How to eat brussel sprouts

The sun was out bright and early today. After a quick clean up of the house I did my rounds.

Cali

We haven't seen good warm sun for a few days now so it was welcomed today

Ginny

. The morning started with much cat-sitting and kitty grooming

Remember the scaredy-cat? Not anymore.

He loves me now

and a visit to Helma the shepherd. Then over to see our little Riley for awhile.

Since tomorrow is May 1 I have decided to add some new tastes to my palate. Brussel sprouts. I know...gah! but I have just found out that the best way to cook them so they are delish is to saute them in olive oil with garlic, onion and pepper. I have always steamed the little critters and I am fine with that but really they aren't much to talk about are they? So I will fancy up their preparation and learn to love them.
And did you know that good old brocolli is 30% protein? We always think of meat, fish or legumes when we add protein to our diet but no, veggies have much to be considered. I'm happy for that and maybe will throw some in with the sprouts.

I am adding spirulina to the cats food now. I have always emptied 2 cans of cat food and mixed it with pumpkin to make them excellent poopers and now the spiralina is added, too.

My vet says to give them a child's amount so that is what I add. This is to enhance the immune system and Lord knows, at 15, 18, 22 & 24 my senior cats could use it. Sierra is 9 this year so now she too is a senior. Hard to believe with that cute, young face.

If you only feed dry I expect this will be hard to add to their diet. Maybe give in and change it up to more moist food to the dry. It really is better for them and will help keep the pounds off.

Hugs, Deb

Food...wonderful food

Tonight, driving home from caring for Helma, the shepherd,  I came across a fox. He ran out in front of the car and over to the ditch.

He stopped and looked at me and with my car lights I could see he was very thin. I realized that I have never seen one that wasn't a bone-rack. I then stopped over where I feed the ferals and before I was able to get back to the car I spotted two waiting in the dark up on the rocks. Just waiting for me to leave so they could eat. One was bold and headed over to the food with me only a couple of feet away. I saw he was drooling with anticipation. The other was more cautious. I've seen both of these two before and I'm hoping they get used to me and will let me near them. As I left I came across a couple of deer at the side of the road. They too, are out at night looking for food. You can't take your eyes off the road for a second around these parts. There are deer everywhere. I had already stopped before dog-sitting at the spot where the grey cat had been seen many nights ago. I left some food but there was no sign of it.
A very nice lady who cares deeply for animals dropped off a big bag of food yesterday. She said a neighbour had lost their dog and she thought of me and maybe I could use it. Yes, I can use it. It will get mixed in with whatever else is going to the ferals. They are always looking for food. It is what they do and everything is hungry. I know of 2 that will sleep with full bellies tonight, though.

It sure is nice to have hydro again. It was a little too quiet here.

It's been in the plans to make May my month to focus on 'Health'. Could be partly because of the upcoming wedding in our family.....OK..it's all about that,  but I should be doing this anyway so this is a great opportunity or excuse to get started. I'll be hitting the streets, eating better, eating less, juicing more, drinking water by the trough, getting rid of all snacks in the house (sorry Gary) and enjoying more sleep. That doesn't sound so bad,  does it?

I just hope I can stick to this. I used to have great will power. Not so much anymore.Apparently, Kate's mom hardly ate for 3 weeks and exercised like mad before today's wedding. I won't go that far but she did look Smashing, didn't she?

hugs, Deb

lights on

We have been without power for 2 days now since the wind-storm that hit us on Thursday morning. It is so weird being without hydro. I was so thankful that I could jump in the car and head to one of my cat-clients houses to see the lovely Kate walk down the aisle. I thought the wedding was beautiful. I loved that Kate carried Sweet William in her bouquet. Nice touch.

So the power is back on and the first thing I did after making a good cup of  tea

Pretty..but not quite what I want. (that's my daughter's cat Rae-Rae in background)

That's better.

was see how all of you are doing today.
Thank you for your comments about my Cali. The vet has already contacted me and her blood work shows that she is in kidney failure. Her thyroid is fine, her red blood cells are good, her kidneys are not. So, now I have 2 cats with kidney failure. The vet has given suggestions to build up her immune system and she says her need to eat more is probably just that she is sometimes not feeling great and the food comforts her. She may be right there because I noticed that she loves the attention that comes with it."OK...we'll see."  I am adding more supplements to her food and I will continue to feed her often and we will wait and see how she does. There is nothing we can do to stop kidney failure but she is just in the beginning stages so she may be fine for some time. Ginny is much further on in her kidney failure and still seems good to me. They will BOTH be watched carefully.

The grey kitty that I have left food for is hiding. I haven't seen it since the first night. I will keep putting food there and see it she shows up.There are building all around and many hiding spots.

Helma is doing fine and spends many hours a day keeping guard over her 2 acre lot. She is just a doll and I love caring for her. She is so happy in her world.

Scaredy kitty (remember the one under the bed?) named Buddy is out and about and today he had a nice brushing and was lying across my legs to give me his tummy to groom. I'd say we are just 'tickety-boo' now. Baby steps work I tell ya.

hugs, Deb

Feed Me

In one day our local animal shelter cats went from 67 to 76. Too many beautiful adult cats sitting there waiting just as the kitten boom is about to happen. The Lanark Animal Shelter in Smiths Falls is the place to go if you live in my area and would love to adopt a cat. Please check out their site http://www.lanarkanimals.ca/index.htm

It is another wet, dismal day so I was happy to fill the  hours with visits to my kitty clients and one precious big German Shepherd.
"Rain, rain.....go away" The sun should come out today.


I stopped by to find the grey cat but no sign of him/her. All the food was gone from last night so I will drop some off later this evening. I hope to help this cat. It would be so much better off inside at our shelter than out fending on its' own. The LAWS shelter is a 'no-kill'.

My Cali, who is 18 now is having some health issues. She is eating more, getting thin and seems agitated at times. I took her in for a blood-test and I am expecting to hear that she has a thyroid problem. She only weighs 6.4 and although she has never weighed very much, this is low for her. When cats reach her age there are so many things that can go wrong. I'm hoping we can find something to fix her up. She is one piece of work when she's not happy and thinks nothing of telling you off. I think that's why I love her so.

She's playing with Riley's blocks again. These messages will become censored if we don't find some relief.


hugs, Deb

Another mouth to feed

After our Fish & Chip dinner tonight at 'the little pub with a lot of spirit',  I was walking to the car when I spotted two little cat-ears in the grass over against a building. I was pretty sure it wasn't what you see to the left of this. "I'll just take a look, I assured Gary." I pretended not to notice his eyes rolling into the back of his head as I tip-toed over. A closer look assured me that it was a sad, thin,  little smokey grey cat. There was no way of knowing if this cat lived at this building or was a stray UNTIL I gave it some fish. Now, you are thinking, "What does she mean...she had fish with her?" Yep, I always keep a portion of the fish for our dog as a treat so I offered the cat (from a distance) a bit of the fish. The cat damn-near choked on it trying to get it down fast enough. This cat was STARVING!

 So, lucky for him or her I have dry kibble in the trunk most days and I was able to leave it enough for tonight. A gorgeous smokey-grey, golden-eyed feline lying against a building in our friendly little town who is starving to death. "Holy Jumpin', I get so fed up with this."

I will keep going back to see if the cat is there and leave it some food until I can possibly get a hold of it. It may be someone's cat or it's been abandoned by its' owner but I'll do my best to help it.

The rain is back and thunder-storms are all around tonight. We are having such strange weather. Too hot today for April and more rain the last 4 days than we need. Kane hates thunder so he lies at my feet, under the computer as I post tonight. "Silly guy"


Brand spankin' new runners are sitting at my front door. Tomorrow I'll be waiting for the rain to stop so I can continue my mission to rid myself of the extra poundage I accumulated over the last few years. No eating in between meals and 3 walks a day are in order. I was doing 2 and felt great but no change on the scales.
When you are over 55 you pretty  much have to climb Mount Everest to lose 5 pounds. I am not kidding. It's ridiculous. So when I title this Another Mouth to Feed I don't mean my big mouth. I'm heading to the fridge for an apple when I really want a chocolate drumstick. But I do expect I will feed this little grey cat for awhile.

Tomorrow is another day and I can't wait to wear those shoes out.

Hugs, Deb

A busy, SUNNY day

The sun is trying its' darndest to stay out today. It is warm and feels very spring-like. We have had 3 very wet days and now I want the sun to shine. I don't care for worms too much.

I was up bright and early....well, early.

"You just have a humdinger of a morning Deb and I'll be here when you get back."

By 10:30 am I was already back from my morning rounds and yes, Ed was still where I left him.

 I left very early to care for Helma the German Shepherd

and many cats in the country. Little scaredy cat was under the bed when I arrived but after lying on the floor whispering sweet nothings in his ear he finally came out to join the rest of the world.

I think I will be earning my pay with this guy, but....he is worth it all.I just want to snuggle that floofy belly. "Baby steps, Deb."

Note to self:  Pick up coffee mug for car. With the cost of the increase, No more Timmy's. After supper rounds it is Fish & Chip night......YES!!

Hugs, Deb

A new week begins...

Being an in-home cat-sitter I am on the road a lot. Next to the cats I think the one thing I love the most is caring for the cats who live in the country. Like this morning, after parking at the gate and making my way up a very long driveway avoiding all the early spring worms that appear after heavy rain, I came upon these guys.

These are wild turkeys and they live all over our area. I won't ever forget the day a couple of them dive-bombed my car because I was disturbing the flock by being on the back road. I photographed them from the window because frankly, I don't care to be chased by one. There had been a high wind last night that knocked down the bird-feeder so the birds, chipmunks & wild turkeys were having a feast. Inside, one of the cats hid (probably from the high wind last night) and one could care less.

"I could care less"

They both received breakfast, lots of cuddles and a few treats to keep them happy and calm some nerves. Two gorgeous long-haired cats that I will enjoy grooming each day.

I am caring for a very sweet dog for the next little while. She will be lording over her 2 acre lot and keeping all the trespassers at bay. She will also like to cuddle on the couch and watch TV with me. She's a doll and you will meet her soon.

My grand-kitty Hugo is at our home and it's always a race to see if I can make the bed before he plops down in the middle of it. Sheets done but duvet will have to wait. He beat me to it.

Hugs, Deb

Gathering

A late celebration of Easter but wonderful, none-the-less.

The family gathers to enjoy a meal, drink some wine, eat too much chocolate and watch 'Harvey' with Jimmy Stewart.

The table always starts with daisies.

I love how we must squeeze in a little chair for Riley, now. She eats with the big guys.

Dinner is buffet style then head to the dining-room.


Still take time to hunt for Easter eggs.

I love having them all home for dinner. Cats do, too. They are tuckered out from the day.

Most of the kitties I have been cat-sitting will be welcoming home their owners today.

I have lots of new ones to love up this week. Along with our German Shepherd friend, Helma. Can't wait.

Hugs, Deb 

Part 2 - Recipe

Here's the second half  of my post this morning. I had to locate the recipe for you.....note to self....organize recipes.
Strawberry Swirl a nice cold dessert to go with fruit.
Here's what you need.....
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1tbs. sugar
1/4 c butter
2 cups frozen strawberries
1 3oz. strawberry jello
1 cup water
1/2 lb. marshmallows
1/2 cup milk
1 cup whipped cream

Mix crumbs, sugar and butter and press in bottom dish 9x13
Sprinkle 2 tbs. sugar over strawberries and let stand 1/2 hour
Dissolve jello (only the hot water)
Drain strawberries - keep juice
Add water to juice to make 1 cup
Add to jello
Chill until partially set
Combine marshmallows and milk
Heat and stir until melted
Cool and fold in whipped cream
Swirl into marshmallow mixture
Cover graham crust
Chill to set
(4 hours)
Cut into 12 squares

This is a really light dessert. Hope you try it.

Hugs, Deb

Persistence on Easter morning

Sierra is a loner but that doesn't suit Lily. "Would you like company?"

 Persistence is the act of building continuity. It’s the deliberate action of doing something, doing it again, doing it again, until you get it right, and maybe doing it over and over after that, too.

And she is very persistent

"She must be afraid of the Easter bunny"

We will have our Easter dinner tomorrow because of family schedules but I do want to wish everyone a very Happy, Blessed Easter with your families today.

I'll be making a special dessert for tomorrow so drop by later for the recipe.

"Happy Easter"

Hugs, from Deb & Gary

Ginny, Cali, Mr. Ed, Lily, Sierra & Kane 

Katie

I came across Knatolee's World http://knatolee.blogspot.com/ a few months back when I was scouring blogs that talked about raising chickens. That is something on my 'bucket list' so I have lot's to learn. Natalie is an artist, raises chickens and has a bee farm in Apple Hill, Ontario.

 She has also illustrated a popular children's book called Katie. Katie is a rattle-snake and she lives in the Sonoran Desert. The book is based on a true story. When I saw the book on her blog I decided to purchase it for my grand-daughter, Riley. Here's why....
I grew up terrified of snakes. Most likely because my mother was and I had a few encounters with them as a child where I was not expecting to be close to one. My grandmother lived on a farm so of course, we came across snakes. The one that stands out the most in my mind was the little, sassy one that crawled over me while I was sleeping in the grass. "Holy Cow....I freaked". The one I found on the stairs when heading up to bed and the one in the out-house that greeted me before dawn. I was 8 and I will not forget that moment. But really they weren't harmful, it was just a fear passed down from my mother.

I have made up my mind that my little 11 month old grand-daughter is not going to have the silly fears that have been passed down in our family so I am going to try not to be afraid of snakes anymore (at least when she's around). I will read this book over the weekend and then when Riley is old enough it will be one that we read together. The artwork in this book is fabulous. Natalie is so very talented.

Drop by Knatolee's World and say hi. If you have an interest in art, country living, chickens, bees, dogs, cats or even gecko's you will LOVE her blog. I am particularly interested in reading about her recent travels. She and hubby have a great sense of humour and you will get a kick out of some of her videos. If you want to purchase a copy of her book her blog has a link for that.

hugs, Deb

Easter Preparation

Our crazy neighbourhood squirrels have been moving all the tulip bulbs around again. 

Tulips were coming up in the strangest places. We dug them up carefully and stuck them in pots to see what they will do. If they bloom and look great for the Spring then I'll be happy with that. The pots are sitting on my porch for now and look pretty cute. 

Cooper (our son's cat)  is getting his Easter preparations in order.

I've been Spring cleaning.  

 

And decorating the house for company and  planning the big dinner.  

. The sun was calling so Kane and I went for a walk along the Mississippi River in our town.

Everytime I look at him I think he is the most handsome dog in the world.

 It was quiet in our beautiful little town, as it should be on Good Friday and you could hear the birds singing their Spring songs. I spotted a few cats in windows...for another day.

I hope you had a quiet day. Happy Easter Preparations to you all.

&

Please remember that Daffodils if eaten are poisonous to cats. 

hugs, Deb

A twinkle & a memory

Just before Easter, I want to pay tribute to my friend. 


Our little grand-daughter, Riley is bursting forward with life. She is 11 months now and is changing everyday. She never stays still and grabs on to anything to help her stay steady and move along.

She loves her Ozzie and he loves her.

She loves his soft warm fur.

..and when she has a treat, so must he.

I had a beautiful morning with her and later, a tinge of sadness.  My friend Christine passed on only months before Riley was born. Riley was to be born on May 9th. When her mother told me this it shocked me. That was Christine's birthday.  I told Christine that the 'baby' (we didn't know if it would be a boy or girl) was due on her birthday and her eyes filled with tears. Oh Lord, that was a hard moment. She smiled and said "that's almost funny, isn't it?" and then we laughed. We laughed a lot throughout our friendship. But Chris knew that she would be gone before Riley arrived.

So Riley made her grand entrance on May 20th; not Chris's birthday but when I look in her eyes I really do see a twinkle that I recognize. Mischievious? ...oh yes!
Now, no intention to end on a sad note.  I am grateful anytime I am reminded of my dear friend, Christine. So, this Easter weekend I think of her. I will always remember the little Easter gifts so carefully chosen for my 3 kids right up 'til  they were grown adults. The beautiful Easter card I would receive with lots of her art work added. The chocolate bunny.  Her big smile.
So here's to her wonderful life and all the sweet memories.  "Cheers"Chris.

hugs, Deb

Bugs by Sierra

I love eating bugs.

"Ed, wake up....wanna eat bugs? Ed, Ed, Ed, Ed.....I love buggin' him"

I especially like the potato bug cause I guess they have potatoes in them. We had mice once come over from the field and appear in our pantry but, need I say more. That's been taken care of. (Yum!) Deb says that if we do find a spider or two they may be dipped in chocolate this weekend. WHAT!!!!! That woman is losin' it.

So, I am very happy Spring is here and the bugs are waking up. The challenge is to see if I can stay awake to eat them.

"Well, I'm awake now."

hugs, Sierra 

Garden envy

Do you remember the movie 'It's Complicated'? My eyes would normally be on Alec Baldwin but in this scene I barely noticed him...it was all about the garden. Just look at this. I just want to reach in and grab a red tomato.  Have you ever seen anything so beautiful? Look at the little fence with the trellis. *sigh*. My mom was a great vegetable gardener. She just knew everything being raised on a farm. I really should have watched more instead of just enjoying the results.

Well, it's pouring here and so much so that Kane won't be walked until tonight. It's dark, dismal and wet. This is a great day to get my things organized in the office. I am finally putting away all the paper-work and do-dads connected to my business I sold last October. Pampered Pups Pastries will be filed away and remembered as a fun and challenging time in my life. Taxes done, box filled and labeled and memories in place. I have cat-sitting and dinner preparation to focus on now for the Easter weekend. I am so happy to finally be doing what I love the most.

Sierra is in love with this Dream Curl.

She's been hogging it all week. She has even chosen to sleep on it instead of Gary. I think he is jealous ;-)

Hope you are enjoying some sun somewhere out there in blogland.
We are heading out tonight for the BEST FISH AND CHIPS ever and right in our own little town.
Have a great evening.
Hugs, Deb