Speaking Spaniel

The big Seattle Kennel Club dog show draws a lot of spectators. Breed information booths fill three whole rows the length of the building. This year (as last year), three Spaniel clubs went together to rent one booth - "Spaniel Central", with the Mount Rainier Sporting Spaniel Association taking the lead. Cascade English Cocker Spaniels and the Pacific Northwest Welsh Springer Spaniel Club joined in. Clifford and I spent two hours in the booth meeting people, talking "spaniel" and promoting the breeds. Some of you might recognize the clip on the monitor as coming from "The Working Welshman" - a wonderful video showing how conformation affects hunting performance, showcasing Welsh Springers, but applicable to all spaniels.

Clifford particularly likes young girls. He's reserved around others, will tolerate being petted, but will make eye contact with the young girls in the aisle, wag his tail and grin at them with his eyes and ears until they come up and make a fuss over him. It works.

- Franna

Home Made Egg Nog

After experimenting for several years, just off and on - not extensively, I came up with an egg nog recipe that suits my taste buds! This round of taste tests was inspired by our chickens, who're just getting up to laying speed this spring.

I'm a sucker for egg nog lattes and warm egg nog, yes, sometimes fortified a bit. :-)

Now I have my own - I don't have to rely on seasonal, store bought egg nog with its laundry list of chemicals and heavy sugaring.

Here's what I'm drinking:

1 big mug
1 whole egg, fresh from the nest
1 tsp sugar
dash/pinch of allspice
bigger dash of freshly grated nutmeg

I put a bit of milk in the bottom of the mug - maybe a tablespoon, add the egg and beat with a fork. When it's pretty well homogenous, add the sugar, allspice, nutmeg and more milk. Beat it some more with the fork. Add milk to fill the mug. My size mug in my microwave gets 2 minutes on high, then stirred, followed by another minute on high.

It comes out smooth and creamy with just a hint of custardy texture. It's golden yellow from our free range eggs and just sweet enough. Just right for a stormy Monday morning... or Tuesday, Wednesday....

Too late for a photo, it's already gone!
Franna

EverRanch Ashley and Lenny

Scottish Blackface, Eve, presented us with these twins late on Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Their sire is 75% Gotland. The Gotland influence is amazing even on a Scottish Blackface fleece!

- Franna