Friday Flash Fiction 55 - Red State Problems: Bullets in the Laundry

She tossed something onto the bed.
"Will you please check your pockets before you do laundry. I'm tired of finding shotgun shells in the washer."
"Damn. These're wet. You know how expensive ammo is these days?"
"Not as expensive as a new washing machine will be!"
"Does dad got any shells?"
"His got washed, too."

As always, thanks to the ass-kicking-est host from Blue State East Coast to Blue State West Coast, and all the Gun Totin'est, God fearin'est, Pinko-Commie hatin'est, Old Glory Wavin'est, Heartland of America Red States in between....G-MAN!

Chili Peppers For Bunnies

Howdy All!
We survived Mother Nature's nonprejudicial attempt to wipe central Oklahoma off the map.
So onward we continue with sweet precious life...

Let's talk peppers. My bunnehs will not eat a green bell pepper unless there is nothing else fresh to nom. They like the orange, red, and yellow bell peppers just fine. AH, but those are super sweet and juicy. Of COURSE they love them.
What came as a shock is their love of chili peppers. As you may know, not all chili peppers are hot.  Take banana, poblano,  and anaheim peppers. Just a hint of heat, and a lot of flavor and sweet.  Bunnies love heat. I have known my Meany Girl to lick Tabasco sauce and snatch her some flaming hot Cheetos. Mysillygirlshe'ssopreciousIlovehertoomuch!!!
So let your bunnies have a little heat treat. Cut a chili pepper into chunks and let them nom away. If they don't like the taste or the heat, they will not eat it. They know what they like. Try the big gorgeously green anaheim peppers first, then work their way up the capsaicin ladder. Like humans, heat on the palate can be addicting. Let their endorphins run rampant, too. Heat causes pain, causes release of endorphins.  It is a natural high, like runners get, which is why hot foods make us crave more hot foods, and eventually, even hotter foods!
I leave the seeds, they love to chew them.  They even eat the stems.
I bet you would be surprised at how much they enjoy the muy caliente!

MMMM, don't these look nomilicious!

Beautiful, mild anaheim peppers. 

Makes you want to grow a "salsa garden". Mmmm, plant several species of peppers, onion, garlic, several types of tomato, cilantro, and parsley.... 

Friday Flash Fiction 55 - Oh, Nurse! One Manhattan!

"There's an article online that claims consuming  four alcoholic beverages per week has health benefits", he stated.
"Oh?" She remarked.
"So I thought a Manhattan would hit the spot tonight."
She pulled the Lego Club magazine out of his hand and whacked his head.
"WHAT?! Think of the benefits by the time I'm fifteen! DANG!"

SO FINALLY, I get a chance to write out a 55 again. This one is inspired by my fourteen year old son making a statement about the health benefits of consuming up to four alcoholic beverages a week. 

Glad to be back. Thanks to The G-Man for being so vociferous (thank you, Juana en Tejas) about my job getting in the way of 55 offerings. 

XOXO, m'dear!

Versatile Blog Award - From Speeeeeeeedeeeeeeee!

Thank you, Speedy, my floofy Rexy Rabbity Bunneh Wunneh Buddy (and nephew)!

Crispy Vs. Crunchy and Recipe For Crispy Salad

I LOVE radishes. The taste fills my mouth and the crunch is so satisfying, and I swoon. Know what else rocks my world? Peanut butter and celery. I like celery as it is, but put peanut butter on it and it drives me nuts with awesomeness. Red, orange, and yellow sweet peppers with cream cheese...great googly moogly, that is the best combination!
What is crisp and what is crunch?

Crisp:
Apple slices, lettuces, snow peas, bell//sweet peppers, jicama slices (another flavor that sends me over the edge),

Crunch:
Whole apples, radishes, carrots, celery, cucumber, pickles (GOOD pickles), onion

I find that rabbits, at least my warren of rabbits, enjoy a combination of crispy and crunchy. Minnie will eat all the soft part of the romaine lettuce leaf, then save the crispy, juicy middle for last.  She is not so much a fan of crunchy things, but loves crispies. Meany loves all things crunchy first, and Fatty loves all things edible, period. Myra is still a bit of a mystery. She has not been offered enough of a variety for me to figure out what she enjoys most.

Here is my recipe for Crispy Salad.

Marinade:
In a bowl, combine:
 1/2 cup each rice wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar (the best is the unfiltered kind!) You could also use balsamic, but you would have to cut down on the added sugar/sweetener
1/2 cup light oil of your choice
1/4 cup apple juice or cider
mix it all up, add salt and pepper, to taste
add sweetener or sugar to desired sweetness

Salad:
SUPER THIN sliced
1 Granny Smith apply, plus two other apples of your choice
5-10 (depending on size) radishes
1 hot house English cucumber OR two regular cucumbers OR four small cucumbers
1/2 jicama (if you can find one)
1/4 cup of finely diced red onion (be careful, this onion can easily take over the whole dish)

Toss it all together and let it sit in the frig for a few hours to get super cold and all the flavors can marry. Snow peas are good in this dish as well.

Actually, all these measurements are approximate. I have never measured before, just tossed it all together. But you get the gist. You can add or subtract or substitute anything, really. But the Granny Smith apple, cucumber and radish is a MUST.

What Makes A Happy Warren?

Since the arrival of Myra D., I have been letting ALL the bunnies run about. They seem to have decided that my bedroom is their Home Base and the BIG DEN of the warren. Myra and Minnie are actually sitting across from each other at meal times without Minnie trying to kill Myra. They give chase a little, and Minn chins everything, including the peanut I offered her...weird...
But for the most part, I have a lively, and a bit dootie, warren. I tried putting the other three back in the pen the other night, and I swear I could feel their depression like a chill. I do not care if I have to sweep up their stray doots and have weird wire/cable arrangements all over my room. If they want to be free roam bunnies, I just do not have the heart to put them back in the pen.  I will leave it up for emergencies. Now I have to take the food and litter area that Myra has in my room, that ALL the bunnies are using now, and get them to hop their happy butts to the kitchen to the pen to eat, drink, and use the potty.
I am just amazed and how all four became a real warren in such a short time. They all play with Spider and Bug, they jump on our bed to be obnoxious, and when they hear a plastic bag or a wrapper, they go do the Bunny Blitz and if we don't throw treats on the floor for them, they will LITERALLY climb all over us and shove their heads into bags, bowls, and cups.  They are awful. Awfully damned cute. Awfully damned obnoxious. Awfully damned happy.
Watching them be a warren and binky like crazy makes me so happy.
What makes a happy warren? A happy home.
Oh, and giving the bunnies anything they want. That will do it, too.
Rabbits Rule.

Miss Myra Daffodil and Me

My Canon is dead. So here I took some pics with my webcam. Ignore my fat arms.

I think she looks like Jensen!!!