Who Are Your Garden Helpers Part Two

Poor baby. There's really just no excuse for that these days, since there are so many bathing and flea-treatment options. I can't imagine how awful it must feel to be getting eaten alive by that. And even more awful for those animals who are allergic to the flea bites.

Trixie is clearly not brown. I love that picture. There's so much momentum and joy in it.

She is very happy we moved to a place where there are no fleas...She loves snow.

Sadly I think there is also NO GROWING SEASON.

grrrrrr... 28 degrees last night.

Ginger

My Amber trying to get another massage.

And Mindy.

Mindy likes to sleep on my pillows.

This is Mandy our neighboring bichon. She is spending the night with us. Her mommy is a Home Health Care Provider and is going to start taking care of my mom on Friday.

And my gang of girls out in the courtyard.

Willow, those must be fresh pillowcases, being still so white!
I would never dare use just white, as Gigit also sleeps on my pillows during the day. I bought her a new doggy bed and put it on the bed each morning, but find she still prefers the pillows. (She sleeps under the covers at night, too.)
This time of year, I find that two baths a day are common, but still just barely adequate.

Ginger, 28 degrees is totally awful! That is a real climate challenge.

Kathy, I was off line during your terrible paw episode. Hope all is still doing well on that front.

Ginger - that's rough. 28 this time of year is just WRONG. I think it's warmer in Alaska . . .

Patricia - your girls are so darling. I'm glad you're getting a break on Fridays. Does your mom need someone there 24/7? I'm guessing so . . .

Sharon - thank you!! Bug is totally back to normal and was racing around (trying to pull another toenail out, is all I could think) with Magic and Sahara today. He doesn't even care if I touch the spot that was making him cry out on Sunday. I have been reading that hand and foot injuries are more painful to all of us that other kinds of pain, which seemed to be the case with him.

Planted a new planter today - Phormium 'Dusky Chief' with Geum coccineum 'Mango Lassi' - a new favorite!! I put a Euphorbia 'Bonfire' and a Heuchera 'Obsidian' in there, as well. It's dramatic and I like it. I may end up continuing this combination in the garden at the end of the season when these guys have outgrown this container.

Oh my, just catching up a little and so much has happened, from new baby pups to older beauties with toe injuries. I am glad all appears to be better now.

Kathy that is a very dramatic planter. You really have an eye for color!

My old Doggly is still with us, but having a little more trouble with basic functions and getting around every week. I j bought a whole case of dog food today just to spite the odds

Ginger, I agree with Kathy, 28 in May is just not right! Hope that was your last day of below freezing!

Willow, More great pics of your kids, but that one of Amber is just adorable! As is the one of Mindy on the pillows!

Kathy, am really glad that Bug is feeling so much better! I love the color and texture combo in your planter! You will have to share another picture when it has filled in and is in it's glory! Was not familiar with Geum coccineum 'Mango Lassi' , but it's great! Did you pick it up locally?

Mauryhillfarm, I am in the same boat as you are with my Lexy...her loss of coordination is getting worse and worse...she falls regularly now, but still shadows momma everywhere I go in the garden. We just have to keep thinking positive thoughts, give them as many loves as you can, and keep buying dogfood by the case!

It's been known to snow on the 4th of July parade.....


Ginger

Ginger, you must be up up up in the hills! I have been snowed on on the Fourth of July, but we were dirtbike riding on a high ridge in the cascades, so it wasn't totally out of the ordinary!

I don't post a lot of pics of my kitty helpers as they are mostly wild, and don't hang around for me to find the camera. Just happened to have it in my pocket when Target and my two newest additions were enjoying a sunbeam on the back deck.

Ohhh.. One looks pround.. Two do not look pleased AT ALL.


Ginger

Holly, I've been thinking of you all. Hang in there, Doggly, old man. Your family loves you.

I'm having a love affair with Geum this year. I love orange in the garden because it pops, along with the deep maroons and chartreuses. I couldn't resist buying Mango Lassi last year because it's so unique - I think it was at Molbaks - and I didn't ever dream that I'd put it with the Phormium. But I decided to dig it up and try it last night and I'm glad I did. It'll be so much fun when they fill in. I know they'll both outgrow the pot in a couple of months.

Thanks for your thoughts, Kathy. We need them just now, as Doggly had a bad day. I won't go into the messy details but I'm having trouble getting him cleaned up. I have requested a kiddie bathing pool on Freecycle so I can warm some water up in a tub he can step into.

Rarejem, my guy sounds very much like your Lexi. We put a board ramp across the stairs because he falls so frequently on them now, but he is suspicious of it and won't use it (probably too narrow).

Oh, Holly. I'm so sorry. And he has so much coat - it must be really hard to clean him up. Poor man. My thoughts are with you all. Surely somebody will have a pool you can use.

We had to make the hard decision yesterday evening. It was clear he was going to be increasingly uncomfortable, and we didn't want to make him go through 4 more days of discomfort before we could do anything about it. I realized that waiting until he had a major event (spleen rupturing from the cancer) was not the way to go either, since it could have very well happened when we were all away at work or school and he might be suffering alone for hours. His last truck ride, along the road he loved to patrol in his younger days, was good. My son and I sat with him in the back, and he lifted his head and sniffed the air. He was laid to rest beneath his favorite lookout location, the Ceanothus by the front walkway. He first came to us on New Year's Eve 10 years ago, and he left on Memorial Day weekend.

Mauryhillfarm, No matter how much it hurt to make the decision you did, it sounds like you did what was best for the poor pup. There are no words that will give comfort, but know that kind thoughts are being sent your way.

"Those that we've held in our arms for a little while, we will hold in our hearts forever."

Hugs .....

{{{{HUGS}}}} So sorry, it was the kindest thing to do.

Maury..sorry for your loss.

This message was edited May 23, 2009 8:18 PM

Bless you for what you had to do and did. All good thought your way to comfort you.

Holly -

I'm so sorry for you. Weren't you the most wonderful family for Doggly to have. You loved him without reservation and you gave him a good peace while he was still comfortable, even though I'm sure it broke your hearts. I'm sure this is such a hard time for you all. You are in my thoughts . . .

Kathy

I am so sorry. We love our pets so much it is the kindest act we can do for them..and it hurts us so much. We had do do the same with our old horsie in April.


Ginger

Been down that road several times. It's never easy. HUGS !!! I am sure he appreciated your love and care. We are here for you.

I'm so sorry to hear that Maury. Making those choices are always difficult but as his friend I am sure you made the right choice at the right time.

I thought I'd post about my ongoing garden helper. He's a black/chocolate stray tomcat named "Hard Luck Kitty". This guys got problems - icky ears, missing hair - but darn it he is adorable. He has this rickety old yowl that he uses to say "hi" and in the mornings I find him on my doorstep laying on a pile of slugs which are dead and stuck in his fur. Of course I have to pick them out so he doesn't look to shabby....Aww he is so darn cute he loves to get tummy pets. Of course it took me 6 months or so to get to this point with him. Before he would run off whenever he saw me.
He sleeps curled up between my new beds and under my porch at night. He is pretty good at keeping the other stray cats away and out of my beds. He is also good at killing slugs :) and anyone who kills slugs is good in my book

Thanks for your kind and wise words everyone. We spent most of the day away from home helping my sister get a new garden area tilled on a quarter acre piece of land she has leased. I couldn't yet bear to be around the house and yard where Doggly is no longer to be found napping under the shrubbery.

Maury.

I just noticed you live on Vashon. We almost bought a house on Gold Beach many years ago. One of my few regrets.


Ginger

So sorry Maury!

Holly, my sympathy is with you! Losing a pet is so terrible, and the emptyness lasts a very long time. I know most everyone on this forum can relate to the loss you are currently experiencing. Sure wish they could live as long as we do, but the joy of having had them is nothing we would ever want to give up.

I'm not usually a middle-of-the-night owl on the internet, but I have been lately in the habit of getting up several times in the night to let the dog go in and out, so I guess my inner clock is set to odd hours now. It does help to know that many others have gone through this. I have never had to make this decision before. We don't know Doggly's actual age because we got him from a family that had found him as a stray 6 or 7 years before they gave him to us. That puts him at about 17, which the vet said was pretty darn old for a dog his size. He is buried just in front of where he is lying in this picture.

Beadmom, Bend is probably better, so don't have too many regrets.

Looks like Doggly should rest well in that area.

17 years old is amazing, Holly, for any dog and particularly for a big dog. Just shows what lots of love can do. No matter how long, though, it's just not enough.

LOL>.. I don't know Maury. I sure loved it there...Sitting on my friend's porch drinking coffee in the rain watching the ships go through the sound.

Also, it was the only place that someone believed my fake ID for a beer. By then I was 28 and I just carried it as a joke. We went to the little bowling alley (the one with a choice of 2 lanes) I realized I didn't have my ID when the guy carded me but he happily took the fake ID...and i got my beer.


Ginger

maury....digging in the dirt, my favorite kind of therapy. I use it regular. I don't want to count the times I've had to do that, my wall is full of happy memories of all my critters, most of whom lived to a ripe old age. Wouldn't be without a furbie of some kind, the latest were all homeless. Two from the shelter and the stray that lives in my garage. Doggly was sure a handsome lad.

Ginger, too bad that that bowling alley isn't there anymore, nor the car parts store that took its place. Vashon is changing, and not always for the better. It is nice to look out at the water on my way to work, though not always convenient to get places on the mainland. That is a double edged thing.

I did get digging in the dirt today after avoiding hanging out at home for 2 days, and it was therapeutic as Sally says. I found Doggly's soccer ball under a bush. He hasn't had the energy to play with it for months, but he sure loved a game when he was spry and chipper. I put it by his resting place just because.

i don't know who my next pet will be or what kind of creature. They have always come to me in one way or another.

I think Doggly sent his ball to you to let you know that he's still around . . .that's an awesome sign. I love that you put it there by his resting place.

I stopped by Classic Nursery this weekend and they had several plants from Langley Fine Gardens. The guy at Classic said, "and they sure are nice people." Wells Medina is carrying their plants, too. That's a good sign!!

Sooooooooo Sorry, Holly. All my love to you, I know how hard it is. I still have a little problem going out where Baal is buried (my sons dog, he had to do the same thing) and he's is still at a loss.
But the saddest one of all is my Tyler, everytime my son comes over Ty is looking for him.
My son gave him one of Baals toys which has helped a little.

Hugs