My wee girl Milla.

[schnauzer]

Fab photos, makes me want to find a beach.....

Julie we walk on that spot of beach when we go to visit our friends in Fife...

[Oscar 12345]

Very envious Christine.

[Bodee]

Earlsferry is also a nice beach Christine but they have a summer ban on dogs, or at least they used to. It also tends to be a bit busier.

Some photos taken to-day. The last one is my groomers "overkill kit" drawer. which I reckon will have paid for itself after 2-3 years.)

Milla at rest in her double bed after an afternoon chasing about the park.



Milla with her favourite toy. She knocks the stuffing out of it in about 15 mis after being given a fresh one. She got this one yesterday.



Resting in the shade.



"Just try and get it off me Dad, I promise I'll let you - this time" And I fall for it every time.

[Bodee]

Boyd,

I'm not surprised she didn't fancy the water. The North Sea wouldn't appeal to me either unless it was heated!

She looks a very contented wee bundle with your sister.

Sam, she is really a joy outside. She has already outgrown her "here's a pal let me see if I can wind him/her up" stage. She seems to pick things up very quickly.

She absolutely adores my sister and I often overhear her asking her to "take me away from that old bugger"

[Schnauzer Sam]

She's just adorable in those photographs, Boyd. Funny what amuses them. It's like kids from 30 years ago who often preferred to play with the box their present came in!

[mikegoodson1]

Hi Boyd - I hope you and Milla are keeping well - any updated pictures for us? Milla must be coming up to nearly a year old soon

[Bodee]

Yesterday I found out Milla was a Warrior Queen.

After a fairly long walk in the local park I decided to stop under a tree near the cricket pavilion to take a photo of Milla and catch my breath.

While putting my security code into my phone, I was startled by a "low blood curdling growl" I looked up and realised it was Milla warning a man off who I hadn't noticed but who seemed to come out of nowhere and was appearing to be walking towards me. (We hadn't seen a soul in the park up till then)

Honestly I had never heard her growl like that and Max would have been proud of it.
Then the barking started and the steady advancing towards the man, legs braced at an angle and facing him 4-square. By this time the man looked a wee bit unnerved.

I told Milla to stay and she did but continued growling and barking.

The man now started to cajole and humour her but finally gave up and decided Milla was serious and having none of it. He finally walked away in another direction.

Milla is normally very friendly, even with strangers but it seemed that she sensed that this man was different for some reason and there was no way she was allowing this man to "get the drop on me"

Needless to say I had seen another side of her and I was very proud of her guarding/protection instincts. She did not shy away and come in close to me as I might have expected given her normally loving and gentle nature - she was in total protection mode (outstanding for a 14 month old pup)


Here are some recents taken with a photo app which I like called Hipstamatic.








My new pastime of baking is coming along. Here are some shots of my Artisan breads, rolls and cakes. Milla lies on the back door rug and watches in amazement as I scurry about uttering the occasional swear word

Wholemeal and Bran made with a poolish.


Some Ciabatta rolls


Italian Calzone.


An Italian Apple, Pecan and Cinnamon Cake.

[Dawnspell]

Schnauzers appear quite ferocious when they want to. I always think any one not able to see them must think theyre bigger than they are as the seem do have a big bark in a little body. Then of course when they combine it with the posturing. Theres no wonder Giants are used as police dogs that must be a site one of those in full swing

Ooooh I can almost smell that bread cooking yummy.

[Schnauzer Sam]

I'd love to know how they weigh people up. There's no doubt that they seem very able to determine what they see as danger and will go in to whatever "alert mode" is appropriate for the circumstance. You have a very special relationship with her, I know. She's very devoted to you and I know you see her (and previously Max) as your equal and not a pet to dominate.

I don't mind telling you again that I really envy the opportunity you have, now that you're retired, to chill out with your buddy. I get a sense of it when I'm on leave, in the evenings and at weekends

You appear to have a natural talent for the breads - the ciabatta looks good. Are the photo's typical of your results or has there been many "black bin surprises"?

[Bodee]

I'd love to know how they weigh people up. There's no doubt that they seem very able to determine what they see as danger and will go in to whatever "alert mode" is appropriate for the circumstance. You have a very special relationship with her, I know. She's very devoted to you and I know you see her (and previously Max) as your equal and not a pet to dominate.

I don't mind telling you again that I really envy the opportunity you have, now that you're retired, to chill out with your buddy. I get a sense of it when I'm on leave, in the evenings and at weekends

You appear to have a natural talent for the breads - the ciabatta looks good. Are the photo's typical of your results or has there been many "black bin surprises"?

There have been no disappointments so far Sam but then I have chosen to follow only one book which I bought off Amazon.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Flour-Water-Sa ... ead+making

As an architect I find attention to detail comes fairly natural but the trickiest thing about Artisan bread making is temperature and the annoying fact that to get a real tasty end product ALWAYS takes 2 days due to the length of fermentation and resting time.

[mikegoodson1]

Lovely pictures Boyd and good to hear you are and Milla are doing well.

My sweet tooth is leaning towards that 'Apple, Pecan and Cinnamon' cake, it looks delicious

It's funny how our Schnauzers decide when to distrust or 'be on alert' with some people. Oscar has only ever growled and barked at one person when we have been out walking, in his 'nearly' three years. Unfortunately it was someone with a disability who was out walking with a carer but this person was making a loud grunting noise with every step they took towards us. Oscar must have deemed that as threatening because I could not get him to be quiet at all.

All I could do was apologise and move Oscar on very quickly - like I said, the only time he has done that.

But you know what, that occasion aside, I would trust Oscar and Sasha's instincts above mine

[Bodee]

Lovely pictures Boyd and good to hear you are and Milla are doing well.

My sweet tooth is leaning towards that 'Apple, Pecan and Cinnamon' cake, it looks delicious

It's funny how our Schnauzers decide when to distrust or 'be on alert' with some people. Oscar has only ever growled and barked at one person when we have been out walking, in his 'nearly' three years. Unfortunately it was someone with a disability who was out walking with a carer but this person was making a loud grunting noise with every step they took towards us. Oscar must have deemed that as threatening because I could not get him to be quiet at all.

All I could do was apologise and move Oscar on very quickly - like I said, the only time he has done that.

But you know what, that occasion aside, I would trust Oscar and Sasha's instincts above mine

Too true Mike, their senses are off the scale compared to humans.
Max only reacted badly to one stranger when we were out. At first I thought it was because he dressed as an Aussie "bushman"(big wide brimmed hat and long leather coat) but once I had calmed Max down the chap said Max was probably aware of the dead chicks he had in his bag, he was using to feed his hawk.
Whatever it was Max never changed, every time we met him Max seemed on the point of attacking him, so in the end I avoided him when I could see him coming.

Here is the recipe I used for my variation of Italian Apple and Cinnamon Cake. You should give it a try, it's not that difficult, if you have a hand mixer.


1 cup butter. (I took about 7/8 of a normal "block" of butter and very slowly melted it in a pan. Then I filled a bakers ss cup.

4 golden delicious apples.

2 1/4 cups of flour

1Tbsp Baking powder

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

4 large eggs - or 5 if they are smaller.

1 tsp Vanilla Extract. - optional if you don't like vanilla

1 cup ordinary granulated sugar (I am not a sweet tooth so I found this a tad sweet - I will take a couple of tsps out next time)

1 Tbsp Amaretto Liquer - I didn't have this so I used a coffee liquer, which worked great.

1/2 tsp lemon zest.

4 Tbsp melted butter (this is to grease the inside of the pan)

3 tsp sugar. - I didn't want any sugar on the top so I left this out.

PS I also added about 100 gms of broken pecan nuts (walnuts if you prefer) and 100 gms of soaked (in warm water) and drained raisins (you can use sultanas or even cranberries (if they are soft no need to soak cranberries) Fold these in at the same time as the chopped apples.


Method:
I did all the mixing with a hand held mixer.
I found that I used 170C and cooked for 70mins. The actual conversion of 350F is 176C but the cooking time to me 70-90mins I think would have dried the cake out too much at this temp.

Always test using a skewer/"tooth pick"/or even a thin knife at a push. Insert it into the middle of the cake and if it comes out "clean" it is ready.

Method.
If you need to stand the apples leaving them in the juice of a lemon or orange prevents them from discolouring. I used Lemon and it gave the apple a nice tart flavour to counteract the sugar.

[Schubert]

a sensationally beautiful dog

[Bodee]

a sensationally beautiful dog

Thanks Astrid.
She does have a very loving nature.

[Bodee]

Latest photo of the wee one.
Not much to report except she is getting more vocal with people passing the window walking along the street. She was due to go in on the 28th Dec for her spaying but they postponed it because of "shortage of the anaesthetic they use" apparently. Anyone else heard of this?

Hope you are all doing well and a Merry Christmas when it comes.



from the left, Milla's mum, Gran and Auntie.


My latest creations. I haven't quite mastered the presentation but I have had no complaints on quality/taste Starting with 2 "8 seed" loaves then chocolate cake and last coffee walnut cake.