Saturday, July 4, 2009

The Dog Days of Summer

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For us this has new meaning since the day about a week ago when a dog we called Homer started hanging around our yard. Always a sucker for an animal- we fed him. We noticed he didh't have a collar and were concerned that someone was missing a pet. He shyly accepted the meal and trotted off. We checked with all our neighbors and found out that he had been around for a while and was thought to be a "dumped" dog. We fed him a few more times but I couldn't get the idea out of my mind that he was a gray muzzled dog and, if picked up, wouldn't be adoptable. We could continue to feed him and just let him stay outside - but winter comes and I spent a sleepless winter last year worrying about the dog tied outside up the street. Our dogs (Adam and Faust) are not getting along and are kept separately so I just didn't know how that was going to go. Happily, the dog we were calling Homer got along with Adam and Violet and could stay in the kitchen. We booked a vet appointment for a few days later and Homer settled in. Yesterday, I took him to the vet and he was the hit of the waiting room. He was showered with cookies and compliments! They decided to check for a chip and --- he was chipped! Turns out he belonged to a lady in a town about 10 minutes away. Upon contacting her, the vet learned that he was named Brody had been given to "Joe" about a year ago. Well Joe hadn't had a dog for at least six months and he gave the other dog to a guy - but he couldn't remember the guys name and didn't know anything about him - we're thinking good old Joe is the dumper. So we now know much more about Brody and he is vaccinated and sleeping on his bed in the kitchen eating area. We also found out the our "old" dog is only in fact 4 or 5 but has had a hard life. So we learned a lot from a vet visit and now are a 4 dog family! Welcome Brody!

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Treasure

I had a successful trip to the antique show last weekend. I had been wanting someting cast iron for the rose garden area for a while and-- viola! It wasn't quite that easy, though. I have spent the last two days scraping peeling and cracked paint off the rusting urn. Two coats of primer and one coat of paint later - it's just right. Oh! and the roses are blooming! and check out my delphinimum!

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Thursday, June 11, 2009

Passionate for Peonies

As a California transplant to the Midwest one of the things I can brag about to the folks back home is the fabulous Spring we have this year. I froze through the winter and listened with envy to the 90' temperatures in San Diego- but I'm finally getting the upper hand here. The lilacs were amazing, the iris were the best yet and finally the peonies are blooming!


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Thursday, June 4, 2009

And Still More Iris

As I may have mentioned IT WAS A LONG WINTER this year. Having waited so long for Spring-- and having made such good use of my Schreiner's catalogue -- I just can't help myself- more iris!

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Wednesday, June 3, 2009