An Oldie, But a Goodie

Please meet Baby!  She is our 15 year old black lab.  We got her from a lady in Fort Bridger, WY.  She was the runt of the group and seemed very timid.  She is shorter in length than most labs.  Therefore, she has always looked chubby.  Now, she really is chubby. 

 In these pictures, she is doing what she does best....Fishing and chasing a stick!

She never really eats the fish.  She just likes to carry them around.  This photo was taken at Viva Naughton Reservoir near Kemmerer, WY.    Hunky Hubbie had filleted a nice trout for dinner.  Baby took the opportunity to carry this fish around like it was a trophy!  Another one of her favorite activities is ice fishing.  She sits at the hole with her nose about an inch from the water.  When a fish is caught, she will grab it as it comes out of the ice.  She doesn't hurt the fish, though.  She has a very gentle mouth.

 

 

 

In this photo, she is doing her second favorite thing.  Chasing a stick!  Whether on the land or water, she is definitely a retriever.

 

Baby is getting older.  She suffers from arthritis.  She has survived breast and uterine growth surgery.  She is overweight and walks are more difficult these days. We have to lift her into the truck to take her to the ranch or fishing.We try to make her as comfortable as we can.  She has a whole backyard of green grass to lounge on.  She is the most gentle soul who just wants to be with her "people".  God blesses us every day that she is here with us.

 

 

Cheeseburger Pie with Green Chilies

Pastry Ingredients

 

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shortening

4 tablespoons cold water

 

Filling Ingredients

 

1 pound lean ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup milk

 1 small can green chilies

2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese, divided

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Pastry: In a medium bowl, mix 1 1/3 cups flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cut in shortening. Add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring well as you add it. Mix lightly. Pat into bottom and sides of an 8 inch pie pan. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.
3. Filling: Crumble ground beef into a large skillet and over medium heat for 1 minute. Add onion and garlic. Cook until onion is browned.  Drain grease. 
4. Sprinkle filling with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup flour. Stir in chilies, milk, and 1 cup shredded cheese. Spoon mixture into pastry shell.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Sprinkle top with remaining 1 cup cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes.

Life with Shelbee!

 


I have had a request to share photos of my fir-babies.  Today I will feature Miss Shelbee.  I wnet looking for a dog when my beloved Tito got killed by a German Shepard. I needed something to help me through the empty nesting time.  Shelbee came to our family from a shelter in Ogden, UT.  The shelter owners did not have a history on her.  She was about 3 years old when we got her.  She was extremely thin and seemed to be malnourished, although the shelter said that she ate well and was very active.  She was aggressive and was not potty trained.

Why did I take her home?  It was obvious to me that this girl had never been loved.  She shied away from human contact.  She would, in fact, try to bite you if you touched her.  Someone had not been very nice to her in her previous life, I was certain.  She deserved to be loved, so she came home with me.

Upon her arrival in Wyoming, she went directly to the vet.  She was diagnosed with Hyper Thyroid and has been on medication for 2 years.  She weighed 4.5 pounds when we got her.  She now weighs 7 pounds.  Though still thin, she is so much more active and healthy.

She also has a malformed back.  Her back hunches more than a normal Chihuahua and she carries her back leg when she walks.  We are watching her for any signs of degeneration and will do everything we can to make her comfortable as she ages.

Shelbee has chosen me as her "Person".  How lucky I am.  She is  lover dog....lots of kisses and cuddles.  She is very protective of me.  I have to watch her around children and men.  She is still pretty aggressive with strangers.

Potty training has been a long and difficult process.  We still aren't there.  She does well if she is let out every two hours.  I can tell that she was left indoors for long periods of time....maybe  a pet store dog or a kennel dog.  She will go on potty pads, which is helpful. 

I wish the photos did justice to the comparison of how she looked when we got her and how she looks today.  Suffice it to say that she is very loved and very well taken care of.  It is the highlight of my day when I come home to her happy face!
 

Dog Treats

We have been looking for some natural treats for our extremely spoiled canines.  We don't want to continue to give them the preservatives and chemicals that they get in from store bought treats. The question was what do you feed a Chihuahua, a Black Lab, and a Blue Heeler that they all will like?Wait, they are all dogs, right? We converted a cookie recipe to the one listed below.  Even the cat loves them!
 

Ingredients

• 2½ cups whole wheat flour, oat flour, rice flour or coconut flour
• 3/4 cup chunky peanut butter peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons honey or agave
• 1 egg

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350F.  Combine flour, baking powder, and egg. Add peanut butter, water, honey or agave.  Stir with a wooden spoon until mixed.  Spread about 1/4 c flour on your countertop and roll the dough out about ½ inch thick.  I used heart and flower cookie cutters. Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool and your dogs will love you!