A Mr. Cheddar Pet Peeve Post- Shaving Dogs in Summer
Mr. Cheddar here.
Yes, the DOG-DAYS of summer are just around the corner.
And today, I want to talk about…
D-O-G-S and one of my Summer Pet Peeves:
Shaving/clipping off a dog’s fur in summer.
I’ve asked one of our online canine pals to join us, the fabulous Rumpydog.
Yes, I know he’s a dog and I’m a cat but he is one cool dude, even if he is a canine!!!
Ain’t he a cutie? And look at that gorgeous coat!
So here’s the scoop and I’m not talking litter this time!
We live in a small city where there are a lot of dogs and usually very hot summers. Every year, there are so/too many dogs walking around with their coats shaved off. The humans who live with these dogs must think they are doing them a favor shaving off their fur, but in reality they aren’t.
Here’s one of many articles online about why you shouldn’t shave off your dog’s fur, unless it is for medical reasons.
Meowmie also asked a couple of veterinarians about this and they said the same thing.
A dog’s coat is to protect them not just the cold but from the heat too.
As far as the groomers who routinely clip off dog’s fur for the summer, well it’s just $$ in their pockets. They aren’t going to tell clients not to do this are they?
Save some $$ this summer and save your pet from getting sunburned, overheated…
Don’t shave your pooch!
There, I feel better already. Glad I got that off my chest! 
Looks like Rumpy feels better too. 
Visit Rumpydog for more pet care tips and lots of other interesting pet-related posts!
A Mr. Cheddar Haiku- Groomed to Purrrfection!
This is a haiku/photo from last summer that I was thinking about on Sunday, when I was grooming Mr. Cheddar.
How he ♥♥ his weekly combing with his fav slicker brush.
Nails every 2-3 weeks, not so much but he’s pretty good about that too.
And in-between, he does a great job with his ahhhem…tongue.
Mr. Cheddar, isn’t he purrrrfection?
Kasha and Beet Salad with Celery and Feta
How’s this for a yummy looking salad?
After recently reading the much-talked about Wheat Belly diet book; I’ve been experimenting with cutting down on wheat in my diet.
Although I am not gluten-intolerant, there appears to be a lot of health benefits for cutting back on wheat and also all refined forms of carbohydrates. I’ve effortlessly lost 5 pounds since I started my wheat-reduction experiment, about a month ago.
But it is a transition, especially when some of my fav foods include bread, pasta, muffins… So when I found out about The Complete Gluten-Free Whole Grains Cookbook by one of my favorite cookbook authors: Judith Finlayson I was very happy!
Judith has done a great job (again) with her latest cookbook.
Not only does this beautiful cookbook provide 125 gluten-free whole grain recipes with everything from soups to desserts (and with full color photos throughout) it is also an excellent resource for anyone who is following or considering a gluten-free diet . Or like me, just attempting to cut down on foods containing wheat and gluten.
There is a detailed and very helpful section at the beginning of the book, that features listings for many popular gluten-free grains such as: quinoa, wild rice, amaranth, kasha….and many more. Including tips for cooking and storing the various grains and nutritional information.
Judith Finlayson focuses on healthier choices to wheat in our diet, not just substituting other (less than desirable) starches as is the case with too many other gluten-free cookbooks that I’ve looked at. These are healthy and delicious recipes that make transitioning from wheat and other foods containing gluten, easy and fun.
I’ve made a few recipes from this cookbook already and this salad is my fav to date.
Just yummy and so colorful too.
I’m a big fan of beets. They are a veggie that IMO don’t get enough credit/use when it comes to adding them to a variety of recipes, especially salads. You will love this salad, especially if you love beets!
Would make a great addition to a picnic, potluck or BBQ menu!
See the complete recipe on page 2.
A Mr. Cheddar (and friend) LOL! ;<)
For those of your who haven’t “met” JJ the Monkey already, here he is, having some fun with his Big Furry Pal, Mr. Cheddar.
Mr. Cheddar is NOT amused.
Sure brings a smile to my day though, looking at this photo.
By all means, do leave a caption, if one should come to mind!
Your (yarn color) Opinion Please! ;<)
As any of my regular readers already know, I love to knit.
In recent years, I’ve been “stretching” my knitting skills a bit, trying some more difficult patterns, stitches and techniques, including Fair Isle knitting.
This cardigan is my first (and to date, only) Fair Isle project I’ve completed:
I love this sweater and have had so many compliments about it already; I want to make another one, this time in a spring/summer cotton yarn.
I’m considering using Willow Yarn Cub .
If you haven’t checked out Willow Yarns yet, you’re in for a treat. They have some beautiful, natural fiber yarns available at prices that are hard to beat.
I’ve already knitted a swatch of this yarn and it looks great, with a the stitches showing up in a very defined way. I also love the soft colors this yarn comes in and the price is great too at $2.49 CDN/50 grams.
Here are the colors I am planning to use for this next cardigan:
This soft yellow for the main color.
And these three colors for the patternworks sections.
I like all 4 of these colors but can’t decide if yellow should be the main color or the mauve or green instead.
Your yarn color opinion please…what do you think?
PS: If you’re considering trying Fair Isle yourself or already have, you might want to check out my latest review over at My Real Life Reviews for : The Very Easy Guide to Fair Isle Knitting by Lynne Watterson. It’s a wonderful book!
It’s Almost Ice Cream Time Again!
Tasted a delish commercial coconut milk ice cream this past week (I’ll be reviewing that product soon) but it also got me thinking about making my own coconut milk ice cream, at home.
Here’s the review of the Hamilton Beach ice cream maker that I use, works great!
Found this excellent list of coconut milk based ice cream recipes over at the Mother Nature Network. These all sound so yummy!
Have you tried coconut milk ice cream?
If you haven’t yet, you’re in for a treat. Every bit as rich and delicious as dairy types.
Bring on summer and ice cream, all kinds!
Pot of Gold-Monday LOL ;<)
We’ve been enjoying some 60-70′s music gold recently, including the CD: Deja Vu by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.
Love that song: Teach Your Children (click to watch/listen) so much….along with the other hits in this collection.
The CD also brought this hilarious skit from Canada’s : This Hour Has 22 Minutes (comedy series) to mind:
>>>POT OF GOLD <<<
Neil Young never sounded this good! Mark Critch rocks.
Hope this brings a smile to your day too.
Happy Week!
Last Chance to Enter the Spring Yarn Lover’s Contest!
If you haven’t entered already there’s still time, contest closes April 30th!
Click to read the details and enter to win a fab yarn-lover’s package valued at over $75.
Good luck and Happy Crafting!
A Mr. Cheddar Haiku: Still Waiting…
We went looking for a pal for Mr. Cheddar yesterday.
Unfortunately, no luck at the local pet shelter.
It was great to see that the place was almost empty of homeless pets; but no one suitable for Ched either. 
Hopefully soon.
In the meantime, Mr. Cheddar patiently waits.
Brrrr…Soup Weather Has Returned!
I don’t know about where you are, but here in Interior BC it’s COLD again!
It was down to 1C late afternoon yesterday. For here, at this time of year, that is very cold.
I’m making a lot of soups as we wait out this current weather.
This is one: Slow Cooker Red Lentil, Chickpea and Coconut Soup, that I found over at the Kitchen Treaty blog. It’s nice and hearty. Full of healthy and delish ingredients and made in the slow-cooker. Can’t get much better than that.
Click through for the full recipe and to see another photo of this soup.
My photo above is an “action shot”. Look closely, you can see the steam rising and the soup bubbling.
A few minor changes I made:
-I used 2 T. olive oil instead of butter
- 3 C. of pre-cooked chickpeas instead of canned type. Next time I’d cut back on the chickpeas, 2- 2 1/2 C. would be plenty IMO.
-I cooked soup on HIGH for 4 hours, instead of on LOW as the recipe is written.
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Hope you enjoy the recipe, stay warm and let’s hope that SPRING arrives to stay and soon!
PS: How’s your weather and what’s your favorite soup?
Mine is Veggie Beet Borscht (click through for recipe)
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