Truth Be Told

       The other day I looked out the window and saw the pups had found shade under our umbrella!  
                                                              (The giraffe is Mom's.)

There are always two sides to every story. And there is about the pups too. Abby and Jo have been with us since February 25th. You've heard stories and seen pictures, and I've exclaimed how good its been to have them. But it hasn't all been fun.

I was the one who wanted two puppies. Jerry did not. Although he has helped me throughout these past four months, which I'm very thankful for, the bulk of the work fell to me. I decided early on to step up to the responsibility.

                                           Found two more light posts dressed up in fine beauty!

Jerry recently told me that he's still frazzled about the pups. He's right. They're not just a handful, their three handfuls! Most of my waking hours are devoted to the care of the pups. I'm always thinking about them and always up and running with them.

As expected, sleep is missed. In these past four months I've lost a lot of sleep. Before the pups I enjoyed 8 to 9 hours of sleep. I've always needed that many hours. I haven't seen anywhere near that since February 25th. So, needless to say, I'm tired a lot.

                                      I like this snap of a clematis in the throes of opening.

Although I've never been one to pack a week full of activity, most of my days since the pups have been devoted to their care, their training, their needs. Where the pups are, I am. Where I am, the pups are.

I'm thankful to say they haven't damaged much of anything in the house. Someone is always with them, or they're inside the crate. I'm also thankful that they love their crate! The door is kept open all the time now, and they go in and lay down often. When Mom comes out of her room, the dogs go in the crate. They rarely complain about being put in the crate or the kennel outside.

                        I like this bush, a variety of hydrangea. The little white flowers are tiny.

Both the pups are walking well on a leash, but my arms have seen better days. At 50+ pounds each now, it takes all I've got to keep them in line. There I go down the back lane with one cane and one pup. But they're excited to go! Jerry is unable to walk that much so that's a heavy responsibility on me.

Sam is still uneasy with them. If one pup comes up and is quiet, Sam does ok. But when two puppies come up and want to play and lick her face, she let's them know quickly she's not happy. So we can't have them together in the same room. At 10 years old, Sam was already spending a lot of time in the bedroom, so that's one consolation at having her there so much of the time now. She will go into Mom's room and stay with her. A 41" high door gate has been ordered for Mom's doorway, as the pups continue to grow.

                                  I enjoyed watching the men build the gates on our new fence.

 

 

                               
My body has never seen so many bruises. It doesn't take much for a heavy paw to leave its mark. And my eyes are always looking down when I walk so that I don't trip. There have been a few falls, but, thankfully, not bad ones.

Yes, having two puppies has been quite an experience. It hasn't been easy, and I know there's a lot more to go. But I wouldn't trade them for anything. I like laughing. I like being loved. I like being appreciated. And I like them cuddling up when they sleep. Abby and Jo sure do that!

Sure wish I could sleep as easy as they do!

See Carol's Garden Grow

It is still amazing to me that I'm now a gardener. I walk outside each morning and look at my gardens and smile. I can't believe that there are flowers growing in my garden! . (By the way, don't look at the weeds or the dead tree on the right. I haven't got to them yet.)

This is the third year for the gardens and the plants did everything themselves. All I had to do is watch. Now that's the kind of garden I like. (Yes the stone path needs help, but I'll get to it one day.)

My friend, Kathy, and my sister-in-law, Bobbie, patiently answered questions and gave advice. The designs I owe to Kathy. Some of the plants come from both Kathy and Bobbie. Boy did I go to the right people!

This container and hanging basket garden is new. It's always been a small, ugly area. I tried to do something with it last year, but it just didn't take. So after perusing gardening magazines I decided to make it into a container garden. It's full of annuals to bring color and a smile to that location.

This is the other end of the wildflower garden that I showed you in the previous post. There's three containers, the burning bush, two Rose of Sharon, a pink rose bush and another burning bush before the wild flowers actually begin. It's a long garden down the fence line in the back yard.

This happy little flower is a new plant I put in a hanging basket. It's called a Purslane.

And this is one of two small peony gardens. This spring I planted catmint and another plant I can't remember the name of to give the garden some color in the summertime.

Mr. Cardinal is still colorful even though he's not set in snow. He's at the bottom of the bird feeder picking seed off the ground. Last evening I saw a small bunny moving around in the garden.

After all the yard work was done, Abby and Jo relaxed with me on the sofa in the porch room. We enclosed the porch last spring and it is now a favorite spot!



While up in Hagerstown the other week we came upon this lovely home decorated with roses. I just had to get a snap!

If you're not a gardener, or never think you want to be, as you can see, minds change. I'm thrilled to have found the joy of gardening in my retirement years. Now, to the weeds!

Lightposts Abound

The above snap is my favorite picture of a lightpost. I'd see this lightpost on my way to work, and in the spring when the clematis bloomed, it would always make me smile. One spring morning the light was on when I drove by, and I was able to get this great snap!

The snap below I took the other day. Although not as full with clematis on the entire post, the shrub bushes fill it in nicely. Wish the light was on!

 

I've always enjoy seeing light posts and lighthouses. They are a welcoming sign, whether in the yard or at the sea.

 One of my favorite song is "The Lighthouse" written by Ronnie Hinson. "Following is the first verse and chorus"

"There's a lighthouse on the hillside,
That overlooks life's sea. When I'm tossed it sends out a light,
Tis a light that I might see.
And the light that shines in darkness now
Will safely lead us o'er.
If it wasn't for the lighthouse,
My ship would be no more.

"And I thank God for the lighthouse,
I owe my life to Him.
For Jesus is the lighthouse
And from the rocks of sin;
He has shone a light around me
That I could clearly see,
If it wasn't for the lighthouse
Tell me where would this ship be."

As followers in Christ, we are to be a light to the world. Your state, your community, your neighbor, your family. God wants your light to shine so that others see Christ and turn to Him.

Jesus said: "No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light."

 

Are you an attractive light to the world? I often see this quote in print: "If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there me enough evidence to convict you?" source unknown  It's not always easy to let your light shine, especially when it causes division between you and people you love. But if you are sincere in your faith, you must stand for what you believe.

 

Jesus is the light of the world. And in that light is the hope I live with each day. This past week I was privileged to sit under the teaching of three men from God. The messages spoke about hope: hope when your hurting, hope for the lost, and hope for the future.

One of my favorite Bible verses is: "But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more."

Let your light shine! Share the wonderful hope of Jesus for all the world. The blessed hope. The only hope.

Shine like a light post!

Jo and Abby are most adamantly telling me: "No! We're not coming down the stairs!"

I Have Chickens!

                                          The lovely potting shed turned chicken coop next door!

Well, that is, I have chickens next door! Just one of my "dreams" for my life. See my November 27, 2013, post, "Dream Along."  Our neighbor, Mrs. Kelly, turned a lovely potting shed into a chicken coop which houses seven chickens. So I get to walk over and visit with them whenever I want too!

                                                                  My welcome greeting!

 

Whenever I walk over to say hello, they all come over and huddle in the corner to say hello! It's kind of nice to be welcomed!

 

                                                                            This one has socks!

They don't make any noise; they're the silent type, but I sure wish they did! I'd love to hear them over there talking chicken. We've tried to get Mrs. Kelly to get a rooster, with no success so far. But at least I have chickens!

                                                                My wildflower garden

This is the third year for my wildflower garden. The first year didn't do much of anything. Last year it was flooded with black-eyed susan. I pulled 3/4 of the black-eyed susan out because I wanted "regular" wildflowers, like those bachelor buttons you see.

I love to see wildflowers growing along the roads and in the fields. They just make me smile. And that's why I wanted one in my yard. It's definitely wild, and suits me just fine!

Yes, those white stakes and short fence are still standing around the gardens. The fence company is to be here in two weeks to put a fence around the three gardens. The tulips are the only flowers that were destroyed by the pups. So even though the fence was short, and didn't keep the pups out of the gardens all the time, it certainly helped.

                                                                        Roses in bloom.

The roses on the other side of the outside fence from the 2nd garden are doing well. Jerry planted them several years ago and they continue to grow and look healthy. Haven't had any visitors to the bird house yet.

                                                                                 Spring joy

These Oranges and Lemon Blanket Flowers below are a nice bloom. They were just put in this spring. Look great with the blue petals on the ground.

 

The last few days I've been looking at the wood pile, below. Our son, Eric, brought wood up from his home the other week. So thankful for his help. I'm thankful for a nice stack of wood just waiting for fall breezes to come again.

 

              Below, in the far right corner stands Jo, with bated breath. In the left corner stands
                                          Abby, in position to pounce. Who will move first?