My Chitlins – Page 3 – Dust Bunnies and Dog Toys

The Royal Carriage

Published on September 29, 2015September 29, 2015 by JennaLeave a comment

Recently I was editing client photos in the office and heard the sound Luna makes as she’s falling asleep nearby, but she was no where to be found. I looked around and soon discovered she had curled up in the antique baby carriage I’d recently brought home as a newborn prop and put in the corner of the studio. Not only was she a perfect fit for the little stroller, but she seemed so comfy she didn’t even open her eyes when I moved a box sitting next to the carriage. I couldn’t resist the opportunity to pull the carriage out a bit and quickly put up a backdrop to capture a few shots.

I might not have newborn shots of all my fur babies, but this ranks right up there with that! Her siblings were fairly concerned that their kitty was snoozing in this contraption and each took turns checking on her.

Eventually Tequila laid down to keep watch while her kitty cat slept – or perhaps wonder why we don’t have a stroller she could fit in! 🙂

Eventually, the Princess arose from her beauty sleep and posed for the paparazzi (aka – mom). Seriously, could she look any more regal sitting in a stroller, lace draped out the side with a glittery gold backdrop?!

And this isn’t the first time she’s shown her approval of my prop and décor finds. She also declared this antique wooden box suitable for her royal hinny!

I’m so glad she approves. Her parked rump is much more appreciated than the dog’s use of my couch throw pillows as dirty paw rests! But such is life with pets. And we wouldn’t have it any other way!

The Cluck Club

Published on September 8, 2015September 8, 2015 by Jenna2 Comments

Over the holiday weekend we added some new members to our family! Welcome (from back to front) Biscuit, Nugget, Fil-a and Curry. And they have some fancy new digs courtesy of the hubs handi-man skills! Here’s a quick photo tutorial of how it went together.

He started with two side panels of framed wire, to form the main area which serves as a run for the chickens to move around in. He added more framing for what would become the hen house floor at the rear of the coop.

Next he added sides to the hen house, followed by foam insulation. He also extended the floor of the hen house past the framing to make an area for nesting boxes.

After insulation was added to the floor, the nesting boxes starting to take shape at the back of the hen house.

Then he added dividers to make three separate boxes so the ladies have a bit of privacy when laying.

Next he added a roof to the nesting boxes that can be lifted for collecting eggs.

This puppy is well insulated so the chickens will stay nice and warm when the weather dips below 0 during the winter. With insulation foam sandwiched between layers of wood on all of the walls and floor it should be pretty cozy.

And if you’re wondering if it’s sturdy, Stoli and his 70 some pounds of muscle can guarantee that it is!

Once the main parts of the walls were in, he added the roof panels.

And from the side it was really starting to look like a coop! If you notice, we moved the coop forward a bit so there’s more room at the back because the clean out access for our septic line is right next to the house and should we ever need to use it we wanted some room to work.

At my request, he added a covering of linoleum material on the entire hen house floor to make cleaning the coop out easier.

And here’s the finished project – after several weeks of work! Unfortunately, it rained here for most of the holiday weekend so I wasn’t able to paint it before we brought the chickens home, but once the weather improves for a few days all of the wood will get a coat of bright white, which should give it a true farm house feel!

The nesting box roof got a metal covering to match the rest of the coop and keep the elements at bay.

You can see most of the inside of the hen house when the small roof is lifted – a feature I’m sure I’ll appreciate immensely when checking on them during the winter.

In addition to the nesting boxes, the hubs installed an inside roost for the hens to use when the weather gets colder.

The two side doors open wide to give full access to the inside of the hen house which has a light to provide both warmth and stimulation to continue laying throughout our dark winter.

He also installed a feeder made of PVC pipe and a water bottle with a nipple at the bottom so both stay as clean as possible with minimal waste.

I’d never used poultry water nipples before, but they operate on the same mechanics as a rabbit water bottle and the chickens had some at their previous home so they already know how to use them.

A ramp to access the hen house from the run and a large branch for an outdoor roost made it chicken ready.

Everyone was very excited to meet the chickens. Even Luna came out to welcome them, although she stayed out of the dogs way by perching herself on the nearby ladder. To give the chickens some breathing room from their four-legged siblings we fenced off the main part of the coop with some large metal grates we got for free on Craigslist a while back. We’ll leave these up for a while until everyone is used to each other. Until then they are under almost constant surveillance, but they don’t seem to mind too much.

Eventually I’ll add pea gravel around the coop so it doesn’t get super muddy, but for now we’re just happy to have the coop mostly finished (sans painting) and chickens inside it.

Although they aren’t free range like they were at their last home, I have been giving them yard cuttings and table scraps to dig through which they seem to enjoy. And we all enjoy watching them settle into their new home. 🙂

Time Well Wasted

Published on July 25, 2015 by JennaLeave a comment

Although it’s been quiet here on the blog this week, it’s been an extremely busy and emotional week in the DB&DT household. Monday morning we lost my grandmother Mema, just a little more than a year after my grandfather, Pappa Vince passed away. It was also the day after the anniversary of my Aunt Diane’s passing.

The loss of so many loved ones in such a short time has been extremely difficult for our family, but life doesn’t pause for us to grieve. I had photography client sessions and meetings and the hubs had an overnight work trip out of town that still had to happen. As we made peace with the loss it made me realize just how fortunate we had been to enjoy some ordinary moments of life the weekend prior.

A walk with my photography group allowed me to see a fearless meadow vole who even let me pet him and meet a beautiful boreal owl who was missing a wing.

Photographing a wedding that afternoon brought a sighting of a young black bear.

That evening the hubs and I enjoyed a walk in this amazing field of wildflowers, a true treat during Alaska’s short summer season.

And I was blessed to capture this sweet shot of the dogs as they romped through the blooms.

I picked a little bouquet to take home as we wandered along the trail laughing at the dogs’ hijinks.

Despite a mile-long list of things to do around the house we drove to the Kenai peninsula the next day to visit some of the hub’s extended family who came up from Arizona to fish. Along the way we stopped at another filed of wildflowers surrounded by stunning mountains.

And spotted glaciers right from the road.

Down at the river we enjoyed watching the hub’s uncles and cousin fish along the riverbank. It’s a beloved tradition for them to come here each summer and spend quality time together creating memories.

It warmed my heart to watch them chat and share smiles as they cast their lines.

Then the memories started biting- one after another and they worked as a team to reel them in.

With each catch the smiles grew and I knew these were the moments they will look back on and smile in the years to come, especially when they return home and share the results with other family members as they recount tales from the river.

It wasn’t a hugely productive weekend, but it was filled with memories in the making and plenty of time well wasted as one of my favorite country songs describes. My little bouquet in the window is a lovely reminder of my love for those now gone and the importance of making the most of the time we are given because you never know when it might be your last opportunity to do so. Time well wasted is a precious gift – one I continue to give freely and I hope you all do the same.

We Robot!

Published on July 2, 2015 by JennaLeave a comment

We are now the proud owners of a robot, thanks to a fantastic trade I made recently – a photo session and some cash for a like new Roomba! We had been considering purchasing one for some time but just couldn’t pull the trigger due to the hefty price tag, so when I saw one on a local buy/sell page I offered a trade and the woman selling agreed. Luckily, the model she was selling is designed for pet hair and she still had all the accessories and manual for it. RoombaBathroom

It’s been interesting to see how we’ve all adjusted to having a robot in the house. The hubs and I often catch ourselves welcoming Roomba when it enters the room we are in or complimenting it for docking itself when in need of charging even though we know it’s just a machine. We’re just friendly like that I guess. I do find it funny that the Hubs refers to Roomba as ‘she’ while I say it’s a ‘he,’ but either way I’m really enjoying not having to vacuum as often.

The fur babies were not quite as excited about the new intruder. Luna wasn’t quite sure what to make of it and would watch from a distance, then run off if Roomba got too close for her comfort. The dogs on the other hand thought Roomba was a fabulous new toy that they should play with by jumping and barking. They were pretty frustrated when Roomba ignored them and continued on his cleaning mission.

Now that its been a few weeks, they’re no longer excited about it. In fact, now it’s often the fur babies who ignore Roomba. He can bump into the furniture where Luna is napping and she barely even opens her eyes! The dogs have given up trying to get Roomba to play and usually step right over him when he’s in their way.

Although he’s a bit louder than I anticipated he does a pretty good job of picking up all the pet hair, which is a big improvement for my allergies and makes me feel like the house is cleaner overall. Granted he doesn’t get everything so I still vacuum once a week, but I no longer have to cover every square inch of the house. Instead I focus on the corners and edges where Roomba sometimes misses spots. Now that we’re back from traveling I just need to program his schedule so he will clean and charge all on his own and I don’t have to remember to turn him on each day.

Do you use a Roomba or similar product? I’d love to hear any tips or tricks you might have, especially if they make life even easier. 🙂

Fun in the Sun

Published on June 3, 2015 by Jenna2 Comments

Now that summer has arrived we’ve been out riding in our side-by-side just about every weekend. Our favorite spot to ride is the Knik Public Use Area which is part of a massive glacier fed river delta. Because the river is constantly changing its course across the large open space, it’s a different experience every time we visit. It’s not uncommon for the beach we stopped at last time to have become a sandbar in what is now the middle of the river, or for a route we’ve previously used to be cut off by a newly formed stream, but that’s what makes it such an interesting place to ride.

There are a variety of terrains, including wooded trails, bluffs, meadows and sandy areas. My favorites are the black sand beaches along the river’s edge with fantastic views of the mountains.

That’s where we usually stop to let the kiddos play. They weren’t too sure about getting in the water at first, which I can understand because the water is not only cold, it’s very silty making it difficult to judge just how deep it really is.

I enjoy wandering the shoreline looking for driftwood to collect for various projects I want to do while the dogs race back and forth on the sand like greyhounds.

Driftwood

And if it’s warm enough, I ditch my shoes for a black sand exfoliation. I call it the Alaskan pedicure.

Eventually the dogs find a shallow spot where they pretend to walk on water until we find a stick to throw for them.

Tequila prefers bigger sticks which she retrieves from the water and digs at until they are hidden by the crater she’s created in the sand. Then she bounces and barks to show the giant stick who’s boss. When her siblings try to assist her, she quickly tells them she doesn’t need help.

So instead, they come snuggle with mom and dad until they are ready to run some more.

In between all this activity they sometimes agree to pose for pictures….

And sometimes they don’t….

Then when they are ready to ride again they load up in the side-by-side, as if to say “hey, let’s go!”

Although sometimes they try to sneak in and ride shotgun, which never works. 🙂

And once we’re on the trail, I watch them play lookout for the next spot to stop and explore.

One trip, we spotted some fan boats going up the river. The dogs weren’t sure what to make of them, or the waves they created on the river bank.

We’ve also spotted small planes in the area, since there is an airstrip nearby and the Palmer municipal airport isn’t far.

And sometimes we find signs of Alaska’s wildlife, usually in the form of tracks or droppings, but occasionally you’ll come across a more glaring example of the life cycle.

Back at the truck after riding, the dogs watch from the tailgate while daddy loads up their favorite toy until the next time we go riding. Can you say spoiled? 🙂

A Minion Pedestal

Published on May 21, 2015 by Jenna2 Comments

Remember a while back we had our family minionized? Well now that the desk is complete it was time they found a permanent home where they could be on display. I also wanted them to have a little platform to sit on, so when I saw a small unfinished wood plaque in the dollar bin at Michaels that was just the right size, I snagged it. I did the same finish on the pedestal as I did on the dog bowl stands, starting with a coat of stain, then some grey paint and a light sanding for a bit of distressing. It’s the perfect mix of rustic and modern.

They live on my side of the desk, between my “inbox” and my supply caddy. From across the room you don’t notice them much, but up close they just make you smile. And now that they are out in the main living area rather than our bedroom, guests can see them and enjoy them as well, which makes me even happier. 🙂

DIY Raised Dog Bowls

Published on May 20, 2015June 5, 2015 by JennaLeave a comment

The second project we wrapped up last week were two raised dog bowl stands. We’ve been wanting to do these for a while but kept putting it off. Although we had heavy ceramic bowls for each dog, they would be pushed around on the floor each day and our youngest liked to play in the water bowl creating a wet mess, even with a mat under the bowl. I’d seen raised bowl stands made from vintage crates and loved the look but A) didn’t have a vintage crate and B) if I did I wouldn’t have two that matched, or want to destroy an antique for a dog bowl stand. So we DIY’d an alternative.

The hubs built simple hollow wood boxes and then cut the holes out for the bowls, using small holes inside the diameter of where each bowl would sit as a staring point.

Then it was up to me to finish the look. Since I knew these pieces wouldn’t stay pristine being used by the dogs, I decided to intentionally create a distressed look. I started with a coat of stain, followed by a coat of light grey paint, which I sanded randomly to make them look vintage.

Here’s the finished look! It’s so much nicer than the hodge podge mess we had before! (Apparently I hated it so much I never took a single picture of it, because I can’t find any before pictures to share!) We have one stand on either side of the buffet in our dining room, so we all eat together. One holds two water bowls and a single food bowl for Tequila since she’s the alpha and likes to be separated from the others when eating. The other has two food bowls and a single water dish for Stoli and Bacardi who often share while eating.

I wasn’t sure how well the kiddos would take to the new set up and planned to ‘introduce’ them to the bowls with treats, but it wasn’t necessary. In fact they started using them as soon as they went down, which made me even happier with the project! Eating at this level is easier for them and is supposed to help improve their digestion.

I think Luna is actually a little jealous of their new bowls! But since her bowls are in the laundry room window ledge, where she has plenty of privacy I think she’ll be just fine.

This post linked to Tatertots and Jello’s Link Party Palooza!

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Eklutna in the Spring

Published on May 5, 2015May 6, 2015 by Jenna2 Comments

The hubs and I took advantage of the beautiful weather over the weekend and headed out to Eklutna Lake for a ride in our side-by-side. This was the first time either of us had been out on this trail so we weren’t sure what to expect, but the view from parking lot gave us a pretty good indication of what we were in store for.

As soon as we had the side-by-side off the trailer the kiddos loaded up to ride and somebody apparently thought she was supposed to ride shotgun.

That lasted all of about two seconds before I relegated her to the back with her siblings and took my seat next to the hubs so we could head down the trail.

The first part of the trail was a little narrow and riddled with puddles left over from the melting spring snow.

As the trail opened up we came to this cute little bridge, which took us over a creek that feeds the lake.

I had fun playing with the mirrors the hubs recently installed when the trees blocked the view of the lake.Including giggling at these two goofballs watching the scenery go by with total excitement.

Eventually the trees gave way and we were blessed with this view.

We continued down the trail, occasionally encountering other riders as we traveled along the shore for several miles. At the end of the lake we found this charred forest with beautiful views of the mountains. We continued on for a bit before we decided to head back after a quick stop to eat a snack and give the dogs water.

As we loaded the dogs back up to get going Bacardi seemed pretty tired, so I held her on my lap, where she tried desperately to sleep despite the bumpy trail. She stayed there all the way to the parking lot, where she was suddenly wide awake again.
It was a good first trip out for the season. Hopefully there will be many more to share in the coming months!

Our Luna-tic

Published on March 16, 2015April 2, 2015 by JennaLeave a comment

Hi lovelies. I took a little break from blogging last week to get caught up on that crazy thing called life. Things have been a little overwhelming recently and I just needed some down time to tie up those pesky loose ends that seem to multiply just when things are busiest. But now that I’m back, I thought I’d share a little about our kitty, Miss Luna. She’s had cameo appearances in several posts since we brought her into the family just over a year ago, but I haven’t posted much about her personally during that time. So here’s her moment in the spotlight. Although she wasn’t much pleased to have doggie siblings when she first came home, she’s adapted and certainly holds her own. These days she tolerates standard doggie behavior such as sniffing rears and barking so long as it doesn’t interfere with her kitty duties of monitoring the bird and squirrel population in the backyard and nap time. If you follow the DB&DT Facebook page you’ve seen this photo of her and Bacardi enjoying each other’s company – within limits. While she’s certainly lived up to the nickname “Princess” as most cats do, she’s also had plenty of “Luna-tic” moments such as darting through the house at full speed while the rest of us are snuggling on the couch watching TV or attacking a small remnant of a dog toy as if it were the most interesting prey you’d ever seen. Recently, she’s been climbing the ladder that is sitting in the office for an in-progress project I’ll be sharing in the near future, but she makes her way to the top via the wrong side of the ladder which makes for some hysterical stretching techniques. Occasionally I can document these odd behaviors with photos on my phone such as when she decided to help with the laundry, or when she explored every inch of the garage and the kitchen or when she inspected the kitchen faucet. Sometimes I’m lucky enough to have my real camera ready for these shenanigans like when she attempted to climb the columns on the front porch. Not sure where she thought she was going, but she was pretty determined to get there. Plus she’s fascinated with drawers. If you leave a drawer open in our home you’re bound to have a cat in it within minutes. She’s even tried to open drawers herself by pawing at them! But one of her all-time favorite things is plastic bags. Every time I switch out the holiday décor and have a pile of bags on the floor, there’s bound to be a cat in it. Unfortunately the bags don’t seem to love her back quite as much. She recently took a tumble off the bed when she decided to sneak into an online order shipment bag I had just emptied and we’ve found her in this situation twice now. The look of embarrassment on her face is priceless! She certainly is a curious kitty, but she’s smart too which keeps her from using up those extra lives in pursuit of adventures. I’m so happy to have her as part of our family and I look forward to many more “Luna-tic” moments in the years to come. 🙂

Christmas at the DB&DT House!

Published on December 25, 2014January 6, 2015 by JennaLeave a comment

Merry Christmas! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. Here at the DB&DT home we had a fun time introducing Bacardi, Stoli and Luna to Christmas presents, which they all got to open themselves. Bacardi wasn’t too sure about the idea at first, but she eventually figured it out.

The excitement made Luna a little unsure, so she hid out under the tree while the dogs opened their gifts and then proceeded to act like toddlers on a sugar binge.

Eventually she came out to see if there was something for her to open.

And seemed fairly pleased that there was several items with her name on them.

The first was this fun fishing pole toy from Uncle Mark & Aunty Mere! She was ready to pounce as soon as she saw it!

Now that she had this gift opening thing figured out she moved on to the next present, one from mom and dad.

She had to dig to the bottom to find it!

And almost thought the bag was the gift!

But it was actually a play tunnel! I think she thought the bag was better at first…

But curiosity won out and she decided to investigate.

She explored slowly and didn’t seem to notice the window in the middle.

Probably because she spotted something interesting at the other end, which she quickly attacked!

Big sister Tequila wasn’t to happy about her kitty kat being hidden inside this new thing.

Even when she could be seen in the window.

Big brother Stoli was also worried about his kitty.

Luna however, wasn’t too happy that they could peek in at her.

But without a doubt, the tunnel was the biggest hit of all the presents, keeping the dogs and the cat – as well as the hubs and myself – entertained! The hubs gets all the credit for picking this one out! But all that play eventually made for some tired kiddos and humans…

So we had to take a break before opening the rest of the presents, which included more toys and fun. We wrapped up the day with a walk in the snow and a yummy Christmas dinner followed by special treats for the kiddos. I look forward to many more Christmases this this goofy group. 🙂