Stretching Dog Food

Recently, I noticed a commotion in a patch of woods near the house.   At the same time, the dogs did too.  After shooing a bird and the dogs away, I got a better look at this moth.  I'd never seen one behave this way, as it jumped up and flapped it's wings each time it sensed danger.  I know that they have "eyes" on their wings to mimic fiercer creatures, but never saw how this defense mechanism actually worked.  Pretty interesting, though I haven't had the time to identify it yet.

The garden is keeping me busy, both in harvesting and preserving.  This morning, I harvested cucumbers, tomatoes, crowder peas, okra, a handful of blueberries & raspberries, summer squash- tromboncino & yellow crookneck, and lima beans.  The limas are some that Joseph's great-great-grandfather grew.  His Mom gave him some of the seed last year, but it was several years old.  We grew it just for seed last year, to make sure it was viable, and that we had plenty.  It makes some nice "juice" when it's cooked.  I like to saute a bit of onion in olive oil to add to it, then put all over brown basmati rice.  Cut up some tomatoes, maybe add some cucumbers in some shape or form, and that tastes like a summer meal to me. 

With getting the fab shop off the ground, it's been a challenge at times to afford the high quality dogfood we prefer for two growing pups.  It then takes creativity to stretch the bought food.  Most times, I add cooked eggs, yogurt or kefir.  I often add grated raw foods-- cucumbers, squash, carrots, beets or last years apples, which are getting soft but are still tasty.  Our vet recommends a good amount of raw foods, so I up the amounts at these times.  Time constraints keep me from giving it more often.  They love bread, which is organic whole grain.  Sometimes they get a bit of our leftovers.  As it's healthy, organic fare, I don't worry.  I cooked up some of the tiny potatoes we grew this morning, and will see how they like these tonight.  Do you give your dog "people food"?  I'd love to hear what works for you.