keeping this active...Gosh I miss this BLOG!!!

Nothing to say at this minute. Just wanting to post to keep this active. I miss writing for Winston. My new dog Toby should speak up! Lisa

Homemade Scooby Snacks!

Guest post by Hootie

Last year we discovered that Winston LOVED chicken jerky treats....which we call Scooby Snacks.  When you say the words, "Scooby Snack" his ears perk up and he happily sits waiting to receive a treat. 

It was very convenient to purchase treats at the store...until they were recalled and then no longer available.  That also made me think, exactly what ARE we feeding my pooch!?  

I surfed the web and found it would be easy to make treats of my own.  With a little practice, and Winston was very willing to eat my first attempts, I think I have a technique down that I am ready to share!  

HOMEMADE SCOOBY SNACKS

First: slice chicken in layers making each slice about 1/4 of an inch think.  

 I usually buy a package of boneless, chicken breasts for about ten dollars.  I slice it up and put half into a ziplock bag for the next week.  It stores nicely in my freezer and I defrost it in the 'fridge.

 Second:  Place chicken breasts onto a nicely oiled jelly-roll pan.  I am generous with my vegetable oil!

 Third:  Set the oven to 200 degrees.  You don't have to preheat the oven since this takes about 8 hours to cook.  Remember, you are making jerky and you are trying to dry out the meat!

 After maybe four hours, turn the jerky pieces over on the jelly-roll trays.  You really want both sides to turn a nice shade of brown.

In the end, you'll KNOW when they are done.  They will look dried out!  Since it is chicken that you would eat, go ahead and try some!  It tastes great!  Sometimes I start these after dinner and let them cook through the night.  The whole house smells yummy when you slow roast chicken!  

Winston enjoys a treat after his evening walk each night.  I store them in an airtight container in our refrigerator.  These are very cost effective.  What I was buying cost about $14.00 a bag/week.  Now we spend maybe $6.00/week.  

Even our cats like to try a little corner now and then!  

~Hootie

With My BFF...

Last Sunday morning Hootie took me out for a super long hike.  She wanted to go see an old dam that we hadn't been to in some time.  The total hike time was 3 1/2 hours.

At the University Lake Dam

Luckily for Hootie, there happened to be two runners who were at the dam when we were and she was able to have them snap our picture.  She was a happy creature.  As always though, the problem with taking Hootie out on a hike is that she is constantly needing to stop and look at the flowers!  I was able to hunt now and then while she examined the flora.  Caught myself a mole!  ~W

the Real BIG HANDSOME!

 B-town isn't big enough for two BIG HANDSOME fellas. 

Thank goodness Cody wizened up.   

 

Hootie isn't quite as happy as me, but she'll get over it.  ~W

DOG food!

Lily * Jack

Seriously.
This is what I have to put up with!  

Vultures.

~W

The Nose Knows!

 Here Mousy, Mousy, Mousy!  

I know you are in there!  

"Evil Hunter, What a big nose you have!" 

I can smell you!   

"And what big teeth you have!"

 I will rip this wood apart.

 "I think I'll change the ending to this tale!" 

"Adios, Amigo!"

*****

Darn it, Hootie!  Why do you always hold onto my leash so tightly?

~W 

Seeing Double

Gosh, it has been forever since Hootie and I have posted here.  She's been busy with life stuff and you know I need her help with the computer.  

Yesterday we were out on our late afternoon walk in the woods, when I thought my friend Maggie was coming my way.  She's a friend who was bitten by a Timber Rattle Snake just over a year ago and has lived to tell her tale!  Maggie knows me and she and I love to sniff one another.   This dog was much more reserved and was staying back.  As Hootie and I got closer to this dog, we could see it's guardian had another pooch by her side.  Weird...he looked just like me!  

This is NOT two of me or me moving in this photo!

me * Quid * Murray

You can't tell in the photos, but it was raining. I had all ready decided Murray and Quid were cool so I wasn't interested in hanging out for a photo.  Hootie of course got chatty.  She found out all about Murray and Quid from their guardian, B.J. Quid was rescued from a shelter too when he was 9.  He is 11 now...a glimpse for Hootie of me in two years! Still handsome, just a little more gray. ~W

All in an Hour...the HEAT!

On Thursday afternoon (June 28) we had near record 

setting heat in our neck of the woods.  

Hootie decided to be a research scientist while we hiked.

On the back porch, in the shade...

...at the secret cave opening...in the woods...

...down in the ravine...

...and back at the top of the hills.

Most of the water in the streams has dried up.  Thank goodness for a few springs and Hootie understanding I need to cool off my belly.  ~W

Buddies

Have you seen the movie, The Hangover?  In that movie, among other themes...Alan wants to be just like Phil.  Hootie is constantly calling Jack, 'Alan' around here.  

Jack, stealing my spot

Cat Nappin'

Jack walks under my legs when I am being pet, 

he drinks out of my water bowl, 

begs for food when I do and 

is always trying to get between Hootie and me.  

He's kind of annoying 

but he does play with me now and then. 

 ~W

In My Element...

...daily.  

The only thing that would make life better?  If I could lose the leash.  I still don't understand why Hootie doesn't want to spend the whole day hunting.  ~W

Fall Fun

Imagine a Tyrannosaurus Rex putting their nose into a cave and you are that "thing" he is hunting.  The T. Rex's hot breath rushes past your face as he exhales, while you hold on tight as he drawls breath in; deep, snorting inhales as he breathes with his mouth open allowing the extra nasal passage on the roof of his mouth to fill with your odoriferous scent.  You quiver in place and hope his interest will fade or be drawn to something else.

I'm that T. Rex in these photos!  I can smell that little chipmunk, just inches away from my teeth.  Lately I've been hot on the trail of several prize catches.  Unfortunately, I have found something else out about my desired treats...

Enlarge to see a "behind" in the log.

...chipmunks can climb, really high up trees.  ~W

The Gentle Hunter...

Believe it or not, I DO know when to hunt and when to be nice.  Hootie did a fantastic job capturing a very disturbing picture of me while I was hunting the ghost crabs on vacation!  Check out my fangs and wild eyes!  For the full effect, if you can enlarge this pic...DO IT!

*****

But I do know when it's time to hunt-to-kill or when to hunt-to-discover some- thing.  On the return trip home, from vacation, the family spent a night in Gatlinburg, TN.  On the morning walk before jumping in the van, Hootie and I found this little kitten.  See my nose!  His mama was close by and he was much too little to be away from her, so we left him.  The girl child was NOT happy when she found out.  Think the first picture of me above, but add a girl child face... can you see it?    ~W  

Winston and the ghost crabs...a.k.a Vacation Hunting

I know not everyone will appreciate my efforts to help the sea turtles flourish.  Hootie has a soft spot for turtles over all, so I was thinking of her on our nightly walks.  ~W

With my "cousins"... (Vacation, Part 1)

My family recently went on vacation and they made plans to take me!  

First we went to some mountain area and I met my "cousins." 

Their names are Finn and Digby.  

Heading down to the river for a romp

Playing tag! 

Sea Monsters!  

The view at the stream...waterfalls and mountains!  

Fishing

with my Aunt 

Hootie has some pretty cool family!  

Next stop...the ocean.

~W

Frogging

Recently the girl child has started walking with the DH and myself when we go out for our nighttime frog hunt.  She brought Hootie's camera last night.  There was a little accident with my retractable leash.  While the DH was trying to fix it, the girl child was playing around with the camera.  I don't think I am the baseball cap type.  BTW, Hootie needs to go buy a new retractable leash today.  

 *****

The girl child took these pics...one of my frog friends sitting at the edge of the pond and me playing with another frog.  Don't worry, he eventually got away.

What?

Get your own!  

~W

Is-a Good!

Is a Good!

Have you seen the movie Enchanted?  It is one of Hootie's favorites.  It's one of those lovey-dovey, feel good, girl movies.  I think the best part is Pip.  He's the chipmunk in the story.  


*****
When Hootie and I go out for our walks each day, I LOVE to try and find my own little Pip friend.  Hootie keeps saying I am retired, but I don't understand that word.  
Sometimes Pip hides under the rocks near the water's edge.

Other times he's under the rocks on the hillsides.  

He also likes to hide under downed tree limbs.  

***

Most of the time he gets away before I can nab him.  

If only Hootie would not hold my leash so tightly!  

Once in a while I am successful in my hunting and I get more than just a dirt covered nose.  I don't know why Hootie won't post a picture of my catch.  I know she's a big softy.  What does she expect?  She owns a hunter!  ~W

Oh, Deer!

Life around the Burrow has been full of nothing much.  A little road construction made crossing our favorite causeway a challenge.  Towards the end of construction I stepped in the fresh cement.  I left two paw prints...thought I was doing the walk of fame, but the next time I came through I found that the workers had smoothed out my prints.  I thought they liked me too.  They tried to give me pizza one time!  *****  I spent several times this spring playing a reverse Prince Charming for Hootie too.  It seems she can't decide whether or not to keep her hands covered and inevitably she loses one glove.  Our next time out means we have to re-trace our steps.  Luckily for her, I always see to spot her lost items.  

*****

And those deer...

they THINK they are so hidden!  

Okay, well, maybe the next two below are a little hard to see!  

It looks like Mother Nature is smiling in the woods. 

*****  

 Sometimes, streams need to be crossed.  This is a great time for me to remind Hootie that she needs to watch where she steps...

We did cross these rocks above and good for Hootie, she saw the Northern Water Snake before it disappeared under the rock.  It's not poisonous, just scary...if one wasn't paying attention.  

 ~W