Saying "Good-bye"....

Saying "good-bye".... I needed a few days to think about this post because I wanted to express the joy of loving a pet and a furry friend less than the loss. So I've been thinking about the early days when we first brought our Chesapeake Bay Retrievers "Annie" and "Spice" home. First of all, we had no intention of having more than 1 dog in a little Cape Cod style home. Things happen. But off we went to a breeder across the Bay Bridge of Maryland to see a litter of new Chessies.

My husband and I sat on the floor in a fenced in porch among a litter of furry, curly brown pups and chose "Annie".  Several weeks later we make the trek back to bring her home.

 all settled...

6 months later

 I went on an estimate for a friend of mine that had a cleaning business and was on maternity leave...

I noticed they had a Chessie like "Annie"

 and I commented that we had one too.

The owner said "Do you want another one?"

My quick reply was "no thanks" with a grin.

To which he said "we have her sister and too many animals for our neighborhood covenant. let me go get her."

He brought up a 6 month old dog they had been tying in their basement 

with a cord from a telephone. Her hind leg had raw, red, infected lines where it had grown into her skin and had been removed.

They had never taken her to the vet and were treating it with a horse liniment.

"Spice" came home with me that day.

"Annie" and "Spice" became sisters of the heart.

They ignored other dogs and cats that arrived.

Shared goodies...

We lost "Annie" to Cancer a few years ago. "Spice" has been plodding 

along doing pretty well for a girl of 16. An old gal.

Early this week she had a stroke and we had to make a decision to "say good-bye" and we did. 

Very sad and we miss her so. But knowing her and "Annie" - pure joy.

They give their love with such enthusiasm. 

Such a Life lesson.

She's wearing her signature red collar. "Annie's" is purple.

 Her tennis balls. Next to her sister.

My friend Sherri will

spread wildflower seeds on their graves again in the Spring.

My brown-eyed girls.

Love, Momma 

Not A Fan Of Red For Romance...

I've never been a fan of red for romance.

I'm more of a pink girl. It's just too dramatic for me, too harsh.

Don't get me wrong, I love to see red roses in a garden. I love any color

flower in a garden. But I'm just not partial to the colors red, orange or yellow in my

decor or life. I do love daffodils, jonquils and daisy's. Orchids with yellow tones can be stunning. But I don't like decorating at Christmastime with red and green - I use pale blues, silver, creams and white. Just me. 

I love dressing in it,

posies, ice cream, lipstick,

nailpolish, little girls dressed up.

it's soft, sensual, luscious, gentle, baby-like,

rich, mellow, fresh, crisp, clean

 bright

brilliant

just my size

2 scoops

and very important!

Merry Christmas - Loaves and Fishes!

just sayin....

Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for the rest of his life.

***

And so with that said I'd like to explain my thought on the above.

I've been home for weeks because of knee surgery and it is not my style not to be busy!

So I've had to continue to come up with ideas on a limited budget to keep the holiday roll going along! Yesterday was a perfect day! Just can't explain it - it was a high energy day from start to finish and not about me. It was about the pleasure you get from others. I've read other bloggers and they have such caring, creative ideas on how to touch someone else's life. I took tips and made up some of my own. It takes a village after all right?

A co-worker is having financial probs and this is not the time of year to have to worry even more about every day household supplies plus making Christmas nice with two children so I made a trip to ... yes! the Dollar Tree

 Look what you can do!

and for the troops...

Then I made goody tins for the animal shelter ...

they need donations all year long!

and my friends were gifted with mini containers
for their critters!

I found pretty loaf pans for $1 each at
Michael's and bought dessert bread mixes -
wrap them up in a pretty bag for my friends with kids =
a family snowy day baking project is born!

See... loaves and fishes =
pass ideas on!

I found these little guys and bought plastic gift bags at the dollar store...
packed them up in a bigger Christmas bag and off they went to a local shelter for the kids.

cute or what?!!!

No time...

Have the time... try this recipe...

Pumpkin Spice Granola

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the oats, coconut, pecans, almonds and sunflower kernels; set aside. In a small saucepan, combine the oil, honey, water, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Cook and stir over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Remove from the heat; stir in extract. Pour over oat mixture and toss to coat.
• Transfer to two greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pans. Bake at 300° for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 13 cups.
• Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1/2 cup) equals 284 calories, 18 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 111 mg sodium, 29 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 6 g protein.

26 Servings

Prep: 20 min. Bake: 45 min. + 45 cooling  

Some years I don't have the time I'd like or the energy, imagination and heaven knows the extra cash. I work two jobs so I know how tough this economy is. I hope I don't sound as if I'm preaching to do, and do and do. But I've seen what faith can do.  I've witnessed little things bring joy to someone's life. So today and yes, several days lately... I had joy and some fun ideas ... a little extra cash and I went for it. Maybe tomorrow I won't be able to buy a bag of dog for for the shelter but I know I can make some of my cards to donate to our local hospice center and all it took was supplies I already have and my time.

So why did I have the best day...I'll tell you sometime...

OK, GOD is so AWESOME!

Waiting For Christmas... Gift Ideas For Furries Too!

As the holidays rush toward us...I'm busy thinking about all the bits and pieces of things I want to get done on my list because to me - it's fun to do little bits and pieces! I'm home recovering from knee surgery, doing better than I ever anticipated - and I plan to use this time well!
First Project: Furry Buddies

• I pick up cookie tins throughout the year at yard sales
• I look for pretty glass containers, lidded jars, canning jars, wine glasses
• pretty scraps of fabric, rope, ribbon
• bells, ornaments, glitz, costume jewelry

Next... Dog Biscuits
I pick up dog biscuits at Walmart in several shapes and sizes - large bags. Then I separate them into appropriate size for my friends critters, place them in cool containers, decorate them, label them and they are ready for Santa giving. For petite dogs I have found teeny biscuits that look just like MilkBones that are adorable at Farm and Home Tractor Supply.

They look great wrapped in a little cellophane gift bag tied with a bow and a jingle bell given in a Christmas mug, a wine or champagne glass! You can also put them in a lidded canning jar with a pretty piece of fabric on the top of the lid. If you make bigger jars.... Pier I has Asian white ceramic soup spoons that make dynamite scoops to tie on the jars. They are .75 each!



Like the ideas so far?
That's why I do believe in thrift stores, yard sales, estate sales, friend swaps, saving 1 glass out of broken sets. You can even use 1 pretty dessert plate with a cloth napkin that has a holiday look - that's why I haunt the CLEARANCE aisles of ROSS, Marshall's, TJ Max, Home Goods.

Here you go....coffee mug - NEW .50  Home Goods

Champagne Glass  Goodwill .10 each bought 6  Great for a mini dog biscuit gift for a neighbor or going to a friend's Christmas party. Everybody should celebrate!

Line a basket with a cloth napkin, tissue paper - I pick them up at yard sales all the time! Big bow and you're good to give! Dog toy attached - even better!
Anyone need a new dog bowl?

Make a delivery to your local pet shelter... they can use every donation avalable!

So all your friends are waiting for your
thrifty, exciting, brilliant, creative, yummy,
crunchy ideas!

So be a star when you give holiday gifts and remember....
it's not how big, how expensive....it's the thought.

Breathe