Last Saturday saw the passing of a beloved companion. Ruger, our furry nephew, slipped the surly bonds of earth to rejoin his sister Chloe beyond the reach of the pain and strains of this mortal life. He was almost fourteen - a respectable, noble age for a border collie, but such a short time for those of us who loved him and now must continue without.
Whether your furry children are cats, dogs, or other, will you give them a little extra love (and maybe bacon?) today on his behalf?
Wednesday, January 18
Tuesday, January 17
Beef and Pumpkin Stew
Just a quick post today to share a new recipe I found in December and am loving... Beef and Pumpkin Stew from Meatified.
This ends up more of a soup consistency for me than what I associate with stew, but it's incredibly clean and healthy and delicious! Best of all, it only takes about half an hour to make and stretches an entire pound of ground beef over several generous meals.
Tip: Use your biggest pot... it makes a lot! Enjoy!
This ends up more of a soup consistency for me than what I associate with stew, but it's incredibly clean and healthy and delicious! Best of all, it only takes about half an hour to make and stretches an entire pound of ground beef over several generous meals.
Tip: Use your biggest pot... it makes a lot! Enjoy!
Monday, January 9
An Important Note for Dog Owners
I was hoping to keep all my initial posts for 2017 unequivocally positive, but this is important so I'm going to make an exception.
If you have a dog, please be aware that a Federal Court recently ruled that police are authorized to shoot any dogs present when they enter a home if they feel the animal is a threat. The dogs do not have to attack them in any way, or even be jumping or growling - just barking is enough.
No justification, compensation, or anything else is required, and there is no legal recourse. The police do not have to be in your home looking for you, either - they can be there for anyone who might be staying with you, etc.
Obviously, this is of tremendous concern to anyone who has a large and/or naturally intimidating dog or a breed that is notoriously subjected to prejudice or considered dangerous (i.e. pit bulls, German Shepherds, etc.). That said, small dog owners need to aware as well, since many small breeds make up in noise what they lack in size.
Conversations we've had with people who are/have been in law enforcement, as well as recent experiences a family member had with EMTs, bear out that this is not a one-off thing: law enforcement and other public servants who may enter your home are predisposed to consider dogs a threat and react accordingly.
What You Can Do:
Obviously, first and foremost, be discriminating about who you allow to live at, use, or store things on your property. The less cause anyone has to be on your property, the lower you risk of being presented with an unfortunate situation.
Second, if you have a gate or other barrier across your driveway use it. Although this will not always keep people off your property, it does represent a legal barrier that in many situations cannot be crossed without your permission or a warrant, and buys space between law enforcement and your dog. (Otherwise, your front door becomes that barrier, and that doesn't leave much room to intervene!)
Third, talk to the people in your household and make a plan to secure any dogs before law enforcement, paramedics, or others enter the home in the event that you know that they're coming. (I.e. you call for an ambulance, officers are canvassing your neighborhood regarding a crime, etc.)
If at all possible, select a location that is easy for you to get the animal to in a hurry, and one that completely - and visibly - removes their ability to be a threat. [Example - gating your dog in the kitchen with a baby gate is not a good option, as there is still the theoretical possibility of them jumping over, and they are visibly barking, jumping, etc., and may be perceived as a threat. A crate (if you use them), or behind a closed bedroom or bathroom door (as long as your dog can't open these themselves!!) is a significantly better alternative.]
Don't forget to include specific directives to that effect in your emergency plans, so that friends/family (who may not live with you or be familiar with the issue) can act accordingly if you are injured or incapacitated!
While I fully respect the need for the law to protect officers, medical professionals and others who put their lives on the line to do their job every day, our pets have no legal rights and are fully dependent upon us and our awareness, attentiveness, and protection in situations like this. As you make or update plans for the new year, please make sure your furry companions are are covered!
If you have a dog, please be aware that a Federal Court recently ruled that police are authorized to shoot any dogs present when they enter a home if they feel the animal is a threat. The dogs do not have to attack them in any way, or even be jumping or growling - just barking is enough.
 |
| Kaine, a GHF baby. |
Obviously, this is of tremendous concern to anyone who has a large and/or naturally intimidating dog or a breed that is notoriously subjected to prejudice or considered dangerous (i.e. pit bulls, German Shepherds, etc.). That said, small dog owners need to aware as well, since many small breeds make up in noise what they lack in size.
Conversations we've had with people who are/have been in law enforcement, as well as recent experiences a family member had with EMTs, bear out that this is not a one-off thing: law enforcement and other public servants who may enter your home are predisposed to consider dogs a threat and react accordingly.
What You Can Do:
Obviously, first and foremost, be discriminating about who you allow to live at, use, or store things on your property. The less cause anyone has to be on your property, the lower you risk of being presented with an unfortunate situation.
Second, if you have a gate or other barrier across your driveway use it. Although this will not always keep people off your property, it does represent a legal barrier that in many situations cannot be crossed without your permission or a warrant, and buys space between law enforcement and your dog. (Otherwise, your front door becomes that barrier, and that doesn't leave much room to intervene!)
Third, talk to the people in your household and make a plan to secure any dogs before law enforcement, paramedics, or others enter the home in the event that you know that they're coming. (I.e. you call for an ambulance, officers are canvassing your neighborhood regarding a crime, etc.)
If at all possible, select a location that is easy for you to get the animal to in a hurry, and one that completely - and visibly - removes their ability to be a threat. [Example - gating your dog in the kitchen with a baby gate is not a good option, as there is still the theoretical possibility of them jumping over, and they are visibly barking, jumping, etc., and may be perceived as a threat. A crate (if you use them), or behind a closed bedroom or bathroom door (as long as your dog can't open these themselves!!) is a significantly better alternative.]
Don't forget to include specific directives to that effect in your emergency plans, so that friends/family (who may not live with you or be familiar with the issue) can act accordingly if you are injured or incapacitated!
While I fully respect the need for the law to protect officers, medical professionals and others who put their lives on the line to do their job every day, our pets have no legal rights and are fully dependent upon us and our awareness, attentiveness, and protection in situations like this. As you make or update plans for the new year, please make sure your furry companions are are covered!
Thursday, January 5
What Worked For Me: 2016
How are you doing on
your new year's resolutions? Good, I hope? Did you indulge in an
end-of-year-review before you chose them? I know most people got this
kind of thing posted in December, but I thought I'd throw mine up now
anyway.
I grappled with a
lot of things that just didn't work for me in 2016 and what to do
about them, which wasn't fun. At the same time, I (re)discovered/
implemented a few things that turned out to be amazing. Here are a
few of the good things I stumbled on that I'm rolling forward into
this year.
1. A Rotating
Menu (Full of 'Peasant Food'). Food
is a big thing for me. When I've got it under control, it makes me
feel better about everything else. When it's not under control, all
of life instantly gets more stressful; it's just how I'm wired. Enter
a rotating menu. By plugging favorite foods in to cover dinner three
days every week, I instantly (drastically)
simplified planning,
shopping, and prep. That, in turn, bought me time and energy to
explore and play with new things on the other days. It's stupid
simple, but totally working for me… and there's a lot to be said
for that.
2. Asana.
Generally speaking, I'm a
pen-and-paper kind of girl when it comes to organization. I still use
a
paper planner, sticky notes, and colored
sharpies to keep my life in order most of the time. But Asana (a
free online project-management program) has been a huge help in
working efficiently when there's been a lot of
little stuff going on. Best
part? I can make multiple sub-lists (e.g.
'must do', 'ideally do' and
'reminders') under one main heading ('stuff to get done this
weekend'), and one click swaps items between columns if plans or
timing changes.
4. Take No
Prisoners Snow Tires. Because
I live in an area that does a terrible job of plowing. Always. And I
still want/need to go places between October and May.
5. Couch Coffee.
There is no substitute for time
spent with something really good to drink, someone you love beside
you, and deep, rambling conversations. Period.
What's working for you right now?
Monday, January 2
Happy National SciFi Day!
 |
| Image credit |
This is a public service announcement to let you know that today is National Science Fiction Day.
I've written before about the very real value to contemporary life of reading science fiction, above and beyond the sheer joy of reading. With Carrie Fisher's passing, the tributes to her serve as a fresh reminder of the bountiful and beautiful ways SciFi can impact real lives.
So, before today is out, consider adding a new scifi book, movie or blog to your reading list, or just send a mental thank-you to an author, actor, or artist in the genre who has blessed you.
Geekery is good for you - celebrate it! : )
Sunday, January 1
Happy New Year (Plus a Resource for Your Resolutions!)
Happy New Year!!
Does anyone else think that Sunday is an awesome day to start a new year on? I mean, we had a Saturday (which most of us had off) to wrap up the old year. If you're like me, that meant stuff like running errands and finishing projects. If you're the go-out-and-celebrate type, it meant lots of time to primp and then free rein to stay out late because you could sleep in today.
Now we get to start the new year on another day off. Whether that means curled up on your couch dreaming new dreams with the people you love, or jumping in to fresh projects, I hope you're making the most of it!
Whichever way things go for you, I'd like to kick your new year off right by sharing my new favorite resource for fueling projects and dreams: Coffee AM.
If you live somewhere with good coffee already, this may not be super exciting for you. If you live in a decent-coffee-desert like me, this will make your year. Coffee AM ships coffee the same day it's roasted. (For non coffee snobs, that means it's top notch and you can taste the difference.) I genuinely 1/2 to 3/4 as much of this stuff per pot as I do grocery store coffee because it's that much fresher and more potent (and I drink light to medium roasts, so I'm talking flavor, not dark level).
[Note: I am in no way getting compensated for talking these guys up. I am just sitting here, drinking their amazing brew, and wanting to share it with everyone else who could use something good to start their year.]
That's it for now. Whatever you have planned for the new year, may it be a good one!
Does anyone else think that Sunday is an awesome day to start a new year on? I mean, we had a Saturday (which most of us had off) to wrap up the old year. If you're like me, that meant stuff like running errands and finishing projects. If you're the go-out-and-celebrate type, it meant lots of time to primp and then free rein to stay out late because you could sleep in today.
Now we get to start the new year on another day off. Whether that means curled up on your couch dreaming new dreams with the people you love, or jumping in to fresh projects, I hope you're making the most of it!
Whichever way things go for you, I'd like to kick your new year off right by sharing my new favorite resource for fueling projects and dreams: Coffee AM. If you live somewhere with good coffee already, this may not be super exciting for you. If you live in a decent-coffee-desert like me, this will make your year. Coffee AM ships coffee the same day it's roasted. (For non coffee snobs, that means it's top notch and you can taste the difference.) I genuinely 1/2 to 3/4 as much of this stuff per pot as I do grocery store coffee because it's that much fresher and more potent (and I drink light to medium roasts, so I'm talking flavor, not dark level).
[Note: I am in no way getting compensated for talking these guys up. I am just sitting here, drinking their amazing brew, and wanting to share it with everyone else who could use something good to start their year.]
That's it for now. Whatever you have planned for the new year, may it be a good one!
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