The World According to Bella

A First
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My very, very first birthday invite to a doggie friend's first birthday!! 

After my morning doggie run at the park Mrs. S was quite surprised to see me come back clutching in my mouth a piece of paper. I was wagging my tail furiously to show her how happy I was to get this. It is a first for me. A real invite to a birthday party. Just in case you are having trouble reading it ...Zero (my doggie friend, a Black Lab puppy) left instructions on the invite to meet  April 15th near the second picnic table at the doggie park  for one of my favorite foods.... cake. And one just for dogs.
Lucky me, I have just the perfect gift. Every owner seems to be buying their dog one. They are flying all over the place. And you get lots of exercise chasing it. Zero will love since he likes to catch sticks that have been thrown.  So I am getting him a 

Chuckit Ball Launcher. I really hope he likes it. They are so fun. 
Mrs. S seems to be really into this poetry stuff lately. Really most I don't even get. So I begged for a chance to share. I have the perfect one you will like. 

  From Falling In Love Is Like Owning A Dog

An Epithalamion

By Taylor Mali

First of all, it’s a big responsibility,

Especially in a city like New York.

So think long and hard before deciding on love.

On the other hand, love gives you a sense of security:

when walking down the street late at night

and you have a leash on love

ain’t no one going to mess with you

Love doesn’t like being left alone for long.

But come home and love is always happy to see you.

It may break a few things accidentally in its passion for life,

but you can never be mad at love long.

Is love good all the time? No! No!

Love can be bad. Bad, love, bad! Very bad love.

Sometimes love just wants to go for a nice long walk.

It runs you around the block and leaves you panting.

It pulls you in several directions at once,

Or winds around and around you

until you’re all wound up and can’t move.

But love makes you meet people wherever you go.

People who have nothing in common but love

stop and talk to each other on the street.

Throw things away and love will bring them back,

Again, and again, and again.

But most of all, love needs love, lots of it.

And in return, love loves you and never  stops. 

Love, Bella

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The following are two side ideas for a spring dinner or brunch

Cheesy Hash Brown Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 1 bag frozen shredded hash browns potatoes (30 oz.) or can use frozen chunk potatoes
• 1 pint light sour cream
• 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup (fat free/low fat)
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese or Swiss cheese or Colby Jack and Swiss combination
• 1 onion chopped
• ½ tsp. prepared garlic (comes in a jar)
• 1-1/2 cups 2 % milk
• 2 TB. parsley flakes
• 1 tsp. dried Rosemary

Directions:

• Grease a 13 x 9 pan and preheat oven @ 350
• Mix potatoes, cheeses, onion, garlic and spices
• Mix milk, soup, sour cream and combine with potato ingredients and place in pan
• Mix 1-1/2 cups crushed cornflakes with 2 TB. butter and sprinkle on top of potato mixture
• Bake covered 35 minutes, uncover and bake 10 minutes longer

Garden Fresh Primavera

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. uncooked linguine
• 1-cup (1/4 inch pieces) green beans
• 1 cup white mushrooms-cleaned and patted dry-sliced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half and drained on a paper towel
• ½ - 1-cup carrots diced
• ½ cup green pepper diced
• ½ cup red onion cut in strips
• 1 small bottle of Zesty Italian dressing mix or try Ken’s Steak House Lite Northern Basil and Romano (its really good)
• To boiling water add linguine and green bean pieces simmer on medium heat covered about 5 minutes

• Drain and rinse with cold water
• Toss linguine and beans with rest of vegetables
• Toss with enough dressing to moisten will not use whole bottle
• Refrigerate several hours to blend flavors
• Add fresh cracked pepper before serving and some dressing if needed and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese
• optional croutons