Mixing it up

In anticipation of Twins @ Brewers this weekend with the Mooney family, I decided to whip up another batch of some infused gin. I had some new weapons in my arsenal.

This is a picture of our lemon pot. We have lemon thyme, lemon grass, and lemon basil. I didn't think the lemon thyme would work well, but I added some of the other two.

I also added some regular basil. Homemade Basil. Homemade makes it special.
I reduced the amount of lemon rind since I added other lemony goodness and upped the cucumber slices. These will infuse for two days and then it will be ready to enjoy.
Oooooo...wait a second. I have a ton of mint at my disposal too. One of these jars is now going to get slammed with some mint. Boom-Shaka-Laka!!!!

Ducklings!

We had some lost ducklings in our yard a few days ago. By my count, there were 17 (!!!) ducklings, which seems a bit excessive to me. Not being too familiar with wood duck habits, however, this may be a normal brood. 

Enjoy the photos. We used a zoom lens from inside the house so we didn't disturb the ducks, but now that I'm reviewing the photos I see two major problems. First, we need to get rid of that weather-beaten old table. And second, our lawn could really use some work. At least the ducks are cute!

The Neighborhood Watch is on the scene. No trespassers will sneak through our yard undetected with Pickles and TJ on the job!

TJ Wins!

We've been experimenting with TJ's freedom lately. The usual routine is for TJ to "go to work" and kennel up while we're away during the workday. However, due to several coinciding situations involving antibiotics, arthritis, old age, and sad puppy dog eyes, we've decided to let him roam free. Since we've more or less learned our lesson following the unfortunate Office Supply Incident of 2010, TJ has been restricted to just four primary areas:

1. Bedroom - to pretend to sleep while we're away

2. Dining room - to have access to fresh water 

3. Front entry - to enjoy the cool tiles with bonus squirrel-gazing

4. Hallway - to transition the aforementioned areas

The plan was perfect for almost two weeks. Unfortunately, following another series of unfortunate incidences - likely involving both access to fresh water and a combination of anxiety and general punk-dog-ness - we have since decided to remodel our hallway by removing all the carpet and replacing it with something more washable, like not carpet.

We were prepared for construction-grade plywood, and the first foot of our hallway delivered. Amazingly, though, we have lovely wood floors under the rest of the space. And nails. Lots and lots of nails.

All was great until we reached the middle. Then we ran into a few missing pieces and scraps of unmatched wood. Still, it was a fair price to pay to make the smell go away.

So, TJ wins, because TJ always wins. He gets to remain a free dog, and we all get a new hallway. Someday we may even refinish it. Knock on wood, but we haven't had an accident since!