Two walks and two dogs down

I did another day of both morning and evening walks. It was really too hot so I just took Bailey. Della was disappointed, but she's a senior Dane with a heart condition, she doesn't need to be out in this heat. Norman could have handled it, but he's a very big dog with a very heavy coat, he really doesn't need to be exerting himself out in the heat either. He would have liked some evening pasture time but I don't think he was really disappointed about missing the walk. Bailey enjoyed it, but even she was probably a bit disappointed because we didn't see any deer or bunnies on either walk. I expected to on the evening walk especially because we finished just as it was getting dark. 

It wasn't a great day to be outdoors, but we did move out two of the Doberman pups, Orson and Fennec, to a new foster. That will be very good for them and good for the remaining four as well. Hopefully I can begin to do at least some very basic training with them. Our total dog count drops to 15 this evening where it should remain until the next and final session of doggie summer camp that begins next Tuesday. 

Walking dogs again

Temperatures have been slightly better the last day or two and I actually got out for both an early morning and an evening walk today. No one has been walking much lately so everyone wanted to go this morning. I took Della, Bailey, and Elvis. Three dogs sounds like a lot but these three are all pretty good walkers and I used a Gentle Leader on Bailey.

Bailey wanted to go again this evening, of course, but I was taking Norman and I'm still not quite confident in my ability to walk Norman and another dog. He and Bailey together would a lot of dog to handle if things went south. I put a nice leather harness on Norman, partly as backup but mostly because it looks nice on him. I used a Gentle Leader on him and he walked very nicely. We stopped and talked to a couple who were just about to start out on their walk and they both wanted to meet Norman. He was a perfect gentleman. 

This particular tree is a mandatory stopping point on every walk with Della.

I don't even bother trying to get her to walk past it any more.

Orson and Cordova (and others)

We had visitors today who came to see the puppies. They aren't prospective adopters; they are former adopters but they aren't looking to adopt now, they just came to meet and socialize. The Shar-peis were sweet, the dobies were sweet and rowdy. 

Later in the evening, when it had cooled down and everyone was playful again, I went out and took some individual pictures of two more of the Doberman puppies, Orson and Cordova.

Orson (plaid collar), is a Doberman who thinks he's a lab. He loves the water. I have some pictures from a few days ago of him completely submerged in the water trough except for his head. He's mostly dry in these pictures but when I handled him I could tell he had been in the water recently.

Cordova (red collar). The pups are to the age now that the size difference between the males and females is becoming more apparent. Cordova is somewhat smaller than the boys, but she's probably more coordinated and agile. She had jump up onto the platforms without using the stairs. She's sleek and fast, smart and sweet.

And here's a few more pictures I took today of Saxon and Rex. Their play frequently turns to fighting but they don't seem to hold a grudge and go right back at it.

Taking stock

Most of the garden is still doing very well, but due to the number of really hot dry days we've had, some things are past their peak. As I'm watering most every day, I'm also beginning to take notes on what has done very well this year, as well as things that didn't quite pan out as I had hoped and planned.

It's just the nature of gardening. I start the spring with great expectations and full of hopes and dreams, but not everything follows my plans. Here's some of my hits and misses as well as a few pictures of Bailey from our morning walk.

I call this part of the garden "caladium alley." I'm very pleased with them.

A closer look at caladium alley. I love these things, so colorful and easy to grow. The only problem is that they are so slow to sprout, they don't really look like anything until June. I started some earlier in my coldframe but still they just don't do much until it really warms up.

I had a great concept here that didn't work out. It's a metal floral scupture sitting on an iron table with the pot of morning glories underneath. The container wasn't big enough to support viable growth of the vines and there are zero blooms. I still like the idea, but will make some changes next year.

This pot of morning glories certainly did well (they are wilted in this picture but they pick up again quickly after some water). But there are no blooms on it! 

Sun loving coleus and purslane. Two of my favorites.

Creeping jenny has done very well in these hanging baskets. I might add a caladium next year for color and upright growth.

This is the first  year I've planted scaevola and I'm a fan. Will use more of it next year.

This is the right side of the flamingo garden and it needs more blooms. That whiskey barrel on the right isn't planted with much. 

I love the sun-loving coleus. 

The lantana is just now coming into its own. It's one thing that loves the hot weather.

This should be prettier. There's three different colors planted here but they aren't blooming!

This is the bed in the center of the driveway. There's just two pots here, one with the big fern and few pink impatiens for color. That pot is sitting in front of a stone arch and on top of that is a nice pot of caladiums. I need to clean up the rest of the bed and add more things here next year. This will be next year's garden expansion spot (along with another raised perennial bed).

This is the first year for this raised round bed and I'm pleased with it. The marigolds alone would have been enough but they looked so tiny when I first planted them. I was expecting more size and vigorous grown from that asparagus fern in the tall pot in the center. 

This is just a blossom from a tuberous begonia that fall onto a hosta leaf. Thought it was pretty. What's weird is that I'm not aware of a white begonia planted nearby. The hostas have really suffered in the heat even though they are mostly in the shade.

More coleus. This is probably my favorite color.

Both pieces of the lotus flower that I divided early in the spring have now bloomed.

Cannas form a big part of the flamingo garden, and I like from for their upright growth and green foliage, but I probably need some different varieties. The red ones have unimpressive flowers. This yellow one is nice but it's the first bloom on it this summer.

This elephant ear is probably 6' tall and the leaves are huge. The heat has hurt them though. Next year I'll plant them in the shade garden.

Some puppy play pics

This is Bailey's favorite game. I think I will look into getting her a lure coursing machine. She loves to chase anything moving.

In case there was any doubt that she is a Malinois.

This is my shade garden. The pots look great but the in-ground hostas have crapped out in the heat. I wasn't watering them, only the pots. That was a mistake. Now I need to just cut them off because they really distract from the look of the pots.

Another elephant ear that I planted in a big iron pot in the shade garden. It is really too big and should have been planted in the ground or in a pot by itself in the back. Again, the heat has damaged the leaves.

Bailey on this morning's walk.