Brown Goose

 

It’s become trendy lately to share a photo of the price of gas and blame it on someone besides ourselves. I get it. Filling your tank has gotten seriously pricey. And maybe if we had a different president right now, it wouldn’t be quite so expensive. But what will keep the price high is our attitude – the idea that we have no choice but to pay whatever it costs. There are ALWAYS alternatives. We can carpool, use public transportation, or work from home. We can switch to an electric car, a hybrid, or simply one that wastes less gasoline. We can choose a job with a shorter commute, or move closer to where we work. We can stop idling. We can streamline our errands and eliminate unnecessary trips. We can eat home cooked meals more often, and dine out less. We can leave the car behind and walk or bike more often. What will you choose? 

Four Ohio Stars

 

Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

 

1 cup whole milk, well-chilled

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 cups heavy cream, well-chilled

2 teaspoons vanilla (Please DON'T use imitation vanilla.)

1 cup coarsely chopped Oreo cookies

 

In a COLD bowl, whisk together milk and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Stir in cream and vanilla. Pour mixture into ice cream maker’s freezer bowl. Let it churn about 20 minutes. Add in the chopped Oreos and keep churning another 10 minutes or until mixture is thickened. Use rubber spatula to transfer ice cream to a freezable container. Cover and place in freezer about 2 hours to set up firmly.

Blue Tulips

 

“The Lord commands: ‘Hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me do. I have commanded that ye should come unto me, that ye might feel and see; even so shall ye do unto the world; and whosoever breaketh this commandment suffereth himself to be led into temptation.’ Choosing to not hold up the gospel light moves us to the shadows, where we are susceptible to temptation. Importantly, the converse is true: choosing to hold up the gospel light brings us more fully into that light and the protection it provides against temptation. What a tremendous blessing in today’s world! Joy. Hope. Sustaining power from God. Protection from temptation. Healing. All of these—and more (including forgiveness of sins)—distill upon us from heaven as we share the gospel.” – Elder Marcus B. Nash

Ohio Star

 

Slow Cooker Pizza Pasta

 

3/4 cup cooked pepperoni slices (The kind that goes on pizza)

2 cups sweet Italian sausage, browned and crumbled

24 ounces pasta sauce (Paul Newman’s Sockarooni is our favorite.)

1 cup grape tomatoes

1/2 cup yellow onion, diced

1 cup grated mozzarella or parmesan

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

A pinch fresh ground black pepper

 

Dump all ingredients into slow cooker. Cover and cook on high 3 to 4 hours, or on low 5 to 6 hours. Serve over 16 ounces freshly cooked pasta. (Penne, casarecci and gemelli are wonderful. So are farfalle and even elbow macaroni.) Top with more grated parmesan. 

Pink Tulips

 

Last week I shared several messages from a sign outside a veterinary clinic in Westminster, Maryland. Here are some more, posted by vets elsewhere:

“If the earth was flat, cats would push everything off it.”

“Dogs have owners. Cats have staff.”

“If cats could text you back, they wouldn’t.”

“Cats spend half their lives asleep, and the other have making viral videos.”

“A cat is always on the wrong side of the door.”

“Never feed your cat anything that clashes with the carpet.”

“Bathing cats is a martial art.”

“If you don’t talk to your cat about catnip, who will?”

“Letting a cat out of the bag is easier than putting him in.”

“Why won’t cats play poker in the savannah? Too many cheetahs.”

“What do you call a cat tantrum? A hissy fit.”

“I dressed my dog as a cat. Now he won’t come when I call.”

“In ancient times, cats were worshipped as gods. They haven’t forgotten.”

Twenty-five Spools

 

I don’t think Heather’s ever met a cookie she didn’t like. So, when people ask about her favorite cookie, I’m never sure how to answer. It might be chocolate chip. Isn’t that everyone’s favorite? When we lived in England, she definitely gravitated towards “spotty-dotties, which are just chocolate chip cookies with M&M’s where the chips ought to be. But if she has a second-favorite cookie, it’s probably this one:

 

Chewy Coconut Cookies

 

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups flaked coconut

 

Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Cream together butter and sugars. Beat in the egg and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually blend in the flour mixture and coconut. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes at 350F until lightly toasted. Cool on wire racks.

Lavender Tulips

 

How to Walk a Human: A Dog’s Guide

1.       Humans need exercise. If they don't get enough, they can become chubby. It's up to you to save them.

2.       Allow your human to tether themselves to you. This keeps them from wondering off or running away.

3.       Your human will probably need breaks, Be considerate. Stop and sniff often.

4.       Bark frequently for no apparent reason. Humans have short attention spans.

5.       When you go to the bathroom, walk away. If you have trained your human correctly, they will clean it up. It’s good aerobics!

6.       Periodically drag your human as fast as you can. This is called interval training.

7.       Do not allow your human to shorten the walk. They are just being lazy. Sit in protest if you must.

8.       Once you return home, allow your human to remove their tether, then lick their face many times. This is reinforcement for a job well done.