Dust Bunnies

  Awhile back I was going to write a story about dust-bunnies.

I watched them for many years and have a love/hate relationship with the devilish little things. They seemingly appear before your eyes from nowhere. They scurry across the floor and have no regard for mop nor broom. Lightning fast they are. After you’re done sweeping, and walking the dustmop across the floor and into their favorite hiding spots; after you’ve wiped the sweat from your eyes there, THERE is another in the middle of the hallway. They are like little children and (honest, listen hard) they laugh at you. “You can’t get me”. If you leave them alone they can grow to the size of a small dog.

“Small dog”

That brings me to the reason for my writing today. Two days have passed since the unexpected loss of my dear beagle girl ‘freckles’. I spent several hours of the last two days helping my two other precious dogs, ‘Bear’ and ‘Snickers’, accustom themselves to being without her. We went walking and played at the dog park.  They swam and ran as fast as they could.  Today I grieve.

I swept up the last of the dust bunnies from my house, Tuesday.  Today I found none.

My dear girl Freckles has left the housekeeping chores to the angels.

 

I’m Fondue You

I’m republishing this because the Super Bowl is just around the corner, it’s winter, fondue is available and we seem to be going through a 70’s resurgence.  I have even seen fondue pots in Walmart.  Go to Pinterest and type in “fondue”, recipes abound.

 

I know very few people who own a fondue pot, and those that do have never put it to proper use,  Oh, they’ve used it once or twice to keep cocktail weenies warm at a church buffet, or maybe meatballs in grape jelly on a buffet, but never to sit around with friends, dipping crusty bread into gooey, slightly winey, luscious, warm, melted cheese.

I have four electric fondue pots.  I thoroughly recommend an electric fondue pot over the candle or sterno variety. They provide much better temperature control and can expand the fondue experience to vegetables and meats and of course dessert. Although homemade is almost always better, at this time of the year, packaged cheese fondues are available in the specialty cheese sections of most supermarkets. They are actually very good.  The packages store easily and many brands don’t require refrigeration.   Alpenhaus and Swiss Knight are two of my favorites.

Fondue does not need to be reserved for parties. Fonduing (sic) is a great way to engage your family and friends.  It requires little more than active participation and a loaf of crusty bread, though I do like to turn my crusty bread into toasty garlic bread cubes and toss a fresh green salad to complete the meal. My kids grew up with fondue (children of the 70’s) and a childhood friend of my now 40+ yr old daughter recently spoke to me of her fond memory of her first ever fondue at my home. Fondue can be the basis of a very romantic dinner for two also. Remember, it’s said if you lose a cube of bread in the cheese, you must kiss the person sitting next to you;)

And of course, there is homemade. Even better. A very good one from Emeril

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Out of the mouths of babes they say

or they say the darndest things

yet they say words that often bring me

close to terrible tears

I haven’t been able to enjoy these babes 

I only see them  once a year

and when I do I want to play

and teach them things

only grandmothers can

I know they’re young and I try so hard

not to take it all to heart

their words are not meant to be harsh

they don’t understand

when I was nine my grandma was dead

I didn’t get the chance to play

I’m writing this to get it off my chest, I’ll be OK

I’ll join them in the other room

and later we will play Barbies

and make perfume

and have rainbow spaghetti

and I teach how to make meatballs

and we’ll have a few tantrums

and maybe they will speak sass

but we have built at least a few

memories alway the good

and I’ll fly away all to soon

 

 

Castiel, Dakotah and Milo Bear

This is my first attempt at writing a Children’s Book.  My initial intention was simply to create a little book I could give to my Grand-girls for Christmas.  It turned into so much more.  Please scroll thru any empty pages.  Pages 2, 4 and one or two others are backsides of the published page.  Also page 1 and 3 were the cover and coverpage so are duplicated.  Please enjoy and I would welcome comments.  Book two of this series will soon be in the works.

Castiel_Dakotah_and_Bear

Insane for Bear

Another mouth to feed, one that decidedly will become a big one.  This  67-yr old, not the least bit athletic, not even remotely athletic, has fallen for one of the litter I wrote about in February.  Lil Bear, I call him.  You can call me crazy.  I wavered for a couple weeks. I brought him home to ‘try out’ with my other two older, wonderful dogs.  That didn’t exactly go well.  Freckles is afraid Bear will eat his food.  Snickers is afraid Bear will take his spot next to me on the couch.  My reassurance did not help.   I brought him back to the litter the next day.  It was hard, I cri ed.  My husband said we don’t need another dog.  No one really needs one dog unless it’s a service dog.  But three!  He’s right, I don’t need another dog.

Lil Bear, hit my heart hard!  When I went to help my daughter clean up after the first 6 pups left, I tried to ignore him.  I cleaned up poopey papers, washed the floors as he and his litter-mates chased the mop.  I hugged and petted each pup equally.  Well almost.  when I picked him up for his lovin’, he looked into my eyes and he laughed, I know he laughed.  He knew he had me.  Another of the litter was adopted.  Down to 5 from the 11 Maisey had birthed.  I knew the last male was being kept by Julie, my daughter.   I tried out a female which was my preference if I was crazy enough to have another dog.  The little girl was so spooked by my female beagle, I thought she’d die of fright.  After an hour or two, I took her home.  She was sweet but I knew she would be forever skittish.  I really don’t need another dog anyway.

Julie reminded me that soon after their ‘fixin’, the remaining pups would be going to the adoption center.  Last weekend I decided I do need another dog and brought ‘Bear’ home again.  My logic is flawed I’m sure, but here it is.  My daughter owns his mother.  His favorite playmate of the litter is also going to be with my daughter.  I’m sure Bear will be a frequent visitor at the home four short miles away.  Julie will often take bear to the beach with them all to run.  She will also care for him if I need to travel.  Bear Loves Me!  Enough said? No?

I LOVE Li’l BEAR! Now he is mine.

New Life, isn’t it Amazing: Part 2

I have had dogs all my life.  As a toddler, I was watched over by “Lassie”, then as a youngster “Lady and Chang” took her place.  And as I grew up, there was always a sweet dog to talk to when I had secrets or life wasn’t going my way.  After I married, it wasn’t long before “Peanuts”, an adorable female beagle came into our lives.  We bred her and she had 13 puppies.  Motherhood was more than she could handle and she disappeared just as her pups started weaning.  We kept her pup “Ty”.  He had to be relocated into a good home when unexpected layoffs forced us to move in with parents.  I loved that little beagle.  “Muffin”, a little maltese became my baby when my kids headed off to school.  She died in my arms after chasing a cat very early one day.  Devastated.  In 1990 we bought my daughter a yorkie.  She loved to swim and chase balls and was always full of energy, up until 2005, when my husband had the courage to have her put down.  Now I have “Freckles”, a 10 yr old beagle and “Snickers” a 5 yr old “Morky”.

I have my hands full with these two.  “Freck” will eat herself sick if we aren’t careful and “Snick” likes to tease “Freck” to come near his food, then chow down when she comes near.  He can play all day and night, where she is a couch potato.  Both love to run and eat dandelion puff balls.

I don’t need another dog, but these puppies are so damn cute and cuddly.  Three of them have become my favorites, though I love each and every one.  At 5 wks old, each has a personality all its own.  “Chin” is a black female with just a spot of white on her chin.  She likes to sleep in a corner with her head resting up the wall.
“Miss T” is also black, with a white ‘T’ on her chest.  She like to sleep on the pee papers.  “Bruiser” was the first brown pup of the litter.  He was larger and bolder that all of them.  Lord, I can’t resist his eyes.  He like to crawl into dark spaces.  “Daisy” is the smallest pup, but what she lacks in size, she makes up in playfulness.  She loves to pounce on the other sleeping pups.

Most of my dogs have been kennel produced.  Something I’m not proud of.  Especially since “Snickers” was clearly the product of a puppy mill.  I’m ashamed I allowed myself to support the mill, but so glad I rescued him from it.

“Maisey” the mom of the 11 new pups is a sweet, almost too submissive girl.  She wags her tail constantly and seems so happy to have a good home.  Father of these pups is unknown but I think there may be two.  The dark pup have shorter ears, placed higher on their head.  All have very fuzzy, medium length fur.  The three tan pups resemble collies or shelties maybe, tri-colored with ears lower on their rounded heads.

I could use suggestions identifying possible breeds.  I think momma is part retriever or lab. 

New Life, isn’t it amazing

  I’ve been going through a rough spell during the last few months.  Isn’t it always the post-holiday season, winter cold, false spring starts that drag you down?  Newly sprouted spring bulbs frozen in place by an unexpected cold snap, Christmas debt, flu-bugs, sometimes I wonder how anyone makes it through the doldrums of February and March.  This year I received an unexpected lift.  11 to be exact.  It sort of redefined life, mine especially. My daughter found a young female puppy cowering in traffic in the pouring rain.  She called the police and pulled the dog to safety.  After 5 days at the pound, ‘Maisey’ became part of her family.  Vet checked her over and owner didn’t want this passive little girl, so Julie brought her home. Some short weeks later, a trip to the vet confirmed she was pregnant.   Maisey underwent an ultrasound and was expecting  6 pups.  In the early evening of February 21, Maisey made her nest in a closet and set out to birth her pups.  Julie had tried to get her into a child’s swimming pool to present her babies, but Maisey had other ideas.  The first pup was born about 6:00 PM.  Myself and Pappa rushed through supper and drove the few miles so we could witness the remaining births. By our arrival, 3 pups had been whelped, and so we were privy to the birth of the next 3.  A message awaited us when we arrived home, 3 more pups had been born during our short 15 minute trip home.  It was now 9:30PM.  Before 11PM, 2 more pups were born.  11 pups total, and one exhausted momma. My husband and I have been able to babysit on an almost daily basis.  Walking momma dog, and seeing to the puppies feedings and cleaning has been a joy.  Updates to come.

Spring

so the time has come

to remove the dead and decaying that

has become useless  and aged

that in its prime, bloomed brilliant

violet and orange

and brought  kings to their knees

and princes to tears

as we kneel

we work our hands into

the soil and wonder

who’s hands

we may have taught

to do this chore next year,

someone with love and mom

we hope

and we understand

new life

The Table

for almost fifty years
the table has held testament
to the celebrations of family
and the love within

the table’s small stature
is disguised as a buffet
and belies it’s enormous heart
much like it’s original owner

mother bought the table
when she downsized to her little home
afraid there may be times that
her little kitchen wouldn’t hold us all

daughters and spouses and grandchildren
one by one
friends and family all welcome
to share the occasions of life

and service the table has given
Christmas’ and Easters
weddings and baby showers
birthdays and funerals

The table throws wide its secrets
to seat twelve
an amazing little piece
of furniture

and as another Thanksgiving
draws to a close
I applaud the little table
and give thanks

for another great Thanksgiving
and the 3 generations it held
and pray it will hold our
generations to come

Let us all Pray for our elected officials

First Prayer of the Continental Congress, 1774

---

O Lord our Heavenly Father, high and mighty King of kings, 
And Lord of lords, who dost from thy throne behold all the dwellers on earth and 
Reignest with power supreme and uncontrolled over all the Kingdoms, Empires and Governments; 
Look down in mercy, we beseech Thee, on these our American States, 
Who have fled to Thee from the rod of the oppressor and thrown themselves on Thy gracious protection, 
Desiring to be henceforth dependent only on Thee. 
To Thee have they appealed for the righteousness of their cause;
To Thee do they now look up for that countenance and support, which Thou alone canst give. 
Take them, therefore, Heavenly Father, under Thy nurturing care;
Give them wisdom in Council and valor in the field; defeat the malicious designs of our cruel adversaries; 
Convince them of the unrighteousness of their Cause and if they persist in their sanguinary purposes, 
Of own unerring justice, sounding in their hearts, constrain them to drop the weapons of war from their unnerved hands in the day of battle! 
Be Thou present, O God of wisdom, and direct the councils of this honorable assembly; 
Enable them to settle things on the best and surest foundation.
That the scene of blood may be speedily closed; that order, harmony and peace may be effectually restored, and 
Truth and justice, religion and piety, prevail and flourish amongst the people. 
Preserve the health of their bodies and vigor of their minds; 
Shower down on them and the millions they here represent, 
Such temporal blessings as Thou seest expedient for them in this world and crown them with everlasting glory in the world to come. 
All this we ask in the name and through the merits of Jesus Christ, Thy Son and our Savior.

Amen.