Time For Sunday Selfies!

Its time for showing off our selfies once again!

We had blustery chilly weather on Saturday, and it tried to rain a few times, too, even while the sun was shining...so we got a pretty rainbow!

Petcretary woke up early enough this past Tuesday to be one of two first commenters at Teddy's Tuesday Teaser Game.

The picture they had to search the location of was kind of a toughie, in that it made one think it might be not actually where it was! LOL! But *she* found a clue, as dropped by another blog commenter, and she used that to narrow down her search criteria. Bingo! She had it!

So two weeks in a row, she was a double firstie! Whoot!!

Here is the picture she had to hunt:

This Teaser Photo is in Opa Locka, Florida; their City Hall !

 And here is the badge she got yet again!

I was a DOUBLE FIRSTIE on the Teaser Post of April 13, 2021….ONE OF TWO FIRST COMMENTERS and FIRST RIGHT GUESSER! WOW!

 She doesn't think she'll be able to score this way a third time...that would be unprecedented!

 

We are hopping along with many other selfie takers at The Kitties Blue, who kindly host this weekly feature. Its fun and we love it! We love them too:) And we thank them for all their work to get this up and running each week, how pawsome is that?! 

Click below to join in on the fun:

Sunday Selfies Blog Hop

 

 

Ahhh ~ Spring!!

Yup, Spring has sprung here for sure. We are getting some of those so called April Showers, but the sun comes out to brighten things up, too.

We showed you our pretty blooms in our post for Marg's Birthday...so we really don't have any new ones, BOL!

So here we are, just ourselves enjoying a fine bright moment in the spring sunshine:

Sorry I am a wee bit 'fuzzy', this was a 'zoomed in' picture and the lighting was bad, too...but I was a happy dude! (Petcretary edited this to make it look better...)

I love the lovely Springtime!

This is that huge woodpile at the back of our yard, that we flushed the rabbit out of...there seem to be other critters in there, so 'she' won't burn it down till the fall...it is a collection of all the fallen branches, etc that came down over the winter, and there was nothing but ashes from the previous wood pile!

 Its a good thing we have all those pretty spring flower pictures...because on Saturday afternoon the wind came up, and it started to storm. And petcretary came home in pouring rain...and more is in the forecast. That tree will loose a lot of its glory, but we will not grumble (Too loudly), cause its been very dry and everything needs a good drink. But the grass and the walkway is becoming covered in all the petals the wind and rains knocked off. We don't think that tree has ever held on to its pretty blooms for longer than a week...

Petcretary managed to be awake on time to be the first (and only) commenter on Teddy's Tuesday Teaser this past week. Then after some careful 'hunting and snooping', she was also the first one to have the right answer!! Oh, MY!  A Double Firstie!! So she got this badge:

I was a DOUBLE FIRSTIE on the Teaser Post of April 6, 2021….FIRST COMMENTER and FIRST RIGHT GUESSER! WOW!

Here is the picture she had to hunt the location of...Wanna know where the photo was taken????????????????????????     ORDOS, INNER MONGOLIA, CHINA. 

 

On a more serious note, many of you know Stunning Keisha. Her mom...aka TW...also known as Pattie, is very ill and needs our support and prayers. You can use this 'badge' and if you haven't gone over there, please visit her, love and support are very wonderful things when you are sick. (Petcretary knows that herself, too well...but that is not why we are here today...)

You can visit HERE.

And very sadly...

A lot of you (former Dogster) peeps remember the fun loving, if crazy Zaidie. 

Our MJF was a good  friend of his...and Zaidie was one of the first pups to befriend MJF on Dogster, way back in 2009...sheesh, that was eons ago. Petcretary must be ancient... Zaidie flew away to the RB recently, so we helped petcretary make a memorial card in his honor:

 

You can visit Zaidie's family over on FB, as he didn't have a current blog.

 

We are once again in the famous Sunday Selfies! My how we look forward to this every week, and we do thank Miss Janet for her hard work to get this hop going each week, for a long time already!

Just click here to join up with your own selfie(s)!!

Nature Friday ~ Flowers For Marg ~ Happy Birthday Marg!!

 We have lots of new spring blooms to share with you and specifically, Marg, from Marg's Animals, who is celebrating her birthday, today, April 9th!

Happy Birthday Marg!! You are a very special lady, and you are much loved.

We made you a card to get things going here...then we'll show you some of the pretty things we have seen coming up in our yard the past few days when it warmed up! And had a nice drink of rain to help things along:)

Lets show off our pretty flowers we found for you, Marg:

This is a miniature Daffodil, grown from a rescued thrown away plant where our petcretary works.It comes back every year! This year it has made a partner for itself:)

A 'regular' daffodil, beginning to show off...

Soon it will look likes its earlier blooming neighbor!

We have lots of bluebells, even in our grass!

Our Daffodils are surrounded by the bluebells!

We also have a large weeping cherry tree, its so beautiful when it puts on its springtime finery each year. A few days ago it still had only tightly sealed buds, and then the weather got warm, so those buds began to open up...and for your birthday our tree decided to show off its full glory! 

April 7th

April 8th

April 9th

                                                                           HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARG!!

Happy Birthday to YOU!!

If you’d like to wish Marg happy birthday as well, you can do so by leaving a comment at zoolatry.blogspot.com.

Nature Friday, Flowers for Marg On Her Birthday!

 

In Purr-Suit Of Flavours ~ Childhood Memories

Once again, we are joining with The Canadian cats, Shoko and Tyebe and with our French Weimie friends, Da Phenny and Da Nelly,  to enjoy some recipes. This months theme is to recollect a recipe of something that you loved when you were in your childhood years. 

Just a brief memory to start...we never had pop/soda except perhaps if we were having a celebration of some kind...then it was mostly ginger ale, or, maybe 7-Up. But it got to be really special if our mum would put 'grenadine' syrup in it. That turned it into a kind of fruity drink, not unlike cream soda. Do I make this today?? Nope!! LOL!

When petcretary was growing up, one of the many yummiest treats she remembers, made for special occasions, was a confection called 'Boterkoek', literally: Butter Cake. YUM!

 

Dutch Butter Cake (Boterkoek) with Almonds

This Dutch Butter Cake, or Boterkoek, is flavored with almond and vanilla with simple ingredients- and a lot of butter! Makes two cakes and freezes well.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Cooling time45 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: Cake

Cuisine: Dutch

Servings: 32 slices

Calories: 129.74kcal

 

Equipment

• Two 8" cake pans
• Electric Mixer
• Pastry Brush
  

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. salted butter softened to room temperature (2 sticks)
• 1.5 cups sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
  
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 cup sliced Almonds (or slivered)

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cream together the butter (1/2 lb.) and sugar (1.5 cups) until fluffy with an electric mixer on high speed for about 1 minute.
• Add the egg and mix on high speed for about another minute.
• Add the almond extract and vanilla extract (1 teaspoon each) and mix until combined.
• Add the flour (2 cups) and mix until combined. The dough will be thick and sticky. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl to place all the dough in the center of the bowl. Use a butter knife to cut down the center of the dough, to divide into two equal portions.
• Mix together the 2 tablespoons water and the egg yolk with a fork until smooth. Set aside.
• Place the 2 dough portions in 2 ungreased 8-inch cake pans. Press down with your hands, or using an offset spatula, to flatten and smooth out the dough as best you can, filling the bottom of the cake pan all the way to the edges.
• Brush the tops of each cake with the egg yolk mixture. I recommend brushing each of them 2-3 times, allowing the egg to be absorbed into the top layer while you alternate back and forth, using all or almost all of the yolk mixture.
• Sprinkle the top of each cake with the sliced almonds (1/4 cup for each cake). Press the almonds down gently, so they are in a single layer and are adhered to the top of the cake. It's OK, and actually a good thing, if the egg yolk mixture gets on top of the almonds.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-40 minutes, or until deeply golden on the edges and slightly golden all across the top.
• Cool in pan for at least 45 minutes. Remove and cut each into 12-16, depending on how big you want them. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days, or in the fridge for 7-10 days.

Notes

• If using unsalted butter, I recommend adding 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt to the batter when you add the sugar.
• If you don't have 8-inch cake pans, 9-inch can be used. The cakes will come out thinner and may crumble more easily but are still delicious! Bake for 25-35 minutes, as they may need less time.
• For a nut-free version, omit the almonds on top. Use the tines of a fork to carve lines on top of the cake before brushing the egg wash mixture on top, then bake as directed.
  
• Freezer directions: Freeze the cake whole, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, nestled into the cake pan, then thaw at room temperature for 12-24 hours. Alternatively, you can flash freeze the sliced cake- place the slices on a baking sheet and freeze for 20 minutes, then place the slices into an airtight container or plastic bag and store in the freezer. Lasts for 3 months in the freezer.

Tips and Tricks for making Dutch Butter Cake (Boterkoek)

This cake is easy, easy, easy. WAY easier than scooping out individual cookies, and more forgiving than traditional cakes. Here are some tips and tricks for success.

• Use an electric mixer– either handheld or standing. The dough is thick and is difficult to stir by hand.
• Once you’re done mixing, scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula down and use a butter knife, or other knife, to cut the dough roughly in half. This will ensure you can easily divide it into two equal portions.
• Press the batter into the cake pans with your hands– since it’s so thick, it’s difficult to “spread.”
• Once you’ve sprinkled the almonds on top, use your hands to press the almonds into the surface. This will ensure they stick and don’t fall off as much, and if they get coated in the egg yolk mixture, great! They’ll have a shiny, toasty surface on top.
• Finally, allow the cakes to COMPLETELY COOL in the pans. This will make removing it a piece of cake (hah), as well as make them easier to slice.

Whole almonds pressed into the top are good, too...but you better be ready for the crunch factor that adds to the cake! LOL!

Petcretary doesn't make this at all, she's made it maybe once or twice in the past, but now its too much of a sugar and grain bomb...and there are no paleo/keto equivalents that she has found...so the go to for special times is cheesecake!! Hah! LOL! 

 

She wants some now that she has posted this blog...LOL!

Happy Easter!!

 Hooray, its Easter today!

We had a glimpse of one of the Easter Rabbit' cohorts or a spy or a scout...but at any rate, even petcretary saw him! Whoot!

She was in the yard with us, and suddenly Dalton ran right into the wood pile...and then he darted out as fast and furious as a bullet...and there was a faster critter ahead of him...then Benji joined in the chase as well...but *she* could not keep up at all. No screeches a la bunny were heard, so *she* assumes he got away to tell his findings to the big basket carrying rabbit...aka the Easter Bunny. Maybe he related this message after his risky sortie into our yard: 'Yes, there are two evil canines at this place...and they hate us and our kind.'..(LOL!). 'Don't bring them any treats'...

(The wood pile is where all the branches and limbs go and other yard waste, to lay there in a big heap until a good day comes by to burn it down to the pile of ashes...usually in the fall...as birds and other creatures like to lurk or nest in there...presumably under the guise of safety, but with those two hooligans, nothing is sacred nor safe!)  (It would have been a great video if *she* had a smart phone in her pocket...when she goes out to do  doggy poop patrol and other yard chores her camera and  iPad are NOT in her pocket...and she does NOT have a smart phone anyways...)

So that was our excitement this week...and yet another deaded mole and *she* rescued a big long garter snake from our teeth...and now that the ground is soft again, we are having fun digging holes...and digging out the mole runs, and digging out the many walnuts the squirrels buried last fall...lets just say that we are helping to keep the red pepper flake makers in business...we leave the stuff alone when *she* puts it on our digging endeavors, but well, we just go and find more places to dig! BOL! Yes, when you have a whole acre to roam in...well, you get the idea!

Petcretary had a bad kind of excitement in her wallet...she's been having issues with the tire pressure light, it seems she has a trouble magnet on her tires, they are always getting punctures, big and small...and she's had some bad tire pressure sensors as well...so she drove up to the service place she goes to and the receptionist said right away, oh you need more air in your tires?? LOL!  

Well another dude came up and he had some time so he put the van up on the hoist and inspected the tires, all of them, thank you very much...he said there were tow punctures in the same tire, about an inch apart...so that makes it unsafe to plug them like they have been able to do for some of her other holes...short story long...she needs a new tire...no, lets correct that: she needs three new tires:( 

The three in question are worn down enough that it make more sense to replace all of them now...ah well, petcretary is made of money, right?? Or she has a money tree in the garden!...yup she wishes. Sheesh, tires cost an arm and a leg these days.) 

And likely soon after she gets them the tire light will come on again...just to tease her!

Well, now to the day's real doings.

It is Easter! One of the highlights on the Christian calendar! The bunnies and stuff like that are just for fun, so we do have fun with it all, too...but Petcretary and Pawppy are very happy there IS Easter, it means so much for them.

Our unfurbros will be coming for dinner after they all go to church...nothing too fancy, just good home made yums...and maybe an extra chew bone for us:)

Here are our new Easter Selfies as promised last week. 

Past Tuesday, petcretary was one of two 'firsties' that got in the door to say hello to Teddy and his Mom...aka the graphics dept...she had the right answer, too, but she was a little late in getting back there to tell them...

But it was still fun and special, the Graphics dept made special Badges with an Easter theme! So she got this one for being a first commenter:

 Then she got this badge for knowing the right answer, but not being the first one:

Could you spare some purrs, and pawyers for our good furend, Timmy?? He spent some time at the vet and he still isn't eating too well, according to his Dad Pete. Petcretary has known that furmily since her Catster days, way back in 2009, that's a LONG time!

Here is a recent picture of dear Timmy:

Please send purrs and POTP to Timmy

We also learned of another sad passing:

Guido the 'EyeTailYun-Kitty' became an Angel on March 28th...we have known him, too, since our Catster days...sigh...(You can visit here, too, on Facebook).

We made a card in his honor:

Guido

We are in the Sunday Selfies, Blog hop. A special Easter Blog hop!

Thanks, Kitties Blue for hosting this weekly feature! Its a lot of fun! We love you all!

Join the blog hop by clicking this caption!