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Friday, March 25, 2011

There Must Be Something in the Water...

Two more Mini's making themselves comfortable....


Meet Pepper (Peppy) 
and Phoebe
These cuties came in on Saturday not long after Tink left. Now that I've gotten to know them for a week I can tell a little about them. They like to relax. LOL Actually, Peppy is an 11 year old male that loves my sofa, loves his toys, especially his frisbee, and to hang outside. He's a very sweet mellow boy that likes to talk to the neighbors when he hears them outside. You can't help but give him hugs, he's a gentle soul. 

Phoebe is a very good girl and when not resting, loves to hang outside, talk when she gets excited and run around the backyard. She is 9 years old. 

They are both easy fosters, very quiet and calm but playful and energetic when engaged. Phoebe has someone coming to meet her on Monday and I received two other phone calls asking about her that I've yet to return. Popular girl in such a short time of being on our website. She's a short stocky girl that likes to be laying on a pillow when I'm in my office, or on her blanket when I'm in the living room, or about 5 feet away from me when I'm in the kitchen. That could be all about food rather than be about me, though, she's a food hound...typical Schnauzer trait. 

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Tink On Her Soapbox

Tink used to stand on the stump in my backyard and give the neighbors her ideas...or maybe she was saying how wonderful I was to let her stand out there and talk.... ;-)  Fortunately, when she would do it would be during the day and people were at work, otherwise it would have been cut short.

I tried to set this up as a slideshow but can't figure it out, would love to be able to do it as a flip book, but couldn't find how to do that. So you just get pictures and be thankful there's only six!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Tink Goes Home

On Saturday, a very very nice couple came down 4 hours from Maine to meet Miss Tink. I was curious as to how she would respond to them, 4 hours is a long way to travel to be rejected by a dog. But, I knew when I listened to Megan's initial message that she was the one for Tink. I had rejected 4 or 5 already for various reasons, I didn't even see Megan's application, yet, but I knew in my gut Tink would be leaving me.
and I was right.
she doesn't look at all comfortable in that picture now does she? LOL

and look at Hanzie making himself pretty comfy halfway in Megan's lap. I think he wanted to go home with her, too.

What a lovely couple. They fell for Tink immediately, how could you not? there's something about that girl. Sweetness, innocence with a dash of spunk.

As with Frank a couple weeks before, there was a new experience for me in my exchange with Tink before leaving. Tink went to Megan as soon as she walked in the door. Upon sitting on the sofa, Tink jumped up and got herself some love. After awhile, she came over to me and looked at me, I knew what the look meant, "is it OK?" so I told her, "it's OK baby girl." and she turned, jumped back up on the sofa and went back for more pets and love. After awhile again, she jumped off and came to me. Again, the look. Again, I told her it was OK. She turned and jumped back onto the sofa. Then after awhile, a third time, she came over. This time she jumped on my lap, I gave her some hugs and snuggles, she jumped off and went to get attention again, this time more from Adam rather than Megan.

They were here for almost 2 hours. We chatted, found things in common and talked about how Tink would be in their lives.

Finally, it was time to go. I thought for sure I would cry, Tink and I had a very special bond. But, I was so happy for her to have found a couple that would treat her so lovingly and sweetly. Of course, I get teary as I sit here writing because I miss her a lot. A LOT. One of the tragedies that comes with the job... an occasional heartbreak. It is rare that I make a connection like this with a dog in my care, but on the heels of Lucy's situation, came Tink the day Lucy was euthanized. The Universe works in funny ways.

Harness was on, contract was signed and they were to be on their way. Tink pawed at my leg then put her two little front paws on my knee, I crouched down and we said our goodbyes. I could feel that she knew it was right, but that there was also a little hesitancy.

When Tink and Frank had come to my home, I had made an appointment with Brenda, the Animal Communicator, mostly to talk about Lucy. Lucy was present during our conversation and I haven't talked about this here because there are many that don't believe and just think I'm whacked. Within that session I also got to communicate with Frank and Tink. The point of this paragraph is that I found out that Tink loved the colors yellow and white. Megan's favorite color is yellow and it's a main color that will be used in her and Adam's September wedding. Friend's say it's coincidence, I saw it as a sign. When Tink was put into her crate in the car I was afraid she might not fit because the dog pillow was so thick and fluffy!...and it was very yellow. I don't know where Megan found it or if she made it but it was a wonderful place for the little princess to rest her body for the trip back to Maine.

For almost two months I had this little gift that gave me joy and lifted my heart. Now she will be doing it for others and I hope there are many many years of love shared with Megan, Adam and Tink.

Monday, March 21, 2011

How's This for a Fire Pit?

Searching around the web for some art blogs I came across John T. Unger. I love the fire pits he makes.

The Great Bowl O' Fire

Speaking of Recipes...

I was linking from one blog to another a couple weeks ago and came across a post about a delicious gluten free flourless chocolate cake. Debby from Quilty Pleasures talked about it as she was without her stove for a few days and was trying to make due with a toaster oven, and made this cake. I asked her for the recipe because it sounded so interesting. It's made with chick peas. Yup, garbanzo beans! What a great idea! and it was so quick and easy. Turns out she found it on allrecipes.com.

photo taken from Quilty Pleasures
Most of the few people I made try this liked it. I cut back the sugar by a third and it was still a little too sweet for me. Next time I would cut it back a little more and use a really dark chocolate. I may try a little less egg, too, as it wasn't as dense as a flourless cake would normally be. It definitely would be tasty with some raspberries or a raspberry syrup drizzled on it. Raspberry and chocolate -- can never go wrong with that!! unless of course, you are my friend Vanessa who believes that baked goods and fruit do not belong together. 

I would love to be on a gluten free/mostly grainless way of living again, I know I will feel better, so this was a great recipe to find because it didn't substitute flour with another gluten free grain. Of course, I say this as I just popped into the oven a cinnamon beer bread! LOL and last night made chocolate chip cookies for the Man and my neighbor...a few cookies for them -- a few spoonfuls of batter for me...eating the batter does not make them gluten free Denise.



Saturday, March 19, 2011

Lemon Mousse Bursts Flavor in Your Mouth

I had guests for dinner Friday night and made a lemon mousse for dessert...found it via an internet search, I got the recipe that was from Barefoot Contessa and then I found this from the blog Indian Simmer... (which, by the way, you should check out for some good recipes and beautiful food photography.)

IMG_1297
Photo taken from Indian Simmer 















Can I just say DELICIOUS!!? So light and lemony (I had left out the lemon curd called for in the recipe because Prerna from Indian Simmer said it was good without it.) I served it in Martini glasses drizzled with bittersweet chocolate with a dollop of whipped cream and chocolate shavings. YUMMMY! everyone loved it. I think I might make it again using orange zest and juice and maybe separating layers of fruit infused mousse with dark chocolate mousse.

Spoons were diving in before I thought that I should have taken a picture, but it looks pretty in ramekins, too.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Adventures...

As I took a few minutes to check emails, news, etc. I came across an article which was on my home page. I don't often go to the homepage of this particular email address, nor do I regularly click on links with news stories, but this caught my attention...


It makes me long for and remember my 'somewhat' more adventuresome times when I didn't have as many responsibilities. It reminds me to get out of the pattern and out of my box.

I'm glad I took a few minutes to watch the videos. Maybe you've seen them, they've been circulated, it seems, for a couple months now. I like how there were so many people interested in helping him. I like that it showed that people in the world are not negative/hurtful as represented in the media. Sure, there were naysayers and negative messages sent, but overall, the good of people came out.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Happy Monday!!

Crazy week, I've missed posting, I've got things to show and tell. Hopefully soon. 

In the meantime.....Tink loves Hanzie....

Hanz? well, he's not too sure why she has to be so close...


oh well...accepts it anyway.



she does like him, but even more so, likes to be warm...



Hanzie has some affection for her, too....he just likes to hide it.