Sustainable living

Yes, this is what I call the newest member of our pack.  The sweet and loveable but busy Rudigrrrr Wolf gets called the Bad Little Wolf  because he is always in havoc.  If I did not know better I would swear that he is a fetal alcohol dog.  I am also not sure if dogs can have ADHD, but at about two years of age he acts like a 4 month old pup, who requires little sleep.

Over the weekend my oldest and very, very dear childhood friend was over and the Bad Little Wolf untied his shoe laces at least a dozen times while he sat with us.  Did I mention that too Rudigrrr seems to suffer from Pica?  He eats anything that is on the ground – and this includes rocks.  I am not sure if you have ever heard the sound of teeth chewing rocks (Yes, they must be chewed before they are swallowed!)?  It is not wonderful.  Always hilarious, my Kev suggested that our 4 pound Rudigrrr might be eating rocks so he does not blow away in the wind.  BAHAHAHA!

Anyway, when the Bad Little Wolf was not squeaking and squealing, or untying Kev’s shoes he was jumping up on us and the other dogs and also eating rocks… Poor Kev!  I hope he will come back!

I can’t tell you I was surprised when the dogs came in from from their business and the stinky one turned out to be the Bad Little Wolf.  Turns out that he was eating leeks.  It also turns out that leeks smell just as bad on dog breath as they do on people breath.  I don’t know if these are poison to dogs like the domesticated onion and leek are, but he did not get sick, he just grossed us out with his kisses and nose biting behaviour.  Still I pulled the remaining leeks out of the fenced area, just to be safe.

I have to agree with Rudigrrr; wild leeks are tempting and because they are yummy.  My favourite way to eat them is plain out of the ground with salt and butter on bread.  In soups, pickled and cooked in with other foods works too, just like with green onions, you eat the whole thing.

I have always told people that they should not mistake them for a trout lily because these are poison but I guess the jury is out on this.  I have included a photo of these too.  Leeks are bright green and they are very small compared to the grocery store varieties.  One eats the leaves on them which are soft and flavourful.  The lily leaves are darker and spotted too.  I would not eat them because I was taught not to do so, but the website that I have linked to claims that the roots taste like cucumbers.

TIP: If you are going to try some leeks: brushing your teeth with baking soda will absorb and eliminate the smell.  I do not know if this works for Bad Little Wolves though.