Let There Be Cake

Caelan wanted nothing to do with his cake. Taren, chow hound extraordinaire was all over it. I think it was the candle. So after letting big brother show the way, I will post photos tomorrow, we blew out the candle. No go. So then we removed the candle. Still not buying it. We then took it off the table and put it eye level and then he thought he just might give it a go. The sweet potato frosting was big hit.

In case anyone wants to know, the cake is a meat cake. I made it with nearly fat free organic ground beef, carrots, whole oats, rye, barley, flax and wheat germ. It is held together by two eggs and mashed sweet potato.

The white frosting is mashed potato and plain yogurt.

The orange frosting is mashed sweet potato with low fat cream cheese.

The orange dots are thinly sliced carrots.

I wanted it to look like a dog food bowl, and I kept staring at KK's bowl wondering just how I was going to pull that off. Hmmmmmm......I wonder...... I grabbed his bowl, greased it up, pressed the meat in the dish and baked it. When it was done I flipped it over on a plate and scooped out the center. That my friends is the best idea I have had in a long time. I let it cool and frosted it, which was so much easier than I had imagined. I then pushed in the carrot dots, and ran some frosting around the bottom edge. I am telling you, it was so easy. I am not a cake maker or decorator. I am a pie girl. This cake came out so much better than the one I made at Christmas- for people. That one looked like garbage, seriously.

I did manage to do one really stupid thing, which I am not up to admitting at the moment, and still cannot believe I did, but we'll get to that. *blush*

Birthday Boy!

Today is my sweet, speckled wubba's Birthday. He is two years old. Just a baby, but it squeezes my heart to have them grow older. Not all that much has changed in the last two years. He's still the best *speckled* boy in the house, also the naughtiest.

Taren has been the most kind and patient big brother. He loves KK and has always been very sweet with him. Up and until he touches his suckie and then all bets are off. Some things are sacred. I could not love these boys more if I tried.

Happy Birthday, baby. Cake and presents tonight when the daddy gets home. Momma loves you till the ends of the earth.

Where Brod'r goes, I goes. He knows all about the fun stuff. The naughty stuff too.

What Brod'r likes, I likes. Including dirt clods and sticks.

What Brod'r has, I wants. The momma is gonna be mads when she sees what he has. Aroooo!

I wants it.

Brod'r won't gives it to me. I'm gonna makes him.

Even if I haves to take it and play bitey face. I likes bitely face a lot! It makes Brod'r grumpy.

Sometimes Brod'r trades with me. How abouts my stick for yours foamy thingy?

Sometimes Brod'r just gibs it to me. I has the bestest Brod'r.

Look momma, look what Brod'r gaves me!

I brings it to the momma. We can shares. I lubs the momma.

Why Toys Don't Last

I will be the first to admit toys don't last long around my house. The boys play hard and fast. We have spent a small fortune on keeping them entertained. Who am I kidding?  They are the ones providing the entertainment.  There is nothing better than an afternoon of keep away, bitey face, fetch, and boys will be boys, roughhousing. The particular toy in the photo was a Kong Pet Stix and lasted longer than most. All the extra branches made it exceptionally fun as there was always someplace to grab onto. I was sorry to see it's demise. When I heard the first seam groan I knew its days were numbered. Like with any toy, the first bit of stuffing to show results in a destuffing frenzy. I can't wait till summer. I miss these warm evenings of play. Please ignore the abysmal state of the grass. We were waiting for it to die, so we could till it under and cover it with bark for the boys. We do own a lawnmower. Really!

Click new products and scroll a bit if you want to get a good look.

Kong-Pet Stix

*Disclaimer- No, I don't work for Kong. I know fellow pet owners just like to see the goods. =0)

The Art Of Sleep



German Shorthair-Caelan

 As a life long insomniac I have spent a great deal of time observing how others sleep, the dogs are no exception. They are similar to people in their likes and dislikes. Enjoying to go to bed with the chickens or taking on qualities of the genuine night owl. Caelan, especially in the winter, loves to get his snooze on. He goes to bed early and will snuggle as long as you are inclined. Taren, on the other hand, is generally wide eyed long after Caelan and awakes in the morning if anyone rustles the blankets a bit restlessly. We have learned if you want to sleep past 5 on the weekends it is wise to lay still. Very, very still. Caelan likes to sleep under the blankets next to me. Taren likes to sleep on top of the blankets, but covered with his own blanket. He is also a grumpy sleeper. If you jiggle the mattress too often he grumbles. If you dare move the leg his head is propped up on, the one every last bit of feeling has drained out of hours ago, he grumps. He likes to hog the bed and the pillows. He enjoys the 2 a.m. stroll out to potty on occasion, and the ever annoying and somehow endearing need of a midnight snack. Taren seems to dream a lot. Sometimes his tail thumps happily, his legs moving in their own rhythm in slumbered chase. Sometimes he makes sounds that induce me to gently wake him. Caelan does not seem to dream as much, but he does snore. He has never once gotten up in the middle of the night to potty. He does however, have his own bad habit. KK is much like a cat, he cleans himself. Lick, lick, lick, slurppppppp......again, and again.  Oh, and again.The sound drives me nuts after a while, and the constantly wiggling mattress sends Mr. Grumpy Pants over the edge. He likes to lick me too, but no thanks. I know where that tongue has been. The thing they have in common is they like to sleep on their backs, and is probably the result of being a bit too warm. It is not uncommon to wake up with a foot in your face, jammed in your back, or propped up on your legs. Like his brother, Caelan is a bed hog, and he radiates heat better than any electric blanket on the market. When morning arrives, and it always arrives early with Taren, the real fun begins. I ask Taren, Where's daddy? Go get him! Taren grabs the blankets with his teeth and pulls them off and buries his snotty nose in my husbands face, rooting around and trying to get him awake. If that fails, he just starts digging and barking  and any hope you had of staying snuggled down evaporates. KK and I lay back to watch the action and cheer him on. Saturday mornings come early, but not without their entertainment.


*** The occasional midnight snack is the result of increased running miles and trying to regulate the amount of food needed. Sometimes I get it wrong, and he lets me know.

It's Friday! Aroooooooo!

German Shorthaired Pointer

One of the boys has big feet!

It's Friday and not a moment too soon. My friend and I were just discussing how this week has lasted an eternity, maybe two. Anyone have any big plans? It has been so rainy here that we all have a bad case of cabin fever. I think we will head into the big city, as opposed to small town America were we live. The boys will head to doggie daycare to romp with their buddies and burn off some stream. One of their favorite friends is a girlie. A 200 pound Mastiff, with a very dainty name like Daisy. Daisy is anything but dainty and is more along the line of slobbery, but she always makes me smile. Their other best bud is a wild black Lab, and I do mean wild. That should not surprise any of you in the least. He is owned by a very, very, petite older woman that gets drug across the parking lot every time she drops him off. We just hold open the door and get out of the way. He makes our two look like perfect angels, which they are of course. (ahem) I love doggie daycare. The boys get to socialize and they come home exhausted and sleep the evening away. However, the best part is they do anal glands for three dollars. Three! Squeeze away! You weren't eating were you? =o) I would pay ten times that not to have to do the nasty, but I am keeping that little secret to myself. The boys play away the day, and get groomed. Mom and dad spend the day not having to worry if we are straining anyone's bladder. It's a win-win in my book. So how about you? What's up?

Happy Friday!

Trouble 2011 Edition

Well, he made it to the 11th, that's something, right?

Somebody has been a baddddd boy. (bad)

He's still the best speckled boy around though. (sort of)

As always, textures compliments of the ever generous and talented Jerry Jones of Shadowhouse Creation.

Snow 2010- Oregon Style

Prior to the end of the year we had a snow storm-Oregon style. It lasted all of 30 minutes, maybe. Go ahead and laugh it up my snow bound friends. I'll wait. Hey, rain, not snow is our claim to fame. At least in the Willamette Valley.  So you will have to cut us a little slack. This is my backyard. I live among the trees.

Every time it snows I rush the pups outside, so we don't miss it. I am always woefully unprepared. Summer shoes, of course, all the better to soak up the water, and never a coat to be found in the down stairs closet.  Caelan loves the snow. He always has the zoomies. Weeeeeee!

Now the other way.

Even Taren my water phobe gets in on the fun. They zoomie separately, they zoomie together, they zoomie side by side. Zoom, zoommm, Zoomie.

Caelan is thrilled with the snow.

Taren is over it. Me too. Our feet are wet, our noses are cold, and we are covered in snow. So goes the great snow storm of 2010. Taren and I head in the house and we leave the day to Caelan.

Actions compliments of the ever generous and talented Rita.

Actions and Presets

Merry Christmas

Wishing all our online friends Peace, Love and Joy at Christmas and all the year through.

Much love to all- Taren, Caelan and the Momma.

PS-To those not celebrating have a wonderful weekend!

As always, textures compliments of the ever generous and talented Jerry Jones

A Day In The Life

Sheer Happiness

Let's talk about my bad boys. The speckled one to be exact. A couple weeks ago I decided to sit down and watch a movie I had been seeing in ten minutes stints for days and days. I was engrossed in the the crucial battle scene. You know, where the music is loud, the lopping off of heads has hit fever pitch and the blood, well it's spraying. Then Taren starts to bark, in that particular way in which I pay attention. I had the back door open, so I was a bit nervous. I mute the volume and then I hear it. The alarm is going off on our Jeep that is parked out front instead of in the garage where is generally is. I race down stairs to try to figure out what the heck is going on, and I see him. Caelan is standing in the living room with the Jeep keys in his mouth. The alarm is BLARING. Beep, BEEP, Beeeeeeeeppppppp..... I am thinking, the neighbors hate me right now. I step toward Caelan and the chase is on. He bounces on his feet from left to right, extremely happy with himself. He does the play puppy bow, and zigs and zags. I am dying at this point, because it is so completely inane, and so typically Caelan. A series of thoughts flash though my mind- Please don't crush the key fob, I will never get the alarm off! Where is the other set of keys! The neighbors hate me!!!  I am going to kill my husband for leaving the keys out! What can I bribe the dog with?! The neighbors hate me!!!!  I tell Caelan to drop it, in the voice of doom, and he does. I can hardly believe it. I yank up the keys, and of course fumble with them in my rush, and finally, finally, blessed silence. Thank goodness for Taren, because that alarm could have been going off forever otherwise, and it goes without saying, the neighbors would hate me. I lock the backdoor, and head back upstairs, but this time with both boys and I shut the door. I've had enough excitement  for one day, so it's back to the head lopping and the volume just a tad bit lower.

As always, textures compliments of the ever generous and talented Jerry Jones

Copyright Grey Dog Photography 2010, All Rights Reserved

You Get It

This photo was taken last summer when Caelan was just a puppy. It was the second of such pools to grace our deck. Taren was apparently just as enthused with this years tropical themed selection as he was with the prior years that had been relegated to the deer . The deer were grateful for a cool drink in the summers sweltering heat even as our grey pup bid his good riddance. The boys circled the pool watching the ball float and bob and the message was clearly visible, You get it, No *YOU* get it, and so the summer went. I floated toys and treats. I begged, bribed, and cajoled and they simply weren't going to get their feet wet no matter how hot. Fast forward this summer and I once again filled the pool with high hopes. Taren looked at me with the pity you reserve for the not too bright, bordering on completely mad. Caelan however, stepped in, stuck his head deep into the water, snorkeled around and scooped up his treat off the bottom of the pool. I shot Taren a smug look of triumph. HA! Caelan loves the pool he wanders in and out all day long. Taren still has yet to get his feet wet, but deigns to use is as a very large if not obnoxiously bright water bowl.

Copyright Grey Dog Photography 2010, All Rights Reserved

My Silly Boys

My boys are a perfect pair. They are about as silly as two dogs can get. You've often heard me say they suffer from excess personality and after you watch this short video you will see why. They love to ride in the Jeep, and I love to watch them. These photos were taken from the passengers side mirror, no I'm not driving. Things start out fine and then morph into the ridiculous. It never fails to make me laugh. The video is short, less than two minutes. For what ever reason they seem to like the feel of the wind in their jowls. Especially Caelan, he looks like a blow fish.

As a disclaimer, the window is not down far, we live in the country and these were taken on a gravel farm road, in the middle of no where. We are going ten miles an hour if that. The only thing in sight is cows. The boys are on a lead and no one is in any danger of falling out or getting hurt. I promise. Now go watch the video. Aroooooo!

Copyright Grey Dog Photography 2010, All Rights Reserved

With Intent

Weimaraner and German Shorthaired Pointer

Click to enlarge

My boys. They are silly and fun loving. They both suffer from excess personality. Where one goes the other follows. They are ball chasers, Frisbee catchers, and love to put pedal to the metal and chase one another around the backyard till they drop. Every once in a while they pause and you will capture them doing what they were bred to. They are both listening very intently to our backyard woodpecker. The smiles from their expressions retreating, replaced with looks of intent. You quickly remember they were born to hunt.

Copyright Grey Dog Photography 2010, All Rights Reserved