Reblogged from in.gredients:

Playing favorites – we’re all doing it. On every level, from the farmers to the shoppers, Americans are becoming more and more selective about exactly which kind of cucumber, tomato, or lettuce they want. This chart from National Geographic is based on a study conducted in 1983 that demonstrated that 90% of the vegetable varieties that we ate one hundred years ago are now extinct. As a nation we’re relying on just “a handful of commercial varieties of fruits and vegetables.”

This is not good news. …

Thinking about buying this small painting.

It took him 20 minutes.

That’s hours in human time.

Where I live, the car seat can brand your bottom with the stitching pattern and you can get burned from your steering wheel. If you can’t take the dog in with you then leave him at home.

Be aware that breeds with flat faces, those who are ill and dogs with long fur are especially at risk. (And any dog can burn the pads of his feet on hot sidewalks or in parking lots.)

I am having my annual internal debate of whether or not to cut my dogs hair for summer. Many people are opposed to ever cutting a Coton’s hair. I have heard the argument that the fur is insulating and will never grow back the same.

But common sense tells me that wearing a fur coat when the heat index is 105 and the humidity is high is dangerous. I get hot just thinking about it.

Here are some of the symptoms of heat stroke in dogs:

Rapid, shallow panting

Red tongue

Confusion

Rapid heart rate

Vomiting or diarrhea

Hose the dog off, throw him in the car and call the vet on the way. It is always an emergency. You cannot give your dog oxygen, I.V’s or monitor him at home.

It’s much better to have hawt dogs than hot dogs!

Father to small boy, “What’s that in your hand?”

Boy to father, “Look! Squirrel!”

It’s only funny if you saw the movie. Then it’s really funny!

Check out the dog pack.

AND SOMETHING TO ASPIRE TO

This is serious and it makes me wonder what is still lurking in commercial foods. Remember, this industry is unregulated.

What our pets eat is something that we can manage in a world where so many other things seem beyond our control.

Information like this makes me renew my commitment to providing wholesome food for all our pets.

Anyone have any good cat food recipes?

Bebe

All worn out after running through sprinklers on a perfect afternoon.

Here is the summation from Alan Boyle who makes dry scientific reports eminently readable-

http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/06/04/1953175.aspx

What I got out of it was-

“Panksepp said the paper “provides a minimalist, highly conservative interpretation of the exciting findings.” He’s been focusing on rats, but other research suggests that dogs make a particular kind of pant that could be considered laughter. The “dog-laugh” accompanies play behavior, and when other dogs hear the sound, it appears to reduce stress (like a good joke among humans).”