bean&noodle

Because dogs will be dogs, and squirrels will be dead

So yesterday Steve and I pull into the driveway around 5:40. The dogs had a squirrel treed. As we were approaching it leapt from the tree and was soon screaming as it was in a three-way tug-of-war with the dogs. At this point I ran into the house crying, because I'm made of tough stuff. 

Steve came in a minute later to tell me about the events that followed. I was happy to have missed Roscoe trying to shake the squirrel off his face. (update, I've since been told that Callie was trying to pull the squirrel off his face too) I am pretty sure I would have lost my shit if I had seen that. I immediatley ran out to check on him and he came prancing around the corner with a limp squirrel in his mouth and a very bloody eye.

This not being the first eye injury in our almost 10 years together... I scooped him up, grabbed my purse, called my vet that was closing in 15 minutes and told them I was on my way. They were so kind to stay late for us. He burst an blood vessel and did get scratched, but luckily his cornia was untouched. At times like this I am so happy to living in a small town where not only will the vet stay late, but I can get there lickety split.

I'd hoped this morning that he might be worn out and wanting to rest, but he sat right at the window looking for squirrels. 

Last Weekend

Last weekend looked like this...

hands down, my favorite place to knit

and my favorite little buddy to knit with

i made this

and this

and finished these

Here's hoping for more of the same this weekend. My husband is sick today, and I'm feeling a bit iffy too, so perhaps just the knitting part would do.

I'm almost done with this great beret pattern from Churchmouse Yarns & Teas and though I've cast on for Topiary in a lovely blue green wool, I think I mayswing by Hill Country Weavers right now to pick up an oatmealy Berroco Vintage so that the stitches will be more pronounced. Yep, that' sexactly what I'm gonna do. I'm not normally a big fan of a wool/acrylic blend, but this yarn is really great.

off to the yarn store! 

Donkey Hoti

This is Donkey Hoti, Roscoe's current longtime companion.

Donkey Hoti is not just another well-loved, matted soul in a long line of Roscoe's sad babies loves. He looooves her. He's always been somewhat of a serial monogamist.

First there was Polly Polka Pants. His first love.

She turned her back on him.

He soon hopped into a whirlwind romance with this little bunny.
For the record...I am not claiming to know the sexual preference of my dog, or the stuffies... it's just a story.

She knew she was just a rebound romance, but just couldn't walk away.

This next gal was just plain mean.

and who could forget sweet sleepy Ellie?

Apparently Roscoe, once he met this little chicken.

 

Praise the Lard!

I am testing biscuit recipes for work... and I have been schooled in biscuit making. Yesterdays sad biscuits pale in comparison to todays much taller and flakier results. The difference, in my humble opinion, was the lard. Sugar too.

Callie liked them too.

but wanted more than one.

Flora & Fauna

Oregon Grape Mahonia aquifolium
There is no good reason why this plant is loving life in my Central Texas courtyard, being that it is the state flower of freaking Oregon, but it is.

Blackfoot Daisy Melampodium leucanthum
Drought & heat tolerant... attracts butterflies

Bloodgood Japanese Maple Acer palmatum
Loved this so much we went back to the nursery the following day to buy another one of these

Maisy Blue Canis lupis familiaris
Needs lots of water & kisses

Jumping for Joy

look I can fly!

one more time , please?

showoff.

Having Waaaay to much fun with iphone camera apps

I dig the lo-fi look. The App is called Shake It

Those Damn Biscuits, a Blanket & a Noodle

Remember these? I couldn't get them out of my mind, so I made some. While these were indeed yummy, I will cut the salami into much smaller pieces next time.... these were great but a bit more rustic than i hoped for. I will also try them with ham and cheddar.

I harvested so many collards and mustard greens I had to give a bunch away. These were amazing.

Another Moderne Log Cabin on the needles, knit in lovely woolly heathers.

and the sweet kitty Noodle (one of this blogs namesakes). Noodle will be 13 this March, and while he has slowed down a wee bit, he's still a tiger. I love his h(ears).

cluck cluck

 

I know, I know...I've said this before, but this time I just may mean it! I still worry about my high strung Catahoula making mince meat out of one of the gals... but I think that I just need to try it. If there is blood, we'll build a funeral pyre and I can always deconstruct the coop/run to fashion a larger compost arena. The thought of walking out back in my jammies and scooping up blue/green and café au lait hued eggs makes me so dizzy that I am willing to set my fear aside and see if Callie Jo can be trusted.

at lunch I ran out to buy some Robin Eggs because I do not have children to steal them from. Easter just isn't Easter without hurting my tongue on these little buggers.

Happy First Day of Fall!

I know the temperature is about 90º today but I am determined to begin fall today with the rest of you. I love fall, or more accurrately, I love October... which is right around the corner.

Today, I am working from home. I have a pot roast in the crock pot and I'm working on this...

which is not making my pining for cooler weather any easier. Aah, doesn't it look just dreamy?

 
More seeds for the fall garden. I'm planting in succession to get more greens over a longer time. I just love scooping up th ebulk seeds at the nursery.

I spied this bird out my living room window... yeah, they like the giant teacup turned birdbath.

I am hoping to finsh Rayne Wrap Cardigan by Laura Chau ( I woul link here but typepad is acting up) before our trip to the Ozarks. I'm at the first armhole...may happen yet.

Still need to hang all this stuff

After much thought and consideration, we finally decided to give No Bark Collar a try with Callie Jo. She's a Catahoula and will tree a squirrel and bark at it for 7 hours... and is undeterred. We finally came to the conclusion that it was more humane than letting her get shot by a neighbor ( We o live in small town Texas. Yesterday she was very surprised... today she is just staring at squirrels.

Here she is napping and waiting for pot roast.