Author: Liz

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Terrific Tuesday

My Tuesday started with this:

Almond milk French toast made with my very own Brioche bread and stuffed with a goat cheese-powdered sugar-dark chocolate chip (goat cheese riff on cannoli filling) filling. I didn’t actually stuff…I made 4 pieces of Almond Milk Brioche French Toast and put the filling between. And then… and THEN drizzled a warm maple syrup and red raspberry topping.

And there was bacon.

Tuesday started deliciously!

Several weeks ago, I had a kind of terrible Tuesday. It was hardly terrible so much as disappointing. And in spite of the fact that I knew things had really worked out for the best, there were parts that were just enough to reduce me – albeit unreasonably – to tears. Rats.

BUT.

Out in the cosmos, the call was heard.

And responded to.

Out of the blue, I received this email:


I was catching up on your blog which I still love, and went to the archives to see the early stuff. I came across this verse that you posted and thought I would do it in calligraphy for you.

From Hilary ( Hilary’s Etsy Shop)

The verse is a much loved verse that I often use as a prayer if I have a worry about one of the pets. And I pray it at the loss of one of them. It has so often been a great comfort to me.

God, our good, heavenly and dear Father, works in mysterious and wonderful ways.

Terrific Tuesday.

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Who needs cat toys ???

A video short…it makes me laugh out loud every time I watch it.

Auggie and Boots from Liz Summers on Vimeo.

And you knew this was coming, right ?

Hmmm…

Good thing I have a spare within reach.

Later…

We stayed above zero last night (Saturday night) – and both yesterday and today broke double digits before noon.

Auggie has been out whenever he’s asked to go out which makes things easier on the entire household.

That face … and that tail!!

“I had nothing to do with the toilet paper incident!”

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Just like old times

I’ve lived in Northwest Montana for 20 years as of February 4!

In those first years there were always 2 plus weeks of super cold: -teens/-20’s overnight and not above 0F daytime.

In the last years (how many ???) this has not happened. I think the first year I was in my current house – 2006 – was the last good Winter.

The super cold – I worry about the wild things and livestock and people who don’t take care of their pets… BUT, this super cold, I think it is ultimately a good thing and a NORMAL thing for this part of Montana.

And, I am a bit thrilled that it is a bit like old times. (NOT enough snow, though!!!)

On the home front…there is a kitten…there is a kitten who can see the sunshine and that kitten thinks he should be able to go out and play and hunt and run with the beardog!

Mama says otherwise.

The day started at -7F and never made it past 5F.

The kitten’s lungs and paws are not made for that much cold.

So.

We played “birdie”

The birdie toy is the MOST favorite toy. (those black things are my knees…I’m on the floor…)

Auggie often drops a birdie (we have 4) at my feet. Game on!

Yes, he retrieves…except for when I set up the camera for video, then he does not…

Bear and I had our normal walks except that I moved with a bit more briskness and a few more “NOW, Bear’s”.

But, I breathed deeply and enjoyed the cold, clean air!

And for lunch, after the lunch walk in the cold, clean air…I had a wonderfully warming roast cauliflower-onion-garlic soup…with plenty of turmeric and cayenne! And a refreshing water with blood orange juice. THAT should ward off any cold-flu bugs as well as most people!

Back to Auggie.

We got out every toy and a few other items: the laundry basket.

Auggie likes to put the birdies, the crackly fish toy and the mousie…places where he has to figure out how to get them back.

The laundry basket worked for a bit of a puzzle.

He played with putting things in and reaching in to try to retrieve them, going in after them and generally just playing in and around the basket and the crackly tunnel.

I don’t know what to do tomorrow, though!!!

The sun was brilliant all day long even if it did only get to 5F.

From inside…

Because it is COLD!

But beautiful and just like old times.

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Single digits in Montana is like triple digits in Arizona

Montana is used to cold, like Arizona is used to hot. But over 100 is HOT and below 10 is COLD. Both can be life threatening even if you are accustomed to it happening. We are to be in the below teens F nights and single digits daytime until Saturday when it is forecast that we will hit 13F!

So. It is cold. This morning started out at 1F and we made it briefly to 7F before it started down again.

Winds are more than a breeze, but not howling. Still, the wind chill is in the -double digits and in some areas as low as -40.

Cold.

But, as typically happens with the super cold…the sun is shining, the air is clear and it is beautiful.

However. Single digits for the beardog and the warmly dressed woman is entirely different than single digits for the kitten.

Auggie went out twice. I set a timer for 5 minutes. He came in before the timer went off both times.

Inside, he was a bit cabin feverish.

Distractions were needed.

I made a tunnel cave for him.

Fun, fun, fun!

Off and on he played in and on it.

Time out…

For the record, Bear chose his spot first and then Auggie snagged the bed.

See the sun!

See the sun from inside the warm house as even with the sun, it was 4F when I took this photo from inside the warm house.

A cold day enjoyed AKA the fluffy tail duo! …such SERIOUS faces :) !!