keep me company.

My daughter J's mini dachshunds, Peanut and Weenie Baby. Weenie Baby is recovering from a serious illness. We almost lost her. She is just as sweet as can be.

The vet put her on Prednisone for a serious blood disorder, among other drugs. It caused her to gain a lot of weight. She is so chubby and cuddly now. But her last visit to the vet is this week and they will take her off the steroids and she can get back to her girlish figure once more.

Peanut is happy to have her sister to play with once again. And steal dog treats from. They are inseparable and it would have been tragic if Weenie Baby hadn't recovered.

So all is right in the pup dog world once more.

We are hanging out together for a few days. They get along great with my dogs. But not my cats.

Maggie calls them the 'evil twins'. But I keep them well separated. The cats get to hang out in my bedroom and go out the side door. They know the routine. They also get to sleep with mama. I woke up this morning to Ling Ling purring loudly in my ear. Yea, she was sharing my pillow.

The picnic table is free from it's fallen tree. Hubby and I worked one whole afternoon cleaning up the aftermath.

The whole top of my very large cherry tree broke and fell from the recent ice storm, crushing the metal gazebo. It spared my picnic table, though. You can see the large white gash of bare wood that used to be the cherry tree in the background.

Once upon a time it looked like this. But that is o.k. It is easy to replace. And even though we lost the cherry tree, it will open up the space to more light.