Yummy Gazpacho and Rye Bread...

When JP read this recipe for rye bread starter and rye bread from Sleeping Dog Bakery he was ready to try it. He's been on vacation this week so we made the starter and he baked the bread today. It's delicious!


Of course, what goes better with fresh bread than soup? So, he decided to make our gazpacho recipe to go with the fresh baked goodness. This soup is cool and refreshing with a little kick (you control the kick.)

Southern Gazpacho **he only made half of this recipe for just us and we still have leftovers**
Serves 6-8

2 lbs. ripe tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped
2 cups V-8 juice
3 red bell peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 cucumbers, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 cup coarsely chopped Vidalia onion
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 ¼ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon black pepper
Salt to taste
Sour cream and cucumber slices, for garnish

1. Place all the ingredients except the salt and garnish in the food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade (you can use your blender and process in batches.)
2. Process until everything is blended together.
3. Taste and check seasoning, adding salt if needed.
4. Serve in chilled bowls garnished with sour cream and cucumber slices.
5. Store leftovers in airtight container in the refrigerator. This will keep for 3-5 days.

We hope that you have a wonderful weekend. We are celebrating Memorial day weekend so we'll be keeping in mind all the men and women who have served our country in the armed forces. We are especially grateful to those who gave their lives for our liberties and to their families for the sacrifice they made as well. May God richly bless you and yours.

Okay, I'm off to clean the kitchen!!! :)

Go, Scrappy, Go...

This is a video I've wanted to get for a while. It amazes me how high Scrappy can jump and never get tired. I realize that it was kind of mean of me to encourage her and then say "no, you can't go because you've just had a bath!" As I remember, I took this video because she had already been outside, found something dead to roll in, and came in thinking she would be allowed on my chair and that wasn't happening. Just she and Charlie were inside; Charlie lives to chase her. This is the only way I got the video because usually all six are at the door, scrappy jumping in front, and all you can see is her head popping up in front. She's ALWAYS in front.
We hope that you have a great weekend. Blessings from the holler!

Birds of a Feather...

Well, I stood really still and waited until the birds came back to the feeder yesterday afternoon and this morning. They fly away from me, the one who feeds them, but ignore all the dog commotion that goes on in the yard beside them. Here they are. Oh, and the front flower bed is in full swing. I know you all are probably sick of seeing it so just scroll past.

I think I know the names of these birds. If I'm wrong, please let me know what they are.
Black Capped Chickadee


American Gold Finch

Indigo Bunting, Cardinal and Gold Finch



It's hard to have a favorite bird when they are all so beautiful but I am partial to the Indigo Bunting. That is my favorite color. Can you believe it? Not one picture of a dog!!! How did that happen? Well, I'm off to plant a zucchini and cucumber plant in the garden. I'm just putting one of each so we'll have it to eat over the summer. Maybe, one summer, I'll go all out like Lena at Sleeping Dog Bakery - see her post on the side bar for a real garden tour. Blessings to you all from the holler.

This is how it starts...

This video is a typical scene at our house. Violet, the little sister, likes to play mother, groomer, nurse on her siblings. In this case, it's Charlie getting picked on. I know how it is, I am a little sister and I picked on my big brother constantly. It must be written in the little sister handbook. Charlie is just relaxing and Violet starts out chewing on his toes. Then she gets carried away and bites him, like "oh, excuse me, sorry, didn't mean to be so rough." Yea, right!! Then she does it again, Charlie puts her head in his mouth, the teeth start showing and then someone (Violet) gets their feelings hurt and it's "game on!" Don't feel sorry for Charlie, he gets even. Have a happy day.

Poor Little Scrappy...

Our little Scrappy has an infection in her right eye. The doctor said that hunting dogs get this lots because they go poking their head into places and get things stuck in their eyes. Well, that figures because she is one hunting fool. She has caught several mice and frogs, mostly by tunneling after them. We have medicine to put in her eye, pills for inflammation and an antibiotic. I'm sure she is uncomfortable but she is such a character and is milking this extra attention big time. She has started coming up to me with a blinky face and whiny cry, of course I stop what I'm doing and spoil her. Within minutes she wants to go outside and picks up the Frisbee or runs circles around Charlie. She is such a drama queen; she's our little Vivian Leigh playing Scarlet!

Everything else is just chugging along. Blooms a blooming

and baby blue birds stuffed in their little homes (don't worry, I didn't use the flash.)


That's spring time in the holler. We hope that you all are being blessed today.