Fungus of the day 1

Authentic Dog Food

Beef and Carrot Yum

As Pixie gets older, we look for ways to fill her life with small luxuries. Recently, we have been making her food from scratch. This delight contains raw hamburger, raw beef liver, one soft-boiled egg: shell and all, carrots, brown rice, brewer’s yeast, and her dose of glucosamine/chondroitin. We add regular dry dog food for texture. She LOVES it.

Apparently, the calcium in the egg shells balances the phosphorus in the meat. Bones would do this in the “wild”. The vegetables are cooked soft, as partially digested vegetables would be in a wolf’s prey. It’s nice to know for sure what we are feeding her and very nice to see her enjoy something we prepared for her.

Learning from Friends

Careen’s Considerations:

1. Make sure there are hooks in the cob walls to hang hammocks from!

2. Mixing one’s own little batch of cob gives the stomper complete control of the batch. Dancing alone has it’s merit.

3. Really wet batches are easy on the body and quick to mix.

4. A nice little pot of tea makes breaks more special. (Especially fermented and rolled Dong Ding! Thank you for leaving some, Careen!)

5. Carve out little Fairy Corners by guiding growth and weeding out even native invasives.

6. Make sure wood embedded in cob stay nice and dry. Here is her idea for window installation we are considering.

7. When the cob is not doing what you want it to do and you become mad at the walls, sleep on it.

Guest Quarters

Guest House

The tent fits perfectly on our little deck. It is a perfect little tea room, napping hut, matinee theater, or just an escape from hungry mosquitoes.

A Wee Cob Party

Careen, contemplating

Greg with oatmeal

Cobbing Feet; Busy Feet

Nathan and Wally

A Wee Cob Party

Careen, contemplating

Greg with oatmeal

Cobbing Feet; Busy Feet

Nathan and Wally

Jammy Shortbread

Jammy Robertsons

1/2 c. BUTTER
1/4 c. SUGAR (I used lavender sugar)
1 Tbsp. LEMON ZEST
1 1/2 c. FLOUR
1/4 tsp. BAKING POWDER
A squeeze of LEMON JUICE 
A splash each of VANILLA and ALMOND EXTRACTS
A bit of your favorite FRUIT JAM

Cream butter, sugar and lemon zest until smooth. Add flour and lightly squeeze with fingers until uniformly crumbly. Add lemon juice and the vanilla and almond extracts. Use hands to work into a big ball of thick paste.

Roll out to 1/4″ thick and cut into small squares. Depress your finger into the center of each. Poke little holes with a fork around the edges. Dollop a tiny bit of your favorite jam into the fingerprints. (Pictured: Beverly Kramer’s Homemade Strawberry Jam)

Bake in a moderately hot oven (I use a wood stove, but 350 degrees should work) until lightly brown. Eat with a nice cup of strong, hot tea and a worthy friend.

P.S. I hid a chocolate chip in a couple. Surprise!