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Monday, December 19, 2011

Garden Blogging Can Be Dangerous!



A couple of mornings ago, I threw a couple of slices in the toaster and decided to returned to my computer screen while it toasted. I don't recall wether I was reading a blog post about a garden in a far off place or admiring someone's Christmas decorations, but I do remember wondering why I hadn't heard the bell on the toaster oven letting me know my toast was done. 

When I finally finished leaving my comment and got up to investigate, there was thick, grey smoke billowing up from the toaster!

Now, what is the one thing that they tell you never to do with a fire? Give it a fresh supply of oxygen. 

So what did I do?

I opened the toaster. The blackened toast burst into flames!


I stood there for what seemed like hours, but was probably mere seconds, amazed that a couple of pieces of toast could produce such an impressive bonfire.

Though alarmed, I did have the wherewithal to I call my son, who was getting dressed for work, to come down and help me. Then I fished out a pair of tongs from one of the kitchen drawers. I had one flaming piece of bread in the sink, when my son pushed his way in, grabbed the kitchen sink sprayer and extinguished the both pieces of toast.


By this point, the whole lower floor of the house was filled with smoke. We opened all the doors to clear it out, but the burnt smell lingered for days.

Two things failed me that morning. First, the kitchen fire alarm, which had a dead battery and second, the Black and Decker toaster oven that is, in my estimation, poorly designed. It is way too easy to turn the dial to "on" instead of "toast."


It wasn't a serious fire, but rather a good warning. I thought I would write about this little brush with disaster, because this is the time of year when there things like candles and tree lights around. 

So do yourself a favour and go check those smoke detectors! We all want you to have a safe holiday season.


On a lighter note, the mild weather has meant that I have been able to leave a few things out in the garden. I planted my vegetables rather late is the season. I was worried that my carrots might never amount to much, but here they are!

They short and stubby, the kind of carrots that only the gardener who grew them could love, but I am thrilled when them. I cooked a few last night and they tasted pretty darn good, if I do say so myself!


This will be my final post of the year. I want to take a break to have more time for family. I also want to organize and backup my image files, so while I will return visits, I won't be posting until after the holidays. 


Fingers crossed, we will have a white Christmas!


From my three dogs in a garden


and their newest little friend


we wish you the happiest of holidays and all the best for the coming new year!

33 comments:

  1. A cautionary tale, and I am off to test all smoke detectors.
    I love the photographs of your dogs, they are all looking very smart.
    Have a wonderful Christmas, and Happy New Year. I look forward to reading your posts next year.
    I hope you get the snow, we have been promised a green Christmas this year!

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  2. Just shows how good can turn to bad real fast. LOL! I have to check those batteries.
    I love the pictures of the lights on the tree in the snow. How magical. The puppies look so cute.
    Wishing you and yours (and puppies too) a very Blessed Christmas and New Year to come.

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  3. I was expecting to read that after switching on the toaster you spied a weed through the kitchen window, and as every gardener does, got sidetracked for the next hour outside! Guess your scenario was a bit better than that.

    LOVE the header photo - I haven't noticed that before.

    A Happy Christmas to you and your family - two footed and four pawed.

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  4. All's well that ends well.
    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Jennifer !!!
    Wishing you all the best. Hugs !

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  5. Oh, I hate the smell of burnt things in the house! (not that I would know!!
    That new little puppy is so durn cute, I don't know how you get anything done!
    Relax, enjoy, see ya in the New Year!
    (ask Santa for a new toaster!)

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  6. Glad things turned out okay. I have learned the hard way not to go anywhere near the computer while cooking.

    Those dogs are such sweetiess. They sure know they look good.

    Pretty decorations!

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  7. Merry Christmas to you too. Enjoy your well deserved break.

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  8. I can't stand the slightest bit of char on my toast, and I am not fond of house fires either. Glad all is well and hope that it stays that way. Merry Christmas to you as well.

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  9. So glad you didn't have any permanent damage. I agree that blogging can be very dangerous! I've learned to set the timer so I don't lose track of the time. Of course, I didn't have such a dramatic lesson as you! (Just a slightly neglected husband! haha) Have a very Merry Christmas with your family, and enjoy the break.

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  10. Merry Christmas to you!! Mator is so cute he almost looks like a toy!

    My oven once caught fire and my son and I stood in front of it quite passively, commenting, "Hey, the stove's on fire." Standing passively in front of a fire is not my usual mode, but I think I was so shocked, I just stood there a minute. But my son got to use the fire extinguisher, which impressed him. When my husband came home I was using the wand from the vacuum to clean the mess out of the stove. It isn't very often you get to say you vacuumed the stove! LOL! :o) See ya in January!

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  11. My gosh your toast experience is an eye opener. How easily we get distracted and what consequences can result. Glad to hear all was well after. No dogs came to alert you? My brood would have barked up a storm. I wish you a very Merry Christmas and hope you enjoy your holidays. Lovely images of your pooches. Your newest one is a real sweet looking pup.

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  12. Those are very nice carrots. Must have been very sweet. Very cute decoration pictures.

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  13. This same thing just happened to me the other day only it was a pan of cookies I "forgot" about in the oven while I was blogging...

    As usual, gorgeous photos. So will you have to change your title to four dogs in a garden? All your dogs are adorable. I'm posting photos of mine tomorrow. Still trying to get the cat to cooperate! Happy holidays to you and yours.

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  14. Wow what a story.
    I wish you lovely christmas and a fantastic 2012.
    gr. Marijke

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  15. It is amazing how much time can pass by when just stopping to visit a few blog posts! So glad no serious injuries as a result of your mishap. Wishing you a warm, cozy and hopefully white Christmas! Hugs from Austin!

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  16. I agree, reading garden blogs can carry us faaaar away from our toasters! I'm glad you are fine! Love your pictures with such beautiful snow and gorgeous dogs! We won't have a white Christmas.... Yours will be magical. Enjoy and stay warm!

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  17. Thank goodness it was just a minor fire:) When I was three years old our house was burned in christmas by real candles in christmas tree so I'm kind of hysterical with real candles now, I never leave them on my sight.
    I wish you a lovely holidays:)
    Henrietta from Finland

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  18. Hi Jennifer,

    I wish you and your family all good for Christmas and every happiness in the coming year.

    Lots of greetings, Elly

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  19. Tak for din påmindelse.
    Heldigt at alt endte godt.
    Hvor jeg nyder dine smukke hundebilleder.
    Tak for kigget.
    God jul.

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  20. Oh no! I am glad you were able to get it under control quickly! I love your carrots. I think they are cute! :) Beautiful photos. Your pups are all so cute! Merry Christmas!

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  21. just lovely seeing your 3 dogs!!
    Wishing you a very happy christmas together with the ones you love...and ooops! what a fire you had!!
    hugs

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  22. Fires are scary. Glad it was just toast! We have smoke detectors that warn us when the batteries are low, and they are linked by radio waves so that if one goes off they both go off (Upstairs and downstairs).

    Your carrots look great. At least the rabbits didn't get those!

    Your three and a half boys look very chic in their scarves.

    Merry Christmas to you and your family!

    Merry christmas to you and your family!

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  23. We checked our this month! Thanks for the reminder! I hope you have a very Merry Christmas.

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  24. Oh, what a good reminder! Fires are very frightening, and the smoke takes so long to clear.

    Merry Christmas to you and your family!

    (Your dogs are adorable!)

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  25. awwwwwwwwwww! Have a wonderful Christmas xox

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  26. Very good reminder Jennifer. A number of years ago we had lit holiday candles and had some wine completing forgetting about said candles. Luckily they were caught in time but wax had spilled all over and we had come perilously close to setting fire to a table. Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and thinking those carrots will go very nicely with Christmas dinner!

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  27. Good advice; there always seems to be some tragic fires during the Christmas season. Glad yours was so easily extinguished.

    Hope you and all your family, both human and canine, had a very Merry Christmas, Jennifer!

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  28. I remember my neighbor's son burnt down their kitchen toasting poptarts. She did get a newly remodeled kitchen but still ... Hello little friend! You are the cutest! Hope you have a white, wonderful holiday.

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  29. Glad you are ok! What beautiful winter scenes, including the vignette in your home with the white cottage and polar bears. Your dogs are beautiful too, Jennifer.
    Happy New Year!

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  30. A cautionary tale indeed - best wishes for 2012 looking forward to reading less dangerous posts in the new year.

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  31. Photos of your dogs always make me smile!!
    I wish you a happy New Year and a stuning garden in 2012!

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  32. Happy New Year Jennifer! Glad you got the fire under control..wow! Love your pups and the pictures of your snow covered trees! Your blog is always such a delight to visit! Nicole

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  33. oooh, I love your new little friend. Precious and a lucky dog to find a home with you.
    I hope you had a white Christmas?? and good warning about the smoke detectors! yikes.
    Happy New Year Jennifer. I always enjoy the posts I read here.

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