Cooking for Bella

I have started cooking for Bella.  I have had a few conversations with friends on different topics.  I really want to get away from canned or bagged dog food and the preservatives they contain.  I want her to have fresh, healthy food.  I had researched this for Beau before he crossed the Rainbow Bridge and he really loved the change in his diet.  Unfortunately, his immune system was so compromised by his allergies by that time, it was too little, too late.

So I dragged out my recipes, food lists and read up on it.  Tonight before I made our dinner, I sauteed chicken breasts, rice, green beans and baked sweet potatoes together making sure the ingredients were all diced well for her little mouth so she didn't choke on it.

And it took awhile.  Quite awhile.

So I thought about a conversation Trish and I had as we were riding back from Safety Harbor Resort this afternoon.  We had been meeting with their event person and two of our friends to firm up the details for next week's fashion show.  She mentioned her new electric pressure cooker and all the things you can do with this small appliance.  While I stood there making Bella's food, I thought about being able to do it all in 10-20 minutes instead of an hour.  And I thought about being able to make beans and soups quickly.  So I checked out the one Trish has as well as others that had been reviewed online.  Trish has the 6 qt. 7 in 1 Instant Pot and I ended up getting the 6 qt. 6 in 1 Instant Pot because I have no interest in making yogurt.

It will get here Monday.  I ordered a cookbook, too. Great Food Fast by Bob Warden, a cookbook full of recipes and information on pressure cooking.  I must say that I am happy at the thought of being able to cook a pot roast quickly when I have forgotten to get the slow cooker going before I leave the house on days that I don't get back until 2 or later.

I think Bella will be happy, too.

She loved the chicken and rice with green beans and sweet potato today.

She ate every crumb.

She might even mention it in her blog. ;-)

Happiness is...

hearing that your artwork is appreciated by others.

I was supposed to attend a District 14 arts and crafts meeting in St. Petersburg this morning but woke with a really bad headache, caused I am sure by a storm system coming in from the Gulf.  I felt better after getting some meds and a little something on my stomach.

Then my friend, Sherry Orr, who is the District 14 Arts and Crafts Chairperson for the GFWC (General Federation of Women's Clubs) called to tell me that I had been awarded two first places in the District Show.  She said the judge for Fine Art loved my Puffin!

Puffin

And on top of that, my Moonlit Birches painting on tile also got a first place and will go on to the next level at State.

Moonlit Birches

I am so sorry I got that darn headache this morning.  I really wanted to see the arts and crafts from all of the clubs -- and did not expect my entries to garner blue ribbons at that level.  There are so many gifted artists in the clubs in our region.

Oh, and I took some pictures of Bella with her new "do".

She is such a pretty thing.  I wish she would cooperate more often.  And I am finally getting the hang of my new camera.

Banner morning even if it did start off very poorly for me.

Tropical Paradise

Not talking about where I live or today -- though both would fit the title.  No, I'm referring to the Tarpon Springs Woman's Club's annual charity fashion show.  Something I have been helping with for the past 8 years.

Our table decoration team has been working on butterfly topiary centerpieces for the tables at our March 18 show at Safety Harbor Resort and Spa.

I did one last night and decided to take a picture of it this morning.

The actual pedestal for the topiary will be a wooden candlestick holder painted in pastel colors.  I set it on an upside-down bowl to take this picture.  A friend brought it to me from Morocco recently.

I took a picture of Bella, too.

She is not happy with me.

I had some butterflies left over so I made an ornament.

That was fun to do and didn't take long.

Need to go find Bella.

She's hiding from me now.