Happy National Dog Day! 

"National Dog Day is celebrated August 26th annually and was founded in 2004 Family Lifestyle Expert and Animal Advocate, Colleen Paige. National Dog Day serves to help galvanize the public to recognize the number of dogs that need to be rescued each year, and acknowledges family dogs and dogs that work selflessly each day to save lives, keep us safe and bring comfort. Dogs put their lives on the line every day - for their law enforcement partner, for their blind companion, for a child who is disabled, for our freedom and safety by detecting bombs and drugs and pulling victims of tragedy from wreckage. 

National Dog Day is against any kind of "breed ban". Dogs should not have to lose their lives because of the atrocities they have been forced to endure at the hands of man. And while we feel that American's have the constitutional right to purchase a pure breed dog, we strongly discourage buying dogs from pet stores supplied by puppy mills, backyard breeders, the internet and newspaper ads. Rather, we encourage those seeking new canine companions, to consider choosing adoption first and if you'd like a pure breed dog, look into a pure breed rescue to see if they might have just the dog you're looking for." 

source: National Dog Day

March 25th is International Waffle Day

International Waffle Day originated in Sweden where it is called Våffeldagen. The holiday coincides with the Feast of the Annunciation, which takes place nine months before Christmas – when the Archangel Gabriel told the Virgin Mary she was pregnant. The day also celebrated the beginning of Spring. It became customary for Swedish families to celebrate the events with waffles.

Waffle Fun Facts:
-The word “waffle” is from the Dutch, meaning “wafer.” -In the late 1800’s, Thomas Jefferson returned from France with a waffle iron.
-In the US, we get TWO chances to celebrate waffles! National Waffle Day is August 24! ...It celebrates the first patented waffle iron. The patent was submitted by Cornelius Swarthout in 1869.
-Eggo Waffles were introduced in supermarket freezer sections in 1953.
-Since its founding in 1955, the Waffle House chain has sold more than 500 million waffles.
-Maurice Vermersch sold his wife’s fluffy Brussels Waffles at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York. Since he didn’t think anyone knew where Brussels was, he dubbed them “Belgian Waffles.”
-There are several types of waffles – American, Belgian, Scandinavian, Liège, Hong Kong, and Dutch stroopwafels.
-If you make too many, you can always freeze leftover waffles and reheat in the toaster or toaster oven.  

  "L'eggo my Eggo"....Eggo waffles were invented in San Jose, California, by three brothers, Tony, Sam, and Frank Dorsa. In 1953, the Dorsa brothers introduced Eggo frozen waffles to supermarkets throughout the United States.  

The Yellow Dog Project




What Is Yellow Dog?

"The Yellow Dog Project was created to bring awareness to the general public about dogs who need space while training, recovering from surgery, or being rehabilitated.

The Yellow Dog Project is a global movement for parents of dogs that need space (aka DINOS, Dogs In Need Of Space).

Through social media, physical awareness, as well as educational courses for kids and parents, TYDP hopes that we can remind people to ask before petting, that owners of other dogs recognize the signs of a dog that's not interested, and many more!"

I personally have a dog that is both afraid and reactive to other dogs when they get too close to us, her human pack.  It has made us reluctant to walk her in public or take her to places where there will be other dogs (vet, dog park, shot clinic, humane society function/charity).  She loves humans, but for some reason, does not like other dogs.  I love this idea and will be implementing it.  But of course, people need to be made aware of what it means.  So, go to their website and download a poster to hang up at your place of employment, local businesses, humane societies, veterinarian, dog parks, etc. to get the word out!  



 

You can find them here:  http://www.theyellowdogproject.com

 

They also have have a Facebook Fan page here:  http://www.facebook.com/TheYellowDogProject#!/TheYellowDogProject

Homemade Dog Biscuits Recipe

If you love your pets like me, what better way to show them than by making home-made treats!  You can also add other ingredients to enhance their flavor and/or to promote health (examples:  wheat germ, garlic, brewers yeast, yogurt, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, etc.).  By making your own treats, you know exactly what goes into them.  And if you have a finicky eater or your doggy has a sensitive tummy or allergies, you can customize your treats just for them.  There are tons of recipes and information on-line, so do your homework and come up with what works best for you and your dog!

You can use any shape cookie cutter you already have, or, you can purchase a dog-bone shaped cookie cutter at your local kitchen supply, craft/hobby or on-line store!

Better Than Store-Bought: Homemade Dog Biscuits

Ingredients:

½ cup water
2 eggs
½ cup cornmeal
½ cup rolled oats
3 tablespoons peanut butter
½ cup canola oil
2 cups whole-wheat flour

Combine ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then stir to combine (mixture will be thick). Sprinkle flour on a countertop and roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it is between ¼ and ½ inch thick. Using cookie cutters, cut out biscuit and place on a well-oiled baking sheet.

Bake biscuits at 400F for 20 minutes (or until hard). Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Recipe courtesy of:  http://www.takepart.com/video/better-store-bought-homemade-dog-biscuits

Veterans Day



U.S. Navy 1982-1986



VF-124, F-14 Tomcat Squadron

Wild Bird Treat Mix in a Quart Jar

This would be a neat gift for friends and family members that are bird enthusiasts! 

Wild Bird Treat Mix in a Quart Jar

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup small mixed bird seed
1/2 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups quick oats

Directions:

• Layer cornmeal, wheat germ, bird seed, raisins and oats in order given (starting with cornmeal), in a 1 quart wide mouth jar pressing each layer very firmly before adding next layer. 
• Decorate jar and attach a recipe card with the following instructions:  
• "WILDBIRD TREATS"  
• Empty all ingredients from jar into a large bowl, mix.  
• Add: 3/4 cup peanut butter, smooth or crunchy, and 1 cup water.  
• Mix very well.  Add more water, if necessary, to make a stiff dough.  
• Spread in a 9"x13" baking pan.  
• Use knife to cut bars into 2"x4" bars. Leave bars in place.  
• Bake at 250 degrees F. for 45 minutes.  
• Leave in pan to cool.  
• Cut into bars along cut lines.  
• Feed wild birds one bar at a time.  
• Keep remaining bars refrigerated until needed.

Recipe courtesy of:  http://www.food.com/recipe/wild-bird-treat-mix-in-a-quart-jar-136395

VOTE!

Quotes for Women, By Women - Get Out and Vote!!

"We've got a generation now who were born with semi-equality. They don't know how it was before, so they think, this isn't too bad. We're working. We have our attaché cases and our three-piece suits. I get very disgusted with the younger generation of women. We had a torch to pass, and they are just sitting there. They don't realize it can be taken away. Things are going to have to get worse before they join in fighting the battle."  ~Erma Bombeck, Author (1927-1996)

"The young women of today, free to study, to speak, to write, to choose their occupation, should remember that every inch of this freedom was bought for them at a great price. It is for them to show their gratitude by helping onward the reforms of their own times, by spreading the light of freedom and of truth still wider. The debt that each generation owes to the past it must pay to the future."
~Abigail Scott Duniway (1834-1915) Suffrage organizer in the Pacific Northwest

"The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any."
~ Alice Walker

Dating Advice 101

August 26, 1920

Women have had the right to vote in the

United States of America for only 92 years!

"On Election Day in 1920, millions of American women exercised their right to vote for the first time. It took activists and reformers nearly 100 years to win that right, and the campaign was not easy: Disagreements over strategy threatened to cripple the movement more than once. But on August 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was finally ratified, enfranchising all American women and declaring for the first time that they, like men, deserve all the rights and responsibilities of citizenship."  http://www.history.com/topics/the-fight-for-womens-suffrage

Exercise your right to vote!

Democrat or Republican? Not me!

This was written in 2002. Sounds like it was written yesterday. Voting Republican or Democrat is NOT going to change ANYTHING!

http://www.strike-the-root.com/columns/blow/blow4.html  

We need a big change in this country. Stop voting for the lesser of two evils. Neither party is for "the people"...they are only in it for their own political career and to pay back favors for them getting there!   Instead, do a "write-in" and vote for them.  Even though they will probably not win, high numbers of write-ins will get the message out there that this country is tired of the "status-quo".  Neither parties are what they used to be.  Campaigns are all about mud-slinging lies and falsehoods, nothing else.  Both parties claim they will bring jobs back, cut taxes, etc.  Yeah, right.  Like they have a say so in any of that.  It's scary to see people idolizing these candidates, as if they're going to save them personally.  Get a clue.  They do NOT care about you, unless you're one of the 1 percent and are contributing to their campaign funds.  Stop following blindly and start voting for someone that WILL make a difference.    

"I'm Marni, and I approve this message." 

Powerful....

Reflections - Looking Back

As I reflect back over this last year, I can definitely say that I hope and pray I never have to deal with that kind of emotional pain again.  I am not yet ready to discuss the cause of this pain, but I am ready to move on and claim my life back.  I used to think I was a very strong person.  This brought me to my knees.  The heartache and the blow to my self-esteem and self-worth is indescribable.  Everything that I had believed in my whole life was shattered.  Not only did the incident make me question myself, it made me question everything about life.  My perception of everything was altered.  Because of what one person did, I no longer believed in or trusted anyone.  I questioned if true love existed, or was it just nature's trap.  I wondered what was wrong with me.  I actually felt like I was going crazy at times and would have actual panic attacks which I had never had before in my life.  Like I said, what I felt and how I saw things cannot be described with words.

It has been 18 months since the first revelation.  I am just now starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  There were many months that I didn't think I'd see that light.  There were some days when I'd feel like I was gaining my strength back, but then something would knock it right out from under me.  I couldn't count how many times something would trigger that initial pain and the subsequent uncontrollable emotions.

As the saying goes, "time heals all wounds".  My wounds are starting to finally heal.  Though I will be scarred the rest of my life because of this, I have survived.  I don't feel those extreme "crazy bouts" anymore, though I still have moments that I could easily succumb to but they are getting less and less all the time.  I am starting to have those happy and joyous times again.  And I am not as skeptical as I once was.

What got me through all this?  Though at first nothing was helping, I did reconnect with God.  Prayer, reading everything I could find about what happened and why, and the undying and loving support of my family and friends is what helped me get through it.  I still have a bit of a ways to go, but I at least am "out of the woods" now. 

I know with God's grace that I will continue to heal from this.  Now, I have to make a conscientious effort to stop dwelling on the past and move forward.  I have to forgive both myself and the person that caused the pain.  Even though I may not tell this person to their face that they are forgiven (unless they ask me for it), I must forgive them in order for me to move on and heal.

Here is a quote from a website that I follow on Facebook:

"Don’t live your life with hate in your heart. You will end up hurting yourself more than the people you hate.  Forgiveness is not saying, “What you did to me is okay.”  It is saying, “I’m not going to let what you did to me ruin my happiness forever.”  Forgiveness is the answer… let go, find peace, liberate yourself!  And remember, forgiveness is not just for other people, it’s for you too. If you must, forgive yourself, move on and try to do better next time."  http://www.marcandangel.com/

Buster 2000 - 2011

After a very tough year dealing with personal issues and becoming an "empty nester", I had to deal with one more thing. Friday, October 28, 2011, my 11 year old shepherd mix male dog, Buster, sustained injuries that would have taken several surgeries to repair and lots of pain to endure. The vet said his age was also a factor. He may not tolerate the several surgeries. Buster was also starting to suffer with arthritis in his hips. So, I had to make that decision that no one ever wants to make. I went outside and made several calls to my family for support. I had to do it, I had to "put him down". The words that stood out the most were from my brother, who had to put his elderly dog down a few years ago. He said "Just remember, this is not for you, this is for him."

So, I returned to his side, where they had slightly sedated him, and I told him I loved him, that he was a great dog and I am sorry for the pain he is suffering right now; now you will be free from all the pain, all the while petting his fuzzy ears and kissing him on his head as my tears fell. It was amazing how caring the Vet and the staff were, to him and to me. I know they deal with this on a daily basis, but their empathy and respect was very comforting. I knew they had did the best they could to relieve his pain and they respected his life afterwards.

I adopted Buster a little over 10 years ago from the local humane society, when he was around 9 months old. They said he had been at the shelter for quite awhile and they were on the verge of having to make some decisions about what to do with him because no one was interested in adopting him. When I met him, though I could tell he was probably a little "naughty", I felt a connection with him. The humane society happily approved my application. He did have issues with men for some reason and didn't tolerate little kids that may tug on his tail, but as he got older and learned to trust the members of our family, those behaviors went away. Granted, he still didn't tolerate male strangers in the house, which helped me feel safer when I became an "empty nester" (the poor washer repairman found that out last year). But he did his job well, keeping the squirrels, skunks and groundhogs out of the backyard, letting us know when a car or person passed through the alley, or when a stranger knocked on the door. He loved playing fetch before his arthritis started bothering him. But even with his painful hips, the squirrels didn't have a chance in our backyard! It was because of him my garden was relatively "critter" free.

I already miss his "let me in" and "let me out" bark. There were many times I would be irritated by that bark, but you don't always realize what you have until you don't have it anymore. So, if you have a faithful companion that loves you unconditionally, give him an extra hug and an extra treat today, because one day, you will wish that you did.

Rest in peace, Buster. You will always be in our hearts. We love you and miss you!

Last Night

I stood by your bed last night; I came to have a peep.
I could see that you were crying, you found it hard to sleep.
I whined to you softly as you brushed away a tear,
"It's me, I haven't left you, I'm well, I'm fine, I'm here."
I was close to you at breakfast, I watched you pour the tea,
You were thinking of the many times, your hands reached down to me.
I was with you at the shops today; your arms were getting sore.
I longed to take your parcels, I wish I could do more.
I was with you at my grave today; you tend it with such care.
I want to re-assure you, that I'm not lying there.
I walked with you towards the house, as you fumbled for your key.
I gently put my paw on you; I smiled and said, "it's me."
You looked so very tired, and sank into a chair.
I tried so hard to let you know, that I was standing there.
It's possible for me, to be so near you everyday.
To say to you with certainty, "I never went away."
You sat there very quietly, then smiled, I think you knew...
in the stillness of that evening, I was very close to you.
The day is over... I smile and watch you yawning
and say "good-night, God bless, I'll see you in the morning."
And when the time is right for you to cross the brief divide,
I'll rush across to greet you and we'll stand, side by side.
I have so many things to show you, there is so much for you to see.
Be patient, live your journey out...then come home to be with me.
- Author Unknown

Etsy Treasury

Winslow Lane Designs on Etsy featured my candleholder in her "Fishy Tales" treasury. 

Thank you Winslow Lane Designs!

One of Those Little Blessings!

It finally feels like Spring, well, Summer actually!  We are in the low 80's (F) and it's feeling mighty nice!  I made myself a cup of coffee and decided to drink it on the front porch, sitting on my glider.  As I was sitting there, something caught my eye above me.  In the corner on the ledge underneath the porch roof there is a new nest, with a mama mourning dove sitting on her eggs!  This is one of those little blessings that make me smile! 

"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things."

My Blessings

A good start for the next chapter in my life is to discern and document the blessings in my life.  At times, I think we all forget to give them the proper appreciation they deserve.  So, my first "real" post of the year 2011 will be about the many blessings in my life.  They may not be all that exciting or life-changing, but they are what makes our lives worth living!  It goes without saying that I am grateful for my health, my job and my house, but they don't bring me the same kind of happiness like the following!

1. My family (my 2 adult daughters, my 3 year old grandson, my mom and my brother)
2. My few close friends
3. My pets (2 dogs and a cat)
4. My garden (both flower and vegetable)
5. The wildlife and birds and other "creatures" that visit my yard
6. The changing of the Seasons
7. Celebrating the holidays and special occasions with my family and friends
8. Watching and participating in my grandson's discoveries and milestones (seeing my grandson giggle over blowing bubbles or watching a funny video or the dog licking his face or feeding the fish or him asking to hold my hand when we get out of the car)
9. Creating and sharing my creations (my crafts, cooking, gardening)
10. Drinking a cup of coffee or tea on my front porch or in the backyard, relaxing, observing what's going on around me, such as the birds eating from the birdfeeder, squirrels playing, the dogs rough-housing or getting excited over the squirrels or talking with a loved one
11. Snuggling up with a warm blanket and a bowl of popcorn and watching a favorite show or movie
12. Picking the first vegetables of the season from my garden
13. Going for a ride on my scooter or the motorcycle on a warm summer day
14. Taking a walk and picking up nature's trinkets such as pinecones and rocks
15. When my daughters do something special for me such as come over and cook dinner

"May you always have work for your hands to do.

May your pockets hold always a coin or two.

May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.

May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.

May the hand of a friend always be near you.

And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you."

~Irish Blessing

My Return...

My Dear Readers:

As I had posted last year, I have been going through some personal tribulations which caused me to lose interest in many areas of my life.  I even posted what happened here not too long ago, but removed it as I'm not yet ready to reveal it to "the world".  I'm still dealing with it and I am still in the middle of making some major decisions.  That being said, I have made some other decisions in my life and that is to start "living" again.  Though my blog is not all that exciting and I have yet to really find my "blogging niche", I've decided to give it a try again.  Because of my personal ordeal, I'm looking at life a little differently these days.  I feel I have changed and not for the best, at least not right now.  I was in my own little world of naive happiness.  Not that I was naive, but, people in my life weren't who I thought they were, and boy, did their behavior and bad judgment alter how I see the world now.  In time, as the pain and disappointment fades, I know I won't be so hyper-cynical as I am now.  As I find myself again, I know I will become a stronger person for it.  There's a reason for everything that happens in one's life, good and bad.  And someday, I believe I will understand why this happened.  In the mean time, I have to start focusing on the good and simple things in my life.  It is time to count my blessings instead of fixating on the negatives.  It is time to start living again!     

Summer is gone..... : (

I apologize to my followers for disappearing this summer.  An unexpected personal/family issue happened and as I dealt with it, I was not in any condition to write anything.  I've gotten a better grip on things and I do see the light at the end of the tunnel now.  I still have my bad days, but, getting back to "normal" will help speed up the recovery process.  Thank you for your patience and loyalty.

I love Summer, but it slipped by me this year.  When you experience a traumatic event, you become numb to what's going on around you.  Life continues on while you suffer.  It's kind of disheartening, actually.  I had put a lot of effort into my flower and vegetable gardens this Spring.  As I suffered, my garden suffered, too.  Though we had plenty of rain early on, the over-abundance of water caused all of my squash plants to rot.  I was only able to enjoy one zucchini this year!  I planted giant sunflower seeds but they never germinated.  Even though the flowers are blooming, the weeds took over everywhere.  My tomatoes are the only plants that are doing well.  Next season, I hope to make up for this year.

As a follow up to my last post, here are some new photos of the puppy we adopted this Spring.  We named her Kiah.  She has a very cute personality, but we forgot how tough it is to raise a puppy!  She's keeping our older dogs on their toes!

The Ultimate Impulse "Buy"

We had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. 

The weather was beautiful.  You couldn't have asked for a better day.  My husband and I were invited by my brother to go to an Amish auction on Saturday, so we decided to take the 200 mile trip to Soldier's Grove, WI.  I have always been intrigued by the Amish and their lifestyle.  I have several Amish cookbooks and have discovered some excellent recipes.  My brother purchased Amish furniture from this particular auction last year, so I was excited to go check it out. 

Upon arriving in town, we immediately came upon a horse drawn buggy.  This is not something you see everyday when you live in the city.  This was my first time seeing it in person and squealed with delight!  My husband was surprised that it was my first time.  He's an over-the-road truck driver and has been all over the country, so it wasn't new to him.  We then found the Amish farm where the auction was being held.  As we pulled in with our Ford pick-up truck, there was a "parking lot" full of cars, trucks, buggies and horses!  What a sight that was! 

This auction is held each year to raise money for the local Amish school, so all the items are donated by the local Amish families.  There were several bedroom and dining room sets that sold for $2,500.00 and up!  There were probably a hundred quilts, many of them sold for over $300.00 each.  Other items sold were planters, doll furniture, cutting boards, tables, chairs, gliders, gun cabinets, hope chests, etc.  And what makes this extra special to me is that they are all handmade lovingly by the Amish.  The quality surpasses most store bought furniture!

An Amish breakfast was being held prior to the auction.  We walked into a tent full of Amish ladies cooking over propane stoves, using old fashioned egg beaters to mix the pancake batter.  It was delicious!  As you left the tent, there were large tables filled with homemade pies, breads, cinnamon rolls, cookies and noodles for sale.  On the outside of the tent, there was a booth set up to sell homemade ice cream!  Now remember, they don't use electricity.  And to make enough ice cream to sell to a large crowd, they had an industrial size ice cream churn.......attached to a small gas engine to churn it!  As the day went on, they switched to selling cups of homemade noodle soup, sandwiches and slices of pie.  Needless to say, my diet was shot that day! 

As we were sitting there watching the auction, a little Amish boy came up to us carrying a puppy.  He asked us if anyone wanted a puppy.  My brother picked up the puppy and held her.  She was adorable!  The little boy said she's for free.  My heart melted and my husband and brother gave me puppy dog eyes right along with the puppy.  I could not resist!  And I said yes!  I decided to still give him some money ($10.00), but he wouldn't take it until after my third attempt.  He walked off with a big grin on his face!  As we looked at her and did some on-line research on our phones, we decided she's probably a pure bred Blue Heeler aka an Australian Cattle Dog.  After a week of contemplating, we decided to name her Kiah (pronounced K-eye-ah).  It is an Australian Aboriginal word meaning "from the beautiful place".