Best Friend's Animal Society gets a new sign!

The old sign is gone now but when we too the photo the old was was still up.  You can see that the new one will be easier for visitors to find. 

Summer 2013

Summer sunset from our backyard.  Summer sunset from my friend Jenny's porch.

Snow!

It seems like every year in March or April we have warm sunny weather and then wake up to a huge amount of snow.  I was able to go snowshoeing before it all melted.   It is so beautiful.  In all of  the photos there is so much snow that you cannot see the red rocks in the background.

Art - Bubblewrap Jewelry and a Dream Tree

Addy and I found a cool way to re-purpose bubble wrap.  If you use parchment paper and an iron you can melt the bubble wrap sheets together and they eventually form a flat plastic sheet that resembles mother-of-pearl.  Check out the link here there is a book called Jewelry Upcycled! by jewelry expert and bestselling author Sherri Haab.

Addy helping to iron the bubble wrap

Trying to create a rustic display for pendants

Ready mix concrete for dream tree

Dream Tree to be decorated with pendants & baubbles

The Wave and Buckskin Gorge

FINALLY! I can finally say I did the WAVE and Buckskin Gorge.

Thankful

Today I am thankful for "Fast Eddie" who we are doggy sitting. His "Dad" is traveling to the east coast so he is driving my cats crazy for the next week and a half. Eddie was a stray in L.A. and one of our Best Friend dog trainers rescued him from a kill shelter as she was passing through California. Turns out he is pretty good with cats and he doesn't care at all about our chickens. Whew! Best of all Eddie likes to cuddle and shed and cuddle. I do not like the shedding but when those chocolate eyes look up at you longing for a lap who can resist? Ugh I am such a sucker.

The weather was so fantastic last week. Addyson and I walked to the park and it was probably 60 degrees out. Look at that lovely sky! Addyson loves swinging at the park.

Flexitarian - Challenges

Well last year I did pretty well eating only Buffalo once a week but this year all I want is tuna fish, steak and as much as I hate to admit it fried chicken! I have done well avoiding pork.  Just the thought of those intelligent, amazing pigs in factory farms kills me.  As much as it killed me I did however buy a few cans of tuna fish.  I haven't finished reading Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer.  I need to start reading it again and get re-inspired.  I must admit it can get darn depressing. I find myself walking around in a circle in the grocery store.  I know except for the buffalo meat that there is no meat or fish in the store that is humanely raised.  I know much of the fruit and veggies are filled with pesticides, the packaged things have weird chemicals I cannot pronounce. In fact, Gatorade just removed an ingredient called brominated vegetable oil (or BVO.) BVO is a chemical used as a flame retardant and is used in drinks to help keep the ingredients for separating.  Yuck. 

I am still making the easiest bread in the world - no kneading required.  It has Yeast, Flour, Salt and Water.  That is it!  Here is the book link.  You mix up the ingredients, let it sit for two hours and  use it or store it in the fridge and use it within a week or maybe two!  It is awesome!

I have been making a lot of soup too.  Trying to increase the carrots, celery, onions and garlic intake for the family.  Unfortunately, I cannot get my four year old to eat the veggies.  I can however get her to eat the dumplings I drop in.  Which don't have a lot of nutritional value but I know that they don't have BVO!  Ha.  I told my husband it was chicken and dumpling soup but that it didn't have chicken in it and that I would buy a rotisserie chicken so he could shred it and put it in his soup.  Well. I went to both markets in town and NO more Rotisserie Chicken.  They did however have fried chicken.  I bought it and watched my husband slowly eat a piece at the kitchen counter.  He was in heaven.  I had to have a taste.  The taste ended up being two pieces. I felt awful but it was so good.  I guess the moral of this story is we are not perfect.

Visiting Best Friends? Already Returned Home?

If you are missing the red rocks and rescued animals here in Southern Utah visit my new Etsy shop!  Click here to purchase a reminder of your time at Best Friends or order a last minute gift for someone!

Lucas - the Vicktory Dog pendant

Order a tiny bottle filled with moqui marbles, Angel Canyon sand or more.

Animal Pendants make a special gift.

Cleaning Green

This is the best shower cleaner especially the faucets and knobs in the shower.  I found it here
For those of you who are looking to stay with us I bet you are thinking "Whew she cleans!"


Daily Shower Cleaner
1 cup of White Vinegar
2 cups of Water 2 teaspoons of Dawn dish soap

Floor Cleaner
1 cup of vinegar
2 tablespoons of Castile soap
2 liters of warm water