Tag Archives: Dogs

Goals for the New Year

Country Life, Dogs & Other Animals, Thoughts On Life, , , , , , , , , , ,
Journal illustration
Happy 2024!

Now that all the hubbub from the holidays is dying down, it is setting in that the new year is upon us. I am looking forward to this year being a better one for us as 2023 was rather difficult. And I intend to make it a better one.

I titled this article Goals for the New Year since I have never been a big fan of making New Year’s resolutions. I always looked at it as a poor excuse not to set goals during the rest of the year. I would make New Year’s resolutions like, “Eat more chocolate”, as my form of protest. I know, what a rebel I am. I have set three goals that I plan to work on this year. We’ll see how far I get. Something is better than nothing, right?

Goal #1 “Daily writing/journaling for a calendar year perspective.”

The photo above is the inside cover page of my journal. The journal was a gift from my daughter last year and I can’t think of a better use for it. I have wanted to do some writing and following my life through a year seems appropriate with how tied to the weather our lives are here. What we do each day is very weather dependent. At this time of year, we hike. We check the weather forecast to see when the warmest temperature occurs during the day. We also check the predicted precipitation times. The goal is to stay warm and dry. During the warmer months, this flips, and we look for the cooler hours. The elements also play a part in our choice of trails for the day. Will this affect how muddy the trails are? Does the weather increase the chance for flies? How does this impact which shoes I wear? There is a bit of science to it. It’s not a good idea to just put on sneakers and run out the door.

The weather affects our daily decisions and when we do what during gardening season too. I suppose we make our daily plans somewhat like farmers do. Infact, maybe we are a sort of farmer, except for our own enjoyment and not for profit. When it’s hot, we work outside in the mornings as much as possible. I try to limit afternoon chores outdoors as I am a baby when it comes to enduring heat. Sometimes it is necessary. Certain tasks can’t wait. If it’s been rainy, you mow when it’s dry, even if it’s 90 degrees.

Not all of my writing will be about these physical things. I also like to ponder thoughts and emotions, and pretty much anything. Like, why do I sometimes dream that the university is coming to take my college degree back? I once had someone else tell me that they’ve had this dream too. So far, I have missed one day of journaling. Not a biggie. Onward!

Journal illustration
Journal illustration

Goal #2 “Meditate each morning on: being kind AND, how can I spread joy today?”.

This has been going pretty well. During the brief meditation (I am starting with just two or three minutes), I focus my thoughts on drawing in peace to be stable enough myself, to be able to project positivity to others. Followed by several thoughts of a “Be Kind” mantra. Then I thought about something I might be able to do to spread kindness as I am going about my day. I plan to extend the length of this meditation as the year progresses.

If I have trouble falling asleep at night, I have begun thinking the mantra of “Be Kind” then too. If I am awake anyway, I may as well put my time to good use. I don’t know if this goal is having any impact on my life or those around me yet. I find it hard to believe that there won’t be at least a few positive experiences from it. I believe kindness makes the world a better place. And we definitely need our world to be a better place right now.

Goal #3 “Get another one of our dogs certified as a therapy dog.”

This goal is totally different from the other two, but I still deem it a very worthy one. Shelby is still certified with Therapy Dogs International and works occasionally. I don’t work her very often because she will be 14 years old next month. She is still very happy to be working with mom when I do take her on a visit. I used to have hopes that Zekie would be my next therapy dog, but his anxiety never receded to a level where I can trust him to be reliable to my commands. He is very obedient, and I believe he could probably pass the test tomorrow. That still does not mean he would be a good therapy dog. He is obedient to my commands, but I must give him commands all the time. If I did not anticipate an inappropriate action, it could be a problem.

I think the next dog I will try to train to pass the test is Claire. She will not be an easy dog to train for the required exercises, but I think we can do it. She is slow to respond to training. She is not stupid, she just doesn’t seem to understand what she is told. Either that or she just doesn’t want to do it. We will get there. One of my biggest qualms about using her for therapy work, or anything else, is the fact that she gets car sick if we drive more than about six miles. That’s why I don’t take her to my brother’s or my daughter’s homes. She would be well behaved once there but would get sick along the way. Claire also has a penchant for waiting until we are pulling into the driveway of our destination and get sick as I put the car in park. Other than hiking the only place Claire gets to go is grandma’s because it’s not very far.

We have a storm heading our way and I see giant snowflakes out my window. The winds are starting to kick up and I’ve received an email from the electric company on how prepare for possible power outages. I should see about making dinner now. Just in case.

Happy belated New Year to you all. May your resolutions, if you make them, be going well!

Therapy dog
Shelby spreading joy at an elementary school while we read to the kids.

Foster Fail!

Dogs & Other Animals, Rescue Happenings, , , , , , , , ,
Sheltie
PeeWee

What is a foster fail you may ask? Well, this picture sums it up. To be more precise, a foster fail is when the dog you are fostering does not leave the foster home. He is adopted by the foster family. We failed and PeeWee is home!

sheltie
PeeWee is being a gift with his Christmas morning bow!

On Christmas day my husband picked PeeWee up, put a bow on him, and said, “Here you go, Merry Christmas. This present is for you and Claire.” Best gift ever! Claire is one of our other shelties and the reason the gift was for her and me, is because she loves PeeWee. She seems to think he is her puppy. She plays with him throughout the day, every day. He can take bones from her mouth, and she rarely complains. When PeeWee is not looking, Claire just takes them back. They can do this for quite a while. Also, when we are out for walks or hiking, Claire keeps an eye on where PeeWee is and gazes adoringly at him every few seconds.

We knew it would be hard on Claire if PeeWee left for another home. As for me, I realized that I was attached when he started hiking with us. He did so good for a little dog that had such emotional challenges to overcome from his former life. He just fit. And this past year has been such a rough year for us with losing Baxter, our 14 year old lab-Rott mix, in the spring and then losing our 12 year old cat Morty right after Thanksgiving. We had some other trying issues too. PeeWee has brought such joy and laughter into our home that thinking of it without him is a very sad thing.

Rest time for some of the pack.

I like to think that we have made PeeWee’s life happier too. He was a timid dog, who spent a great deal of time hiding under the bed in his last home, and when he arrived here, would only eat at night when no one was around. He has been here four months and now smiles, plays with us and the other dogs, and is so happy to see us in the mornings that he gets the zoomies. And he gets so excited to go on hikes now that he whines and yips with anticipation when the leashes come out if we aren’t fast enough to get out the door.

Happy New Year to all of you, my faithful readers! Things are looking up for 2024 to be a much happier year around here as we welcome PeeWee as a permanent member of our family. It’s hard not to be happy when there is such an adorable, eager face looking you in the eye.

sheltie
Nap time. Or king of the blanket mountain!

A Good Bridge is a Beautiful Thing

Country Life, Dogs & Other Animals, , , , , , , ,
Cassius & Claire ready to cross a bridge.

We have been enjoying the trails since we resumed hiking this fall after a summer hiatus. Quite a bit of our hiking has been on sections of the Buckeye Trail. The Buckeye Trail is a gem that has been in our “backyard” all along that I have just recently become aware of. Several sections of it are within 5 miles of our house! One of its features that I enjoy from an aesthetic view, as well as a practical standpoint are the bridges.

Some of the bridges are purely functional. And I am oh so grateful to the volunteers that expended the time and energy to put them in. I’m sure blood, sweat, and toil was involved, not too mention all the time someone gave to make hiking more pleasant for me. Their efforts do not go unappreciated.

Others of the bridges are things of beauty, at least in our eyes. We sometimes pause on our walks to enjoy the engineering feats that someone created and constructed for the benefit of all trail users. (Ok, sometimes my husband pauses for the purpose of letting me catch up, but we still appreciate the view of the footbridges.) A bridge that we can walk over in seconds, took hours and in some cases days for one or more people to build.

The Zippy Twins figuring out a bridge of parallel logs.

Bridges like the one above, are downed tree trunks that someone took the time to cut into sections, shave one side flat and install on opposite sides of the stream banks. I am always thankful for these, but especially when it is cold out. Wet feet in freezing temperatures is no fun and can be dangerous.

This bridge appears to have been here a long time. I think the moss adds to its beauty and character. Zekie thinks the moss and leaves are an added bonus that keep his paws from fallling through.

Above is probably the longest bridge we have encountered to date. The ground is dry underneath, but I am pretty sure this will not be the case after heavy rains and snow melt-off.

Some bridges are nothing more than a bunch of tree trunks in a row. These are still great for keeping your feet dry and your boots mud-free. The dogs don’t know quite what to make of these when they encounter one and usually just walk around them. If it is particularly muddy, we will make them use the trunk crossing to avoid washing paws later.

The weather has been particularly nice for this time of year lately. I hope you have the opportunity to get outdoors and enjoy it!

Hiking the Wild Cherry Trail

Country Life, Dogs & Other Animals, , , , , ,
Cassius, Claire, and Zekie enjoying the view.

We have done lots of hiking in the past month since the weather has cooled down. Much of it has been on sections of Ohio’s Buckeye Trail near our home as I reported in past posts Exploring the Buckeye Trail. We do hike at other places in the area too.

We recently explored a park trail at West Branch State Park that I had only been on once before called the Wild Cherry Trail. It is only a mile loop from the parking lot and back. Don’t let that deceive you. It is one of the more difficult trails I have been on at the park. Lots of up and down, steep hills, and tree roots in the path for most of the hike. The views are worth it though. I am happy any time I get to hike near water and this trail does not disappoint. I took Cassius, Claire, and Zekie, one afternoon when I was home by myself. We didn’t encounter anyone else which made it very peaceful. Also, I could take my time as I am a slow hiker.

View from Wild Cherry Trail.

There is lots of woods to enjoy also. Many more old trees with large girth than we see in most other areas of the park. It does look like heavy winds brought some trees down. They look almost like fence rows the way they lay parallel. This was taken last week when the trees still had some color. The water in the background foreshadowed grander things to come.

View just off the Wild Cherry Trail

The level of the reservoir is very low. The area you see is usually underwater, clear up to the tree line. It has been low for some time because there is grass and weeds sprouting, there are lots of deer tracks, and the surface is dry enough to walk out on. This made for interesting views that aren’t normally available.

More views just off the trail.

Here is another view taken from an area that is generally underwater. The sound of the waves is so peaceful. I just stood there and listened. After a while the dogs became impatient and we moved on. There was only access to the shore from one area because the drop off from the tree line was too sharp and tall in most spots.

Shells on the shore.

The new shore had many empty shells on it. Most were small, but some were larger. I had no idea there were any bivalves this big in the reservoir. That’s what I love about a trail that is new to me. I always learn something that I didn’t know before.

Map of a few trails in the area.

Here is the trail head map. It lists several trails in the area including the Wild Cherry. We have done short parts of some of the others, but not the whole trail. Sometimes it is too wet to proceed very far. I don’t always have the correct footwear on for the conditions we encounter. And I tend to be whiny when my feet get wet. We will get to all of these trails though!

I have pictures from some other new hikes we did on the Buckeye Trail, but I will save those for another day. I hope you have been able to take advantage of the autumn beauty, my friends!

Foster Pupdate!

Dogs & Other Animals, Rescue Happenings, , , , , , ,
PeeWee

PeeWee the foster dog did make it into the house after spending his first night here in the workshop to ensure that he was flea-free. (Read about his arrival here. First Foster Dog This Year!) I waited until late afternoon to move him inside, when I had time to scrub his crate again, and wash his bedding to prevent transfer of any flea dirt to the house. Although the adult fleas appeared to all be dead, I didn’t want to take a chance on any flea eggs making their way into the house. Nothing strikes fear into my heart like the sight of a flea. I think most people with multi-pet households feel the same way. Especially when you are old enough to remember the days before there were all the flea killing options available today.

That first evening was uneventful. PeeWee was afraid and withdrawn. I let him spend the first night in his crate to decompress and see what our home was all about. Every time I took him outside in the fenced yard to do his business, he was on leash. He examined the fence slats to see if he could fit through them and looked for other routes of escape from his leash. I found the only way to get him to do his business was to stand still and let him walk around me and not make eye contact with him. We continued to do this little dance every time he needed to go outside for the next couple of days.

PeeWee also ate most of his food at night when the rest of the household was in bed. He ate a few bites during the day, but that was it. This is typical of dogs that come from puppy mill type situations. His symptoms of the puppy mill variety are mild though. He soon readily took food and treats from our hands. He does continue to eat most of his kibble during the night. This drives Zekie crazy because he knows that food is in the crate, and he cannot reach it as hard as he tries.

PeeWee spent the majority of the next day in his crate too. I brought him out to join us during the day for a few hours at a time but kept him attached to me by a leash. Otherwise, he would run off to hide. The first time I let him in the living room without a leash, he decided to hide behind the couch, and I had to move it to get him out. After that, he stayed attached to me or the coffee table by his leash for the better part of three days.

PeeWee has been with us for two weeks today. He goes outside for potty duty in the fenced yard with the other dogs and does his business quickly. I stand outside with him every time, so I can keep an eye on him. I do still consider him a flight risk should he find a way to get loose. He is still a timid dog although he is gaining in confidence every day. He follows us around the house and sits beside us on the couch. He follows me to the bathroom but does not come in just in case I decide to give him another bath. I did bathe him again at the end of the first week when I found residual flea dirt on him. He sat beside me on the couch as soon as the bath was over, so apparently, I am no longer The Evil One.

Banana time!

PeeWee has learned to join the others in begging at their favorite time of day. Banana time! He takes his portion so gently! Our dogs love few foods more than bananas. Each dogs gets two bites. Everybody gets one bite and then there is round two where each dog gets a second bite. Cassius the greyhound can count to two and lays down once he has had his second bite. The others are eternal optimists and never give up. Daddy only ever gets to eat half of a banana due to the popularity of this routine. Woe be unto me if I let the banana supply run out!

Sleeping with the big dogs!

We are learning more about PeeWee every day as his personality emerges. We didn’t hear him bark until two days ago. I told my husband, be careful what you wish for. The range of things he barks at is increasing rapidly, from the coffee bean grinder to someone leaving to me sneezing. He learned that last one from Claire. I am not allowed to sneeze or Claire barks at me. I guess I do it wrong. He is my buddy in the evening when I sit down to read. He lays beside my legs on the couch and relaxes until bedtime.

I wonder what changes will be next? Time will tell.

First Foster Dog This Year!

Dogs & Other Animals, Rescue Happenings, , , , ,
Sheltie pup
Introducing PeeWee FurMan!

This is the first foster pup we have had at our house since last year. We did do short-term fostering of three dogs last year. We had Bodhi who was turned in at 6 months of age. He was cute and had such a great personality that he went to one of our previous adoptive families within a week of his arrival. (Foster Puppy! Bodhi, Part I) And we fostered Max and Pitusa for less than a week. They already had a home lined up as soon as they came into rescue, just needing a place to stay until their transport was set up to a neighboring state. (Fostering is Rewarding) That’s all we fostered last year because, well, I discovered that since I am retired and home with the dogs all day, I become attached, and it is just too hard to let the fosters go. That’s how we added Claire to our pack. To be fair, Claire came here shortly before the Covid lockdown hit and we ended up having her for six or seven months before a serious adopter inquired about her. We didn’t feel safe having any contact with people in the early Covid months.

The number of dogs coming into our rescue slowed down for a while after Covid. Those days are over and turn-ins are picking up again. And, we are seeing dogs with more behavioral issues than we used to see. All those “Covid adoptions” never had an opportunity for socialization and they are paying the price for it now by losing their homes. Rescues all over the country are experiencing the same thing. That’s how we ended up with our new foster. All rescues have a limited number of foster homes available that are willing to take on dogs with behavioral issues. Particularly dogs that have nipping problems. Our rescue already had two other dogs with these types of issues come in within the past month. And then we heard about this one who was being rehomed because of growling and snapping at the children in the home.

That’s what lead to me receiving a phone call asking if we could foster. After putting in place a plan for this little guy to have a timeline for when he would leave so I didn’t get too attached, we said yes. I think I can probably foster for a couple months and still let the dog go. Six months is just too long. Don’t worry, he won’t get kicked to the street when his time here is up. If need be, he will transfer to another foster home within our rescue until his final adoption.

And so arrived PeeWee FurMan. That was not his name before. It is one that evolved after his arrival because he is so small compared to our other dogs. Another member of our group discovered PeeWee for sale on Craigslist and made contact with the owner. The fate of dogs for sale on Craigslist is not always good. The owner realized this and gave him to us for the cost of a shelter pull fee, rather than what she had been asking. She wasn’t a bad person; she was just in over her head with a dog that needed a more experienced handler. PeeWee had snapped at the groomer and would growl and eventually snap at the owner’s granddaughters who lived in the home. He came from an Amish family and exhibited behavior of a puppy mill dog, preferring to hide under the bed rather than play with the girls. He also would not take food from anyone’s hand. These are all behaviors we have seen before in dogs that came from puppy mills.

The other issue that had to be dealt with was that PeeWee was coming from a home with a severe flea infestation. This was the most concerning part to me because we have four dogs and three cats of our own. I made plans to meet the owner at a Pet Supplies Plus that had an in-store self-dog wash that was halfway between our homes. I flea treated all our own animals before picking PeeWee up. The owner was to wash him before the transfer. I am unclear whether she did or not. He was clean but flea covered. The other reason for meeting at the pet store was so I could buy a Capstar which begins killing fleas within 30 minutes and lasts for 24 hours. I had the Capstar purchased and ready to go when they arrived. I asked the owner to administer it so he wouldn’t bite me since he had a nipping history. She held the pill in her hand and expected PeeWee to pick it up and eat it. I knew that wasn’t going to happen, so I finally just pilled him myself to get that medicine working. The woman filled out her paperwork and quickly drove away with only a quick pat. In her defense, she was on her way to the hospital to see a family member who was having surgery.

That left me and PeeWee alone in the parking lot. Our relationship got off to a rocky start. My next move was to take PeeWee inside the pet store for a bath. He was afraid. Luckily, I had him on a choker which is standard protocol for all our incoming shelties because they are notorious for backing out of regular collars with their small heads and pointy noses. I also had a small muzzle with me because I wasn’t going to be the next groomer that he tried to bite. The bath did not go well. I had my leash and choker on him as well as the two snap-in collars attached to the dog wash bathtub. PeeWee fought and struggled, certain that I was trying to drown him. Especially when I had to wash and rinse his ears and head because they were covered with flea dirt and that was where all the fleas were crawling to get away from the water and shampoo. At one point, he slipped the muzzle because it was a little on the large size for him. He bit onto one of the collars from the dog wash and I couldn’t get it out of his mouth for a while because he had clamped on so hard. I finally got the muzzle back on, and after letting the shampoo do its work for a while, I rinsed PeeWee and then used the dryer on him. This was also a traumatic experience for him. I’m glad he only weighs around 17 pounds or things could have gone much worse.

Then it was back to the car. We drove part-way home and then I stopped to read my book for a short while, giving the Capstar more time to work. We got home an hour and a half later. I got PeeWee out of the car and began a flea check. There were still fleas actively crawling on him! I started picking them off and squishing them. I quickly realized the futility of this and called my friend and our rescue intake coordinator who has dealt with the arrival of many dogs. She said she had never had Capstar fail to work and suggested I call my vet to see if they could do anything for me. It was good to hear her calming voice at that point to ground me a little bit. I was told my vet was with another client and she would call me back. I was nearing that freak out point that only those who have dealt with fleas in a multi-pet household can relate to. I called my veterinary office again and learned that they do not board dogs, particularly ones harboring fleas. The advice from my vet was that the fleas should be becoming at least sluggish because of the Capstar. Capstar is what they use on fleas infested animals that come in for surgery to keep the clinic pest-free. I was also advised to give a Simparica Trio (it kills heartworms, fleas, ticks, and other pests) to PeeWee in addition to the Capstar. I was not concerned about giving him this medicine because the previous owner did have him heartworm tested, and it was negative. The label says Simparica Trio begins killing adult fleas in three hours and kills them all within eight hours. This lasts for 35 days. I must commend the woman who answers the phone at my vet’s office. She stayed calm and managed to talk me down from my flea paranoia. Thank you, Marie!

PeeWee did get yet another bath out in the yard with the hose. Sorry it was cold Little Guy, but I was not carrying those fleas to our bathtub. Oh, and he also got sprayed with Wondercide herbal flea and tick spray. He spent his first night here in the workshop, which I feel bad about, but better safe than sorry. All this did result in his viewing me as The Evil One, but rest assured, it didn’t last.

More about PeeWee’s integration into the household soon!

PeeWee hanging out with daddy.

Exploring the Buckeye Trail

Country Life, Dogs & Other Animals, , , , , , ,
West Branch State Park, view from the dam walkway

Fall has officially arrived! Happy Autumnal Equinox. With the cooler temperatures we have resumed hiking. We go in the mornings when it is still cool. During winter, when the temperatures get downright cold, we walk in the afternoons.

Pups on the trail

Cassius, Zekie, and Claire are very happy to be back on the trails. I’m afraid Shelby’s hiking days are behind her. With arthritis in multiple joints and a collapsed disk, the vet recommended thinking about retiring her from walking. She still does an occasional therapy dog visit, and this makes her very happy to be out working with mom.

Grape vines on trees

We have been exploring parts of the Buckeye Trail that have been upgraded at West Branch State Park. Wonderful volunteers have been clearing, improving, and adding new signage and blazes. We are grateful! Many areas were previously impassable. This section near one of the boat ramps is newly marked. I think the large vines give an eerie feel to the trail.

West Branch Reservoir

Today we did the walk over the dam spillway area which is also part of the Buckeye Trail. The water levels are the lowest we have ever seen them. That white area along the tree line is usually under water. The people who operate the dam system are releasing water to the other reservoirs downstream. With the limited rain, there is not enough water to go around. I don’t think the people here, or downstream, are happy with the water levels. I still find it to be a pretty sight and love to hike the area.

Geese and turkey vultures

We saw lots of birds today. Flocks of Canada Geese and some ducks scattered in. I find the geese to be funny. There are always a few that turn upside down in the water and flash their white undersides while they look for food. I told my husband,”Look, they’re mooning me”!

The dark birds are turkey vultures. They abound in the area. There are lots of undisturbed woods and water for them. You don’t appreciate just how large they are until you see them with their wings held out to their sides sunning themselves. Today they appeared to be looking for dead fish where water levels were lowered.

Blue heron

We watched a few blue herons fishing. They stand perfectly still until they spot an unsuspecting fish, and then “wham!”, they grab him. Or so they hope. This one was fishing and in perfect position for a photo, but I scared him and he flew away. Still a cool photo.

I hope all of you are enjoying these first days of autumn as well.

Tips for Handling Stress, From the Dog

Dogs & Other Animals, Thoughts On Life, , , , ,
greyhound on the patio
Cassius enjoying a beautiful day.

From my perspective, the world is suffering with lots of unhappiness, discontent, and hypersensitivity. This could be taken on a worldwide level, but I also see it in individuals that I encounter as I go about my life. People are quick to take offense. More people are on antidepressants than ever before. The National Institute of Health says that in 2020 use of antidepressants was 20% higher than the previous five years. This is mostly attributed to the Covid epidemic.

In my view, I think we are still suffering the fallout from the Covid epidemic. I anticipate that it will have long term effects. Children have had the formative years of their lives affected. Adults have had the behavior of years of their lives affected. And anything that lasts for years has permanent effects. The ripples caused, have far reaching effects.

The above being said, this is not intended to be a post about negativity, but a post about hope and the difference we can make as individuals, for ourselves and others. Take some ideas from dogs everywhere.

  1. Enjoy the day! Every day has something beautiful to offer. Relish the sunshine and fresh air. Take in the beauty around you. Enjoy nature: the flowers, butterflies, hummingbirds, the scent of flowers. All free to experience. If you don’t have these things at home, head out to a local park.
  2. Being in nature is one of the best ways to ground yourself. There is a new name given to an experience as old as mankind-forest bathing. It’s harder to focus on yourself when you are in nature. You see that you are one piece of an entire world. It gives you a chance to clear your mind which lets you take in new information and form new thoughts and ideas.
  3. Our dogs love hiking as do we. Not only are you immersed in nature (see above!), moving your body releases tension and improves your life overall. You become physically and mentally healthier.
  4. Go out in public and visit with people. This can improve mental health and help you to see yourself as part of the larger community.

Cassius loves visiting people. He gets depressed if he doesn’t get to go somewhere from time to time. A few weeks ago, he went to a local farmer’s market and was petted and oohed over by dozens of people. It made his day and theirs’ too. On Saturday, we took him, and Claire the sheltie, to Art in the Park in Kent. They visited with at least a hundred people, I’m sure. This was Claire’s first time a at such an event. She did great! At first, she didn’t know what to make of it. I could see her processing in her mind what all those people were doing there. She wasn’t afraid, and she let everyone who approached pet her. About halfway through, I saw a change in her. She decided that this was fun and started smiling when people approached and enjoyed that attention they gave her. This is the power of interactions.

Shetland Sheepdog
Claire

I was also happy that Claire took to the crowds and interactions so well, because I have been thinking that the time has come to get her certified as my next therapy dog. Shelby still does visits with me and enjoys the work for a time. At 13 1/2 years old, she tires more quickly than she used to. She is still happy to go anywhere with mom though!

So, get busy enjoying your day, and your week, and your life! If you are happier, those around you will be happier. Joy breeds more joy. So, don’t you owe it to yourself to be happier and make the world a happier place?

Spring Blooms & Planting

Country Life, Dogs & Other Animals, Gardens, , , , , ,
Columbine

It’s really starting to feel like spring. Everywhere I look I notice something in bloom that wasn’t there the last time I looked. This columbine has been so successful that I would like to get another one in a different color. Who knows, maybe I’ll even put it in my fancy decorative urn. Until this one, I have only ever had the traditional pale pink columbine that re-seed prolifically. I’m a big fan of these fancy bi-color cultivars.

Irises

My bearded irises are starting to bloom. I love their faint grape-like scent. These used to grow in a bed beside the house, but they didn’t like it there. I moved them into the walled garden where they call be in a bed that provides sun for a portion of the day, and they seem much happier. They are spreading and give us many blooms. We also have Siberian irises that will bloom as the bearded ones start to fade. Gardening is a fine dance to be planned out step by step. Most perennials bloom for a set amount of time and you don’t want them all to bloom at once and then be done. You want to plan it, so they peak in phases with something beautiful to behold at all times.

Clematis

The clematis are just getting started with their blooms for the year. When this one peaks, it has over 50 blossoms at a time. I have another smaller plant that I grew from a shoot off this one after I separated it last year. We also have a burgundy clematis that gives us beautiful blooms, but it is nowhere near the monster that the purple one is. This one also provides a second, if smaller, round of blooms later in the summer.

Have you noticed that I have a penchant for purple flowers? I also like pinks and apricots. Really any pastel flower. But then I think about the reds and the orange and yellow variegated ones and I love them too. I guess I like them all.

Lilies

This lily reminds me of popcorn because of its colors. I don’t know what kind of lily it is. My mother-in-law asked me if I wanted starts from the ones that she had and of course I said yes. I have these growing in several places. I always enjoy plants given to me by others the most. I get to be reminded of the thoughtful person that gave them to me in addition to the lovely plants.

Ferns

These ferns were growing as weeds along the edge of our driveway. I transplanted several of them to the shady corner of my rose garden and am quite happy with their performance. They had spread so much over the past few years that I had to dig some up and move them as they were beginning to encroach on other plants. I love ferns in general. They are so lush and green. They also provide greenery throughout much of the year when other plants are dormant.

We purchased the rhododendron and the St. John’s Wort in this garden bed. All the other plants have been transplanted from off shoots or re-seedings from plants that we already had. Astilbe, red coral bells, columbine, myrtle, and snapdragons are what grow here now.

Freshly mulched

My rose bed is ready to go for the season. It looks like a simple flower bed but I already have hours worth of work invested in it. All the roses needed to be trimmed back from their winter burns. I have weeded this bed two times already. I also grow most of my gladioi in this bed because it is the sunniest one we have and in my experience, the more sun glads have, the bigger they get and the more they flower. I spent two afternoons planting glad bulbs and mulching after that. Yesterday afternoon I did the fertilizing. It will be worth it. All the rose bushes are loaded with lots of blooms. I sprung for the good fertilizer for my roses. I get the stuff that has nutrients, and prevents Japanese beetles, and black spot. It prevents a lot of heartache.

Last summer I was dubbing myself the Japanese beetle queen. I suppose Japanese beetle slayer would have been closer to the truth. I have never seen as many of these beetles as we had last year. They were on most every plant we had. I would make the rounds with my jar of soapy water, knocking beetles in as I went. I probably got 100 with each round. We even put milky spore in the yard which is supposed to kill the larvae. Fingers crossed that this year is better.

New flowers!

Does this photo look like lots of pretty flowers? It does to me too. It also looks like days worth of work which it also is. There are a few perennials for our ever growing collection. And there are annuals for the concrete planters on top of the garden wall, some for my hanging baskets, with enough left over for other urns and filling in empty spots that need a little something.

It all sounds like a lot of work, and it is. But the rewards are worth it. I find that if I put in extra work early in the season, it gives more free time to relax later in the summer. Prevent those weeds and seeds now, and it will pay off big time later. I try never to get so involved in the prepping and maintaining of the garden that I don’t take time to enjoy it. For each time I do some gardening, I also make a little time for a cool drink and reading on the patio. The dogs also hang out with me in the garden which makes it more fun for all of us. They are all trained to stay out of the flower beds and know where they can go. They think the fountain is the world’s largest dog bowl! And so, it is.

Books I Read in March 2023

Books & Reading, Country Life, Dogs & Other Animals, , , , ,
Baxter & me a few years ago.

Hello, dear readers. Please forgive me for not posting for a while. Our dear Baxter, shown with me above, suddenly stopped eating even though he was still hiking two and a half miles a day with us. Long story short, he was gone in less than two weeks. Our veterinarian found metastasized cancer on his chest x-ray. Baxter was 14 years old but as far as we knew, he was in good health. Although going quickly was a blessing for Baxter, it was especially difficult for us. I will write about Baxter in future blog posts but I’m not ready just yet. So on to my list of books read last month.

  1. The Mediterranean Dish-Suzy Karadsheh (Cookbook)

This book was not what I expected. Based on the title I thought it was going to be Italian type recipes. Instead, they are Egyptian, Moroccan, and Greek. The recipes do look delicious, but most involve grains or spices that I do not have on hand. Many of the recipes also look labor intensive. If you are looking for these types of dishes, I think you will love this book. However, it is not for me so back to the library it goes.

2. Bliss on Toast-Prue Leith (Cookbook)

This book contains many delicious looking recipes for meals served on various breads, flatbreads, and crisps. I don’t really need a recipe to make most of them. I just got the book out of the library for the ideas. I do modify most recipes I make and just need the basic ideas and sometimes amounts.

3. A Christmas Memory-Richard Paul Evans

This is a very good book, as are all of Evans’ books. This one is based on the author’s childhood experiences. It is 1967 and young Richard’s older brother is killed in Vietnam, his parents separate, they move from California to Utah, and he is bullied at school. The bright spot in his life is his elderly neighbor Mr. Foster and the neighbor’s dog Beau. A story about growing up, perseverance, and kindness from where you least expect it.

4. The Old Farmer’s Almanac 2023 (Non-fiction)

Self explanatory. Interesting tidbits in addition to the weather forecasts by region.

5. Oh William!-Elizabeth Strout

Lucy Barton talks about her life as well as that of her ex-husband William. Although this book is a Pulitzer Prize winner, I did not enjoy it nearly as much as the sequel Lucy by the Sea. Lucy seems a little bit whiny to me and I don’t connect with her character.

6. Born a Crime-Trevor Noah (Non-fiction)

This is an autobiography by the previous host of The Daily Show who is from South Africa. What an amazing young man. He is the son of a black woman and a white man. Born during apartheid, this was illegal. He was a self-described naughty child. His story is enlightening and taught me many things about the culture of South Africa and what it was like during apartheid. The way Trevor turned his life around is nothing short of amazing. This book is well worth your time.

7. The Bookshop of Secrets-Mollie Rushmeyer

Hope Sparrow was a victim of human trafficking and remained captive for 10 years. She finally managed to escape and is trying to live a normal life. Hope’s mother left her some valuable books that Hope needs to retrieve. She gets a job at a family bookstore where they were stored so she can look for them. The books harbor clues that are fabled to lead to treasure. She hooks up with local, Ronan, whose family was also involved. Can she trust a man? Will they find supposed pirate loot?

Magazines: Real Simple (2), Yankee

Hope you are all enjoying spring. We were, up until today when it started snowing. Our new magnolia tree and the plum trees are not appreciative. Oh, moody Ohio!