Goodnight Garden, See you next Spring...

This last week has been the coldest weather we've experienced for over 2 years.  It snowed all day Christmas Day, and again all day Monday.  I looked out the window today and noticed that the snow has blanketed our garden area and the beds are now peacefully sleeping under the fluffy covering that helps protect them from these single digit freezing nights.  And the earth is gently resting and gaining new strength for next year's bounty.

Even though we cut our planting in half this year, we've been very blessed with our weekly harvests.  We were able to fill our freezer and stock our pantry with many jars of bottled vegetables.  In addition to eating all summer and fall from our little garden, we were able to share with many friends, family, and neighbors.

It felt wonderful on Christmas eve when a neighbor knocked on our door and asked if we had one can of green beans he could borrow so his wife could finish her green bean casserole for the family's Christmas eve dinner.  I asked, "do you want frozen green beans or bottled green beans?"  He was surprised that we could provide either.  Dave said "if your making green bean casserole, you want the bottled kind, it's much better."  I walked to the pantry, brought back a quart jar and told him this was equal to 2 cans of green beans.  He was so appreciative, and we were so grateful to be able to help.  Dave asked me, "when was the last time you actually bought canned green beans?"   I had to laugh and say, "not for the last 7 or 8 years now."

 This year I tried some new things.  Turnips, were one of them.  And boy were they big ones !  We tried many different turnip recipes, and Dave and I have decided that we like my mashed potato, carrot, and turnip casserole the best.  We have quite a few turnips to tide us over for the winter.  I shared bags of these with friends, they couldn't believe the size of my turnips.

I also planted more herbs this year - oregano, lots of dill, lots of basil, parsley, garlic, sage.  I dried most of the herbs and froze some.  It's wonderful to use what I've grown in my cooking.

As usual, I planted my carrots.  I harvested 25 pounds the end of November.  I left them in the ground until the very end.  They were the last to be dug up.  And, it really paid off.  They were exceptionally sweet, and very large.  I was almost tempted to sell some of these beauties at the farmer's market.

And of course I did my tomatoes !!  Lots of different varieties this year.  I had some heirloom tomatoes that were bigger than my hands.  And at Christmas time we are still eating tomatoes from our garden.  We have lots of bottled tomatoes and lots of tomato sauce in our freezer.

I did get quite a bit a corn.  I picked it in stages.  At the end of September, I went out to pull up the stalks and found these 17 ears still hiding and ready to be plucked off and cooked.  We ate lots of corn this fall, and have much in our freezer for the winter.

And of course I always have to plant my pie pumpkins.  But it seems the birds have now discovered that the pumpkins are delicious, and they are starting to eat the ones closest to the fence.  So, I have to watch and pick the pumpkins before the birds start eating away at them.  I've been making lots of pies, cookies, and breads with these.

Of course the one thing that Dave is so anxious for each spring is the strawberries.  They have now spread and have taken over 1/2 of the first bed.  And even though I put a netting over them, the birds have discovered that if they stand on the netting, they can push the netting down and still grab the strawberries through the holes in the netting.  I go out early in the morning to harvest the berries and sometimes the birds will sit on the fence and squawk at me very loudly for invading their food source.  I have to laugh at them yelling, "go away, go away".  Sometimes I go out on the deck and chase them out of the garden.  Guess I need a scarecrow.

Well the gardening catalogs are now starting to make their way to our house, and I am picking out what new items I will plant in 2015.  In 2 1/2 months I will be starting my little seeds, and Dave will again have to stop eating at the dining room table for a couple of months until I plant the seedlings out in the garden.  But then he'll plopped the rewards in his mouth and smile and say "that taste wonderful sweetie".

Goodnight Garden - rest up.  See you next spring.

Update on Karlyn's Placement

On Saturday evening, (10/25), we received a phone call from Karlyn's new mom!!  She is a wonderful single lady who lives in Carlsbad, CA, and she works for a foundation that is closely linked with Canine Companions for Independence.  We talked for over an hour that evening, and she even let me face time with Karlyn.  Karlyn has lost a lot of weight from her time in Advanced Training, but I'm sure that she will be gaining it back over the next few months.  When I called Karlyn's name, (over the face time phone link), Karlyn got very excited - She REMEMBERED ME!!!  Karlyn started looking all over her new home for me, and it was so touching, that I started crying.  I didn't mean to confuse Karlyn.  Her new mom and I have emailed and kept in touch almost everyday.  I have received a couple of short videos that have meant the world to me.  It is so bittersweet knowing that my little girl has a wonderful home and also that this is truly means she no longer has any chance of coming home to me.  BUT, I can tell that she and her new mom were truly meant to be together.  If we humans are lucky - we will get to have that one pet who leaves very large paw prints on our heart and soul for the rest of our lives.  Mine was a golden retriever named Gloria, who came into my life in 2000 for 10 1/2 short years.  I believe that Karlyn and her mom have already started forming the same bond.  In the meantime, I am doing my best to give them the space, time, and distance that they need, (only replying to her questions when she contacts me, and reassuring her that she is doing everything right with Karlyn).  But I am so cherishing the photos and videos that she sends me of her new forever companion.

"But how could you do that?"

This last week has not been an easy week for me.  Last Monday, I received the call that every Canine Companion for Independence Puppy Raiser does NOT want to receive from the puppy program manager for her region.  The call that informs you that the little bundle of fur that you took into your home, loved, cuddled, walked mile and mile every day, spent endless hours teaching over 40 required basic commands, - "will not be moving on in the advanced training program"!!  You must now make the decision to release the dog that you have loved for the last 18 months to be placed with a new family, (knowing that you will never again see or hear anything more about the dog), or bring the dog home to become your new pet.

 We were told; that from the very beginning of Advance Training, Karlyn was suspicious of her new surroundings.  She got along well with her kennel mate and the other dogs, but she soon became fearful of simple things that she was so used to at home, (i.e.: a water hose, the pooper scooper, etc, etc.)  As her fears rose, so did her energy level, to the point that she started playing "keep away" from the trainers.  When they would take her out to the various establishments, her energy level was too high to control, and they would have to cut the outings short.  This was a dog that went everywhere with Dave and I, (movies, grocery stores, parks, Petco, Lowes, Walmart, gas stations, EVERYWHERE), without a problem.  I told the puppy manager, "This is not the dog I turned in!!  Are you sure you're talking about Karlyn?"  I spoke with my puppy class trainer about Karlyn's behavior, and she was shocked.  She said "this is not the dog we trained, they better check her tattoo and make sure they got the right dog".  No one believed Karlyn had changed so much in only 6 weeks!!  No one could figure out why!  Perhaps she missed her mom, (me), too much to become a service dog, (we have never been apart so long).

SO it was time to decide what was best for Karlyn and our household.  On the one hand - I loved this goofy dog so much,  Turning her in was so much harder than turning Balsa in.  But, I was so sure that Karlyn would be the one to make it all the way through the program, and I would see her again in 6 months at graduation. I knew in my heart that when I turned her leash over to her new "forever companion" at graduation I would have a new friend for the next 10 years who would tell me all the wonderful things that Karlyn was doing to make her life in this world much easier to cope and maneuver around. Then there was the fact that we already have a dog and a cat, (and our cat never did warm up to Karlyn!!).  If we brought Karlyn home, it meant that we would never have the room to raise another CCI puppy, (3 dogs are too many).  And this was what I felt my new calling was, to try to do something in some small way to help those who needed help, (Some Angles have wings, other have Paws).  But, I still felt like I had somehow failed CCI and Karlyn, and the person on the waiting list who would never get Karlyn as a service dog.

I was finally reminded by another puppy raiser "We were never asked to graduate the puppy. We were asked to raise the puppy.  And every Puppy Raiser does that. The graduating part is for the puppy and the organization to decide, so to feel anything less than amazing is hard to accept".  This was like a lighting bolt hitting me!!  I had done my job, and I was SUCCESSFUL!!  I could freely let the puppy be lovingly placed in a home chosen by the CCI puppy program manager, (who would make sure that it was a good home that would welcome and love Karlyn as much as I had).  It was a hard decision to make, and the phone call to tell the puppy program manager was a tearful one.

Several people commented to me "But how could you do that?"  "I would have been the car, bringing her back home, if she was my dog"  Of course these are also the very same words I heard when I turned Karlyn in for advanced training.  People asking "how can you give her back, after 18 months?"

When I became a puppy raiser, it was a very natural decision.  And yes, when I turned each puppy in, it tore a hole in my heart the size of Texas, California, and Utah combined.  As I watched each puppy walk away with the kennel attendant, I felt like the blood was being drained from my body and that I would not be able to move from that spot.  But I was willing to do this, not because of any masochistic tendencies on my part.  BUT, #1) I got to have the thrill of a beautiful fur ball with me where ever I go.   #2)  I got the opportunity to watch peoples faces light up whenever she entered a room, and I saw the joy she brought to people just being around her, (how many people can elicit daily smiles just walking in a room?)  #3) I got to hang around other dog lovers and gain insight into training methods and dog behavior, (this was a wonderful bonus that being a puppy raiser gets).

Yes, giving her up was difficult, but she was never mine!!  I'm just a pit stop on her way to fulfilling the life of someone else, (a surrogate mother if you will, or as someone once called me "a foster parent").  And now I am giving another family a well trained pet, who will make an enormous difference in their life.  Karlyn will provide their family with companionship, unconditional love, cuddle time when they need it, and boundless affection.  Everything that dogs do for us.  And I helped provide this for a family somewhere.  I will always remember Karlyn, and I will always be her "first mama".

Go Karlyn, Enjoy your new life, you have much to offer.

And always remember, I love you!

2 Bread Entries in State Fair - 2 ribbons

This year I decided to try my hand on entering bread in our 2014 state fair.  I was very nervous going up against not only ladies from all over the state, but also ladies who have been baking bread for years, (some for over 50 years !!).   But I decided to take a chance.  I entered a "Basic White Yeast Bread" and of course my "Chocolate Zucchini Bread".

 Surprise, of Surprises !!  My white bread took 2nd place in the state fair competition !!  It was quite a shock to say the least.  I knew that my bread was good, but 2nd place?  I was so worried.  The requirements for size, taste, color, etc. are so strict.  The morning I bake it, I measured it twice to make sure I was well within the size guidelines, (I didn't want to have to remake another loaf).  And you never know what the judges will find when they cut the loaf in half to inspect the inside, (what if there's a big pocket of air bubbles?).  But I did survive on my first try.

My Chocolate Zucchini Bread came in 3rd.  This is my family's FAVORITE.  I developed and have been making this for over 30 years.  I make this for Dave to give as Christmas gifts at work.  During the summer, I grate and freeze the zucchini, so I can make the bread during the winter.  My grandson, (Ian), loves this bread as much as Dave.

As I looked at the other entries, I think I only took 3rd place because my loaf size was too large!!  Anyways, for a first time entry - 3rd place, not too bad.

The recipe for this is on my food blog:  http://barbsbestbites.blogspot.com.  Check it out, I'm sure this bread will become one of your family favorites also.  And sign up to follow my blog.  I try to post a new recipe each week.

3 County Fair entries, 3 Ribbons

This year I decided to go out on a limb and enter 3 items in the 2014 county fair.  2 entries in the photography division and 1 entry in the home arts division.  I was a bit nervous, since this was the only the second time I have ever entered anything in any kind of competition.  But what the heck.

When we were in Bristol ENGLAND a few years back, I was walking to the train station and I took this photo of a farmer's market that was just outside the entrance to the station.  Everyone who has seen the photo has remarked about how colorful and beautiful it is and that I should enter it in the local fair.  I simply took the photo because I was drawn to the lovely colors of the market.  I didn't have time to set up the shot correctly, I just simply did a quick point and shoot of two quick frames.  The second shot was a complete throw away, as the people moved and ruined the photo.

Well, I entered the photo, and amazingly it won 1st place in the county fair.  I was so shocked!!  I am now wondering if perhaps it might win a ribbon in the Utah State Fair.  I am still toying with the idea of entering it next week.

One of the biggest thrills of winning, was that my grandson, Ian was with me when I saw this ribbon on my photo exhibit.  I started saying "aah, aah, aah".  He came running over to see what was wrong with me. Took one look at the exhibit, smiled and gave me a great big hug and smiled at me saying "congratulations Gram, I am so happy for you".  That was better than the win!!

Last year our pear tree has an abundant amount of pears and they were so sweet and so large.  I found a wonderful recipe for a Pear and Cranberry Conserve.  It turned out delicious and I shared the recipe with several friends, who also had great success with it.  Everyone that I shared my conserve with has loved it.  So, on a whim, I entered a jar in the county Home Arts Dept.  And look - I won 2nd place!!  A red ribbon!!  I was so surprised.  My grandson's mother, (Shelle), was with me on this day and she kept looking at all the first place ribbons and still thinks my conserve looks better than the others.  She said she knows it taste like a blue ribbon winner.

For my third entry, I decided to go with this photo I took of a century old cobblestone street on our visit to Ephesus TURKEY a couple of years ago.  I was drawn to the quaint charm of the scene and the fact that the old and the new mixed so well together.  These streets are over 100 years old and still used today.  It was just a very relaxing sight, and I love to take architectural photos when we travel.

This photo won 3rd place!!  The fair photography supervisor told me that the photo was an excellent photo and worthy of a higher ribbon, but when the local Michael's Craft store mounted it for me to display they did not do a very good job.  The edges are exposed and rough along the bottom, which costs me points in the judging.  The supervisor said there was much discussion among the judges about my photo and the others.  They very much liked the architectural lines shown in my photo, but in the end had to deduct for the mounting.  The supervisor gave me some very useful tips during our 5 minute talk. I learned so much about how to look at photos for competition entry and display. He also encouraged me to continue taking photos, (as he said I had a good natural eye, and good camera).

In the end, I was extremely happy with my 3 ribbons.  As I said that's "3 entries and 3 ribbons".  A very good trip to the county fair this year.  I hope that my grandson will think about trying his hand at an entry next year.  He is so talented at drawing - who knows, maybe there's another blue ribbon winner in our family.

Winner, Winner, Big Chicken Dinner...

Usually when the local radio station, (Oldies 94.1, in Salt Lake), runs contests and asks for caller number so and so - Dave will win a CD, about every 6 months or so.  In May and June, they were running a national contest for 6 weeks where every Monday through Friday, 10 times a day they would give out a key word and you would have to text the word into the NATIONAL Clear Channel radio station.  Dave was rather hit and miss on playing the game.  He would usually get the word about once a week on his way home from work and text it in.  And to make matter worse, Utah has now recently enacted a new law that you can't use your cell phone for anything other than receiving a phone call!!  Well...on Wednesday of the last week of the contest, Dave decided to try using his hands free device to text the key word "tree" on his way to work.  Surprising, the text went through on the hands free device.  By the time Dave got to work, his cell phone was ringing with a phone number from Cincinnati, Ohio.  Dave almost didn't answer the call, (thinking it was a telemarketer).  But, he did.  He found out that he was the hourly national winner!!  He won $1,000, and was entered to along with the 300 entrants to possibly win a trip to Denver, Colorado to see the Steve Miller Band, Journey and Tower of Power in concert at the Pepsi Center.  The trip would include airfare, hotel, ground transportation, an autographed guitar from the group Journey, and a day of golfing with Jonathan Cain, and $1,000 spending money.  Dave was excited, but didn't think he had much of a chance.

Well on the following Monday morning at 7:00 am, he was gathering up his lunch and items for work and just about to head out the door for work when his cell phone rang.  We both thought "who would be calling at this hour".  The number just said Salt Lake.  Dave answered it, and the female voice asked "is this Dave Kronenberg"?  Dave said "yes".  She said "the Dave Kronenberg in Riverton, Utah"?  Dave said "yes".  She then asked "the Dave Kronenberg who last week won the $1,000 prize from Clear Channel radio"?  Dave said "yes".  She said "hi Dave, this is Meredith from Oldies 94.1 radio and I'm calling to tell you that you just won the Grand Prize - a trip to Denver to see Steve Miller Band and Journey...  Do you know what this means?"  Dave was almost speechless.    He finished the interview, which was recorded for later airing and you couldn't wipe the smile off his face for days!!  Dave now tells everyone "who says money doesn't grow on trees".

 On July 15th, we flew to Denver and here are a couple of Dave's photos:

We were picked up by a driver, (his name was also Dave, but he was nicknamed Bisquit).  A really nice guy.  Drove us all around the whole time we were in Denver.  The radio station had us a nice room downtown at the Hyatt.

 That afternoon, Dave and Johnathan, along with the band's manager, (John), and the local marketing manager for the Colorado Clear Channel radio stations, (Brad).  We also met with the national marketing manager, (Joe).  All really nice guys, who went out of their way to make us feel welcome.

Dave had a great time on the course with the guys.  But since he hasn't played golf for about 16 years, he was pretty exhausted after just 9 holes.

He begged off the last 9 holes.  It was already 5:30, and we'd been up since 4:00 am.  They continued on, playing the full 18 holes.  The country club, (Inverness Golf and Country Club), was beautiful.  It has lots of geese, ducks, and rabbits all over the course.  I got some great photos not only of the wildlife but of the guys playing golf.

We spent Wednesday morning visiting with our friend, (Mariam), then walking around the 16th Street Mall area.  That evening we went to the show and got to go backstage where we met Steve Miller.  As you can see from Dave's smile, he was pretty happy!!

The Steve Miller Band but on a great show.  Of course we were sitting in row 1 in the center!!  So, the view was fantastic!!  Able to see their expressions and got lots of great photos of the band.

 We were able to go backstage and meet the band Journey before they performed.  I got some good shots of Dave talking with them and joking around.

Their show was fantastic, so much energy on the stage.  And I got lots of wonderful up close of personal photos.  I was lucky that I brought my long lens.  I have some great facial pictures.

Dave really was glad he got to see Tower of Power.  He's seen them several times, and being a smooth jazz fan, he really enjoys their music.  They were the first to perform and they really had the audience warmed up for Steve Miller.

We didn't get out of the concert until almost 11:00 pm, but it was a well worth going to see at any price.  The next night this same concert was playing in Salt Lake at the USANA and the Salt Lake crowd was in for a great experience.

Thursday, we came home a little tired, but very happy.  The band shipped Dave's autographed guitar to our house a couple of days later.  So we didn't have to hassle with getting it through TSA and the airport, (a really nice gesture on their part).  I tease Dave every so often that I'm checking EBAY to see how much the autographed guitar is worth so I can sell it.  And he just answers "NO".  This was definitely a once in a lifetime win, and we did enjoy it.
Thank you Clear Channel Radio.

Cabo 2014 and Sophie

This year was the first time in 5 years that Dave and I were able to return to Cabo Mexico for a relaxing vacation alone.  So the week of Mother's Day, we made our way south.  We did a nice dinner cruise, visited town, sat on the beach, (those who saw the face book picture can attest to that lovely serene post),  swam and ate way too much food.  And of course Dave let me visit the Cub 4 Help exhibit.  Every trip I love to visit with the babies, have my photo taken, and we make a donation for this worthwhile animal sanctuary.  So, now I introduce you to my newest friend - Sophie,

Sophie is a 3 month old lion.  She and her sister were so adorable, very long and heavy for their size.  Right after this photo was snapped, she let us loudly know that she was thirsty, so they gave me a bottle of cool water and let me feed her.  She immediately rolled over on her back and put her paws on the bottle looked into my eyes while drinking from the bottle as if to say, (thank you, I really needed this).  There was so much love in this little girl at this time in her life.  I just wanted to wrap her in my arms and take her home.  But back to the protection of the sanctuary she must go when she is old enough.  I wish we would have gotten a photo of her drinking from the baby bottle in my arms.

This year that is the only photo I am going to post of Cabo.  As you go about your summer remember, if you can do some small good thing somewhere - do it.

I guess Spring is on it's way...

Even though it's been rather cold and snowing on and off this past week, I've notice quite a lot of robins in the neighbor hood, as I've been walking the dogs in the morning hours.  And, our bird feeder has been loaded with robins and wrens this week.Today I looked out the window and saw our little peach tree with all these robins.  When I was growing up, I was always told that robins were a sure sign that Spring was on it's way.  Guess in a few weeks I'll be able to start my garden seeds in little pots and start getting ready for the new gardening season!!  It's been a long cold winter and I am so ready for it to be over!!!

How about you, what are your gardening and Spring time plans?