Wacky Weimy Wednesday: HOT dogs!

Whew. It is H.O.T. Flamin' hot. Remember when I said I was lovin' this heat wave? Well, Mother Nature must have taken note 'cause she is ba-ringin' the heat right now. I passed a bank sign on my way home that read 109 degrees. Holy cow. I kinda don't really mind it though, especially since we so seldom get weather like this. Actually, I can't really remember any summers in the past that had gotten quite this hot. In the hundreds, yes. But I don't think this high in the hundreds. At work today, our parking lot was literally melting. Where I pull into my spot, my tires left tread marks in the asphalt. Wow. Hot.

My canine co-habitators are most likely not lovin' this heat wave. Instead of hanging out in a cool, air conditioned office, they are trying to keep cool in their dog run. I feel like we have a pretty good set up for them; it's indoor/outdoor, with shade on the outside, but I've definitely been concerned about them these last few days.

Yesterday I took a long lunch to come home and check on them and today I left a little early, because I was starting to freak out a little. Thankfully, it was a few degrees cooler at our house than most of the area (gotta love mountain air). Also, both times I have come home, the garage has been substantially cooler than the outside, thank goodness. We insulated the heck out of it, which really helps keep it cool(ish) in the summer and warm(ish) in the winter.

One thing that my wackies love when it's hot out is ice treats. We play a little game of "catch it" with them and they absoutely love crunching on the cubes after catching them. I also put a big bowl of ice cubes in their kennel for them each morning. I wish I could leave them in our house during the day, but something tells me I wouldn't have much house to come home to if I did that. Those of you who have been tuning in to WWW for awhile know exactly what I mean. ;)

Anyway, here are some pics of today's ice cube catch it game.

Can you see the cube flying through the air? She's all over it!

Got it!
Watching intently...

Got it!

For my fellow Northwesterners...stay cool...we're gonna make it!! :) And drink lots of water!! (Do I sound like your mom?) ;)

FOOTNOTE: Our breeder just did a post here where they discuss good ways to keep doggies cool in this heat. They have some really good suggestions, including avoiding ice cold water/lots of ice. Glad I read this! I think a couple of ice cubes here and there are probably ok, but I probably won't put a bowl of ice in their kennel anymore. Instead, sounds like it's better to just make sure they have access to lots and lots of fresh cool-ish water and good shelter. Sure is a tricky balance!

Macro Monday: My Garden Friend

Hello everyone, and happy Macro Monday to you! Ed, over at Sunday Stills has been thoughtful enough to add another feature to his site and is now hosting Macro Monday as well! Too fun! I love taking macro shots (now that my friend Patches showed me how to!), so I'm really excited about this addition.

I actually didn't plan on participating this week, but I just got done uploading these photos of a little stowaway that was on my snapdragons that I brought in tonight. I was fascinated by this guy (or gal?) and was really excited to get some decent shots. He (she?) was moving really fast trying to figure out what the heck happened and why he (she?) was no longer in the garden! Once I saw them I thought, "ooh, perfect for Macro Monday!" So here I am!

I was really excited with how clear this one came out. How cool that you can see the eyes! Unfortunately, there's a MAJOR rookie mistake in this picture. See that big black area in the foreground? Yeah, that would be my shadow...uh, I'm still learning. ;)
This guy's shadow is okay, though. Sadly, after taking this photo, I lost track of the little guy and I fear that he may have been injested by Cabela. I was attempting to get him back on a snapdragon stalk to bring him outside when Cabela stuck her nose right in the middle of what I was doing and then started licking her chops. I never did see him again. Goodbye, little friend. We'll always have the macros...

Sunday Stills: Toys

"The Orange Ball"

Since I don't really feature my dogs very often on this blog (snort), I figured I would make them the subject of this week's Sunday Stills post. ;)

Even though my dogs have plenty of toys to play with, this orange ball is hands down their favorite toy. Mine, too, because it was very inexpensive and we've had it for close to a year and it's not chewed up!

Since it's their favorite ball, they often squabble over it, which is always entertaining to watch.

Cabela usually starts out with it...

But then ends up losing her grip on it (I kinda think she does this on purpose)...

Which gives Caleb the opportunity to scoop it up. But he knows she's waiting to make her move...just look at him staring at her!

Side note: is he just about the cutest thing you've ever seen or what?!

But wait, Caleb seems to have let his guard down! (Also on purpose, in my opinion)...

Mr. Nonchalant, right?

Cabela, of course, seized this opportunity to snatch "her" ball back and took it back to her tower for safekeeping.And it doesn't look like she'll be giving it up anytime soon! Gotta love the keep away game...goofy Weimies!

Wacky Weimy Wednesday: Yogurt Babies

My little Wacky Weimies sure do go crazy for yogurt! They each get a spoonful every night & then since I'm a big pushover, I also let them lick my bowl after I finish mine. Sorry to those of you who are shuddering right now at the idea of dog slobber on people dishes! I guess you could call Caleb and Cabela my "pre-rinse" cycle. ;) I figure these new age, fancy schmancy dishwashers of ours get hot enough to take care of the germs. Plus, since Caleb insists on tongue kissing me on a regular basis (he always gets me when I'm not paying attention!) and it hasn't killed me yet, I figure I'm good. :)

Anyway, our breeder starts giving yogurt to their dogs when they're just little pups. Just like for us, yogurt is really good for doggies...especially for their guts. Also, with floppy eared dogs, infection can be fairly common and the yogurt helps to keep their ears clear.

As you can see here, they really enjoy this treat...keep your eyes peeled starting around 22 seconds. This is where Caleb starts being a yogurt hog & Cabela starts getting a little ticked. I can't help but giggle when she does this. I should probably be admonishing her, but she cracks me up. Plus, there's never any malice behind it...she just needs to make it clear that she's not happy. ;)

P.S. Please excuse the clunking dryer noise in the background. That would be the sound of my "Kuntry Chic" overalls...I always forget to fasten the straps before throwing 'em in! So annoying!

I love it! *20 Kuntry Girl favorites*

Gosh, time sure is flying by this summer! I've been a little absent from blogging lately, because I've been super busy with all sorts of fun shenanigans. :) Like so many of you, I'm sure, I have this huge backlog of blog posts I've been meaning to write but haven't quite been able to find the time for. So, I figured why not just get them all out in one post?

So, I would like to share with you the top twenty things (in no particular order) that I'm lovin' right now, figuring that this should pretty much cover most of my backlogged blog post ideas. Then, the slate will be clean, my mind will be clear and I will be at peace again. For now. ;)

20. I'm lovin' this heat wave we're having in Washington!! I know, I know...it's a little much for us Washington folk who are used to being spoiled by a very temperate summer climate. However, as you're wiping the sweat from your brow walking to your mailbox, I challenge you to remember that our six month winter will be here before we know it and we will be longing for these hot summer days! I know I will be!

19. I'm lovin' the evening breezes that lightly blow past me as I'm outside taking care of my last few chores. They carry on them the scent of horse poo and sweet peas and they are a welcome friend at the end of a sweltering day.

18. I'm lovin' fresh strawberries from the garden and I'm looking forward to the ripening of our blueberries and blackberries.

17. I'm loving' the fact that I got to enjoy some quality summer time with Kuntry Boy at the beach last week! Even if it was just one day, this type of trip is usually not possible 'till Octoberish.

Not that the time of year makes much difference when you're talking Washington beaches! July or October, it's probably gonna be grey, maybe a little drizzly, and a lot chilly! :) But we did get some sun too! I'm lovin' the fact that I got to cruise around on the back of a moped with him and momentarily forget about the fact that there's still another month or so before he's home again!

I love that we got to have a campfire on the beach and that he seemed to really enjoy being able to kick back and relax on a fun summer day. This time of year, he usually only gets one day off about every thirty or forty days.

I loved taking these pictures of him and his friend (he and his friend?) that we went with...his friend's wife & I were cracking up...don't these pictures look so romantic?!

The mopeds parked side by side, the dudes gazing over the water contemplating life...so picturesque. He'd kick my butt if he knew I was posting these, so let's just keep this between us, shall we? ;)

16. I'm lovin' that my garden is starting to take off after a late, late planting this year. I love cutting fresh snapdragons and herbs to bring inside.

I'm looking forward to blooming sunflowers and zinnias. I love my little garden kitty that accompanies (and sometimes annoys) me as I'm watering and weeding. Why do cats always have to park themselves in the middle of what you're doing?!

15. I'm lovin' that my grass experiment is actually working and I'm starting to get a (somewhat) lush front lawn! I've been installing it one wheelbarrow at a time, mixing topsoil, coconut fiber, organic compost, dolomite lime, grass seed, and water then spreading it out, molding the edge to the contours of our flower gardens. I still have lots of work to do, but it's coming along!

14. I'm lovin' my two new "summer bags". I got the green one at the Gap on a super sale and it worked great as a beach bag! The bright one I got from a very good friend who unfortunately lives way too far away from me. She sent this to me on my birthday and I absolutely love it. It's called a Bagolita...I love the uniqueness of these bags!

13. I'm lovin' easy, light summer meals. I love snipping fresh dill from the garden and broiling up some salmon. I love cheese tortellinis with basil, garlic, EVOO, lemon juice, and cheese. Sometimes I top 'em with fresh shrimp or scallops. P.S. Yes, Patches, that is bag cheese. I'm so ashamed. I love my staple summer dinner of an "avocado omelet taco". Using eggs in a carton (Best of the Egg by Lucerne), I fry myself up an "egg tortilla", sprinkle on some salt and pepper, top with Italian cheese (again, from a bag) and then fold over a mix of cubed avocado and chopped onion and tomato. Super quick and good for me! Love it! I also love my summer dessert of plain yogurt topped with honey from my mom's beehives. So good!

12. I'm lovin' grooming my smooth summer horsey. I'm especially lovin' a new skin treatment I got for him called Calm Coat. This stuff smells SO good and has all sorts of healing benefits. I recently read about mixing it with Vaseline and Campo Phenique for a bug bite salve/repellent. Perfect to rub on Caspian's belly with a sponge, since he's a buger about fly spray. Although, I'd prefer not to use petroleum, so I'm trying to think of something else similar that I can mix it with. Any suggestions? Lanolin? Five O'Clock Somewhere? Any expert advice?

11. I'm lovin' the surcingle and long lines I got for training. Speaking of training, I'm really lovin' our trainer. She's so patient, knowledgeable, and easy to work with. She's super helpful and above everything, she's extremely generous. One session, she brought out a bunch of her saddles to help me determine what type of saddle will be the best fit for Caspian. Last session, she brought me five of her own books to read to reinforce what we've been learning.

10. I'm lovin' Dover's Summer Sale catalog, from which I just ordered two new pairs of breeches and a pair of super cool boot socks. I swear I did need these, 'cause I only had one pair of junky consignment breeches. I need to stop looking at the catalog now, though, because I probably don't need a pair in every color (including plaid). Nor do I need a pair of half-chaps, a new helmet, and multiple pairs of gloves. Yet. ;)

9. I'm lovin' the sweet smell of sun baked local hay permeating the still summer air. I love driving down our highway with my windows down and filling my lungs with it. If I could bottle that smell, I'd put it in one of those reed diffusers! :)

8. I'm lovin' the fact that local farmland that two years ago would have been snatched up by a developer is now being farmed again. There's a new farm that's started right down the road from me that's growing organic produce. I love passing by the workers each morning and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that their venture will be successful.

7. I'm lovin' living in a small town. I've really come alive living in the country again. It suits me perfectly. I love all the work that goes with it, even if it can be overwhelming at times. I love that I'm on a first name basis at the hardware store and the post office. I love that I have awesome neighbors that watch over me and our house and whom I can trust to take excellent care of my horse when I'm out of town.

6. I'm lovin' Pioneer Woman's new Tasty Kitchen website. She's really outdone herself now!

5. I'm lovin' my new pair of gardening clogs. They're SUPER dorky, but I don't get a funky sock line when I wear them. Plus, they match the tank top that I wear under my denim shorts overalls. Now is this Kuntry Chic or what?!

4. I'm lovin' the snakes that slither through the tall grass as I walk up our hill to water our trees. Seriously. I've made my peace with them. Only because they're not poisonous. ;)

3. I'm lovin' the fact that the Jenny Doe has been getting a lot of rest lately. I don't love that it's because my pastures are fried, but I'm not a huge fan of mowing. Well, I actually don't really mind it, it's pretty relaxing (unless I'm getting stuck traversing our hills) but it takes up SO MUCH TIME!

2. I'm lovin' waking up early on Sunday mornings so that I have a little time to be lazy with my crazies. They seriously know when it's the weekend and they love to lounge around with me before starting our day.

Dogs are so smart. It's crazy how they have their little internal clocks.

1. Last, but not least, I'm LOVIN' all my blogging buddies! You all provide me with great daily entertainment, not to mention lots of wonderful information and insights. I might not always get a chance to comment, especially if I'm doing a quick read, but I really appreciate everyone's stories and helpful tips!

Some of my most recent favorite informative posts have been:

**Kacy with her post on hoof boots. I've been contemplating what type to get Caspian and can use all the info. possible.

**One Red Horse with tips for helping to strengthen a horse's back. I've recently started some exercises with Caspian that our trainer showed me so this post was very timely! It was amazing to see her before & afters!

**Five O'Clock Somewhere with her healing salve post. Quite impressive!

Okey dokey, I think that's it! What are some of your favorite things right now? :)