Here are a few of the interesting Jack-O-Lanterns waiting for Halloween celebrants along Marlborough Street in the Back Bay. Remember, part of this street and other streets around the city will be closed to traffic tonight! Details here.
About Today in Boston: We keep hearing that people miss our cover photos that ran for years in the Back Bay Sun. That assignment was to provide a photo that showed what the week was like in the neighborhood. Often the photos illustrated favorite quotations. Today in Boston is an occasional offering to our BostonZest readers featuring photos along the same theme but taken wherever we happen to be.
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With Halloween approaching, cats come to mind. Not just because they are symbols of the holiday, but also because this can be a dangerous time for cats and dogs.
(Photo by Leslie Jones from the Boston Public Library's Leslie Jones Collection)
Tempted by Treats
Having extra candy and treats around for your family, holiday party, or trick-or-treaters can pose a danger to your pets. Chocolate in all forms, but especially the darkest chocolate, can cause symptoms ranging from gastrointestinal upset to seizures.
The ASPCA reminds us that, “Candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can be poisonous to dogs. Even small amounts of xylitol sweetener can cause a sudden drop in blood sugarwhich leads to depression, lack of coordination, and seizures.”
Even holiday decorations, like pumpkins and dried corn, can give your pet an upset tummy, if they try to dine on them. And, large pieces of these items, ribbons, and wrappers that are part of the decor can be hazards for choking or intestinal blockages.
As a puppy, Poppy dressed up as a frog in a onesie! As you can see, she was very relaxed in her outfit.
Stressed Out Playing Dress Up
There are a few pets who are total hams and will love wearing a Halloween costume. For many others it can be stressful. Choose costumes with care and give your dog or cat time to adjust before the big party. If your pet shows signs of stress, consider a t-shirt or jacket style costume that leaves the head and ears free. Or, if your beast has stage fright, you wear the costume and let your dog or cat be an accessory.
Dan, from Boston Pet Sitters, has been known to dress up instead of costuming his pack.
Another ASPCA reminder concerns the design and fit of holiday finery. “Take a closer look at your pet’s costume and make sure it does not have small, dangling or easily chewed-off pieces that he could choke on. Also, ill-fitting outfits can get twisted on external objects or your pet, leading to injury.”
This Bulldog says, "I'm going over the hill and there's nut-in' you can do bout it!"
(Photo by Leslie Jones from the Boston Public Library's Leslie Jones Collection)
Escape Artists
Trick-or-treaters in costume can frighten an otherwise well-mannered pet. If you love to dress up to answer the call of trick-or-treaters, you could scare your pet. And, when a pet is frightened, it can and will do the unexpected.
With doors opening and closing to admit partygoers or to hand out treats, there are many opportunities for a gentle homebody – let alone the veteran escape artist – to make a break for it.
Consider tucking your dog or cat away in a separate room with a favorite bed or blanket while you host Halloween visitors.
If you don’t normally keep ID on your dog or cat when they are indoors, this next week might be a good time to add that extra precaution to your Halloween safety checklist.
(Photo by Leslie Jones from the Boston Public Library's Leslie Jones Collection)
Keep Cats Indoors
Horror stories of animal cruelty to cats crop up every Halloween season. There are dozens of reasons cats should be kept indoors any time of the year. City cats are in danger from other animals, poisons like antifreeze, and bait set for rodents. Wandering the streets they can be hit by cars, become trapped in odd spaces, and be exposed to diseases and parasites from feral cats.
Some of the saddest signs around the neighborhood are the ones posted for lost cats. When you see one, you look around and worry about where that tiny creature may be hiding – alone and afraid.
Poison Control
Finally, if you think your dog or cat has eaten something that may have poisoned it, call the Animal Poison Control Hotline at 1-888-426-4435. This is a 24/7 poison hotline. A fee is required to use this service, but fast action could save the life of the pet you love.
Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.
Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.
With Halloween approaching, cats come to mind. Not just because they are symbols of the holiday, but also because this can be a dangerous time for cats and dogs.
(Photo by Leslie Jones from the Boston Public Library's Leslie Jones Collection)
Tempted by Treats
Having extra candy and treats around for your family, holiday party, or trick-or-treaters can pose a danger to your pets. Chocolate in all forms, but especially the darkest chocolate, can cause symptoms ranging from gastrointestinal upset to seizures.
The ASPCA reminds us that, “Candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can be poisonous to dogs. Even small amounts of xylitol sweetener can cause a sudden drop in blood sugarwhich leads to depression, lack of coordination, and seizures.”
Even holiday decorations, like pumpkins and dried corn, can give your pet an upset tummy, if they try to dine on them. And, large pieces of these items, ribbons, and wrappers that are part of the decor can be hazards for choking or intestinal blockages.
As a puppy, Poppy dressed up as a frog in a onesie! As you can see, she was very relaxed in her outfit.
Stressed Out Playing Dress Up
There are a few pets who are total hams and will love wearing a Halloween costume. For many others it can be stressful. Choose costumes with care and give your dog or cat time to adjust before the big party. If your pet shows signs of stress, consider a t-shirt or jacket style costume that leaves the head and ears free. Or, if your beast has stage fright, you wear the costume and let your dog or cat be an accessory.
Dan, from Boston Pet Sitters, has been known to dress up instead of costuming his pack.
Another ASPCA reminder concerns the design and fit of holiday finery. “Take a closer look at your pet’s costume and make sure it does not have small, dangling or easily chewed-off pieces that he could choke on. Also, ill-fitting outfits can get twisted on external objects or your pet, leading to injury.”
This Bulldog says, "I'm going over the hill and there's nut-in' you can do bout it!"
(Photo by Leslie Jones from the Boston Public Library's Leslie Jones Collection)
Escape Artists
Trick-or-treaters in costume can frighten an otherwise well-mannered pet. If you love to dress up to answer the call of trick-or-treaters, you could scare your pet. And, when a pet is frightened, it can and will do the unexpected.
With doors opening and closing to admit partygoers or to hand out treats, there are many opportunities for a gentle homebody – let alone the veteran escape artist – to make a break for it.
Consider tucking your dog or cat away in a separate room with a favorite bed or blanket while you host Halloween visitors.
If you don’t normally keep ID on your dog or cat when they are indoors, this next week might be a good time to add that extra precaution to your Halloween safety checklist.
(Photo by Leslie Jones from the Boston Public Library's Leslie Jones Collection)
Keep Cats Indoors
Horror stories of animal cruelty to cats crop up every Halloween season. There are dozens of reasons cats should be kept indoors any time of the year. City cats are in danger from other animals, poisons like antifreeze, and bait set for rodents. Wandering the streets they can be hit by cars, become trapped in odd spaces, and be exposed to diseases and parasites from feral cats.
Some of the saddest signs around the neighborhood are the ones posted for lost cats. When you see one, you look around and worry about where that tiny creature may be hiding – alone and afraid.
Poison Control
Finally, if you think your dog or cat has eaten something that may have poisoned it, call the Animal Poison Control Hotline at 1-888-426-4435. This is a 24/7 poison hotline. A fee is required to use this service, but fast action could save the life of the pet you love.
Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.
Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.
Pumpkins, witches, ghouls, goblins, and flying bats have taken over the usually sedate front yards and doorsteps in the Back Bay.
Looks like the pumpkin above lost a few teeth in a bar brawl.
His pal, on the step below, is just sick about it. (Or else, he ate too much candy!)
While the winner of the tussle smirked at them from his perch, out of reach, in the fork of a tree.
This house on Marlborough Street went on a pumpkin carving spree but, sadly, only a few made it until today. I'm glad we preserved their work in photos.
Elsewhere, there was plenty of evidence of busy spiders and creative minds.
What do you know about Amazon Prime? We use it and love it. You pay once a year for free 2-day shipping delivery charges. Amazon throws in access to instant streaming movies and TV shows and they let you borrow a free ebook each month. They will even give you a one month free trial. 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.
Pumpkins, witches, ghouls, goblins, and flying bats have taken over the usually sedate front yards and doorsteps in the Back Bay.
Looks like the pumpkin above lost a few teeth in a bar brawl.
His pal, on the step below, is just sick about it. (Or else, he ate too much candy!)
While the winner of the tussle smirked at them from his perch, out of reach, in the fork of a tree.
This house on Marlborough Street went on a pumpkin carving spree but, sadly, only a few made it until today. I'm glad we preserved their work in photos.
Elsewhere, there was plenty of evidence of busy spiders and creative minds.
What do you know about Amazon Prime? We use it and love it. You pay once a year for free 2-day shipping delivery charges. Amazon throws in access to instant streaming movies and TV shows and they let you borrow a free ebook each month. They will even give you a one month free trial. 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.
Pumpkins, witches, ghouls, goblins, and flying bats have taken over the usually sedate front yards and doorsteps in the Back Bay.
Looks like the pumpkin above lost a few teeth in a bar brawl.
His pal, on the step below, is just sick about it. (Or else, he ate too much candy!)
While the winner of the tussle smirked at them from his perch, out of reach, in the fork of a tree.
This house on Marlborough Street went on a pumpkin carving spree but, sadly, only a few made it until today. I'm glad we preserved their work in photos.
Elsewhere, there was plenty of evidence of busy spiders and creative minds.
What do you know about Amazon Prime? We use it and love it. You pay once a year for free 2-day shipping delivery charges. Amazon throws in access to instant streaming movies and TV shows and they let you borrow a free ebook each month. They will even give you a one month free trial. 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.
Carrying home farmers' market shopping bags can be a workout this time of year because Ed and I are toting a few extra items to fill our pantry for the winter months.
Local Honey
Honey is the number one item on our list. We buy the majority of the honey we eat from Foppema's Farm. We love the flavor and appreciate the fact that it's a local product, simply collected with all the phytonutrients and traces of local pollens.
Honey stores perfectly well in a cool dark spot and will last for years, so we never worry about buying too much. Our only concern is making sure we have enough to get through the months when we can't get our favorite.
Young, Fresh Ginger
Local, young ginger from Old Friends Farm is another fall favorite around here. Penny recently read this page on the Old Friends website about freezing this lively, full-flavored alternative to the dried-up ginger you often find in mainstream stores.
She tried it and is thrilled to know she can have a supply of great ginger until next September rolls around and it appears again at the corner of the Atlas Farm stand devoted to products from their neighbors at Old Friends Farm.
Maple syrup is available all winter but if you like to buy it at the market, you can stock up. This jug came from Boston Organics and we keep it in the freezer. Pure maple syrup has no additives or preservatives. It has a higher water content than honey, so it can and will grow mold if you don't use it quickly.
In the freezer, it never becomes solid so you can still pour out what you need and return the jug to it's chilly storage spot.
Pumpkins and Winter Squash
More cooks are discovering the golden goodness of winter squash, and pumpkin. Food sites like The Kitchn are showing us how to make the most of the harvest while it's in season. Here's a recent post they did on "Two Ways to Freeze Winter Squash."
What will you be taking home to store for winter use? How will you store it? How will you prepare it? Are you making jams and jellies? Apple butter? Hard cider? Tell us about your favorite stockpiles!
PRIME What do you know about Amazon Prime? We use it and love it. You pay once a year for free 2-day shipping delivery charges. Amazon throws in access to instant streaming movies and TV shows and they let you borrow a free ebook each month. They will even give you a one month free trial. 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.
Carrying home farmers' market shopping bags can be a workout this time of year because Ed and I are toting a few extra items to fill our pantry for the winter months.
Local Honey
Honey is the number one item on our list. We buy the majority of the honey we eat from Foppema's Farm. We love the flavor and appreciate the fact that it's a local product, simply collected with all the phytonutrients and traces of local pollens.
Honey stores perfectly well in a cool dark spot and will last for years, so we never worry about buying too much. Our only concern is making sure we have enough to get through the months when we can't get our favorite.
Young, Fresh Ginger
Local, young ginger from Old Friends Farm is another fall favorite around here. Penny recently read this page on the Old Friends website about freezing this lively, full-flavored alternative to the dried-up ginger you often find in mainstream stores.
She tried it and is thrilled to know she can have a supply of great ginger until next September rolls around and it appears again at the corner of the Atlas Farm stand devoted to products from their neighbors at Old Friends Farm.
Maple syrup is available all winter but if you like to buy it at the market, you can stock up. This jug came from Boston Organics and we keep it in the freezer. Pure maple syrup has no additives or preservatives. It has a higher water content than honey, so it can and will grow mold if you don't use it quickly.
In the freezer, it never becomes solid so you can still pour out what you need and return the jug to it's chilly storage spot.
Pumpkins and Winter Squash
More cooks are discovering the golden goodness of winter squash, and pumpkin. Food sites like The Kitchn are showing us how to make the most of the harvest while it's in season. Here's a recent post they did on "Two Ways to Freeze Winter Squash."
What will you be taking home to store for winter use? How will you store it? How will you prepare it? Are you making jams and jellies? Apple butter? Hard cider? Tell us about your favorite stockpiles!
PRIME What do you know about Amazon Prime? We use it and love it. You pay once a year for free 2-day shipping delivery charges. Amazon throws in access to instant streaming movies and TV shows and they let you borrow a free ebook each month. They will even give you a one month free trial. 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.
Carrying home farmers' market shopping bags can be a workout this time of year because Ed and I are toting a few extra items to fill our pantry for the winter months.
Local Honey
Honey is the number one item on our list. We buy the majority of the honey we eat from Foppema's Farm. We love the flavor and appreciate the fact that it's a local product, simply collected with all the phytonutrients and traces of local pollens.
Honey stores perfectly well in a cool dark spot and will last for years, so we never worry about buying too much. Our only concern is making sure we have enough to get through the months when we can't get our favorite.
Young, Fresh Ginger
Local, young ginger from Old Friends Farm is another fall favorite around here. Penny recently read this page on the Old Friends website about freezing this lively, full-flavored alternative to the dried-up ginger you often find in mainstream stores.
She tried it and is thrilled to know she can have a supply of great ginger until next September rolls around and it appears again at the corner of the Atlas Farm stand devoted to products from their neighbors at Old Friends Farm.
Maple syrup is available all winter but if you like to buy it at the market, you can stock up. This jug came from Boston Organics and we keep it in the freezer. Pure maple syrup has no additives or preservatives. It has a higher water content than honey, so it can and will grow mold if you don't use it quickly.
In the freezer, it never becomes solid so you can still pour out what you need and return the jug to it's chilly storage spot.
Pumpkins and Winter Squash
More cooks are discovering the golden goodness of winter squash, and pumpkin. Food sites like The Kitchn are showing us how to make the most of the harvest while it's in season. Here's a recent post they did on "Two Ways to Freeze Winter Squash."
What will you be taking home to store for winter use? How will you store it? How will you prepare it? Are you making jams and jellies? Apple butter? Hard cider? Tell us about your favorite stockpiles!
PRIME What do you know about Amazon Prime? We use it and love it. You pay once a year for free 2-day shipping delivery charges. Amazon throws in access to instant streaming movies and TV shows and they let you borrow a free ebook each month. They will even give you a one month free trial. 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.
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