Drizzle, Dip, Douse

THREE ELLAS AND LIAM WARMING UP

Ella's Peppered Olive Oil. For food. A current staple in our pantry. Here is the story on how we met her and how she has enhanced our lives.

We have a Farmer's Market in New Hyde Park...in its second year of operation...Saturdays, June through November. We are consistently surprised by the diversity of the offerings. I expect to see the veggies, fruits and herbs and am not disappointed by the vivid palette and abundant selection. Then the unexpected, sweating mozzarella, homemade sauces and pasta, mini herb gardens, Middle Eastern spices. So much bounty. Folks make artisan sandwiches by picking up ingredients from each stand, eating as they browse and buy.

A new vendor appeared in September with their offering, Ella's Peppered Olive Oil. The label invites with its alliterative phrase...drizzle, dip, douse....inviting words illustrated by a group of dancing peppers.
Little squares of bread are provided for dipping samples. Yum. I buy one bottle and am hooked.

Here are links.

http://www.ellaspepperedoil.com/ 

and Facebook 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ellas-Olive-Oil/1547541795457434

This is what happened to me.

The Stages of Ella

I start simple- salad

then pasta

then veggies

 then popcorn

then fish

and chips

 and well honestly I try it on anything

I am in danger of an over-douse

You get the idea. Watch out world

I might drizzle you with Ella's. 

A GIFT WRAPPED ELLA'S

Warning- you may have trouble parting with your bottles. I do.
In the pic below, note the peppers on the label. In the bottom of the middle bottle you may see a shadow shape echoing the label design. Yes! That is a real pepper! Some bottles have peppers in them. Quite fun to have it there and to meet it at the end on its way out in the last douse.

PAST,  PRESENT AND FUTURE

Liam and Ella


Wonder if it is good for LiamLicking? Smells nice

is that a pepper in there? Sure looks like it. Wow! must be hot and spicy.

I'll guard it from Mom; she has been hitting the bottle pretty heavily

Maybe stashed in the corner is safer

DREAMING OF DRIZZLING, DIPPING, DOUSING

Ella's will enhance and spice up your life.
You will have warm dreams as Liam does...
and yes, readers there is a real little girl Ella!

Woof, Woof

Polar Vortexing by the Pooch

LIAM LICKING IN THE POLAR BORE-TEX

The polar vortex is back. As is the indoor polar bore-tex...a seasonal affliction for Liam. The polar one has always existed but usually has remained in its polar place... except the last two winters. And when it appeared here this fall Liam's bore-tex activities manifested themselves.
Polar Vortex
During early November the polar vortex began its journey downward from Canada. We watched on the weather maps as it went west and spared the east for a while. Then the promised expansion happened and by November 18 we all were covered. At one point all 50 States had at least one place below freezing. True. Even Hawaii.
 http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2014/11/18/analysis-coldest-november-morning-in-u-s-since-1976-all-50-states-freeze/
What is it exactly? A mass of arctic air that is pushed down from where it usually hangs out, which is way north. Here is the explanation.
http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/what-is-a-polar-vortex/21793077
Polar Bore-tex
The polar vortex caused our indoor bore-tex. I reacted to the freeze by excusing myself from Liam's walks (wimpy Pet Mom)
Liam reacted to my reaction by more and extended warming sessions by the hot air vents, a noticeable increase in licking, as well as sun bathing around the house. A bored Liam...with a nod to vortex, I call his reactions polar bore-tex activities and as I noted above there are three major ones
Hanging by the hot air vents
Our house is heated via hot air vents. They blow into a cold room heating it unevenly and then turn off just when one feels comfortable. I relish that feeling of heat shooting out to relieve the cold. Liam hears it starting before me and claims his spot in front of any vent he is near...his little fireplaces.

A NEW FIND! A VENT BY THE BED

LIVING ROOM VENT, SIDEWAYS HEATING

LIAM'S HEAD IN PATH OF HOT AIR

BEST HOT AIR POSE

Licking
The increased licking (of non-humans) may be caused by boredom. Or anxiety. I'll go with boredom. In the next photo Liam tries to combine two activities, a few paw licks while enjoying some heat.

The best licks are the redcup. Seems to be even better than the regular cups. And sometimes a little extra foam forms. These licks are contingent on Mom bringing home the latte. This then would be a once a day bore-tex.

Grooming of his toy Wolfie is another way to stay busy and feel productive.

LIAM LICKING WOLFIE

There is always a stuffed Kong bone to maneuver and some focused licking will eventually dislodge its contents.

Sun Bathing
The sun is warm...forcing the eyes shut with its sharp light, setting Liam up for a snooze.

                                                                                       And always a cozy corner behind Daddy's back
     Hours of bore-tex work leave a dog exhausted              


Woof, Woof

Finding Our Roots

DESCENDANT OF WOLVES OR THE UPRIGHT CAVEMAN?

There is a TV program Finding Your Roots  hosted by Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.  I began watching this season. Here is the link.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/finding-your-roots/about/
What drew me to it was Derek Jeter. The season opener was cleverly timed to air the week after his  retirement. Derek Jeter was one of three celebs profiled. Public and private records are used and after those are thoroughly explored the researchers go to DNA to validate leads and resolve questions. The show is supported in its efforts by Ancestry.com. Surprising, emotional, unexpected ancestral information comes out. The guests experience disappointment and shock as well as pride and connection. All seem to be grateful to have participated.

Here is the link for Ancestry
http://www.ancestry.com/

Liam has traced his roots and it was a surprising and happy outcome...what we thought were lab/ basset hound genes turned out not to be. Our vet at the time was curious as he was sure that Liam's narrow jaw and short ears were not indicative of a Labrador retriever/basset heritage. Liam did not have the perpetual smile of a lab or the sad droopy face of the basset hound...and so we did the sample and waited. The results were delivered by phone and the caller was thrilled with the surprising outcome, delivering the news as if we had won the lottery "Guess what, Liam is four dogs in one, all equal parts!" My little rescue's DNA showed him to be a beagle, dachshund, dalmatian and Irish setter. Ancestry's origin pie chart would place his roots mostly in Europe.

Beagle 
British
We would place this breed in the UK on the ancestry map
Advanced sniffing is the beagle trait, as well as the love of all food, successful locator of bed bugs

BEAGLE LIAM, the flip tail

Dachshund 
Germany
Observed breed traits-willful, independent, heavily muscled, food lover. My mother's quote "He is his own person" comes to mind

DOXIE LIAM, long and low to the ground

Dalmatian
Yugoslavia, maybe originally India
speed, leaping, running

 and the white markings in the shape of a bone on his chest

DALMATIAN LIAM, loyal

Irish Setter
Ireland
affectionate, handsome, ready to hunt for squirrels, rabbits, birds

IRISH SETTER LIAM, regal

Info from The Complete Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds  Juliette Cunliffe

http://www.amazon.com/The-Complete-Encyclopedia-Dog-Breeds/dp/1405443898

Liam's ancestral mix is a big slice of Europe...
On the show they do a pie and slice it up to show the percentages of your roots...

my journey begins...

I order the DNA kit. It is $99.00 from Ancestry
http://dna.ancestry.com/
ordered November 6, 2014.

Arrives November 12, 2014.

ANCESTRY DNA KIT

I have to provide a saliva sample, send back and wait. Will do that today. The amount of saliva seems daunting though the instructions say it is easy, only a quarter of a teaspoon. I am sure no ballplayer would blink at this requirement since the spitting that goes on during games is prolific. And one cannot eat, drink or chew gum 30 minutes prior to giving the sample.  I'll have to wait until my chestnut praline latte vacates the premises.

I expect to have mostly Ireland and United Kingdom on my ethnicity pie. My cousin did a family tree on my mother's maternal side and it is all Ireland, with an unexpected mention of England (which my Mom Ruth would vehemently deny)

Would welcome a surprise like Liam received. A Labrador (Newfoundland) Basset (France) hound mix- a fine guess; yet later revealed to be British, Yugoslavian, German and Irish by DNA.

WHAT WILL MY MOM BE? LIKE ME?

Woof, Woof

Garden Collections 2014

SEPTEMBER STROLL

With the completion of this season's Project Runway we are thinking of our collections. "Make it work" the Tim Gunn mantra is also apt for our garden with its changing look as the spring, summer and fall months go by. And Heidi's fierce deceptively chirpy statement "one day you're in and the next day you're out" seems to work for our flowers as well. Don't watch PR? Here are links
http://www.mylifetime.com/shows/project-runway
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Runway

Trips around, a sniff, a stop...Liam enjoys the yard in the months of spring and summer and fall, taking the same routes and stopping to smell the begonias
and following are our 2014 collections of yard fashion

MAY

A start...Ruth's garden planted on Mother's Day; Liam's plaque proudly displayed, Paulina's bird

JUNE AND JULY

 AUGUST
 

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

OCTOBER...THE FINAL VIEW BEFORE...

a storm, wind and avid leaf blowing result in a bent garden and an uprooted Liam plaque...Liam is looking for it

WHERE IS MY SIGN, MOM?

one day it's there and the next day it's not!

IT WAS BY THE ANGEL, I THINK

I SMELL IT!

NOT VISIBLE, FALLEN IN BACK OF BRICK

LIAM HAS HIS SIGN INSIDE

To be put away till next season and the next garden collections
Woof, Woof