OSCAR ATE MY MUFFIN

And Just Like That...

The first warm days of spring never fail to inspire a craving for ice cream cones (Oscar and I are pretty big fans). Coincidentally, those teasingly mild temperatures also tend to coincide with a rather important event on the spring calendar - an event that fully supports the procurement of aforementioned ice cream, going so far even to demand sprinkles... that's right, it's BIRTHDAY-time, friends, and this year, for one big red dog, it was something special...

This year, on the cloudy 27th of March, 2015, Oscar-dog turned one year older. And this year, the Beast turned TEN. 120 months have passed, roughly 3,650 rotations on the earthly axis, and countless hours of beloved company have been enjoyed since this stubborn, steady, remarkably clever (and shockingly handsome) canine rocked into the world. And you know what? He just. keeps. getting. better...


He may nap a bit more loudly, and romp a little less; he may require more frequent fine-tuning, and his drool is still a mess... But his patience has only grown longer, his old-dog-wisdom is real, and when it comes to loyalty and focus - let's just say... there's a reason why my dad recently remarked, "You know Oscar is really like a weathervane - whenever I need to know where you are, I just look at which direction he's pointing!". If that's not devotion, folks, I don't know what is.

10 years young, this incredible Beast is wearing his age like the fine gentleman he's always been, and I count myself blessed beyond compare to have him always by my side.

Happy Birthday, my sweet boy - here's to many more.

Wicked Wonderful Autumn (Part 3)

We all have that one friend... you know - that easy-going, good looking guy or gal who charms everyone they meet, is always excited to see you, and spends their summers in well-traveled fashion somewhere in the French Alps. For Oscar, that friend is Meeko (and yeah, he really does spend his summers in the Alps!).

Not only is Meeko a pretty terrific dude, he also has the distinction of being one of a select few dogs with whom Oscar has successfully vacationed. Oscar is a reasonable beast, of course, but he has his ways, and it isn't often that he meets another canine whose personal style seems to naturally diffuse all potential for territoriality, while simultaneously inspiring a laughable amount of play bows... for these qualities, Meeko is the MAN in our book. The two of them together made famous roomies for one outstanding fall weekend this year, and when the cool New England air got under their skin, and the woodland scents of the season piqued their drive, the romping and wrestling round the house began... and it. was. joyful.

For this third post in our week-long autumn highlight reel, we celebrate all those besties who make an already great day 100 times more fun: Here's to you, Meeko-boy, we can't wait to share the mountain trails and woodstove vibes with you on our next retreat.

Introduction to: Wicked Wonderful Autumn...

Oscar has had his sniffer to the horizon lately, detecting the imminent return of a ghoulish old friend. Tough as it may be to stomach after such a prize-winning summer, winter... yes... WINTER... is on it's way. Again. Right on schedule, really. But even if you cringe at the thought of ice-crusted sidewalks and sundown at 4pm (because who knows what's hiding in all that frigid dark!), you gotta admit that this moment we're in right now - this glorious, fire-hued, pie-spiced, nip-in-the-air spectacle that is AUTUMN - this is one helluva great, bountiful, bewitching season; and this year, the Beast and I have been living it large...

Roadtrips, forest adventures, seasonal treats, and playdates with the best of the besties - we've definitely been reveling in the bennies of Fall... and we've made a curious discovery: many of our favorite items and activities start with the letter "W" - go figure!

With that in mind, to share the last month of our autumn-awesome with you, dear readers, Oscar and I have put together a series of illustrated posts, each lovingly:


The first Wicked Wonderful post goes up on Monday, and we'll have a new feature to share each day through Friday - so, keep those leaf-peeping eyes peeled, friends!

*Can't wait for Monday? You could always while away an hour or two this weekend baking up a batch of our favorite seasonally appropriate pumpkin pup-treats! (simple, tasty, AND you get to break out the cookie cutters!)

**Oh yeah - and Happy Howloween, y'all - BOO!

Splendor in the Solstice

If there's one thing Oscar dog knows how to do, it's stretch himself out long and flat on a plush patch of grass and RELAX. Today, June 21, 2014 marks the summer solstice, and we're celebrating this magnificent longest day of the year by luxuriating in all the glory that is sunshine, birdsong, and barefeet... 

Dear Summer: PLEASE STAY.

Giving Thanks (for Oscar Dog)

Pretty much everyone who has ever met Oscar has promptly joined his fanclub. Even the people whose picnics he has ruined (yes, that's 'picnics', plural); even the ones he has grumbled at startled the socks off of on first meeting; probably most especially those that work for weeks and months, slipping treats and cooing compliments, to finally win a nuzzle or friendly tail wag... see, the only way to enter this guy's circle is to earn it. But oh, how you'll want to earn it. Behind the intimidating 95lbs of dog, there's a softness to his eyes - a pensive, soulful depth. This Beast has PRESENCE - and it's magnetic. I will take credit for keeping him healthy, happy, obscenely well-fed, and in good company nearly 24hrs a day, but let me make something clear: when you see us strolling the sidewalks, I'm with him. (*This statement has nothing to do with leash-training and everything to do with attitude.)

I had little idea that such a complex character would devlop from the Buddha-bellied little puppy I brought home nearly nine years ago, though one thing is certainly clear: I wouldn't be anywhere near the joyful thrill-ride I'm on now if it weren't for this sweet Beast... and for that, every day, I am grateful.

Here's wishing you, dear readers, a day of peace, indulgence and wholehearted celebration, in thanks for all of your beloveds and sweet Beasts...


Oscar is, as you see, rather easy on the eyes, but few have captured him through a camera lens as beautifully as the talented Kimberly Wang (brilliant photographer, storyteller and fellow dog-blogger) - her careful eye is behind all the photos in this post - she's even photographed me (below) photograhing the Beast... *Did I mention I also count blessings for my tremendously creative crew of friends?

Belated Big Dog Birthday Burgers

Let's see now... where did we leave off back in March, before that eggregious pause in dog-blogging activity... THAT'S right - we were just celebrating Oscar Dog's BIRTHDAY! Indeed, I put up a post on March 27th, to mark the occassion, but we hadn't yet had time to throw the party (and anyone following the life and times of Oscar knows that dog birthdays in this house mean baked-meat treats - and sometimes paper hats). Well, weeks later - I did get my canine culinary act together (I sadly neglected to incorporate a new hat... though Oscar appeared A-OK with that oversight) - and the feast for the Beast this year? A twist on a great classic: "Big Dog Birthday Burgers!"

*Oscar doesn't mess around: the burger buns in this dish are primarily for effect, and while they're laced with liver and plenty appealing to dog taste buds, you can see this canine foodie goes straight for the meat first... smart lad.

Meatloaf has long been a staple of mine when I want to cook something special for Oscar - it's incredibly simple to make, and packed full of healthy ingredients. I used our old standby recipe to create the "burger" here - I just shaped the meat mixture into individual rounds, instead of the large bricks typical of meatloaf. I posted an elaborate illustrated recipe for our meatloaf last year, so I'm going to simply link to that post for anyone interested (if you're shaping burgers instead of loaves, you'll want to bake them for about half the listed time).

The BUNS you see above however... those are a new concoction... A very basic (but dense!) baked good, they incorporate fresh liver - blended until mush in consistency. Yes indeed, liver smoothies are straight up gag-inducing, but trust me, your dog will adore you for adding this ingredient. So take a deep breath, open the kitchen window and follow the instructions below...


RECIPE: LIVER CRACKER BURGER BUNS

1. In a bowl, combine flour, wheat germ and parsley - set aside.

2. Briefly blend the liver in a food processor until smooth. I used chicken livers in this case, but any liver will likely do the trick, with varied amounts of blenderizing.

3. Add liver mush to dry ingredients, then mix in oil and water until a sticky, firm dough forms. I mixed the dough with my hands, dusting my fingers with a little flour when it came time to shape the buns.

4. On a greased cookie sheet, shape bun rounds - about 3" in diameter and 1/2" thick (make the bun top about 1" thick and mold it into the domed silhouette of a classic burger bun).

5. Brush bun tops with egg white and sprinkle sesame seeds over them.

6. Bake at 400˚ for 15-20 minutes. Buns should be slightly soft in the center when pressed. Cool before assembling with burgers and serving.

NOTE: This recipe makes enough dough for about 4 "normal sized" cracker rounds: 2 top/bottom bun pairings. These treats MUST be stored in the refrigerator if not consumed immediately, and they should be eaten within 2 days of baking.

Eight Years Ago Today...

... this gorgeous Beast said hello to the world. Three months later "Ricky" (yeesh, right?!) rocked into my life... and within a week of becoming "Oscar" he had launched his modeling career by doning an XL baby tee and posing in front of the lens in the Zutano photo studio (where I spent many wonderful years as a designer). The boy had swagger from day one, and an undeniable talent for pulling off ridiculous costumes with debonair seriousness.

Today also proudly marks the one-year anniversary of this blog...! A pretty satisfying feat in numerous ways, and a project that continues to unfold in increasingly thrilling directions. I might bring the brains and talent, but there's no question that Oscar Dog is the heart (and giant, cast-iron stomach) of this operation. Today, I celebrate 8 phenomenal years of beautiful canine inspiration, along with 365 days (and 60 posts) of dog-blogging escapades.

We're planning our annual celebration for this weekend (follow-up birthday post to come), but for now, on this bright March day: Happy Birthday, my sweet, sweet, couldn't-be-more-wonderful boy - here's to many more years of influence and adventures...

Heart-shaped Heart

This blog spends a fair lot of time discussing edibles of the pastry, cookie and sweet variety - swell subjects, near and dear to Oscar's taste buds, but not terribly natural (or healthy) for dogs... To date, I have made little mention of Oscar's proper, day-to-day diet, but I assure you - typical breakfast and dinner meals for the Beast contain ZERO in the way of grains and processed sugars. The ingredient in the photo above - a perfectly styled bloody valentine - is a much more faithful representative of what actually goes into the pupper's bowl.

We'll be tackling the epic topic of raw feeding eventually - for now, the Beast and I send our love to you all on this nationally celebrated day of construction paper cards and candy hearts - snuggle the one you're with!

xo, Natalya & Oscar

Move Over, 2012...

After an indulgent (and much needed) long holiday break, reveling in knee-deep fresh snow (WE HEART YOU, VT!!) and snacking on way too many cookies, Oscar and I are back in the hood - and a bright, shiny New Year is upon us! We hope you enjoyed a similarly cozy-fied, ribbon-curled season with friends and family, and that you're as excited as we are about 2013's potential. You see, 2012 ended on some stellar high notes, and we're feeling full of momentum to keep that ball rolling. One last-minute project we're positively chuffed about can be seen here on top of the Beast's big brick of a head...


Yes, yes, it's a paper hat... but it's also made out of our very own custom illustrated and hand-printed wrapping paper! A mere three days from concept to completion, this project had been on my wish list for ages... waiting for a window of time, and just the right inspiration... but of course, the critter that finally got me hustling happens to be... a puppy. 

I've never met little Bucky, but the socialsphere makes the interwebs an increasingly tiny, exceedingly well-connected place these days, and we made it work using nothing but Instagram, Photoshop, and a bottle of ink. Full results can be found proudly on NOTCOT (where Oscar's "Mini Me" cookies made their own splash soon after), but in short, here's how we made merry with the gift-wrapping this year!:


And because it's dreadfully easy, and more than a little fun, posted below are illustrated instructions to make your own paper party hat! Newspaper makes a great, cheap material for this, but any large sheet between 12 x 18" and 18 x 24"-ish will do the trick (you may want to play around with the ratio of page height to length in order to get your hat just right).

And with that, the Beast and I wish you a tremendous, adventure-packed, project-filled, monster of a joyful 2013! Huzah!

Gingerbread... with a Twist

Sooo, even with a holiday to-do list already busting at the seams, inspiration struck last week when I stumbled on this kinda amazing, albeit ambiguously simple, novelty gingerbread cookie-cutting set. I've made my share of spice-cookie architecture and smiling ginger-boys and girls, but this was something new, something special - and I loved it... but I could so totally do something better...

So I did.

Starting with a silhouette of Oscar's handsome pop, Ruger, and utilizing some very gracious design/engineer friend-consult, I fashioned, step-by-step, my very own custom Ridgeback cookie cutters...


Now, molding tin dog silhouettes to a perfectionist's specs isn't exactly a walk in the park, but lest you think it's all smooth sailing once you've got a bonafide "dough-stamp" - working with raw gingerbread (I'll posit any cookie dough) is, let's just say, rather tricky. *Consider that your molds - dependent on THREE cookies to amicably interlock - have a lean margin for variance in cookie thicknesses; consider that gingerbread rises ever so slightly (and completely uncontrollably) while baking; consider that your icing, depending on how you make it and how thickly you spread it, adds it's own hair to two-hair's thickness; then consider that gingerbread, as a sculptural material, could honestly care less about what you're up to... Add that all up and you've got a recipe for trial and error. Lucky for me, I'm one patient amateur baker...


Many delicious prototypes and test runs later, I had a small pack of "perfect" gingerbread dogs, which I guarded FIERCELY until all photography and special gifting was complete. And now - project documentation buttoned up and posted - I just have a half dozen or so extra reasons to go out for a run or find a treadmill every day for the next month...

*For those curious, the gingerbread recipe I followed was from trusty MarthaStewart.com, as was that for the Royal Icing. And if you're wondering about the icing color, which is actually a bit brighter in person, behold - Neon Food Coloring (yeah, they make that now!).