Spring Garden

Ash

It may feel like winter but it’s time for our garden. Mom has a space right outside the kitchen door. It gets lots of sunshine. She likes it so she can just step outside and clip some herbs or pick a tomato.

I like it too. The earth is nice and moist. It’s been dug up a lot and it’s easy to make a nice hole to cool off. This is me earlier in the spring when the weather was hot. After some heavy ball chasing, I was ready to chill. So I plopped myself down right in the middle of the garden space.

How was I to know she had sprinkled some little seeds? She said something about lettuce and chard. I looked for the seeds but couldn’t find them. So she told me to go find another spot and then she crawled around in her garden for a while.

Last year it was really funny. She put up this flimsy little barricade to keep us dogs out of the garden. I jumped over it and everybody else just pushed right through it. She had some summer squash that held on for a while. But every time they got just about right to pick, a little chipmunk ran out of the rock wall and ate the ends off.

I remember there were these three little lettuce plants. Mom had a separate fence around them to protect them. Then my pal Pepper went crazy after we’d been playing ball. She pulled up all three plants and threw them on the sidewalk. Oh boy, mom was NOT happy.

So here’s the problem. Mom wants a garden close to the kitchen. Us dogs want a cool spot next to the kitchen. We’re arguing over the same space. Different values, different needs. Who gets to say? Can we figure out something that works for all of us? That way nobody would be mad and nobody would get in trouble.

Mom’s thinking about a raised garden at one end of the space and our cool spot at the other end. I can’t promise we’d stay out of the raised bed, but we might. And who knows about the chipmunk. Anyway, gotta run.

All About Me

Tess

See me in the truck? See me laughing? I’m soooooo happy when I get to ride in the truck. My papers from the shelter say I’m an Aussie mix, but I have the devious mentality of a Border Collie. I’m manipulative and cunning, but ever so sweet.

Mom says I’m passive aggressive. I don’t think I’m that smart, but maybe….. I make sure I’m always the center of attention. When I’m asked to do something I don’t want to do, I start this kissy-kissy thing. It works on everyone but mom. She tells me to stop it and mind my manners.

Yesterday a cute boy dog came to visit. I put my ears up as high as I could get them. It’s the way a girl shows interest. Then we did a two-step around the living room. It was so much fun. Ash didn’t care. He was busy playing ball. Jack was on the couch next to mom. We all had a good time.

It’s pretty slow today. We’re all missing Sherman. He’s a lot of dog to miss! It’s raining and nobody feels like doing much. Mom’s gonna take Ash and Jack for a ride. I’ll stay home and sleep on the couch until the boys get back. Maybe I’ll clean my nails and bark at the goats. Sometimes it’s fun when not much happens. That’s about it. Respectfully, Tess.

Farewell, My Friend

Sherman

The big man is going home today. He’s been in our pack for a month. Even Jack is gonna miss him. Me too. When he first showed up Jack freaked out. He thought Sherm was here to take his place. But Sherm was just visiting.

It’s tough to be without your people for a whole month. There were times when Sherm was lonesome. I could tell from the look in his eyes. Other times he had fun playing with us. Sherm and me played hide and seek. He played bump and run with Tess. Lots of times he dribbled his tennis ball by himself.

When Sherm first got here he didn’t like waking up at 5am. One morning after a dog party he wouldn’t get up – not even to eat his breakfast. But now he’s used to the 5am start time. I wonder how his people like waking up that early???

Sherm brought some cool stuffies with him. Mom told his people I might destroy them. MIGHT? I ripped up the turtle the first week. I showed Sherm how to do it and he finished it off. There are two stuffies left – the polar bear and the hedgehog. I think I’ll hide one so it stays here when Sherm goes home.

Once you’ve let somebody in your pack, it’s like you’re friends forever. Sherm can come back anytime. He’s always welcome. See ya, buddy!