One of my favorite Looney Tunes cartoons is the one where Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck argue about whether it’s duck season or rabbit season. Elmer Fudd stands nearby with his shotgun, ready to fire on whichever rascally varmint loses the argument.

In a classic Bugs Bunny switcheroo, Bugs starts insisting that it’s rabbit season, which only makes Daffy insist that it’s duck season. He’s so determined to be right he grabs the barrel of Elmer’s shotgun, points it at himself and yells “Fire!” The gun fires straight at Daffy, blowing his duck bill backward on his head.

At our house right now, it’s duck season. Nobody is hunting ducks, but one member of the household is on a strict duck-only diet. Percy, the Persistent Stray Cat, who claimed us as her family two years ago, started scratching a few months ago. She scratched and scratched and scratched until she was driving herself and me nuts. I treated her for fleas but nothing worked.

The vet thought seasonal allergies were to blame, which made sense since I, too, was sneezing plenty during ragweed season. The vet gave Percy a steroid shot, but the scratching continued and Percy’s skin was getting raw and crusty.

So I took her back to the vet two weeks ago, and this time the vet said we’d do a “food trial” to see if Percy is allergic to her cat food. She prescribed a fancy, prescription-only cat food made primarily of duck. Armed with an expensive bag of dry pelletized duck, I took Percy home and began the test.

Percy took one look and sniff of the new food, turned her head toward me and shot me an angry look that undoubtedly said “Are you kidding me? Where in the heck is my Meow Mix, woman?” And thus began Percy’s three-day hunger strike. She wanted her old food back, and she didn’t particularly care whether or not it made her skin itch like she’d rolled in Poison Oak.

I sympathized because who among us hasn’t craved something that’s no good for us? There are moments when all I want is a big bag of barbecue potato chips, even though I know it’ll do ugly things to my thighs.

On Day 3 of the food trial, I put some Starkist tuna on top of Percy’s no-frills duck food, hoping it would tempt her to eat. It worked. Percy loved the tuna, even agreeing to eat a few dry duck pellets underneath. After several days of the new tuna plus duck diet, she stopped scratching!

With the mission accomplished, I plan to now phase out the tuna and use only the vet-approved duck food. This morning I went downstairs to feed Percy, pointed toward her bowl of duck food and told her to eat. But she was waiting for tuna, which didn’t come. I went back upstairs and Percy followed close on my heels, loudly meowing her objections. When I climbed the last step, she wrapped her furry arms around my ankle and bit my leg!

“Percy! You bit me!” I yelled as I spun around to face her.

“Tuna season!” she seemed to silently yell back at me.

So here we are, just like Bugs and Daffy, at our own stand-off. I’ve inadvertently turned my housecat into a mildly violent tuna junkie looking for her next fix. I’ll have to go back to the vet and ask if there’s some sort of feline 12-step program for tuna addicts. On the bright side, the incessant scratching has stopped. But the cravings have just begun.

Gwen Rockwood is a mom to three great kids, wife to one cool guy, a newspaper columnist and co-owner of nwaMotherlode.com. To read previously published installments of The Rockwood Files, click here.

Dear Fashion Fairy Godmother,

Here’s my problem. I can find individual pieces — shoes, tops, jeans, etc. — that I fall in love with. But then I get them home and have NO CLUE how to pull it all together into an outfit that really works. So… what could I wear with these new black Mary Janes I found yesterday?

I love the classic look and the shiny black leather, and the lower heel makes them comfortable enough to wear at an all-day conference I’m going to next month. But what should I do next? What are my best options to make these look awesome?

Dear Fashion Forward Mama,

I LOVE a good Mary Jane, especially a comfortable pair! As for what to wear with them, I’ll give a few options. If you’re going to a conference, you’re going to want to look professional, yet pulled together.

I think that this Evan Picone colorblock dress would look fantastic with the Alex Marie Mary Janes! It’s very easy yet the colorblock leaves it feeling fresh and current. You could also swap out your Mary Jane’s with some higher heels and add some great earrings and bangles, and have a perfect dress for a night on the town!

For a slightly more preppy look I love this Jessica Howard Houndstooth dress.  It’s also very versatile and I love it with a bright pashmina or cardigan like this Investments sweater found at Dillards.  Ultra feminine, yet still practical and put together (what more could you ask for!?).

Never be afraid to play with colorful accessories, it’s an easy and inexpensive way to get more use out of your wardrobe.

Now you’re ready to be the best dressed (and most comfortable) gal at the party!

xx,

Erin

Bonus fashion tip from Erin: We told Erin we’re always at a loss as to what we should wear on our legs with dresses. We asked her whether we should wear tights with the above dresses or go bare with legs.

She said: Ohmygoodness! Yes! You can totally wear tights. They are my fave. I would say black with both. When it comes to tights I think that patent or suede shoes seem to blend the most seamlessly. I also think it’s important to match your shoe color to your tights (ie black on black, brown on brown). Save those cute colorful shoes for spring and summer when you can show off those gorgeous sun-kissed (sunless tanned, in my case) legs! Both of the dresses can also be worn bare-legged as well!

**If you need help from a Fashion Fairy Godmother, send us your question to mamas{at}nwaMotherlode{.com} and we’ll ask a professional for advice on your behalf!

This month’s Fashion Fairy Godmother is Erin Baskin of Ashes of Laughter. Erin is a 20-something who loves fashion, art, and music. Thanks for your reco’s, Erin! We love them!

We love it when we come across a hot shopping spot we never knew about, even though it was right here under our noses. As you know, just about every hospital has a gift shop. We’ve all seen them. Most of them look pretty much the same — magazines, a baby gift or two, flowers and cards. But the one that’s on the ground floor of Mercy Hospital is the most rockin’ hospital gift shop we have EVER laid eyes on.

We happened to be there for a meeting last week and popped into the shop because something in the window caught our eye. Wowza! This little shop is full of goodies — from Hobo wallets, beautiful Tano purses, jewelry, hats, scarves, adorable onesies, toys, handmade hats and gorgeous baby blankets handmade by the women who volunteer at Mercy. We were so surprised by all the unique things that we whipped out the old iPhone camera and started clicking. Here’s a little photo tour of some of our favorite things.

Oh, and before we forget: THERE IS NO SALES TAX AT THIS SHOP!! Mercy is a non-profit hospital, you know, so you’ll save some money on taxes in their gift shop. Woo-hoo! I scored some great gloves with open fingers for texting, an infinity scarf and a Topsy Turvy doll, which I’m going to give as a Valentine’s gift for my 5-year-old daughter.

These "Topsy Turvy" dolls are SO cute. This is Red Riding Hood on the left and Goldilocks on the right.

When you turn the dolls upside down and flip over the skirt, you'll find the other characters in those classic stories -- the sneaky wolf posing as Grandmother and the Three Bears who hosted Goldilocks.

Isn't this little red hat the sweetest thing? And it's perfect for a baby born in the heart of Hog country.

We laughed when we read the "oh so true" statement on the little white onesie pictured above.

Okay, one last photo. After this one, you’ll just have to go check out the other stuff for yourselves. But we thought this handmade gift was so clever! It’s a special little carrying case that has a slide-out compartment for a pack of crayons. They had them in different color schemes, too.

This would be a cute little Valentine's gift for a kid who loves to color.

So now the secret is out. And if you see the Motherlode minivan parked at the hospital, there’s a good chance that nobody is sick. We’re just shopping! See you there.

To call the Mercy gift shop about any of the items featured here, call 479-338-8000 and ask for the gift shop. It will be expanding soon to make way for more new stuff. Gift shop manager Debbie Matteri told us there’s a TON of cute Easter stuff on the way!

My sister has been a brilliant menu planner for some time now. I’m always jealous of the images she posts on Instagram and Twitter that look healthy and yummy. Guilt starts to creep in and I think “I should make more creative, healthful meals for my family.” The thing is, though – she’s single and childless. Nuff said, right??

But of course, this is the year of Do or Do Not, so I’ve been going through all the magazines I have piled around and tearing out recipes that I think I could trick lovingly encourage my family to try. I have a pretty good stack going, but since I’m a great planner, and not so great at executing those plans, I know I still have work to do.

One of the things I’ve been looking at is an idea called “seasonal eating”. It is just what it sounds like – the process of preparing meals that are based on the foods that are available at any given time of the year. If you want to take it a step further, you could go with foods available at that time of year locally. Wouldn’t this be brilliant if we lived in Maine or Seattle?? Fresh salmon or lobster every week!? Yes, please!

Fresh seafood dreams aside, there are also great opportunities to eat seasonally in Northwest Arkansas. There are farmers’ markets all over our area that offer vegetables, fruits, locally-made honey, pork and other meats, dairy products, eggs, and breads. So, between the months of April and November, a lovely Saturday morning out at one of the markets could stock your pantry for the week.

If you’re not up for a trip to the market each week (or have kids on a sports team…) a more convenient option might be signing up with a local CSA. CSA stands for “community supported agriculture”. CSAs are a growing trend in both urban and more rural (or just less urban) areas like NWA. As the website Ozark Slow Food describes it, a CSA is “a way to get primo produce while ensuring your local farmer customers and capital.” They involve the people who live in a particular community in the growing and distribution of a crop or crops through and annual financial investment.

Individuals pay a fee to be an “investor” in a particular farm (not all farms operate CSAs, and fees differ) and, in return their investment, they receive a portion of the harvest for the coming season or seasons. If the farm has a good year, investors will reap the benefits. However, if it’s a bad year and crops are sparse, they also suffer with the farmer. The fees give the farmers a guaranteed income to get crops planted and help support their operation throughout the season. In this way, there is a benefit to the local growing economy – something I believe is important in our overly-processed society. I’m not a doomsday theorist or anything, but I’m not so sure we can keep going the way we are going, you know?

Some CSAs operate year-round, with winter being more focused on root vegetables or foods that can be grown in a greenhouse. Others operate only during the typical growing seasons of spring, summer and fall. Some farms offer different crop selections based on your preferences, and farms have varying methods of delivery.

Some will deliver directly to you, others deliver to a central location and you have to pick up your box. Still others may require that you pick up at the farm. If you are investigating CSAs, be sure to ask if it’s possible for you and your family to tour the operation or even help the harvest – it would be a great way to help your kids appreciate how we get food on our table.

The website Local Harvest allows you to search your area for local CSAs. I’ll be signing up for one this year and let you know how it goes. If you sign up, be sure to let me know what you think, and whether you think you get what you paid for.

Now, off to pick some recipes for this week.

Look for Laurie’s fitness tips and updates on her personal health-focused journey every other Friday on nwaMotherlode in Mom Blogs. Send questions or input to her at mamas@nwaMotherlode.com. Or click on the comment button below and share your thoughts right now! To see previous installments of Getting Healthy for Good, click HERE.

By Shannon Magsam

Have you ever heard of the 10-year rule?

It’s the theory that it takes at least 10 years to be considered an expert in a given field.

I was reminded of that rule today because it’s the 10-year anniversary of my most important job. So naturally, I was thinking to myself, “Does this mean I’m an expert?”

I know her favorite food is pepperoni pizza generously drizzled with ranch dressing.

She got nursemaid’s elbow at 4 when her dad and I were swinging her by the hands to the car.

At age 2, she warned me that a snake was curled up on a nearby rock in the sun.

When she was born, her wispy blonde hair had a patch of pure white that all the nurses swore was evidence that she’d been kissed by an angel.

Her eyes were dark blue until they turned light green.

She wants to bring home every furry animal she meets.

For the first five years, we were a twosome. She was my tiny, funny sidekick.

When she went to kindergarten, I cried in the parking lot.

She just got her first pimple.

Next year she’s headed to middle school.

Today it was pre-tween angst.

Ten years went by so slowly. And, looking back, they went by so very fast.

So, I wonder if the 10-year rule applies. I think I’ve put in the hours. Always on call, even on nights and weekends. I’ve read a library full of parenting books, made some ridiculous parenting mistakes, said I was sorry, demanded an apology. I put my back – and my heart – into this job in a way that I never would have for cash money.

I can safely say I’ve been an embedded reporter.

So am I an expert in this field called motherhood? I don’t think I’ll take the prize. Just like my pregnant belly did 10 years ago, I’ll just keep stretching and growing. I’ll keep learning and unlearning. Laughing and crying. On the job training, fresh every day.

Shannon Magsam is mom to 10-year-old Ladybug, married to Ladybug’s dad, John, and co-creator of nwaMotherlode.com. To read previously published installments of Life With Ladybug, click here.