Furbaby Friday

I’m a day late, but I’m dedicating Fridays to the furbabies in my life, as well as furbabies in general! Zoey will be jealous she isn’t the first to be featured, but I need to do some image transferring to my external hard drive before I can upload any more pictures to Lightroom. (I think this means I take too many pictures).

This is Emma, my parents new puppy. She’s the newest member of the Obbink Family. She’s a labradoodle, but definitely acts more like a lab! I call her the “annoying little sister I never had” because she insists on tormenting me (in a good way) whenever I see her! Enjoy!

Ham Florentine Wreath

As a part of our ‘late’ Christmas celebration with my family, we enjoyed a ridiculous amount of food. Not surprising huh?! One of the best things we ate all weekend was a Ham Florentine Wreath. I was able to snap some photos while my sister-in-law Kara made the gorgeous meal.

Ham Florentine Wreath

2 8 oz packages refrigerated crescent rolls
8 oz thickly sliced deli ham, diced
1/4 c green onions with tops, thinly sliced
5 oz Swiss cheese, grated (1 1/4 cups)
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 t coarsely ground black pepper
2 plum tomatoes, sliced
1 egg, separated
1/4 cup almonds, chopped (we omitted)

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Unroll crescents into 16 triangles. With wide end toward center arrange 8 triangles in circle. Arrange remaining 8 triangles in center matching wide ends. Seal seams.

Mix ham, green onions, 1 cup cheese, spinach, mayo and black pepper. Scoop filling over seams of dough forming circle. Arrange tomatoes in overlapping circular pattern over filling. Top with remaining cheese. Lift corners of dough over filling one at a time slightly overlapping to form wreath.

Beat egg white lightly; brush over dough. Sprinkle almonds over wreath.

Bake 25 to 30 min or until golden brown. Slice, serve & enjoy!

This dish was so full of color that it made you anxious to take a bite! Try it sometime and let me know what you think. If you are anything like me, you won’t be able to have just one slice!

*This recipe was adapted from a dish served at a Pampered Chef party Kara attended.

Your Safe Place

Just over a year ago, Zoey came into my life. Looking back on those first few weeks with my little furball, I never imagined she would ever prefer to be in her kennel. She wined like a little baby when I put her in her kennel. I often gave and in so she always would snuggle into bed with me, which I loved. It then became a fight for my pillow. She liked my space way more than she liked her space.

Things have changed over the last year. These days, the moment we go into my bedroom to go to sleep, Zoey is climbing in her kennel to nestle in for bed. She turns a few circles and moves the fluffy blanket just right and then settles in to sleep. I think it’s her safe place. It it comforting and familiar to her. In that place, she is unbothered and can just relax.

Dogs are a lot like humans. We all have our safe place. The place we go to relax. The place we go when we are sad,  or angry or just want to be alone. My place is my bed. No matter my mood, I feel most relaxed or comforted when I climb into bed. It’s my safe place. The place I go to forget about the stress of the day or the weather outside. It’s where I can let my mind be at ease and it’s the place I feel most safe.

Your place might be different than mine or Zoey’s, but the feeling you get in that place is the same. You are comfortable there. You are unbothered. You can relax. It’s the place you feel most safe.. your safe place.  Where is your safe place?