puppy, puppy, puppy

It has been a wild summer of pups, two litters, thankfully only six pups in each litter.  For once the gods were kind and didn't grant me two litters of twelve pups each.
The older Hexe pups have started to leave for their homes and the Hazel pups are just coming into themselves.  I just love this photo of one of the little girls, such a naughty "I didn't do it" look to those eyes.  But we all know better :-)
I posted a ton of new puppy photos to Hazel's Nursery Blog a click will take you there, go on...you know you want to.

Winding down...

Our crazy two litter summer is coming to an end,  Hexe's pups start to head off to their new families tomorrow.  They have been a fun bunch, surprisingly gentle with the younger Hazel pups.  A week later we will be saying goodbye to the little Hazel pups.  I am thrilled that four of her pups will be going to homes that already own a Dinsdale Schnauzer.
Myself, I am looking forward to the house being a 'little' more quiet, a little less hectic.  My vacation after the pups may not last too long, it looks like there just might be a new puppy in my future too, more on that later.
There are more photos of the pups posted today on Hexe's blog

Putting away for a cold winters day

I have made an effort to produce my own food and to shop local as much as possible the last couple of years.  In 2012 we have doubled the garden and hope to increase again in 2013.  Dumb luck that our biggest garden effort has taken place during the worst drought in 50 years...but I digress.
Mick started an assortment of heirloom tomatoes from seed, the last two weeks we are reaping the rewards of our work that began in February, our tomatoes have begun to ripen fast and furious.  One of my favorite ways (other then eating fresh) to deal with the influx of gorgeous fruit is roasting them in the oven with olive oil, rosemary and garlic for 2-3hours, run the sweet roasted tomatoes through a food mill producing the most amazing tomato sauce for us to enjoy all winter.  In the bottom of the roasting pan is a delicious tomato/garlic/rosemary/olive oil broth.  I call it the essence of the tomato, so tasty that it would be a shame to pour down the drain.  Solution, pour into ice cube trays, freeze & bag for future stews, soups and gravy.  Today I trimmed sage & rosemary from the garden into the bottom of the tray, poured in the essence and into the freezer it went.

If you want a little Schnauzer Puppy Fix, head over to Hazel's Nursery Blog.  This is what I do while the tomatoes are roasting...great way to spend a couple of hours

Ahhhh summer time

Now this is what I am talking about

Even lawn cutting is a pleasure at this time of the year

Tater Time

There are not many garden activities as satisfying in a vegetable garden then plunging your hands into the warm dark soil to search for potatoes.  A wonderful treasure hunt.
The taste of homegrown potatoes is superior to anything you can buy at a grocery store, better then any I have purchased at roadside stands and farmers markets.  Our new potatoes were quickly boiled then tossed with butter, fresh parsley or rosemary, a little salt & pepper, amazing.

This was my first year planting potatoes, it was a bit of a last minute venture.  Mick and I had cleared out some old brush this spring, we had extra topsoil which I dumped where the brush formally was, ordered my potatoes and when then arrived I buried them in the dirt.  Initially they did very well, but first the drought knocked them back, then when the rain came, blight finished them off.  I did get a lovely early potato harvest which we enjoyed.  The later variety hasn't been as productive, this is the last of them. 

This fall I will be preparing some new larger garden beds one of which will be for next years potatoes.  I know I can do better with a little more planning and after tasting these I cannot imagine not growing my own again.

Cuz, we love you

Yep, our dogs are obsessed with the Cuz Dog Ball.  They make dogs crazy, I have to hide mine on top of a cabinet when finished playing, the dogs circle the cabinet like sharks when they know it's there.

Garden Bounty

We have been enduring a never ending hot, dry summer, the rain and drop in temperature the last couple of days has been wonderful and the garden is bouncing back to life.  Now if the heat will piss I mean hold off for a few days I can get outside and do some much needed garden work.

ahhh...look at that puppy face

Can't you just smell the puppy breath?  

More photos of Hexe's pups just posted to her Nursery Blog here

Evening Photos

Schnauzers watching my evening walk round the garden

The Garden Gate

Love them natural ears

One of Fiddle's daughters sporting beautiful natural ears, I see ear set and size as a genetic trait.
The black & white photo posted yesterday...also a Fiddle daughter with lovely natural ears

When you have nothing to write....

...because your brain is mush from raising pups, post a photo for Wordless Wednesday