Nibble Muffins for dogs

2 tablespoons honey
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon nutmeg
2 3/4 cups water
1/4 cup unsweetened chunky applesauce
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped
and lots of love

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a bowl, mix together honey, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add water, applesauce, and egg. Mix well. Add nuts, stir. Spoon into a greased muffin tin, filling each cup two-thirds full. Bake 30-35 minutes until lightly browned. Allow time to cool, then store in a sealed container. Makes 16 muffins, and one really, really happy dog.

Moonlight and Dark

by Stories of a Phoenix

A beautiful creature
Stands in front of me.
I am aware,
An open blooming flower,
Anticipating the warm
Rays of the sun.
It opens its mouth to speak,
Blood flows
From the scarlet lips.

Quick as a blur,
The creature sets me free.
I am aware,
Staring into the black
Eyes of the hunter,
I close my heart.
Gurgling onto the pavement,
Blood flows
From my own wound.

Now I start to fade,
Into the starry night.
I am aware
Of what I will become,
But I feel free,
Knowing my destiny.
Here I fall,
Blood flows
For the last time.

I am reborn,
A child of the darkness.
I am aware,
A beating heart,
Pumping and warm
Beats for a final minute,
And I make my first strike.
Blood flows,
I am consumed.

A few windgusts short of a blizzard

Pour 12.5 inches of snow in a city and add people that always forget to drive in said weather. Mix well. The result: 3.5 hours to get home. As a garnish, include a day off work due to the city's inability to cope with significant snowfalls.

Though I'm sore from all the shoveling, it's always worth it to see the happiness bubbling out of your dogs. Seeing Oreo and Pumpkin having a blast romping in the snow is priceless.

My Lil Girl

I'll be on the other side

It's the end of another day, I'm ready to hit the trails toward home. It's a crisp cool afternoon in late January. The smell of Spring is in the air. Although it's far off from official springtime, I just can't wait for the fresh warm air. I especially enjoy the breeze billowing curtains at home, the sun shining in, and the dog walks.

Dog walking is one of the most enjoyable times you can have with your dog. Not only is it good for the dog to get exercise, but owners also have a chance to get exercise, all the while spending quality happy time with their best friend.

That's the perfect motivator for those of you who are wanting to shed a few pounds or just step up the activity. I know everytime I reach into our dogs' leash drawer, they go nuts, jumping and happy that they get to take a walk. It's fascinating to see a dog's face light up with the thought of getting out in the sun for a trek. It's an amazing feat to see your Border Collie jump three feet straight into the air because you've pulled out his leash, all the while sporting the biggest grin in history! That's what I call pure excitement.

So the next time you want to go for a hike in the woods, a stroll around the block, or a leisure trek through the park, remember to bring your buddy with you, and you will wonder why you ever left home without them.

It's the little things in life that make it worth living. I'll be on the other side of happiness tonight.

Creative Expanse

So I've been reviewing some of HGTV.com's section called "Rate My Space". I have to say I am somewhat surprised by some of the examples that people have been willing to share with the world. Many have fallen in love with their space and want to share the glory with others looking for ideas of their own.

Being of the creative persuasion, I'm typically drawn to these things to gain more ideas of my own, and though I have some slight ideas to implement. The overall changes that I can make would be rather minimal.

As my cat ricochets across the room in a fit of frenzy, I feel comfortable with my living space. Though my life revolves around animals, I have to say that having a comfortable place for them, without sacrificing the look and feel of the home has really left me with a sense of accomplishment.

This blog is dedicated to my life, creativity, and animals. If something catches my fancy or tickles my creativity buttons, I will share them here. So come for the ideas, and stay for the stories. I'm here for the long haul, and as sparks fly from my fingertips, it's time to begin!

Enchanted

Gliding through the world at the size of a nubbin catches envyous gazes. It's a still life. Easy. No conflicts.

Imagine a white sandy beach with the clearest turquoise water with no one around but you and your blissful existence. How carefree that would be.

But that is not the life I have and far from the life I had growing up. I live in a small town in Indiana, in a relatively new house, built only three years ago. I have a great husband, some great pets that I see as my children.

So my turning point mainly began with Oreo, our first dog.