So long 2012! Hello new year!

          Happy New Year everyone! I just want to wish you many blessings for the new year. If 2012 is a year you would like to forget, I happen to know a few of those people, I hope 2013 will make up for any hardships you have suffered.

          Do you make new year resolutions? Personally I never had, but I was thinking, maybe we all should do one this year. This is what I would like us all to do...

Resolve to be a better pet owner. If you don't clip the dog or cat's nails as often as you should, or clean the fish tank as every time it needs it, or what ever it is you should be doing but are to lacks. How about doing something good for both you and your pet say like taking the dog of a walk.

Resolve to do something to better our planet. It doesn't have to be anything big, unless you want to go big. But just doing little things will add up to something big. Recycle your pop cans, good for the environment and you will also receive some money back. Start using grey water to water your garden. (If you are unfamiliar with the term grey water please look it up.) Volunteer at a local pet shelter, homeless shelter, or at some other organization that could use your help.

          I think these two ideas for new year's resolutions are something we all can and should do.

Ok 2013, what do you have in store for us?

Merry Christmas from BarLee Creations

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

See the Dog.... How about the Deer?

Look what we found out on our walk.

"That is a strange looking dog!"

I thought I would share these great seasonal photos taken during one of our forest preserve walks.

Holiday Dog Nog Recipe

Holiday Dog Nog
6 egg yolks, well beaten
1/4 cup honey
2 cups cold goat milk
2 cups half and half*
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)

Blend all ingredients. Refrigerate until needed.

*Or substitute 1 3/4 cup goat milk and 1 3/4 tablespoons melted butter (cooled), mix together well.

Cookie Walk ... mmm coookiees!

          I found out that downtown Oak Park was having a cookie walk this December. For the life of me I couldn't figure out what the heck a cookie walk could be. But it really is a fun idea, here let me explain. You buy a special cookie tin and then you walk around to all the participating boutiques and little shops in the area and collect your cookies. It is a really cool idea to get people in the shops and to buy locally. Many of the goodies are made right there in the local pastry shops. Yum!!

Fussy waiting while I went into the shop collecting cookies.

          We decided to take Fussy on our cookie walk. She was so stoked, until we had to wait in line for our tin. She couldn't figure out what we were waiting for, she wanted to go, go, go. Fussy was a huge hit with all the kids walking around down there. I was so proud of Fussy as she was on her very best behavior, she minded her manner and didn't bark back at dogs who barked at her.



"Let's GO!!!"


          Poor Fussy she wanted to follow me into all the shops, but there was one shop she could. There was one fancy pet shop with homemade doggie biscuits and other neat items. The shop even had a bowl of water that Fussy was happy to find. Not only did we collect our cookie from that shop they even handed Fussy some dog cookies. Fussy was so thrilled!

Our big cookie haul.

          It had been quite some time since the last time I actually walked around in downtown Oak Park. This cookie walk was a great way to check out what was down there. I have to say I did find some shops that I would love to go back and give a proper visit to. One of them being that aroma filled popcorn shop .... mmmm, it had my nose working over time. We had such a great time walking through the shops, greeting lots of people, collecting fancy cookies, and just enjoying the whole holiday atmosphere. It was so much fun I would love to do it again next year.

"My cookies!"

And yes, Fussy in the end did get to share in the cookies that had doggie safe ingredients.

I love happy endings!