Dackel Princess

Shopping, Shopping, Shopping

The last two days have been spent shopping. No, not for food. This time we have been shopping for new clothes. Our vacation is coming up and we both need summer clothes that are neat and clean, and don’t look like the usual stuff we wear out to weed the garden.

Yesterday we drove down to “The Big City” and went to “Coldwater Creek”. This is a fine women’s clothing store. I love their stuff, but usually it is so expensive that I look and then don’t buy. Yesterday, however, they were having an end of the season sale and had great buys!

Hubby was with me and he helped me pick out several beautiful outfits, that all, sort of color coordinate, so I can pack less, but have more options.

You know what I love about “Coldwater Creek”? They treat you like a lady. A saleswoman asked my name, got me into a nice dressing room, with my name on the door, got different sizes, when the size I’d picked up were too big. It made me think of Julia Roberts in “Pretty Woman”, when she goes out and spends an obscene amount of money on an entire wardrobe of clothes.

The amount I spent wasn’t actually obscene, in fact it was all marked down so much I couldn’t believe it! So I walked out of there with 8 items for a ridiculously reasonable price!!!

Hubby and I took off again today to get him some clothes. Not easy, as he is 6 feet 4 inches tall. But we got him three pairs of pants and a shirt.

Our trips to “The Big City” and to “Outlet Heaven” took place at the peak of foliage season. We really enjoyed the bright colors, and the fact that we actually got to see it before a storm rolls through and takes the leaves down.

As we drove through the country today, it reminded me of why we live here. The unpopulated, vast beauty, of the mountains. Especially in the Autumn!

Close your eyes, gentle readers, and imagine the mountains painted with the bright reds, oranges and yellows, and then touched with coral around the edges.

Ahhh, there is nothing more beautiful!!!

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PRACTICAL

Not only is this one of my favorite pictures, but it fits this weeks theme perfectly. You see, back when Shubi was very old, she loved to go on hikes with us, but she got very tired. So we found the practical solution was to put her in the back pack, lock the zippers and carry her this way. She loved it!!!

Apple Pie

This recipe fits all the criteria for our new way of eating. Best of all, it tastes great! A perfect recipe for an Autumn day!

Apple Pie ( Splenda )

1 double crust pie crust
7 cups baking apples, thin-sliced, cored, peeled
1/2 cup Splenda granular (artificial sweetener)
1/2 cup Splenda brown sugar blend (artificial sweetener)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon butter cut into small chunks.

1. Preheat oven to 425°F
2. Place one crust into a 9-inch pie pan.
3. Place sliced apples into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
4. Combine Splenda, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg & ground cloves in a small bowl.
5. Sprinkle mixture over apples and toss.
6. Spoon apple mixture into piecrust. Dot the top with the chunks of butter.
7. Place the second crust over the filling. Seal edges, trim and flute. Make small openings in the top crust.
8. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the top crust is golden. Serve warm or chilled.

Thursday 13 – Autumn in New Hampshire

This week I give you 13 peeks at Autumn in NH!

All these were taken around my home. Just click on the picture to enlarge it.

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This & That Wednesday

It was one of those perfect Autumn days today. Not too cold, not too hot, blue skies and bright colored leaves painting the area all around my house. It’s like God took his paint brush and an Autumn palette of colors, and then dabbled golds here, reds there and oranges everywhere. I looked out over the lake and thought there was nothing prettier, but then I had to run to the grocery store for a loaf of bread and coming home I saw the mountains in the distance and they were painted in an even more spectacular way!

Our home.

We took today to begin the slow process of preparing the house for winter. Hubby put away three of our window air conditioners, and worked a little more in the yard cutting away dead vines and clearing the path between our house and Emily’s for her.

I washed cabinets in the kitchen and then I made the fatal mistake of going down to my laundry room and once I saw how much it needed cleaning, I spent another hour down there vacuuming and washing things down.

In between, I was taking dogs outside to do their business and I then attempted to get the next thing on my list done. The funny thing was, when I tried to take a break, I would make a cup of tea and go to sit down with it, and that’s when another dog would need to go out, or want to come in!

Yes, that’s my real job in life…door opener for the dogs!

It feels that way some days.

I also experimented and made Hubby baked stuffed manicotti (low salt version) and it really came out well. The only thing I will do before I make it again is get a pastry bag with a long nozzle for filling the manicotti! I didn’t have one and so I did it with a spoon. It was not easy to do, certainly very messy, but in the end it tasted fine.

The day is nearly done now, the dogs are all asleep on the floor and I’m putting up my feet and plan to watch a little TV.

A Man For All Seasons

I knew a man once, named Otto. He was quite a man. He seemed to know so much about so many things. I loved to speak with him, and I loved to walk with him through the Black Forest in Bavaria.

He was the man who introduced me to Rauhhaardackels, mushroom hunting, and Slivovitz. He didn’t laugh at my naivety, and since he spoke beautiful English (his native language was German) we were able to really connect.

He did have a wonderful laugh, and when we spoke he always called me “My dear girl”, making me feel very cherished.

He and his wife owned the first Shubi.

The first Rauhhaardackel that I fell in love with. Their Shubi was such a delight and my love affair began with this wonderful breed of dog.

We went to see him and his wife in Bavaria, shortly after their Shubi was killed by a car. I remarked that we should buy puppies together. I said this as we left to go out to the store. By the time we got back, Otto had located a litter of puppies, and the rest is history!

Me with my baby, Shubi.

I visited him and his wife often, always bringing Shubi to see her brother, Toni! This picture was taken of Otto and I as we walked along. That is my Shubi between us.

Otto passed away a few years ago from cancer, but his kindness, his hearty laughter and his love will remain with me throughout my life. Even though he was Hubby’s friend, and the friend of Hubby’s first wife, he never made me feel that I was any less. In fact, I always felt special when I was visiting him and his wife.

I miss him still, and I think I always will.

A Real Princess

I am watching Anneliese as she grows up. She is beautiful. Her lines are lovely. Her face is delicate and feminine. She holds her body in a perfect pose and she is learning to heel at my side.

Anneliese is also a sweetheart. Not that the other dogs aren’t, but somehow Anneliese has decided that being by my side in the chair, in the kitchen or outside is the place to be.

Can you believe that this is the little baby that came into our house almost a year ago in December?

Ah, they grow so fast. They are hardly babies anymore. Soon we will be breeding Greta again and her B litter will be on the way. (And NO, I am not going to keep any of these pups!)

Meanwhile, I am really enjoying the experience of having a puppy from birth onward. It really is such an adventure. There is no getting used to the house for the pup, no learning about who you are; there is just this gentle acceptance that you ARE their family.

I think it’s one of the best things that Hubby and I have ever done!

Autumn

Looking back I recalled a picture I took of Emily with a young Arnie and saw how much it resembled the one taken today.

Arnie & Emily today. Arnie & Emily age 4 months.

Jacqui and Anneliese and Emily and Anneliese

Then I looked around and saw how beautiful it is and the things we are doing to prepare for the winter.

Hubby getting the wood cut, and our golden delicious apple tree.

The view from my driveway.

From my house.

I got out all my canning supplies and packed them in boxes to store over the winter. Autumn is finally upon us and soon the leaves will be at peak color and then with a good wind, the leaves will be on the ground, ushering in the start of winter.

We turned on our heat today for the first time. It’s amazing. October 13 and this is the first time we have needed the heat since last spring!

Oh I do so love Autumn!

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly…

So, both Hubby and I got bad reports with our cholesterol and blood pressure this week. Our doctor says that since the problems aren’t that bad yet, we should attempt to change things with diet. Okay, so we need to do a no-fat/low fat and as low a salt diet as we can.

We went to the grocery store and started reading labels. A can of soup has over 500 mg of salt! And the things that I love, like cheese unless they are low fat, will probably kill us!

Hubby and I looked around the store, reading and shopping and came away with very little food. As we drove home I told him, “Let’s face it. I think we just have to stop eating!”

Actually what we need to do is stop eating processed foods. That’s where you find the real heavy salt quantities. It means I will need to learn a new way to cook. We will also need to start eating some new things. Healthy things.

Hubby is a wee bit depressed about this, as he loves his junk food. Chips, dips, fried food, bacon, eggs, oh the list is long. I’m feeling sort of shell shocked myself. This is the first time I have to actually “make” a change in my own diet.

Middle age really stinks!

I told Hubby, that we are in this together. We’ll eat the same things, exercise and try to make sense of all the dietary restrictions.

No fat, no salt, no sugar.

Oh yeah, this should be interesting.

Lucky In Love

Years ago when I would come home, I would drive into our garage and close the door. Then as I gathered my things I would hear Shubi’s feet pitter pattering on the floor above, as she happily waited for me to come up the stairs. Hearing those paw steps always warmed my heart. When she passed away I missed hearing them.

Today when I came home I pulled into the garage, closed the door and gathered my things. It was then that I heard the sound of a heard of wild elephants, that in actual fact are my four dogs, above my head. They knew I was home and they were all excited at my return.

I smiled. It made me think of my Shubi, and at the same time reminded me of how lucky I am to have this crew of dogs, who love me so much and really are great dogs in their own rite. They wag their tails when we come home, when we wake up in the morning and when we go to sleep at night. They curl up in our laps, in our bed with us and will do anything to just be touching me or Hubby.

That’s Unconditional Love!