Author: Dackel Princess

Happy 3rd Birthday Fritz

1. Fritz was born in Portland, Oregon
2. He flew home with Hubby when he was 8 weeks old. He flew inside the cabin in a small soft sided carrier.
3. He was just 11 pounds when he came to us.
4. At 4 months old he won Best Puppy In Show in Orlando Florida!
5. He went to Obedience School for three sessions, and did very well.
6. It was during that time I realized how incredibly smart he is.
7. When Fritz was 9 months old we brought Greta home and a wonderful friendship began.
8. Fritz loves to swim and play fetch in the water.
9. He also loves to play fetch with his ball.
10. If he loses his ball you can tell him to go and find it, and he will take off and actually go and find it. He will find Greta’s lost balls too. He has such a great nose.
11. Fritz loves people and loves to go see people, but he hates to ride in the car.
12. Fritz will follow Hubby and I around the yard while we do our work and stay with us the entire time. He doesn’t stray.
13. He is the sweetest, most gentle German Shepherd we have ever had.

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Cooking, Food, & Kitchen Breakdowns

Today it arrived!

I have been waiting almost two weeks for this.
As many of you know, I love to cook. I also love to experiment with new recipes, (or old) and try new techniques. So, as soon as I got home from the Post Office I tore open the box and sat down to revel in the book. My hands quivered as I turned page after page, seeing what Julia had to say to me.
I love the way she puts things. It’s simple, well thought out, and easy to follow. Most of the recipes are French Cuisine. She narrates the recipes with how to’s and advice for the new cook. And yet I never felt like she was talking down to the newer cooks either, but reassuring them that they too can cook like this.
The first recipe I want to try is her Quiche Lorraine. I have tried other recipes over the years and found them simply horrid. I somehow know, Julia will guide me through it and that it will make a sumptuous dish!
I’m getting a ton of pickles again! Almost enough to make some sort of relish. Perhaps Picalilli or Sweet Pickles with onions? Not sure. I wish my neighbor was back from New Brunswick, Canada because she makes some really wonderful pickle recipes and I would love to pick her brain.
My first baby Butternut squash appeared last week. One is a good 8 inches long already! Today I noticed probably 8 new, tiny 2 inch squash. Butternut squash are my favorite. I love to peel, boil, mash with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon for a truly awesome meal.
I hear the local corn is finally in. There are signs up that tell you to basically not expect much because of all the rain we have had. Even with that they are charging 60 cents an ear.
And lastly on the kitchen front My dishwasher is leaking. This will mean another call to our repair man, Barry, and it will also mean I will have to wash dishes by hand until he can fit us in. Shoot! I detest doing dishes all alone.
When I was a kid, I would stand on a chair and my sister and I would do the dishes together. Mel would either tell me stories or we would sing. We loved to sing, “White Coral Bells” or “We Are The Sister’s” or “Frere Chaque”. Yes, back then doing the dishes was fun! Thanks Mel. Want to come up and help me do the dishes?

Why I Hate Poison Ivy!

You want to know what happens when a little dachshund named Greta goes running through the tall grass in the field behind our house?
The dachshund in question is quickly grabbed and then given a bath with special shampoo, right out there on the lawn. Once she is done, I race in and jump in the shower and wash myself with brown soap and hot water.
Why do I do this?
Because I am incredibly allergic to poison ivy and my neighbor’s field is just loaded with the stuff this year, and when Greta gets the oils on her fur and then rubs up against me this is what happens:


I can’t recall being this allergic to poison ivy before. I’m not sure if it’s because I don’t usually go walking through overgrown fields, or if perhaps as I have gotten older I have become more allergic?
I think the best answer here is that I have a sneaky dog who loves to take off and run through the poison ivy and then come back and lcuddle with me! Gotta love that dog!
Now we’re all clean, and no one is going outside again unless they’re on a leash!

Monday Morning Viewing Pleasure

Sunday was a near perfect day weatherwise. It was in the mid 70’s, with drier air and plenty of sunshine. I worked in the garden in the morning, finding nothing (gasp!) to harvest. Although I have many more cucumbers, and squash coming along.
The kids were over on Saturday and again on Sunday. I would love it if they lived close by. They are such great kids and a lot of fun to have around. Best of all, I can sit back and watch them with the dogs, and that is fantastic! So for your Monday Morning viewing pleasure Here is a little collage of Child/Doggy Love!

The Fruits Of Our Labor

Why would one make Mustard Pickles, which also contain cauliflower, onions, green peppers and green tomatoes? Because I have more pickling cucumbers than I know what to do with! I am also one of those people who hates to waste anything and let’s face it, you can only eat so many salads.
So Hubby helped me to can all the mixture. Worse case scenario, it will totally stink and we will throw it all away. Best case? It will be so delicious that we will want to have hotdogs and other stuff that’s good with this mustard condiment, so we can eat it like crazy.
Last night I chopped up the vegetables and put them to soak in salt water.


Today I cooked the mustard sauce, added the vegetables,


and then canned them.

I think it will be really great on hotdogs. So I have decided to have hotdogs tomorrow so I can check it out.

Tonight we had chicken shish kebobs with the marinade you can find under the cooking section. It is good with both beef and chicken.

I am signing off now so I can get to bed early. For some unknown reason I woke up at 4:30 this morning and tonight I am tired.