Amazing Gracie

Amazing Gracie ****.* by Dan Dye and Mark Beckloff

I’m joining Jain with my Edible Book Review at Food for Thought, where pages from your book magically mix with the kitchen and your camera~

And Jenny Matlock for Alphabe-Thursday~ this week’s letter assignment is the letter G.

   I ran across this book when I had searched for A Dog’s Purpose on Amazon~ it popped up with ‘other readers also purchased this book’. A dangerous suggestion for me :-)

 Since I have my own Gracie, I immediately read the reviews & got a copy. I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet, heartwarming tail :-) that was a quick read, written by the founders of Three Dog Bakery.

Gracie, a deaf and partially blind albino Great Dane, comes into Dan & Mark’s life shortly after Dan has lost his beloved dog of eighteen years, Blue. There are lots of humorous anecdotes~ parts of which involving training themselves not to call or yell commands for a deaf dog to “come” :-) There are some teary-sweet, as well as teary-sad moments~ one sweet one in particular involving a deaf boy and Gracie bonding, with their own special way of communicating.

*sniff*

While you don’t have to be a dog owner to love this book, it is definitely a dog lover’s treat.

 It only seemed appropriate that Food for Thought involved some doggy treats instead of people ones with this edible review~ straight from Three Dog Bakery Cookbook. Gracie & Chloe give the cookbook a 5 cookie rating :-)

From the Foreward:

“When an energetic eight-week-old albino Great Dane came into our lives one freezing January day, we didn’t realize that our future business advisor and spiritual guide had arrived. She was deaf, and partially blind in one eye. She had a delicate constitution. But her tenacious and generous spirit would soon reshape our ideas, our careers, and our destinies. She would inspire us to believe in ourselves. People know us best for our entrepreneurial success as the founders of Three Dog Bakery; what they don’t know is that we owe it all to a gigantic deaf dog named Gracie. But even though Gracie sowed the seeds of our success, this isn’t a book about ‘making it’. This is the story of a dog who was born with the cards stacked against her, but whose passionate, joyful nature helped her turn what could have been a dog’s life into a victory of the canine spirit—and, in the process, save two guys who thought they were saving her.”

 – Mark Beckloff and Dan Dye

“Blue’s passing hadn’t left us entirely dogless, because there were still Sarah and Dottie, aka ‘the girls,’ Mark’s canine contribution to the household. He likes to think he’s their human companion. Reality check: The girls are Mark’s proud owners. Sarah’s a two-year-old black Lab mix who’s always in a good mood, especially when she’s eating something Mark has to wear the next day. Dottie is an uncontrollable force of nature in the deceptive form of a year-old Dalmatian.”

“The other Danes seemed to sense that something wasn’t quite right with her. Maybe it was her color, her floppy un-cropped ears, the way she didn’t respond to the sounds they heard bubbling around them—but they left her alone. All of them—even her own mother. All she had for company was a dirty, gnawed-up tennis shoe and the threadbare terry-cloth belt from an old bathrobe.”

“Like most Great Dane pups she hadn’t begun growing into her skin yet, and it hung on her tiny frame like an oversized velvety jumpsuit. Her ears hung down like the flaps on an old aviator’s cap, making her whole head look heavy with the burden of sad secrets.”

“The second I began petting her though, she came right up and started licking my face, my hand. . .every part of me she could reach. Just as I was wondering if anyone—human or canine—had shown her any affection at all in her short, lonely life, she did something unique in my experience of dogs. She raised her forehead to mine and very deliberately nuzzled my nose. Then she stepped back, looked into my eyes, came forward, and did it again.”

These cookies smelled so good baking, I could have nibbled on them myself, made with yummy ingredients:  applesauce, egg, natural peanut butter, vanilla, cornmeal, whole-wheat flour, quick oats, chopped peanuts & water.

 Gracie was very aware of where those cookies were at all times :-)

Gracie sporting her one-eyed pirate look. . .it’s Amazing she can see :-)

 Since we’re approaching Halloween, I baked some Howl-O-Ween Tricking Treats. . .

 Made with canned pumpkin, vanilla, water, egg, whole-wheat flour, chopped pecans, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg & oats~

A special treat for a one-eyed pirate :-)

She looks like she’s speaking pirate too :-)

 

Together or separately, this cookbook and book would make a GREAT gift.  Clever recipes like German Shepherd’s Pie, Fleas Navidad Nibblers, Corgi Crumpets, Labrador Lasagna fill this book, along with fun illustrations and photos. Gracie & Chloe subsist on a diet of Iams Kibble~ lack luster in comparison with these recipes. . .

“…be prepared to witness your pooch enter a zombie-like, tail wagging delirium when the aroma of these savory snacks starts wafting out of the kitchen.”

Bone Appetit!

 “Equal parts love story, salvation tale, and rags-to-riches saga. You don’t have to be obsessed with dogs to love this story.” ~The Philadelphia Inquirer

Be sure to visit Food for Thought and see what everyone/dog :-) is reading & eating and Jenny Matlock for Alphabet Fun~

I’m also joining Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday~ stop by for Mosaic Magic