The people I live with read that February is Doggie Dental Month, or something like that, and now they keep coming at me with silly sticks with brushes on the end. Do I have to put up with this? Should I let these humans clean my canines?
Questioningly,
Chomper
Dear Chomper,
As you can see from the photograph of moi above, I've trained my retainers to polish my pearly whites twice a day! I started this training the day I arrived here, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Who wants fuzzy teeth???
And, as much as I love my dear veterinarian team, I don't want to visit them too often. Do you have any idea how many presents I could have for the cost of one dental cleaning at the vets? Brushing means more money to spend on travel and jewelry!
I've had my research team post a video (below) for you to review and pass on to your servants.
Have your family take 5 minutes to watch this video on why they should brush your teeth and how to do it.
Editor's Note: Among Poppy's fan mail are occasional requests for advice from her canine and feline friends. She has agreed to answer a few of them in our Sunday Dog Spot. Add your questions in the comments below or send Poppy an email.
Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.
Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!
I recently learned that blogger Rhea Becker is The Clutter Queen. She can help you conquer your clutter issues and clean up your life! Over a recent lunch, she agreed to share some decluttering tips with BostonZest readers.
I've been following Rhea for years. We meet up every so often to let our dogs play together or have lunch and brainstorm about blogging, how to achieve world peace, and solve the rest of the planet's problems.
It's funny when you know a person from one aspect of their life and suddenly learn they have another skill set you knew nothing about. During our meal, we talked about her decluttering consulting business, and she agreed to share some tips.
10 Great Tips for DECLUTTERING AND ORGANIZING from Rhea's website, My Clutter Queen
Start small
You know that little drawer in your kitchen where all the takeout menus, rubber bands, twist ties, and plastic cutlery go to die? It's time to dump out that drawer, toss the things you don't need, and put back what's left – neatly. There! You've started decluttering.
Start really small
Declutter for 15 minutes per day. Set the timer on your smartphone or stove. Choose a small project. It could even be as small as a fruit and vegetable drawer in your refrigerator, or one corner of the countertop, the top of the fridge, or the spice rack.
Go to the corner
When beginning to declutter a room, choose a corner and move clockwise until you've completed that room. This could take hours or even days. Keep at it!
Become familiar with your local thrift shop. It will be your greatest ally in keeping your home clutter free. Keep a box or large bag in a convenient place. Put items into it that you are ready to part with. As soon as the box or bag is filled, take it to the local thrift shop. By the way, if youʼre an animal lover, remember that animal shelters often seek used towels and bedding.
Bedtime storage
Use the space under your bed for storage.
Wear it or ditch it
If you haven't worn it in a year, it doesn't fit, or needs mending, take it to the thrift shop.
Will you really get that fixed?!
If you have stuff around the house that is broken, torn, or missing a part, get rid of it. Most people never get around to fixing things they swear they will.
Closets, one day at a time
It may be overwhelming to tackle an entire closet, so start with one category. How about shoes? Pair up all your shoes, then purge the ones that need repair, are worn out, not in style, or that you are simply tired of. Take them to the thrift shop. Then start on a new category, say: belts, scarves, pants, or dresses.
Junk the mail
Open your mail each day, and do it over a wastebasket or recycling bin. Immediately ditch what you don't want or need.
Need a helping hand?
If dealing with your clutter gives you a feeling of paralysis, this is not unusual. You may want to consult with a professional organizer like The Clutter Queen (Boston, MA).
Gift certificate: Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!
Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.
I recently learned that blogger Rhea Becker is The Clutter Queen. She can help you conquer your clutter issues and clean up your life! Over a recent lunch, she agreed to share some decluttering tips with BostonZest readers.
I've been following Rhea for years. We meet up every so often to let our dogs play together or have lunch and brainstorm about blogging, how to achieve world peace, and solve the rest of the planet's problems.
It's funny when you know a person from one aspect of their life and suddenly learn they have another skill set you knew nothing about. During our meal, we talked about her decluttering consulting business, and she agreed to share some tips.
10 Great Tips for DECLUTTERING AND ORGANIZING from Rhea's website, My Clutter Queen
Start small
You know that little drawer in your kitchen where all the takeout menus, rubber bands, twist ties, and plastic cutlery go to die? It's time to dump out that drawer, toss the things you don't need, and put back what's left – neatly. There! You've started decluttering.
Start really small
Declutter for 15 minutes per day. Set the timer on your smartphone or stove. Choose a small project. It could even be as small as a fruit and vegetable drawer in your refrigerator, or one corner of the countertop, the top of the fridge, or the spice rack.
Go to the corner
When beginning to declutter a room, choose a corner and move clockwise until you've completed that room. This could take hours or even days. Keep at it!
Become familiar with your local thrift shop. It will be your greatest ally in keeping your home clutter free. Keep a box or large bag in a convenient place. Put items into it that you are ready to part with. As soon as the box or bag is filled, take it to the local thrift shop. By the way, if youʼre an animal lover, remember that animal shelters often seek used towels and bedding.
Bedtime storage
Use the space under your bed for storage.
Wear it or ditch it
If you haven't worn it in a year, it doesn't fit, or needs mending, take it to the thrift shop.
Will you really get that fixed?!
If you have stuff around the house that is broken, torn, or missing a part, get rid of it. Most people never get around to fixing things they swear they will.
Closets, one day at a time
It may be overwhelming to tackle an entire closet, so start with one category. How about shoes? Pair up all your shoes, then purge the ones that need repair, are worn out, not in style, or that you are simply tired of. Take them to the thrift shop. Then start on a new category, say: belts, scarves, pants, or dresses.
Junk the mail
Open your mail each day, and do it over a wastebasket or recycling bin. Immediately ditch what you don't want or need.
Need a helping hand?
If dealing with your clutter gives you a feeling of paralysis, this is not unusual. You may want to consult with a professional organizer like The Clutter Queen (Boston, MA).
Gift certificate: Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!
Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.
I recently learned that blogger Rhea Becker is The Clutter Queen. She can help you conquer your clutter issues and clean up your life! Over a recent lunch, she agreed to share some decluttering tips with BostonZest readers.
I've been following Rhea for years. We meet up every so often to let our dogs play together or have lunch and brainstorm about blogging, how to achieve world peace, and solve the rest of the planet's problems.
It's funny when you know a person from one aspect of their life and suddenly learn they have another skill set you knew nothing about. During our meal, we talked about her decluttering consulting business, and she agreed to share some tips.
10 Great Tips for DECLUTTERING AND ORGANIZING from Rhea's website, My Clutter Queen
Start small
You know that little drawer in your kitchen where all the takeout menus, rubber bands, twist ties, and plastic cutlery go to die? It's time to dump out that drawer, toss the things you don't need, and put back what's left – neatly. There! You've started decluttering.
Start really small
Declutter for 15 minutes per day. Set the timer on your smartphone or stove. Choose a small project. It could even be as small as a fruit and vegetable drawer in your refrigerator, or one corner of the countertop, the top of the fridge, or the spice rack.
Go to the corner
When beginning to declutter a room, choose a corner and move clockwise until you've completed that room. This could take hours or even days. Keep at it!
Become familiar with your local thrift shop. It will be your greatest ally in keeping your home clutter free. Keep a box or large bag in a convenient place. Put items into it that you are ready to part with. As soon as the box or bag is filled, take it to the local thrift shop. By the way, if youʼre an animal lover, remember that animal shelters often seek used towels and bedding.
Bedtime storage
Use the space under your bed for storage.
Wear it or ditch it
If you haven't worn it in a year, it doesn't fit, or needs mending, take it to the thrift shop.
Will you really get that fixed?!
If you have stuff around the house that is broken, torn, or missing a part, get rid of it. Most people never get around to fixing things they swear they will.
Closets, one day at a time
It may be overwhelming to tackle an entire closet, so start with one category. How about shoes? Pair up all your shoes, then purge the ones that need repair, are worn out, not in style, or that you are simply tired of. Take them to the thrift shop. Then start on a new category, say: belts, scarves, pants, or dresses.
Junk the mail
Open your mail each day, and do it over a wastebasket or recycling bin. Immediately ditch what you don't want or need.
Need a helping hand?
If dealing with your clutter gives you a feeling of paralysis, this is not unusual. You may want to consult with a professional organizer like The Clutter Queen (Boston, MA).
Gift certificate: Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!
Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.
What better way to greet February than with the lovely sparkle of a Crémant de Bourgogne. Whether you’re celebrating love, welcoming a new month, or toasting the promise of an early spring, this gorgeous bottle of bubbles from La Maison du Crémant in eastern France will make you happy.
We selected this Brut Rosé at Bauer Wine & Spirits where they describe the wine as having, “aromas and flavors of sweet strawberries, bread dough, red currants, and a hint of lavender.” The Pinot Noir, Chardonnay blend is “refreshing, bright, fruity, and fresh.”
We enjoyed this sparkler even more as it warmed in our glasses, while we shared an outstanding cheddar, a favorite baguette, and one of Penny's homemade apple/raisin crostatas.
It’s a Crémant that would be comfortable in most any setting – with a meal, hors d’oeuvres, or for simply a toast and conversation. “For the money ($15.99) you won't be disappointed.” A sweetheart of a February sparkler!
And, if you're choosing a special wine for Valentine's Day, here are some of our recommendations.
Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers’ comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.
What better way to greet February than with the lovely sparkle of a Crémant de Bourgogne. Whether you’re celebrating love, welcoming a new month, or toasting the promise of an early spring, this gorgeous bottle of bubbles from La Maison du Crémant in eastern France will make you happy.
We selected this Brut Rosé at Bauer Wine & Spirits where they describe the wine as having, “aromas and flavors of sweet strawberries, bread dough, red currants, and a hint of lavender.” The Pinot Noir, Chardonnay blend is “refreshing, bright, fruity, and fresh.”
We enjoyed this sparkler even more as it warmed in our glasses, while we shared an outstanding cheddar, a favorite baguette, and one of Penny's homemade apple/raisin crostatas.
It’s a Crémant that would be comfortable in most any setting – with a meal, hors d’oeuvres, or for simply a toast and conversation. “For the money ($15.99) you won't be disappointed.” A sweetheart of a February sparkler!
And, if you're choosing a special wine for Valentine's Day, here are some of our recommendations.
Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers’ comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.
What better way to greet February than with the lovely sparkle of a Crémant de Bourgogne. Whether you’re celebrating love, welcoming a new month, or toasting the promise of an early spring, this gorgeous bottle of bubbles from La Maison du Crémant in eastern France will make you happy.
We selected this Brut Rosé at Bauer Wine & Spirits where they describe the wine as having, “aromas and flavors of sweet strawberries, bread dough, red currants, and a hint of lavender.” The Pinot Noir, Chardonnay blend is “refreshing, bright, fruity, and fresh.”
We enjoyed this sparkler even more as it warmed in our glasses, while we shared an outstanding cheddar, a favorite baguette, and one of Penny's homemade apple/raisin crostatas.
It’s a Crémant that would be comfortable in most any setting – with a meal, hors d’oeuvres, or for simply a toast and conversation. “For the money ($15.99) you won't be disappointed.” A sweetheart of a February sparkler!
And, if you're choosing a special wine for Valentine's Day, here are some of our recommendations.
Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers’ comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.
When I saw a bag of it at Arax Market in Watertown, I knew I had to give it a try. I gave part of my supply to a cooking friend so we could both play with it and compare notes. "They are simultaneously bitter like coffee or chocolate and sweet like molasses, and they lend a wonderful, deep, smoky aroma to sauces," Chef Sortum writes.
It looks a bit like rich, oily coffee grounds with a rusty red tint. It is an afterburner chili giving you a mild introduction with a kick on the finish. It is wonderful with eggplant. A spinkle will add a lift to a tray of roasted root vegetables. And, I added a dash to some leftover pork for a second night supper.
Notice that my work board is protected with a piece of parchment and my Urfa is in a glass jar. This is a spice, like tumeric, that could be used as a dye. It will stain your counter, clothing, or hands. It even left stains on a small aluminum scoop I was using with it. And the natural scallop shell in the first photo now has an orangy interior. Use it with this caution in mind.
If you try Urfa pepper, be sure to let us know how you like it and what recipes you explored.
Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.
When I saw a bag of it at Arax Market in Watertown, I knew I had to give it a try. I gave part of my supply to a cooking friend so we could both play with it and compare notes. "They are simultaneously bitter like coffee or chocolate and sweet like molasses, and they lend a wonderful, deep, smoky aroma to sauces," Chef Sortum writes.
It looks a bit like rich, oily coffee grounds with a rusty red tint. It is an afterburner chili giving you a mild introduction with a kick on the finish. It is wonderful with eggplant. A spinkle will add a lift to a tray of roasted root vegetables. And, I added a dash to some leftover pork for a second night supper.
Notice that my work board is protected with a piece of parchment and my Urfa is in a glass jar. This is a spice, like tumeric, that could be used as a dye. It will stain your counter, clothing, or hands. It even left stains on a small aluminum scoop I was using with it. And the natural scallop shell in the first photo now has an orangy interior. Use it with this caution in mind.
If you try Urfa pepper, be sure to let us know how you like it and what recipes you explored.
Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.
When I saw a bag of it at Arax Market in Watertown, I knew I had to give it a try. I gave part of my supply to a cooking friend so we could both play with it and compare notes. "They are simultaneously bitter like coffee or chocolate and sweet like molasses, and they lend a wonderful, deep, smoky aroma to sauces," Chef Sortum writes.
It looks a bit like rich, oily coffee grounds with a rusty red tint. It is an afterburner chili giving you a mild introduction with a kick on the finish. It is wonderful with eggplant. A spinkle will add a lift to a tray of roasted root vegetables. And, I added a dash to some leftover pork for a second night supper.
Notice that my work board is protected with a piece of parchment and my Urfa is in a glass jar. This is a spice, like tumeric, that could be used as a dye. It will stain your counter, clothing, or hands. It even left stains on a small aluminum scoop I was using with it. And the natural scallop shell in the first photo now has an orangy interior. Use it with this caution in mind.
If you try Urfa pepper, be sure to let us know how you like it and what recipes you explored.
Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.
, Chef Ana Sortum of 