Yellow House and Other Things

Here’s a little peek at one front corner of the finally finished yellow house.  I’m hard pressed to come up with a photo that doesn’t focus too much on the battered and bruised flower beds.  I would love to have a summer that for once doesn’t involve a home improvement project that wreaks havoc on the garden.




This is the back.  It’s our dog yard and utility area, but it’s also where we like to drink our morning coffee in the summertime.  Next year there will be flower-filled pots hanging outside those windows and sitting on the steps.  The brown lattice on the wall in the background will have baskets of flowers hanging on it as well.  I’m hoping I can talk Rich into painting the lattice white, but I hate to mention it at this point.



There’s a treat bush in the dog yard, growing on a stump by the back fence.  They’re salal berries, a native plant.  If you’re familiar with Saskatoon berries, you’ll have an idea of their flavor.  Saskatoons are plumper, easier to pick, a little more sophisticated.  Salal berries are quite good, but it’s almost impossible to pick them without squishing them.  Wally and LuLu simply strip them off the bush.  Funny, as much as they love treats, they don’t pay any attention to the treat bush until I point it out to them.





I cut back a hydrangea the other day.  It was overdue and most of its flowers were done, anyway.  It sits in the sun and blooms and finishes earlier than the others.  I filled a vase with the salvageable blooms and added a couple from another bush.  They are gorgeous, aren’t they?  I hardly ever cut a bouquet, but hydrangeas do last well as cut flowers.



There’s LuLu in the shade with a lace cap hydrangea beyond her.  There are still a few blooms on the butterfly bush.  The purple and blue are a cool and restful combination, certainly prettier when both bushes are in full bloom.



There’s not much to this photo, but I love how the sun dappled path draws you into the woods.



I’m glad you could come visit today.  Let’s enjoy summer while we can, okay?  See you again soon!

Feeling Better

LuLu’s feeling better.  Can you tell?  That’s her attacking Wally.






There’s only so much roughhousing allowed until her foot heals a bit more, though.






These photos were all taken on Wednesday, a week and a day after LuLu cut her paw pad.  Once the healing got underway it progressed nicely.  She had some help with that.  One evening I was sitting on the couch and the dogs were on the floor just the other side of the ottoman where I didn’t have a full view of them.  They became awfully quiet and, just like little kids, that sometimes means they’re doing something they think they shouldn’t be doing, like pulling the stuffing out of a toy.  In fact, it’s okay to pull the stuffing out of a toy, but they still get a guilty pleasure from it.  I peeked over the ottoman and there was Wally licking LuLu’s wounded paw over and over again while LuLu sat with the sweetest little happy face.  I wished I’d had my camera.  Later he nuzzled her paw and laid his face against it.  They are truly the best of friends.

Thank you so much for all your concern and well wishes.  You are sincerely appreciated.  Have a beautiful weekend!

Wounded LuLu

Hello, friends.  I’m afraid we have a wounded LuLu this week, and I’m not sure when she’ll get back to her regular Golden Retriever style running, playing, and swimming.  Rich took them out to the sand dunes on Tuesday – a favorite spot for its wide open areas, many small lakes and ponds to swim, and pine groves to explore – but, unfortunately, it’s also a favorite spot for gun owners’ target practice, and there are a few irresponsible people who use glassware for targets.  One minute LuLu was running all happy and carefree, and the next she was bleeding and limping.  She has a big gash on the pad of her foot and she’ll have to take it easy until it heals.  Just look at that sad face.





The cut went all the way into the delicate meat of her paw across two toe pads.  We removed the bandage after it stopped bleeding so the air and her own tender ministrations could help with the healing.  Dog slobber is the best salve for a wound.  Just when Rich finally finished painting the house and we thought Wally and LuLu could run their hearts out the rest of the summer . . .   It will be a while before the wound is toughened up enough for that.  I’m keeping a close eye on it and sitting quietly with her whenever possible.

I hope you all have a good weekend, and maybe the next time we meet here I’ll be able to report on happier times.  See you then!