Would you like a bowl of Tonks stew?

Are you hungry? Yes? Well, have we got a treat for you!

 It's Tonks stew!

Doesn't that look scrumptious?

Oh so tasty?

Downright delicious?

Go ahead. Grab a ladle and serve yourself up a serving or two! We promise it won't disappoint.

Now that your bellies are full, how about a couple of notes on what you might have seen in this post? First of all, that pot is not, in fact, used for food. Strangely enough, my dad collects driftwood for his fish aquariums, and he boils the driftwood in that very pot before putting it in his tanks. We recently had the pot at my house because my sister needed it to boil none other than seashells that she gathered when she was in Florida. Why would we use a pot for food? That would be silly.

Second, the Christmas decor you can see in the background of the first Tonks stew photo is now, sadly, gone. Well, save for a few pieces that I quite honestly keep out all year round, because I literally can't help myself. Do any of you have any holiday decor that stays out year round? I have a few Halloween and Christmas pieces that have permanent places on my shelves.

Oh, and lastly, no Tonks was harmed (or eaten) in the making of this stew!

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Our Doodle of the Day:

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Our Tip of the Day:

Yesterday, we discussed wiping off furry feet and human shoes after going outdoors in the winter, in order to reduce exposure to products such as salt, or ice melt. There is another good reason to wipe off those furry feet after going outdoors, and that is to remove snow and ice from the paws and the toes they contain. When a dog or cat goes outdoors into the snow, their paw pads, the fur on their feet, and the areas between their toes can all collect snow and ice. This can of course be cold and uncomfortable, so when they come in from outdoors, be sure to wipe off their feet so that they can remain dry and warm. Especially if your furbaby is short or if the snow is deep, also wipe off their belly and anywhere on their body that might have collected cold snow. Also thoroughly wipe off your own feet when you come inside, or remove your shoes, in order to keep the floors dry and warm for your furbaby's paws.

In line with the above thoughts, if your pup or kitty goes on walks, consider taking a dry towel with you when there is snow on the ground. Snow and ice can clump up and get stuck between your furbaby's toes, and those with especially furry feet can attract extra snow and ice on their feet. So, if your furbaby is outdoors for an extended period of time, do consider taking a dry towel with you and removing snow and ice from on and between their toes throughout the walk. This will allow them to remain as dry and comfortable as possible when outdoors in the snow.