Monique7500

So how do we *really* know, on a scientific level, that plants don’t have feelings?

Like, does lettuce not feel pain? Nature is so beautiful, fruit, vegetables, a ripe red tomato. Then we just slice them up, and shove them in our mouths. Delicious. Poor veggies.

I had to stop eating a certain way for a cause. I still believe in animal rights, I still feel bad for the cows and chickens. I just realize I can’t change the world, and love things like cheese and salami. So I eat for my health now.

But so many little creatures, bugs too, die when you grow things that it’s all just really sad, no matter which way you spin it, or what you eat.

The world is a terrible, horrible place. However, I’ll keep my place here at the top of the food chain and eat lots of salad and the occasional chicken. And try not to think too much about the ugliness. It’s hard.

I also just don’t like big slabs of meat. But really, I planted a garden, and then started to feel bad at all the bugs and critters that showed up and wanted to eat everything. But overall it was fun, I just let it go when I got pregnant and haven’t picked back up.

Some vegans will kick your ass for eating a chicken wing. Gotta love their passion at least!

I always read the news in the morning, here are some interesting articles.

World’s Rarest Endangered Birds Released in Louisiana

Last of the Old French Chefs of New Orleans

Betty Jefferson Singing her Family Song

from nola news.

Today we went to the French Quarter and had a couple of beers. We then decided to grab some muffuletta sandwiches from Central Grocery before we left. It was a wonderful day.

I have two miniature pinschers, and this breed loves raw vegetables. But there are some that are bad for them! Take note of these things if you have dogs and pets you feed table scraps!

Avocados
They contain a toxic component called persin, which can damage heart, lung and other tissue in many animals. This fruit is very toxic to dogs, cats and most animals.
Beer
Alcoholic beverages can cause the same damage to an animal’s liver and brain as they cause in humans. But the effects can be deadly on animals since they are much smaller than us. The smaller the animal, the more deadly the effects can be. Even a small amount of alcohol may cause vomiting and damage the liver and brain.
Nuts
Walnuts and macadamia nuts are especially toxic. Effects can be anything from vomiting to paralysis to death. Within 12 hours of eating the nuts, pets start to develop symptoms such as an inability to stand or walk, vomiting, hyperthermia (elevated body temperature), weakness, and an elevated heart rate. These symptoms can be even worse if your dog eats some chocolate with the nuts. The effect can cause kidney failure, often leading to death.
Chocolate
Chocolate contains theobromine, which can kill your pet if eaten in large quantities. Dark and unsweetened baking chocolates are especially dangerous. Giving your pup a piece of chocolate cake or even letting him lick the chocolate icing on the cake could cause him to become ill. Theobromine can also cause a dog or cat’s heart to beat very rapidly or irregularly, which could result in death if the pet is exercising or overly active.
Candy
Candy or anything containing Xylitol (a common sweetener found in some diet products) can cause a sudden drop in an animal’s blood sugar, loss of coordination and seizures. If left untreated, the animal could die.
Caffeine
Coffee, tea or any product that contains caffeine stimulates an animal’s central nervous and cardiac systems. This can lead to restlessness, heart palpitations and death, depending on how much the animal consumes.
Grapes and raisins
Grapes and raisins can lead to kidney failure in dogs. As little as a single serving of raisins can kill them. And the effects are cumulative, which means that even if a dog eats just one or two grapes or raisins regularly, the toxin that builds in his system will eventually kill him.
Onions
Onions are another common food that can be highly toxic to pets. They can destroy an animal’s red blood cells and lead to anemia, weakness and breathing difficulties. Their effects are also cumulative over time.
Medicine
Hide medicine from your pets just like you would from your children. The most common cause of pet poisoning is from animals ingesting a medicine or drug normally prescribed for humans.
And this is not just because furry pals are getting into their pet parent’s medicine cabinets. In many cases, pet owners give their feline and canine friends an over-the-counter medication to ease an animal’s pain. But acetaminophen and ibuprofen, the active ingredients in many common pain relievers, are extremely toxic to dogs and cats. They can cause gastric ulcers, liver damage, kidney failure and sometimes death.
Good news foods
There are a few things that you CAN give to your furry pal. However, you should always consult a veterinarian before introducing a new food item to your pet.
Although these foods are normally harmless, some animals have sensitive gastrointestinal tracts. So even these healthy treats should be avoided if they cause gastrointestinal upset for your pet. Keep in mind that these and other “extras” should not make up more than 5 to 10 percent of the pet’s daily caloric intake.
Lean meats
Any cooked lean meat should be fine for most dogs. High-fat meats, chicken skin and fat from steaks or roasts are not recommended. Ingestion may lead to gastrointestinal upset or even pancreatitis. This can be a very painful condition for dogs. In addition, most companion animals do not need extra fat in their diets. Never give your pet meat with the bone in it. Animals can choke on the bones, and they can splinter as well.
Vegetables
Carrot sticks, green beans, cucumber slices and zucchini slices are all OK.
Fruit
Apple slices, orange slices, bananas and watermelon are all OK. Make sure the seeds have been taken out; seeds are not good for your pet!
Baked potatoes
Plain baked potatoes are fine, but make sure they are cooked — no unripe potatoes or potato plants.
Bread
Plain cooked bread is fine; just make sure there are no nuts or raisins added.
Rice and pasta
Plain, cooked pasta and white rice are OK. Often veterinarians recommend plain rice with some boiled chicken when gastrointestinal upset is present.
In case of emergency
Despite all the precautions you take to keep your pet pals safe, accidents do happen. That’s why the ASPCA, Humane Society and animal advocates advise pet owners to keep the telephone numbers of their local veterinarian and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center — (888) 426-4435 — in a prominent location.

Remember, no candy or booze for dogs! They love it, but it can kill them.

Well looks like a holiday weekend is upon us. Being self-employed and a work from home Mom is great and my husband and I get a jump on the weekend. I prefer to beat the weekend crowds on Friday and get it done on Thursday so I don’t have to fight the crowds and traffic. Where are we going? To the Super Wal-mart of course. LOL I know some people don’t like wally mart, but when the other stores around here are nearly twice as expensive (we saw cheeze-its for $3.98, wal-mart has them for under $2) it just doesn’t make sense to give away your money. Being self-employed really makes you look at the world differently.

Being a former vegetarian, we just started eating meat again and I look forward to buying some roast beef. Yum!

I finally made some really good use of all the blackberries we picked from our yard. PIE!

I used this recipe, and went ahead and just bought the premade pie crust because I have no time with a six month old baby. And it came out delicious.

BLACKBERRY PIE

4 cups fresh blackberries
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup white sugar
Directions

Combine 3 1/2 cups berries with the sugar and flour. Spoon the mixture
into an unbaked pie shell. Spread the remaining 1/2 cup berries on top
of the sweetened berries, and cover with the top crust. Seal and crimp
the edges. Brush the top crust with milk, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup
sugar.
Bake at 425 degree F (220 degrees C) for 15 minutes. Reduce the
temperature of the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), and bake for
an additional 20 to 25 minutes.

It came out perfect! And I ate a piece warm, with vanilla ice cream.