Nature Friday

 We are joining Rosy this week for Nature Friday~~

The Daffies are waking up~

At home, our Hyacinths are almost ready to pick so mom can enjoy their wonderful fragrance inside the house!

My buddy, Tommy and his helper, Chris, were here on Wednesday to leaf blow our yard FINALLY!

We took a longer walk on Thursday morning after the showers stopped.  We aren't seeing much color yet but we did see a beautiful flying copper piggy on this cupola~

Birdie!!

Happy Friday!

Love ya lots♥

Duke

My Friend Carlie

 Yesterday, we saw my friend Carlie on our walk.   I hadn't seen her since November and we were beginning to worry~

It was wonderful to see her and her dad again after all of these months!

Happy Wednesday!

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Terrific Tuesday

 The mailman came yesterday and delivered Spring pressies - to both me and mom!

I got a colorful new collar with frogs and flowers!

I am raising my paw for a homemade peanut butter treat that the Etsy seller sent me!

In 2010, mom bought her very first pair of Joules Wellibobs.   Maggie and Mitch were there to help her open the box!  She wore them until they cracked and leaked and she finally decided to get herself a new pair.  Ebay had a pair that she couldn't refuse.  

She would have loved to have another pair with WFT's on them but they weren't available.  

Mom is so psyched to have a brand new pair of Wellibobs and if it wasn't raining out, she'd be out there raking!

Happy Spring!

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Sunday Selfie

 The first Saturday of Spring was a warmish one and the sun feels so good on my face and furs!

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Nature Friday

 We are joining Rosy this week for Nature Friday~~

We have had a cold week.    It's hard to believe that this is the first day of Spring~

The snow is almost all gone~

We saw enough ice to go skating!

I wonder if anyone lives in this tree?

The Daylilies are emerging~

Our Lenten Rose is flowering~   

Mom took the shot from underneath.

And then upright~

I was sporting my green for St Patrick's Day~

Happy first day of Spring~~

We hope it feels warmer soon!

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Wordless Wednesday

 

Love ya lots♥

Duke

St Patrick's Day

 May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow and may trouble avoid you wherever you go~

Happy St Patrick's Day!

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Silent Sunday Selfie

 

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Nature Friday

 We are joining Rosy this week for Nature Friday~~

We have a hodge podge of shots this week.  The weather was all over the place with melting snow and warm temps and now returning back to winter cold.  

We loved the circle melting happening around the trees.

We loved the skating mallard duckies~

The snowplow made quite the mess.  They shattered curbing on so many streets!    Because the temps are warming, there are birdies singing and chirping everywhere!

Mom has her own cleanup to do in our driveway.  Back breaking heavy sod to move - oh yay.   

The hyacinths are coming up☺

Our orchids are still blooming away~

Puzzling is still happening~

Happy Friday the 13th!

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Tasty Thursday

 Mom found this recipe on FB and she was intrigued.   How could Tomato Soup Muffins not taste like tomato soup?

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 (10 3/4 oz) can of condensed tomato soup, undiluted
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup toasted walnuts (coarsely broken)

For the cream cheese frosting:

• 2 1/2 TBS butter, at room temperature
• 4 TBS cream cheese, at room temperature
• few drops of vanilla extract
• 1 cup 10X icing sugar 

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven 350 degrees.  Butter an 8 by 4 inch loaf tin and line with baking paper. Set aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg.  Beat in the tomato soup.
3. Sift together the flour, soda, baking powder and spices.  Add to the creamed mixture and mix together just to combine.  Fold in the raisins and nuts.
4. Spread in the loaf pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until well risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.   Our muffins baked for 30 minutes.  
5. Let cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then tip out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
6. When the cake has cooled make the frosting. Beat everything together until smooth, adding enough icing sugar to give you a smooth, thickish yet spreadable frosting. Spread over the top of the cake. 
7. Cut into thick slices to serve

~~We made muffins and not a loaf cake.  We did not make the frosting and we didn't use raisins.  We used dried cranberries because we dogs can't eat raisins.   

Check out the color of the batter~

As your taste tester, I say this is delicious!

The muffins are out of the oven and they are a beautiful color!

And now for the best part - the eats☺

They are spicy and taste similar to gingerbread.  You would never guess that canned tomato soup was an ingredient!

The recipe is a keeper, mom!

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Almost Wordless Wednesday

 My snow is dwindling~

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Sunday's Walk on a Monday

 We weren't able to get out until noon on Sunday.   It was so foggy and wet but it was warmish!

I wanted to be king of my snow mountain again but the snow was soft and I was falling through~

Hang on - I'm getting it~

Got it!

I was pretty wet went we got back home but it was such a fun walk after waiting all morning to get out!

The grass is starting to show.  Maybe we will see flowers this spring after all!

Happy Monday!

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Silent Sunday Selfie

 

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Nature Friday

 We are joining Rosy this week for Nature Friday~~

We didn't walk every day this week - we had rain, we had ice and mom went to the eye doctor  on Wednesday (our most beautiful day) and he dialated her eyes so walking on a beautiful sunny day sadly couldn't happen.

This beautiful scene happened last weekend.  It's landlady Maryanne's pond.

We found dried stuff too~

I did get to walk safely on the road~

And I was king on my snowy mountain!

At home, we are loving the blooming orchids~

This yellow one hasn't bloomed in forever so mom is so happy for her plant lights!

Will surprises never cease - she even had an African Violet bloom!

Happy Friday!

Yes, this is the latest puzzle~

Love ya lots♥

Duke