Dackel Princess

The Fruits of Our Labor

What a beautiful day it was here in New Hampshire! The sun shone brightly and it was right around 80 degrees with a slight breeze. Perfect! While I cooked, and tended to Anneliese, Hubby worked on the fruit trees. They are amazing. Of course his constant companion during his trips around the yard is Fritz.

The fruit is growing so quickly now and ripening too. Hubby called me out to look at the pears, which have come on so strongly this year. I love pears and hope we will be able to can some for enjoyment during the winter.

As you can see the pears really are getting big! That is so exciting. In years past we have had some pears, but they were not very big or very good. This year, I am hoping that we will strike gold with them!

We also have plums coming along too. Several different varieties. Castleton Plums have already been picked, The Stanley Plums will be ready soon and the Mount Royal Plums, pictured here, will also be ready soon.

We’ve actually found a couple of them that were fully ripe and boy, were they tasty! When the Stanley Plums are ready I will make some jam. I simply love Plum Jam and the Stanley Plum seems to be a nice plum for that.

Yes, August in New Hampshire is a wonderful month. The garden is still growing vegetables, the fruit trees are producing and I’m busy in my kitchen!

Peach Kuchen

It’s really easy and actually fairly low-fat (if you leave off the whipped cream!). You can use almost any kind of fruit you like, fresh or canned – the amount will depend on the size of your pan. I’ve used peaches with great success and I’m sure apricots would also be lovely. I fiddled a bit with the streusel recipe and added a bit more butter along with some flour until I got a consistency I liked. The glaze is optional. I prefer a thinner cake so I made mine in a 10-in flan pan.

Peach Kuchen

1/4 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup granulated sugar (I also used Splenda)
2 eggs, separated (I used 1/2 cup egg whites)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk (fat free)
2 cans (each 14 oz/398 ml) peaches, drained, or 2 cups fresh sliced peaches

Streusel Topping:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (Splenda Brown Sugar)
1 Tbsp soft butter or margarine
1 tsp cinnamon

Glaze:
1/4 cup icing (confectioner’s) sugar
1 tsp milk
1/4 tsp vanilla

Grease 9-in/2.5 L square cake pan. (or use greased 9 or 10 in. springform or flan pan with removable bottom).

In large bowl, cream together butter, sugar and egg yolks until fluffy. Combine flour and baking powder; beat into egg mixture alternately with milk. In separate bowl, beat eggs whites until stiff but not dry; fold into batter. Turn into prepared pan. Pit peaches and arrange over top.

Streusel topping: In small bowl, combine brown sugar, butter and cinnamon; mix well and sprinkle over fruit.

Bake in 350°F (180°C) oven for 45 to 55 mins (depending on size of pan used)or until top is golden and toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean.

Glaze: Combine icing sugar, milk and vanilla; mix well. Drizzle over cooled cake.

Friday Fil-Ins

And…here we go!

1. Music _Makes my heart sing_.

2. _COFFEE_ is what I like first thing in the morning.

3. The first thing I said this morning was: _It’s okay, Anneliese_.

4. _Baked chicken_; it’s what’s for dinner tonight.

5. It’s all been _a bit crazy here this week._

6. _Sleeping_ is what I feel like doing right now.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to _watching a DVD_, tomorrow my plans include _catching up on some housework_ and Sunday, I want to _sit quietly and read the newspaper in the morning and then make Plum Jam in the afternoon_!

Friday Fil-Ins are provided by my cousin Janet. Come on and join the fun!

Life & Coffee

So the day dawned, and Anneliese, Arnie, Greta, Fritz and I woke like we always do, and after a walk in the yard where they communed with nature, and I stood there in my robe, slippers, and sunglasses and watched them, we were able to come back in to my freshly brewed coffee. It always amazes me that until I have that first cup of coffee, I remain in lala land.

We came in and by that time the coffee was made and my first cup of pleasure was poured. I fixed it up, sat down and read my email, while I sipped it.

Have you ever noticed how wonderful that first cup tastes in the morning? I’m not sure why, perhaps it is that after a long night’s sleep, it just makes the taste that much nicer.

I brought Anneliese in this morning for her post operative check up. She is doing very well, and aside from her discomfort, she is healthy and will be well. She has followed me around all day and wanted to sit in my lap or next to me, but all is going as it should.

I’ve got my very last batch of Bread and Butter Pickles soaking and they will be canned tomorrow. After that, I’ve got plums coming and I want to make a couple of batches of Plum Jam. I also plan to bake a Peach Kuchen for Hubby, who has been so wonderful the last few days.

Yes, life goes on, doesn’t it? Yes, sometimes we stumble and fall, sometimes the world doesn’t turn the way you wish that it did, but then…you wake up. You put on your robe and slippers and sunglasses and go outside and breathe.

And you just know, that life is good.

Not So Good News

Dear Friends,

I’m sad to announce that Anneliese’s baby girl did not make it this morning. She was taken via c-section, was big and beautiful and seemed to be doing well, and then just faded away.

Anneliese is doing okay, sleeping next to me right now. I have cried many tears. I don’t understand….but then I tell myself that God is with me and with Anneliese and I have to have faith.

Love,

Maribeth

2nd Cup Of Coffee (She’s Baaaack!)

1. When was the last time you laughed until you cried?

This morning as I wait for Anneliese to go into labor.

2. If you found $10 today, what would you do with it?

Tuck it away for later use.

3. Do you volunteer anywhere?

Yes. I’m a Library Trustee and that is all volunteer.

4. What is your favorite summertime veggie or fruit, and how do you eat it?

Corn of the cob and Ichiban Eggplant.

5. Is your social sphere (circle of friends) small, medium or large?

It depends. Locally, small, But world-wide, very large!

6. When was the last time you attended a family or school reunion? How did that go?

June 27th I think it was.

7. When you’re feeling blue, what is the best way someone can cheer you up?

Cooking a meal or taking me out for dinner.

8. Have you taken a vacation this summer?

Yes, back in June.

9. What is the most unnecessary item you carry with you all the time?

Pictures of my loved ones.

10. What is the best summer flick you have seen so far?

Haven’t been to the movies, but love old movies. I watched “The Road To Morocco” the other night with Bob Hope and laughed and laughed!

11. Describe a perfect summer day.

Warm, dry air, and a barbecue with potato salad and fresh fruit, with the ones that I love!

12. Please a share a favorite photo from the summer so far!

I couldn’t pick just one so I made a mosaic!

Please Send Recipes

I have been trying to make zucchini bread and it fell flat. Really, flat! The taste was okay, but it never rose very high. So I am asking. Please send me your favorite zucchini bread recipe.

Anneliese & Baby

Well, we reached day 65 with no sign of labor starting in Anneliese. I brought her in to the Veterinarian’s Office to be sure that all was well with both her and the puppy. The best news was that we were able to see the puppy’s heart beating! That sure made me feel relieved.

Then we decided that since it looked like Anneliese’s puppy is breech we had better be sure of it’s exact location. So we took an x-ray of her belly. Below you can see the puppy very clearly. It’s large, and I have marked all the vital things we were looking for, but please note that the baby’s head is up and her feet are down, thus the puppy is in the breech position and not likely to turn around as it is so big.

Anneliese’s Head Anneliese’s Bottom

So, Anneliese is a tad overdue. I’ve spoken at length with her Vets and if by Wednesday morning she has not gone into labor, we will take the puppy by cesarean.

Now to think of a good D name for our little Dackel Princess Pup. Funny to be thinking of narrowing it down to just one name each for a boy or girl. It’s almost like a human! Why, I may have to give him or her a middle name!

The Nitty Gritty

It’s Sunday night as I write, and there is no news. Anneliese remains, pregnant and porky, and she shows little signs of letting this pup out! We’re getting down to the nitty gritty. The end of her pregnancy! My cousin, Janet was here today and she lay her hands on Anneliese’s belly.

She then pronounced that Anneliese would have her baby tomorrow.

Anneliese remains quietly apart from us all. She sleeps in the kitchen during the day and with me only at night. I managed to get this picture of her when she ate a little dinner tonight. My hope is that she will digest it before she starts labor, as last time she threw up quite a bit.

If she shows no sign of labor by the morning (Monday) I will be calling the Veterinarians for their advice. I hope and pray between now and then she decides to let that puppy out!

A Waiting Game

Here at The Dackel Princess Home, we are still awaiting the birth of Anneliese’s pup. Saturday saw her changing her usual personality and becoming more of a recluse. At one point she had climbed under our bed, and I managed to get her out. Now we’ve closed off the doors to any rooms with beds, and tried our best to encourage her to go into the whelping box.

But I can see her laugh at us because she doesn’t want the whelping box, but perhaps the softness of my bed to give birth on! That’s not going to happen!

While Anneliese follows her internal clock, I have kept busy canning more pickles and vacuuming the family room and kitchen, as I like to have a quiet house the first week the puppies are born. Even if there is just one this time.

I’ve been watching the Owls on The Owl Box. Their first egg hatched this morning and I was able to get this screen shot of Molly and her new Owlet, Ashley.

You can see Molly feeding her 45 minute old baby. I was so thrilled to get this shot! I had attempted two others and didn’t get the one I wanted and then, BAM! I got this!!!

I also had a weird thing happen to me. Last night I picked up an old newspaper to read in the tub and when I opened it up, there I WAS!!!

Now call me surprised! I came out to the family room and told Hubby I’d found some strange woman in the news paper! He laughed and joked about it for a while. The two newspapers were several days old (see how often I actually read a newspaper these days?), and I probably would have missed this if I hadn’t had the urge to bring them with me into the tub!

I guess some days it pays to read the local news!