Buddy

Is leaving a magazine lying around what's commonly referred to as "planting the seed"?

After years of ogling other people's dogs and hearing from the hubby what a PITA dogs are, I came home on Friday afternoon to this little bundle of joy! Shock and awe!

He's so cute! Aside from peeing and pooping in the house and gnawing on everything in sight, he's awesome. He's already learning how to fetch, sit on command, drive a car, do our taxes . . .

Son #2 finally has a puppy so he's happy. Son #1 is a cat person so he's not too thrilled especially since the cats are a little freaked out. However, it's only day three and the cats are acclimating. They've gone from puffed up, hissing, fur balls to quietly sniffing the puppy and checking him out while he's sleeping.

Look at this act of bravery above the cage.

Interesting from Buddy's vantage, too.

Next step, naming him. Instead of just calling him Buddy, should we officially name him Buddy? Duke? Sparky? (Or as the kids suggested, Captain Sparkles?) Dr. Love (Calling Dr. Love)?

Skinner?

Photo Per Day #17: Pittsford Wines

Tonight is our annual neighborhood Christmas party and gag gift swap. I shopped at my neighbor's fabulous wine store. Great wines at reasonable prices and right smack dab in the village. No need to navigate the mall. Amen. Amen.

I didn't just buy anything; I bought local. In this case, I purchased a bottle of Cherry Liqueur from Finger Lakes Distilling. Just this week, I discovered this local distillery via my good friend Google after being entranced with the idea of establishing my very own distillery. Alas, someone beat me to the punch (pun intended, really). It just sounded so enticing in a recent article about a moonshine business that was published in my favorite magazine, Garden and Gun (where everything sounds so damn romantic). Maybe, at a later date, I'll try the Finger Lakes whiskey or gin. I want them to be successful, after all, right?!

Altruism never sounded so good.

Garden & Gun

During our all-too-brief stay at the Boar's Head Inn a few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of reading, cover to cover, the latest issue of Garden & Gun magazine. Seriously.

Initially, I was a bit perplexed about the alliterative but contrasting title. Are they preemptively targeting post-apocalyptic survivors? Is there a wide audience for these two subjects (among many) that I know nothing about? (Others include: Needlepoint & NASCAR, Scrapbook & Spittoon and Ironing & Inbreeding).

Anyhoo, I just have to tell y'all that I really enjoyed the magazine and I keep going back to their site. Beautiful photos. Southern libations. City portraits. Interesting articles.

Although I'm no Southern Belle, maybe I'm inclined toward gracious living . . .  Next thing you know, I'll be sending away for my NRA membership, booking a flight to Savannah, drawing myself a bath, driving Miss Daisy or maybe just drinking more bourbon. So many options.

I'll just start with the bourbon and see where that takes me.