Coming, Going and Being Counted
Our Mamma Wren and Babies Have Left the Nest
Thursday was an extremely busy day at Our Little House. I had a lot of writing work to do and I had forgotten that Buddy, our foster Beagle, we adopted out a few weeks ago was coming for a visit.
Although his name is no longer Buddy, his new owner calls him Arkie. The gentleman who adopted Buddy, er, Arkie, wanted to attend his 65th high school reunion. He asked me if he should board our boy at the vet, but I told him kenneling a dog is the most stressful option. I had volunteered to watch Arkie anytime he wanted to travel, so I invited him for a stay, which will last about a week this time. We will also have him back at the end of the month for a couple of weeks.
After being sniffed soaking wet by the Fearsome Four, Arkie got back into the routine he knew during his six weeks with us.
Deck Gardening
Congratulations, Auntie Em! You’re the winner we drew for the OKA b. Shoes, made here in the U.S. partially from recycled materials! Go to the OKA b. shoesthatloveyou.com website, choose the style and send me your shipping address and shoe size by tomorrow (Tuesday April 20 at 5 p.m. CST) to claim your prize! My email: fivecoat@ozarkmountains.com Thanks to all of my readers who participated in the drawing, and thanks to OKA b. Shoes for participating in this Earth Day giveaway! If you didn't win, please consider buying your summer sandals from OKA b., I know I've already got my pair picked out!
Buddy Planted Himself in a Flower Pot
As spring unfolds here at The Little House, it means getting the party deck ready for long afternoons with a book, backyard bar-b-ques, and stargazing.
I consider myself a “deck gardener,” mostly because I’ve never had a yard that compliments any type of real gardening skills.
In the city, our yard was pie shaped, with the wider of the ends toward the front of the yard. We had one large tree in the middle of the backyard, which shaded our yard, as well as part of the neighbors. We also had the utility box for the whole block’s power and cable parked in the center of our yard by the back fence. Both obstacles made planting difficult and once we had the house treated for termites, we could not plant anything around the barrier of the house either.
A New Buddy
Buddy
My friend and neighbor with whom we are gardening called me the other night. I could tell something was wrong immediately in her voice.
“Someone dumped a dog up here and someone told me there was an animal sanctuary on your road,” she said.
I asked the type of dog. She and her husband both thought it was a Beagle or Beagle mix, they didn’t know much about dogs. They could tell it was male, but couldn’t even tell me if he was fixed.
The “animal sanctuary” she referred to really never got off the ground and the woman only took wolf hybrids anyway. I offered my friend the number to the local SPCA and she said she had tried the shelters and all were full, no one would take him.
“He’s such a nice dog,” she said. “I can’t even pet him because I don’t want to get attached because of whatever has to be done….” Her voice trailed off.
