Zucchini

If you have ever grown zucchini, or had a neighbor who grew it, most likely you have experienced zucchini abundance. I was not going to let that happen to me, no way. I was going to be an attentive gardener, checking on my plants every day. I was going to learn how to cook the baby zucchini with the delicate flower still attached, like the expensive restaurants do. I was not going to be the kind of gardener that walks into the garden looking for a few tender zukes to add to the evening meal, only to find vegetables that could be used as weapons of mass destruction. So imagine my surprise when this past Saturday I ventured out and found three zucchini, proudly crowding the space with their collective weight of 7 pounds.

 What's a Farmgirl to do? I am not a big fan of stuffed zucchini. I prefer them julienned in a pasta dish, or ruffle cut, lightly steamed and served with parmesan cheese. I have been dehydrating a lot of what is comes out of the garden so that I can cook with it in the winter, and to have on hand as part of our long term food storage. But to dry these behemoths, I wasn't sure. The centers aren't as dense, and the seeds are large. So, I cut the center out, cubed the outer edges and dried them separate of the centers.

This is what 7 pounds of dehydrated zucchini looks like. 

 I tend towards thriftiness, so I cubed and dried the centers too. Then I ground then up in the blender to make a powder that I can add to dried soup mixes. I love that the flavors of dehydrated foods are intensified. The powder is sweet, and I like that it will only take a small amount to add a lot of flavor.

This half gallon jar holds what was 12 pounds of fresh zucchini. (I admit, I had a couple of beasties earlier, and swore I'd pay closer attention...)     This could last me all year!

While I don't really want any more mutant squash, I won't let any of them go to waste. I love my dehydrator! I am afraid that my neighbors won't be opening their doors to see anonymous donations  on their steps, and my family won't be finding me trying to disguise it in a variety of meals. We eat them fresh when they are of a manageable size, and the rest get put up for the future. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go pick a couple small zucchini.

Tomo, the Wonder Dog

I love dogs. Specifically, I love my dog. I think he's the best canine I have ever had the pleasure to live with. Tomo was 9 months old when he came to live with us, and I am forever grateful that he arrived completely housebroken. We did have a few incidents of chewing, but nothing of any real value was destroyed. I had read horror stories of Shiba Inu's chewing through drywall, ripping up carpet, and generally re-arranging the house when the owners were away. My buddy turns out to be somewhat of an anomaly, in that he is very calm. Could it be he likes his name and identifies with it? "Shizuka no Tomo Dachi" means "calm friend" in Japanese. His breeder had originally named him "Hooligan." He is a far cry from a hooligan, thank goodness!
Michael had grown up with cats mostly. There had been a bad experience with a Beagle in his early childhood. I can relate. We had a Beagle, briefly. They are nothing like Snoopy in the  Peanuts comic strip. They are loud, nippy, hyper dogs.
When our daughter was about 4, I began to press for a dog. It had been 13 years since I had one, and I really wanted that companionship again. I also wanted our daughter to experience a relationship with an animal that would be affectionate in return. After nearly a year of research, and a few failed contacts with breeders, we found the perfect match.
Tomo came to us from Tennessee. I was very nervous about him being traumatized by the flight, but he did fine. It took him a while to be able to travel in the car without literally turning green. Poor guy! Now, he is a seasoned traveler, and he is oftentimes with me in the car. I have had to leave him at home or at a kennel a few times, and I hated it.

We did obedience training, working up through the levels, and have numerous trophies to show for all our hard work. He earned his Canine Good Citizen Certificate after I had been training him for 4 months. That was pretty amazing for a Shiba! We trained to be a therapy team and volunteered for a couple of years at our hospital and a nursing home. It was fun and rewarding work, and he loved it.
He turned 11 this year and he is showing some signs of aging. He is getting the 'goggle' look around his eyes as his hair whitens. He gets up a bit slower, and his eyes are beginning to look a tad cloudy. But then when I least expect it, he will race around the house with a wicked grin and seem to be laughing at me.

Mid bath

Post bath


Did I say that I love my dog?! As I sit here typing, he is laying next to me. He is my constant companion. If  I get up and leave the room, he will find me and lay down in what ever room I am in.
The life expectancy of a Shiba is 12 to 15 years. So, I am treasuring the time we have left, and considering introducing a puppy into our home before Tomo departs. I think we could all use with a bit more joy in our lives, and nothing does that quite like a puppy. For now though, I am happy to have just Tomo. He is the BEST dog I have ever had, and I love him so very much.