Photo Friday

Since I have not posted in so long - and only once this year - this will be an extra long Photo Friday post. Lots of photos. Enjoy!

My Valentine's "bouquet."

Blueberries were on sale this week and they were GIANT!

My sweet doggies just love playing in the new snow.

Neptune & Panda

Snowing again today. Usually in the distance you would see mountains.

More wrestling.

Kind of artsy. Melted snow (water droplets) on the car window - my mom's house in the background.

Another one of the water with a large birch tree in the background.

My mom's cat Willow. I've been visiting her while my mom is on vacation.

Photo Friday

 

Two photos for this chilly Alaskan Friday. 

My dog Panda LOVES the cold weather! Any time it is below 20° she begs to go outside and hang out. She doesn't even mind when it is below zero. Crazy husky girl.

It was -3° at one point today. This morning the sky was bright but there was a big cloud bank moving in. The mountain you see here is nearly 6,400 feet tall.

National Dog Day! {belated post}

 

We took Neptune and Panda to the park for National Dog Day and played Frisbee. Well actually Neptune plays Frisbee, Panda just plays "chase Neptune" until she gets tired of running then she wanders off and checks out the grass and flowers at the edge of the cut grass.

Later that evening they had "Frosty Paws" ice cream treats.

Flowers on Friday

Things are blooming here! Especially everyone's allergies. The rhubarb has started going to seed and the dandelions are taking over. The choke cherry tree has lost all of it's petals and the crab apple isn't far behind. We've had a couple of weeks of cool weather, rain, and lots of dreary days so the lawn is out of control. We have dandelions that are over a foot tall and are blooming like crazy. I've even seen cotton floating through the air (from the cottonwood trees). So much for getting a break from the allergens.

Chokecherry petals - or is it snow?!

A few years ago I planted a row of 12" tall lilacs that I hoped would one day be a hedge. Most of them have survived but are still going kind of slow. I think last year I had one blossom on one plant. This year I have three on one! I also have a larger bush up next to the house that is over 5' tall and has about ten blossoms this year! I went out today and cut a few to enjoy inside. Nothin' like fresh flowers.

Panda LOVES smelling the flowers and usually tries to sneak a taste.

Two Bentos, a Dog, and a Mountain

Pretty February Sky

Backyard looks like a glacier

 The last few weeks we've had some interesting weather. One day -25°F. Four days later +40°F. We have a ton of snow on the ground. Some of the snow has been blown into drifts by the fierce winds we frequently have (gusts 50-80 mph are not uncommon). Last night we had freezing rain. Our front yard is buried in 3' of snow and the top is perfectly glassy smooth like ganache from the rain and then freezing again. One plus from this weather was a happy day for Panda earlier this week. She realized if she stood on top of the snow drift in the back yard she could see over the 6' privacy fence. A whole new world...

I found time to make a couple of bentos this week too!

Carrot, raisin & cream cheese roll-ups, fruit, string cheese & crackers for me. Dave's has chocolate animal crackers.

Another bento just for me. I love this box. Happy marching! Avocado & fruit in the bottom with a penguin pick to watch over the marching band, and the top filled with meat and cheese & crackers left over from the Super Bowl party.

Suggestions for Cookie Exchange?

I'm going to a cookie exchange at our local quilt shop next Monday night and I'm looking for the perfect recipe. Who's got the best cookie exchange recipe? We're only exchanging half dozens, rather than dozens, so I don't need a ton. I'd like something easy-ish and maybe not the norm. You know, I don't want to get there and see that everyone has made spritz cookies.

Lounging Around

A couple of weeks ago Neptune and I were lounging around watching tv (he's the black dog), when Panda decided she desperately needed to be on the couch with us. She leaped into the air over Neptune and landed here. Looks comfy, right?!

My Panda is a STAR!

A few weeks back, maybe a month, I got a fun package in the mail. Two copies of the 2011 Dog Fancy Calendar with the letter announcing my dog PANDA has made the cut and is featured on Feb. 26, 2011!

At one time or another I've entered all the dogs in the calendar and they've all made the cut. What can I say, we have adorable pups. :)

Panda loves flowers

While I was out running errands the other day this happened.

I've got a flower basket on our back fence that was safe last year. This year Panda is tall enough to reach it and help herself. I thought she might be getting close to tall enough so I decided not to put any trailing flowers in it. Good thing, she would have eaten all of them. I guess she got this flower down and ran all over the yard with it but in the end decided not to eat it. D took this pic while I was gone so there would be proof of what went down. Kinda nice to have a photo to accompany the story. :)

Panda

Well, this is how sleepy my Panda is when she gets back from the kennel. They were only there 2 1/2 days while we went to Seward. She has this routine to pull a fleece blanket of hers out of the dryer when I open the door. This time that was followed by running straight to the bed with it and crashing out for a nap. I love the little pile of feet.

Photo Friday - Happy New Year!

We made it to 2010! I did more baking over the holidays than I have done in the past. It was a lot of fun. My favorite new recipe is for Gingerbread Biscotti. I must have made five batches - some to give and some to EAT! The usual kitchen "helpers" were around to supervise and scout for crumbs. Neptune usually waits at a reasonable distance. Panda on the other hand likes to be close by.