Gummies

If you wish to make gummies yourself, all you need is jello, gelatin, water and a little time.

Gummies

Ingredients

• 1 box jello (3 oz), flavor of your choice
• 3 envelopes of gelatin
• 1/4 cup water

Directions

Mix the dry ingredients together in a saucepan.  Add water and stir until it resembles a dough.  Warm over medium heat until melted, then pour into molds or in a pie pan.  Refrigerate or freeze (takes about 10 minutes in the freezer), then unmold or cut into pieces with a knife or sharp cookie cutters, and serve.

Enjoy, and chew well!

Mans Best Friend: The Pomeranian

These dogs, with their foxy faces and petite stature, have captured the hearts of many, even Queen Victoria!

From:  Germany
Height: 9-11 in (22-28 cm)
Weight: 4-6 lbs (2-3 kg)
Coat: Variety of colors, soft and fluffy 
Grooming: Multiple times each week
Exercise: Maybe 40 mins of play a day
K-9 Qualities: Loving but possibly very vocal

History:

The AKC says:

The Pomeranian is a miniaturized relation of the powerful spitz-type sled dogs of the Arctic. The breed is named for Pomerania, the area of northeastern Europe that is now part of Poland and western Germany. It was there, hundreds of years ago, that the Pom’s ancestors were bred down from their much bigger, burlier cousins.

The Pom, also known as the Zwergspitz in some countries, is the smallest of the spitz breeds. With their elegant appearance and regal bearing, you might say Poms are “fit for a queen”—and you’d be right. The Pom’s popularity is largely due to Queen Victoria, who became smitten with the breed while visiting Florence, Italy. When the dog-happy Dowager Queen returned to Britain with Poms in tow, the breed’s fame was assured.

Victoria became a serious breeder and exhibitor of Poms. At the 1891 Crufts dog show, Victoria showed six of her breeding. One of her favorites, Windsor Marco, won first place in the breed. (A British historian wrote, “It would have been a brave judge to have placed her second.”) Victoria is credited for reducing the Pom’s size from about 30 pounds to their current toy stature. It was reported that as the aged queen lay dying in 1901, her favorite Pom, Turi, kept vigil at the foot of her bed.

Other historical figures of refined sensibilities who were Pom owners include Marie Antoinette, Emile Zola, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Health:

Pomeranians are generally healthy dogs, and responsible breeders screen their stock for health conditions such as luxating patellas (kneecaps that slip out of place), hypothyroidism, collapsing tracheas, congestive heart failure, seizures, and alopecia X (black skin disease).

Training:

The Pom should be trained to walk on a leash early on and taught to come when called.  It is also hard to housbreak him, so consistency and patience are key. It is important to keep your Pom from jumping on and off couches or beds, as they can injure joints or even break a bone. Poms are alert and highly intelligent, and they enjoy and can excel in canine activities like agility, rally, and obedience, or working as therapy dogs.

Breed Description:

The Pomeranian is a compact, short-backed, active toy dog with Nordic descent. The double coat consists of a short dense undercoat with a profuse harsh-textured longer outer coat. The heavily plumed tail is one of the characteristics of the breed, which is set high and lies flat on the back. He is alert in character, exhibits intelligence in expression, is buoyant in deportment, and is inquisitive by nature. The Pomeranian is cocky, commanding, and animated as he gaits and in composition, he is sound.

Mans Best Friend: The Alaskan Klee Kai

From:  U.S.A
Height: Up to 13 in (33 cm) for toy; 13-15 in (33-38 cm) for miniature; 15-17 in (38-44 cm) for standard
Weight: Up to 9 lbs (4 kg) for toy; 9-15 lbs (4-7 kg) for miniature, and 15-22 lbs (7-10 kg) for standard
Coat: Gray and white, black and white, shades of sable to red; dense to moderately long 
Grooming: Several times a week, maybe every other day
Exercise: At least 2 hrs a day of exersize
K-9 Qualities: Loving and energetic

Families make the perfect pack for them!

History:

This Alaskan breed was developed by Linda Spurlin and her family to be a companion-sized version of the Alaskan Husky. From the early 1970s through 1988, the Spurlins carefully selected dogs who met their high standards for appearance and soundness. In 1988, they made the Alaskan Klee Kai available to others.  Mrs Spurlin originally called her new breed the “Klee Kai,” but in 1995 the name was changed to Alaskan Klee Kai.

Health:

There are few health concerns with the breed. A bleeding disorder called Factor VII has all but been eradicated through thoughtful breeding practices. There have been a handful of reports of congenital heart defects and liver shunts. As with many small breed dogs, luxating patella issues are possible.

The AKC (American Kennel Club) has an article on the Alaskan Klee Kai.

Related Breeds:  Husky and Malamute.

 

 

 

 

Man’s Best Friend: The Husky

These beautiful and thick-coated dogs are my favorite breed.

From:  Russia
Height: 20-24 in (51-60 cm)
Weight: 35-60 lbs (16-27 kg)
Coat: Variety of colors from black to pure white, with markings
Grooming: Several times a week, maybe every other day
Exercise: Several hours of playtime each day
K-9 Qualities: Friendly and sociable

History

These dogs were bred by the Chukci people of North-Eastern Siberia, and they are internationally recognized as endurance athletes.

In the early 1900s, the Alaskan people heard about the Siberian sled dogs, and imported some and raced them against Malamutes, who were twice their size, and, the huskies dominated the sled races for the next decade.

 

Appearance 

Siberian huskies are the ideal sled dog.  Their shoulder width, the length of their backs, and their hip angles make for long strides, and their slightly smaller size does not allow for overheating.  Unlike greyhounds and other sprinters, who leap through the air, huskies actually always keep one paw on the ground at all times, which helps with pulling their sled forward.  And, they have thick fur on the bottom of their paws to keep them warm, unlike other dogs!  They even sleep in the snow, and stay warm!  They curl up in a ball and wrap their fluffy tails over their noses so they breathe warm air.  So cute!!

Siberian huskies are not just hardy endurance athletes:  They’re also playful and sociable, qualities the Chukchi knew very well were the key to sled teams working together smoothly.  Those qualities make them fun and loving members for their new packs: Their families.

 

The Husky Heroes: Togo and Balto

In 1925, Nome, Alaska, U.S.A. was in a crisis.  They were threatened with an outbreak of diphtheria, a deadly disease that was infecting mostly children.  Back in 1925, instead of vaccines, they used antitoxin serum, but there was none to be found in Nome.  The nearest supply was 674 miles (1,085 km) away, and it seemed impossible to get it there because most of the transportation had been shut down on account of the harshest winter in 20 years.  Nome’s only hope lay in their sled dogs.  Normally, it would take the dogs 25 days to get there, but the antitoxin would be ruined within six days by the extreme cold.  Haste was essential, and 20 dog teams were lined up along the serum relay.  When Leonhard Seppala and his teams finally received the serum, two days remained.  The only way to make it in time: Taking a shortcut across an inlay in the Bering Sea, and it was dangerous because it was not completely frozen.  When he set out, their path crossed with that of a blizzard, and Mr. Seppala was blind in the whiteout, so he counted on Togo, his lead dog, to lead the way.  Togo led them safely across, and the serum was given to the final team, led by Balto, and half a day was left when Balto arrived, and 10,000 lives were saved.

 

Related Breeds: The Alaskan Klee Kai and the Malamute

Juneberry’s Journal: My Arrival

Hello, friends!  My name is Juneberry.  I used to have no name, but that changed.  Let me tell you my story…

It was a dark and stormy night.  The rain poured down on the blacktop as I chewed on my stolen hot dog in the big, broken building.  I did not like living in the city.  Too many people, not enough food.  Thunder rolled and lightning flashed, and the wind howled in my ears.  Wait…. that’s not the wind!  Three dogs ran down the road and scrambled into the house.  One of them approached me.  I wagged my tail and smiled.  It was one of my many, many companions and pack mates.  “How was your dinner?” he asked in a rumbling voice.  He was a Xoloitzcuintli (show-loh-etts-KWEENT-lee) from Mexico.  “I got a hot dog with mustard, ketchup, and relish!” I replied.  His stomach rumbled.  He was a powerfully built dog, with bronze fur and deep brown eyes.  “I got a roast chicken.  It was coated in olive oil,” he told me.  A squeaky voice interrupted us.  It was the Peruvian Hairless dog, who had mottled white and reddish-pink skin and a little bit of hair on his head which reminded me of some humans I’d seen.  “And I got a nice steak.” he said.  The Peruvian Inca Orchid ran over and said, in her soft voice, “I could not find a thing.”  Her skin was dark silvery-gray, and she had not one speck of fur on her body.  “Aussies are always lucky,” the Xolo said with a little grin.  “Well, you got a chicken,” I retorted.  The Inca Orchid laughed in her slow way while the Hairless began to giggle uncontrollably, which sounded like hiccups.  I retreated to a corner where I lay down to sleep, drifting off into a dream about a laughing epidemic.

I woke up at the first light of dawn and resolved to take a journey to find more food.  After walking for hours, and the landscape changed.  Soon I came to a wood, at the other end of which was a yard that I went through, eventually crossing a wide road.  There was a long gravel driveway with a white mobile home at the end of it.  A small stoop let to the front door.  Now, I was hungry and very, very tired, so I dragged myself up the steps and pawed on the door.  The door unlocked and was opened by a little girl aged nine or so with a smiling face sprinkled with freckles, bright blue eyes, and brown hair tied back in a ponytail.  I did my biggest puppy eyes at her.  “Aww!  It’s so cute!” she cried.  “What is?” came a voice from the house.  “This!” she cried.  I heard the sound of running feet and paws.  The door was opened wide, and there stood a man, a woman, and two more girls as well as a white German Shepherd and another Aussie.  “Howwwwl!” cried the Aussie, and the brown-haired girl said, “Shh, Funsky Nub!”  I raced in and jumped on the tall blond girl and began licking her face.  She spluttered when I licked her.  I did the same to everyone else.  Suddenly, I heard a muffled voice “What in the name of The Food Lady’s Supreme Dog Food is going on here?”  I jumped into a narrow hallway and the door closed.  An old black Labrador Retriever with cloudy brown eyes stood behind the door.  “Hi!” she said, and I was suddenly surrounded by wagging tales and curious noses.  “I’m Freki,” the Shepherd said.  “I’m Daisy,” said the Lab.  “And I’m Gimli,” said the little Aussie.  “Pleased to meet you,” I replied, and held out my paw.  They each shook it in turn.  Suddenly, I heard the voices of the five people.  “Can we keep it, Mama?” asked the little darker brown haired one.  “Yes, I am sure we should keep it,” the lady replied.  I ran over to them.  The girls introduced themselves to me.  The tall, blond one said, “Hi, little one! I’m Abigail.”  I licked her hand.  The brown-haired one said, “I’m called Rebekah.”  I nuzzled her leg.  “And I’m Sarah,” said the little, darker- brown-haired one.  I jumped up and licked her ear.  These people were great!  Then they went to the living room where they sat down.  “I propose we name her Juneberry!” said Rebekah.  “How do we know it’s a girl?” asked Abigail.  “She looks like a girl,” said Rebekah.  I licked her face.  “See, she knows I’m right!” Rebekah beamed.  “Well, she needs a bath, brushing, and then dinner,” said Mama.

First came bath.  Mama put me into the tub which was filled with hot water and soap, and covered me in shampoo.  It was glorious to be so clean!  Next, the girls brushed me, which was quite the effort since my coat was very knotted.  And finally came dinner.  Mama brought out a big pot and ladle, and the others went wild.  Gimli jumped up and barked and ran around like crazy and the others whined.  “What’s wrong with him?” I whispered to Freki.  “He’s a spaz,” he whispered back.  A “spaz” appears to be a very nervous wreck.  Dinner was chicken soup with rice and some sort of leftovers in it also.  It was gone in two seconds flat.  Then the people had dinner, which smelled really good, and we even got a bit of cheese!  I think it was mild cheddar, judging from the taste.  Then the girls played with me, and the Daddy also.  Finally, after a long day of play, I was ready for bed.  I lay around a bit until the girls lay down, and then I fell asleep on top of their sheets.

The next day dawned bright and cold, and they took us for a walk.  But I thought about all my poor friends back in the city, especially those hairless ones.  So I broke my leash and ran back to the city.  I yelled at the top of my lungs.  “Hey!  Xotol!  Hairless!  Orchid!  Come here!”  They came to me.  “There is a house in the country with three nice girls, lots of food, and three other dogs!  Plus, their yard is HUGE!” I yelled, though it was not really necessary.  “Lets go!” they cried in chorus.  We ran back, and I sat on the stoop and barked.  The door was flung open, and there they stood again.  “THREE MORE?” cried Abigail.  Xotol apparently liked Rebekah since he ran up and licked her.  Orchid jumped in and licked Abigail’s face.  Hairless yipped and nuzzled Sarah.  “We can have three more dogs,” said Mama.  They repeated yesterday’s process with my three pals, as well as naming them.  “The Xoloitzcuintli will be called Ginger!” cried Rebekah, who hugged him.  “Squeaky!” said Sarah, and Hairless licked her.  “She’s a Peruvian Inca Orchid, so I’ll call her Orchid,” said Abigail.

The next day I could not find the other three until noon, when a chorus of howling sounded.  There stood the whole pack, more than 350 dogs.  As Rebekah stepped out, a tiny brown and white Chihuahua boy jumped into her arms.  A red and white Papillon barked at Sarah, and twin Huskies ran to Abigail.  A bath fest and naming ceremony commenced, and all the dogs’ names were written down along with information about them.  The Chihuahua was christened Tippy, the Papillon Butterfly, and the twins Snowy (the boy) and Crystal (the girl).  That night, the dogs slept all over the house, and some on the beds.  It was a peaceful night, surprisingly enough, for we all slept soundly.

Vorticity 2

Here is an awesome video compilation of a whole bunch of supercell thunderstorms.

Happy Birthday, H.P!

In honor of H.P. Lovecraft‘s birthday, I am posting a reading of his story “The Horror at Red Hook”.

 

SNACS

If you’re wondering what SNACS means, let me explain.  It means Secret National Association of Canine Spies, or SNACS for short.

What is SNACS?

SNACS is the spy agency for dogs.  Every dog is a member of the spy agency.  There is a spy agency in every country.  The HQ is in Moscow (That’s why there are so many dogs in Moscow).

How does SNACS work?

When a dog hears or finds out some interesting information, they pass the information on to other dogs by either sniffing or barking (That’s why dogs bark so much).  Eventually the news will reach the ears of the dog of the President (Or Vice President, if the President doesn’t have one.  We know the Vice President has an Aussie named Harley, so that’s probably where the news will end up.)  This is how it works in every country.

When and where does SNACS meet?

They meet under the Kremlin in Moscow.  They meet on the first and last day of every month.

What kind of jobs do dogs have at the SNACS HQ?

There is the board of Presidentials, the dogs of the rulers of the countries, the board of important dogs, the dogs of celebrities and famous people, and the board of others, the dogs of regular people, and the cataloguers, the dogs that are cataloguing and keeping records.  Oh, and the action team.

What kinds of things do SNACS keep records of?

They keep records of everything that their agents bring to them, and they have special dogs for that:  A team of female poodles to keep track of canine fashion trends, a team of police dogs to keep track of the criminals caught, a team of Great Danes to keep track of the types of food people are giving them, a team of dogs to record every dog that has lived, and make their I.D.s and passports, and a team of Aussies to record genealogy, and more!

What is the action team?

A team of K9 officers that go out and deal with trouble.

How do dogs in America get to Moscow in less then a day without their owners noticing?

To get to Moscow, the take the S4, or Supersonic Secret Spy Shuttle, a helicopter that goes 100 mpm (Miles per minute).  It would take them about 2 hrs to get from Ohio to Moscow.  They use a secret tube network that runs all around the earth to get back home.

What is their signal to bark?

A human jumping up and down and yelling, “DD!  DD!  DD!”.

Does SNACS have anything to do with snacks?

Yes.  They serve them.

Dragon Magic: I Learn of My Powers

This is the first in a series of short fantasy stories that I am writing for this website in particular.  Enjoy!

 

I sat at the table enjoying a piece of chicken, when my mother came flying in.  Being seventeen, I was not so easily surprised and stayed calm.  “Mother, what is wrong?” – “The guards have captured your brother for they know he is a Stormsoldier!  You must rescue him!”  Now I was surprised.  You see, my brother is twenty, and indeed, he is a Stormsoldier.  But Stormsoldier or not, he needed rescuing, and that surprised me.  It’s not like he is prone to being captured.  Besides, the guards are not exactly bright, especially when it comes to tying knots and watching prisoners.  Except for that one soldier, Freyjr Nightcloak, and he might or might not be with the guards.  “I shall rescue him, Mother.” and off to my room I went to get a few things.  I was already wearing favorite belted dress, so all that was still needed was my desert hood and a pair of boots.  Jewelry is definitely not good for spying, rescuing, and the like.  In the last moment, I remembered my sword, an iron sword, a perfect choice for sneaking and rescuing.  Mother said to me, “Freja, if you ever need aid, shout these three words: Ran, Miir, and Taah.” And then I hugged her, and the adventure began.

I arrived at the keep at around noon, and there in the courtyard were the guards, standing around my tied-up brother Ralof.  And of course, Freyjr was there.  I crouched low, crawled under a wagon and then through a ditch.  But at that moment, a strange noise that made my blood freeze rang through the sky.  The guards ignored the noise and started to drag Ralof towards the prison.  Then the noise rang out again, louder and closer this time.  Just as the guard was nearing the door with Ralof, a big black dragon, yes, a  big black dragon with red eyes, landed on the tower and released a firestorm upon the whole town.

Chaos broke out.  Houses caught fire and were consumed in an instant while frightened townspeople, soldiers and animals were running everywhere.  Fear gripped the guards, and in the confusion, I managed to get close to Ralof and cut his bonds.  We ran, hand in hand, when five soldiers stepped in our way.  Drawing my sword, I pushed Ralof back and rushed forward.  The first I stabbed behind his leg, and he fell down, unable to walk.  The second got a dent in the head from the flat of my sword.  I planted a kick in the third’s face.  The last two ran off.  I turned to Ralof, only to see him with a horrified look on his face, pointing in the direction the guards ran.  A duel was taking place between Freyjr and the dragon, and the dragon was winning.  Freyjr’s black furs were tattered around his shoulders, his shield was cast away in splinters, and his armor all but broken.  His sword shook in his hand, and his red-gold beard was streaked with blood. That made me angry.  I liked him.  And I liked him too much to let him be killed by a silly old dragon, red eyes or no.  Then came the last straw.  The worm opened his mouth and Freyjr was blown back by a firestorm, and lay motionless.

Livid with anger, I pushed Ralof away and gave him a look that said “Get out of here with Mother and the animals!”.   Then I stepped in front of the dragon.  He looked surprised, but only for three seconds.  Then he smiled, a slow, evil smile.  Everything around me faded, there was only that evil smile, and my sword.

Since my childhood, fighting had been an important part of my life.  It started when I was three and Ralof six, and the court magician taught Mother how to enchant training dummies to act like fighting opponents.  Daddy called Ralof “Little Bear” and me “Little Wolf”.  I started with a dagger as well as bow and arrow, progressed to small sword, then two longer swords, until I found my favorite, the iron sword which I now held, blade glinting in the light.

The dragon uttered three words: “Wo kos hi?”, which translates to “Who are you?”.  Yes, I know: Don’t ever talk to dragons.  But despite better knowledge, I answered in my own tongue, “I am Freja, daughter of Bjorn and Sigrid.  Who are you to dare and burn my village?”  The dragon did not answer, but lunged at me.  Running at him also, I remembered the words my mother told me to say if I needed aid.  In one word, I shouted “Ranmiirtaah!”.  Immediately the dragon stopped in his tracks, as what seemed to be vines made of green light shot from my hands and spread across the stones and into the woods.  After a few minutes, soft growling issued from behind me.  I slowly turned to find a giant brown bear directly behind me.  Hoping it would not attack me, I faced the dragon again, and saw a ring of bears slowly closing in on the dragon.  A small one was trying to get Freyjr onto its back.  It succeeded just as the bears started attacking the dragon.

Trying to get in on the fight, I found that the bears wouldn’t let me.  And then I looked at my hands.  They seemed to be covered in fire, but it did not hurt.  I held out my hand, closed my eyes, and concentrated on burning the dragon.  Soon a yelp told me that the dragon was hurt: Its tail was on fire!  It yelped again and took off into the sky, shouting “I will be back for you, Freja Dragonbane!”.  Finally, my last name began to make sense to me.

When the dragon had disappeared, I left the courtyard of the keep, the bears following me.  There were Ralof and my mother, who was talking to a frightened hay cart driver: “…and take this message to Bjorn the Alchemist.”  I ran to Mother, gave her a hug, and the three of us set out to find our new home.

The End

Next: Dragon Magic: Wisdom of the Dragons

Soon to come!

Percy Jackson and the Green Goblin

Annabeth, Percy, and Chiron have journeyed into the mortal world , (not disguised by the Mist).  Now, Annabeth has built a castle, but strange things are happening.

 

P.S. You should recognize the sword as Riptide.

Actors and actresses:

Dr. Strange Centaur as Chiron
Shaggy as Disguised Percy Jackson
Scooby Doo as Mrs. O’Leary
Orange Goblin as Green Goblin
Princess Anna of Arendelle (Summer Version) as Disguised Annabeth