Onward 2021: Plentiful Citrus and Missing Sierra
Two weeks into 2021 and we’re relishing in hot weather reminiscent of an August heat wave. After the chaos of 2020, nothing is a surprise anymore. We’re staying busy and safe, hoping you all are doing well yourselves. Southern California weather has given us healthy fruit trees, thus swimming in fresh citrus. From blood oranges, mandarins and meyer lemons, we’re drinking up a storm with all the fresh vitamin C. The last year has been both challenging and uplifting in different ways. We’re taking it one day at a time and making the most of every moment together.
We’ve been boosting our immunity with drinks, desserts and easy dinners. If you’re craving some more Vitamin C while cooking and drinking at home, here’s our list of citrus recipes to keep you hydrated and fed.
We lost Sierra, our beloved white boxer, right when Covid stay-at-home orders started in March 2020. She couldn’t hold on to life anymore after 14.5 years. We don’t know if we would have ever been ready to let her go, but our never-left-behind puppy knew she couldn’t fight her body anymore. We had to give her a last kiss on the head with tears in our eyes. We talked about it here. It was a tough 4 weeks starting in February 2020 when she stopped eating. We knew it was getting close to the inevitable day and we did our best to keep her comfortable and safe. Every night of her last few days were full of cuddles, love, caresses, massages and reminders of how much we loved her. There’s not a day that goes by when we all, including Lexi, don’t think of her. We’ve been through this heartache when we lost Dante in 2011. They are our children and there’s always a heavy void in our lives when they leave us.
Now we’re onward to 2021 and looking forward to making this year as memorable as possible with Lexi, our dear family and friends. This also means being in the kitchen more with special family recipes and stories. But it helps for you to tell us what you’d like to see as well. What kind of recipes? More pup stories? Garden pictures? We’re listening and want to keep in touch with you all as much as possible.
hugs,
diane and todd
I keep stumbling on your site every once in awhile and I followed the breadcrumbs back to your story about Dante. Oh the tears! So lovely to hear from more people who truly care for and deeply love their animals. This is the kind of love that can save the world.
Oh yes, and let me not forget I appreciate your focus on food as well!
Hi Desiree, thanks for being here with us. xoxo
Hi Diana & Todd, I’m so sorry to hear about Sierra and for your loss- my heart aches for the both of you, and for Lexi too, as I imagine she misses her sister dearly! Dogs are really the best children and companions we can ever ask for. Thank you for ALL of your shares over the years and looking forward to a new year. (Also, as a side note, if faces are helpful, I met you both when I was a student in California many many years ago, and still deeply love and adore your work and you both as humans ;).)
Hi Tina, thanks for your readership over the years and for your kind words. Readers like you keep us going! xoxo
I like your recipes.
I love how much you love your babies, and am so sorry for your loss. Our little guy JJ (shih Tzu) received a sad diagnosis a week before we moved from CA to MT in Sept. We’ve never cried so hard in our lives, but am grateful to say he is still with us and so grateful for every day. Due to a mass on his pancreas, his blood sugar drops and he can have seizures. The fix for now besides meds, is we feed him a small meal every 2-3 hours- even throughout the night. We’re actually thinking he’s perfectly healthy and was in cahoots with the Vet so he could just eat constantly!! Missing my CA citrus trees and sending love to your family?
Hi Shauna, thanks for sharing and hugs to JJ. He’s in such amazing, loving hands and so lucky to have you both! xoxo And CA misses you too. It’s crazy hot over the last few days here and feels like August Summer heat.