A Walk With Maggie

November 19’th

This mornings outing with Maggie, our five year old standard poodle was a bit of an adventure. I want to clarify that she is not a sissified poodle. No beauty parlor Do for my dog, no Sir, got her cut like a Labradoodle. I mean really, a Marine and retired State Trooper with a Poodle?

Well anyway, back to this mornings adventure. For those who don’t know, the area we live in is quite rural. At the present I’m house sitting and caring for two cats, Jane and Buffy. ( house siting pays for my toys) House sitting also keeps me busy while enjoying my retirement.

The house I’m sitting for at the moment sits on 15 or so acres adjacent to the Wicomico river on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. It’s quite a woody tract of land and has a creek flowing out to the river on it. There are a lot local game and birds around here, especially squirrels, Maggie’s favorite chase. If only she could climb a tree.

I also want to add that Maggie has a tracking nose, as good as any so called hunting dog. As we started walking towards the river with the trail covered by falling leaves, Maggie’s nose went to work, she definitely was on to something. I wondered what she would kick up on this venture, a Turkey, Raccoon, Fox, Deer or just another squirrel?

As we passed the numerous out-buildings and sheds she increased her pace, slowly increasing the distance between us. It was cold, still and the sun just rising to our rear. The only sound was the crunch of fallen leaves under our feet.

Maggie stopped, staring straight ahead she began a stalk like approach to a unidentified object. She resembled a cat about to catch its prey. Her prey I noticed was a headless Goose decoy that I passed by several days earlier on another walk. Slowly she crept towards the prey, first one step, then another. Just several feet from her pry, the unexpected happened.

As Maggie took her last step before pouncing on the unsuspecting Goose, she steped on one end of a bowed fallen branch, covered by leaves. The other end of the branch lying adjacent to the decoy, rose in the air lifting the fallen leaves into Maggie’s face. Startled, with her tail tucked tightly under her, Maggie turned 180 degrees and with speed I’d never before seen, ran back to from where we started.

When I caught back up with her, her heart was beating rapidly and she welcomed my rubbing her head. It was one of the funniest sights I had ever seen. Definitely one of those, you had to be there moments. Perhaps, a sissified Poodle after all.

Maggie on the dock

Maggie, waiting for a walk and a chase.

Meal Worms & Moths

No matter how clean you keep your kitchen, pests cans still cause problems in your pantry. They enter your home in a variety of ways and seek out improperly stored foods to lay eggs in. The eggs hatch into larva that look like worms, and they can spoil your food as they grow into full-fledged insects. The key to preventing worms in your food is to be proactive and make sure your flours and grains are stored properly as soon as you get home from the store. Want to get in great shape? Learn more about LIVESTRONG.COM’s nutrition and fitness program!

STORE PACKAGING

If you are going to be using a package of flour or grains within a short amount of time, it’s unlikely you will have problems with pantry pests as long as the packaging is intact, without tears or holes. However, cardboard, paper and plastic will not keep insects out of your food, so transfer your food to a heavy-duty container if you plan to store it for longer than a few weeks. Keep your shelves dry and free of crumbs, because moisture and open food attracts insects. Use older packages of food before newer ones and don’t store new packages next to older ones; if the older packages are infested with insects they can move to the new packaging.

CONTAINERS

The best way to prevent insects from invading your flours and grains is to store them in glass or metal containers. Very heavy-duty plastic will also work. Transfer your food to containers with tight-fitting lids, such as a screw-top lid or one with a substantial seal around it. If you’re sure the original packaging is free of insect infestation you can put it directly into a container. Look for webbing or holes on the package. It might be easier to empty your flour and grains into containers and provide a scoop for usage.

REFRIGERATING

Flours and grains store well in a refrigerator. This is a good option if you have continual problems with insects despite your best efforts. Store flour in a container with a good lid and tight seal to prevent moisture loss, which can affect the quality of the flour. White flour will store for up to a year in the refrigerator, while whole-wheat flour stays good for six to eight months, according to the Virginia Cooperative Extension. Corn meal can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 18 months. White and brown rice also store well in the refrigerator.

FREEZING

Whole-wheat flour and brown rice actually benefit from being stored in the freezer because it slows the oils in them from going rancid, as they tend to do when stored for long periods at room temperature. White flour, whole-wheat flour and corn meal will keep in the freezer for up to two years. Store rice for up to a year in the freezer. Put your flours and grains in air-tight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags to prevent moisture problems.

No matter how clean you keep your kitchen, pests cans still cause problems in your pantry. They enter your home in a variety of ways and seek out improperly stored foods to lay eggs in. The eggs hatch into larva that look like worms, and they can spoil your food as they grow into full-fledged insects. The key to preventing worms in your food is to be proactive and make sure your flours and grains are stored properly as soon as you get home from the store. Want to get in great shape? Learn more about LIVESTRONG.COM’s nutrition and fitness program!

STORE PACKAGING

If you are going to be using a package of flour or grains within a short amount of time, it’s unlikely you will have problems with pantry pests as long as the packaging is intact, without tears or holes. However, cardboard, paper and plastic will not keep insects out of your food, so transfer your food to a heavy-duty container if you plan to store it for longer than a few weeks. Keep your shelves dry and free of crumbs, because moisture and open food attracts insects. Use older packages of food before newer ones and don’t store new packages next to older ones; if the older packages are infested with insects they can move to the new packaging.

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List of low carb vegetables

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 As you can tell I’m still in the construction process with this medium. It’s kind of like learning a new language, so please be patient.