Spring is Bursting At The Seams

And with it has come the heat. Why couldn't we have had a couple weeks of 70's before it just climbed right up into the 80's?

This spring we noticed that along with the normal batch of dandelions in the yard, we have the wild ginger that you see growing everywhere here. Where it came from, who knows but why when we've never had it in our yard it literally popped up everywhere, is an even greater mystery. While we pulled it and the little yellow flowers up by their roots we noticed exactly how dry the ground is. Our late snows did little to dampen the earth and I have a feeling we will have a doozy of a fire season.

Two summers ago we cut out a large pine tree from our front yard that was leaning dangerously towards the power lines and our neighbors house. It was in the process of dying from beetle infestation when we moved in so before the wind took it down where we didn't want it to, we took it down ourselves. Last summer we replaced the pine with a couple of small deciduous trees. One was a maple species closer to the house in hopes of shading both the house and the yard some day. The other is a locust on the front strip of lawn between the yard and sidewalk. We failed to get appropriate protection up and a deer one night decided to use the smaller locust to scrape velvet from its antlers this past fall. The guy who was very pissed about this turn of events has been keeping a close eye on this little tree and has repeated over and over that he didn't think it had survived the deer mauling. I insisted that many a tree has survived such things and to give it time, it may take a little longer to bud out than the other trees due to the missing bark and it's species. after all the tree wasn't completely girdled, only about a 3rd and there was these quite little nodes developing on the branches since earlier in the winter.

Did he listen? Nope... Friday of this past week when none of the trees or bushes were completely leafed out out yet we went to breakfast and he stopped at a local plant store for a replacement tree. While he and the plant guy bartered, BS'd and otherwise wasted time I wondered around the lot looking at other plants I might go back for once I have the ground prepped. Upon returning home I wandered over to the sad little tree to say goodbye and noticed something. Those time little nodes on it's branches had decided in the heat to start to present real buds and some had even started to open. Smugly I walked indoors and told him to go look at the tree. Now we have three trees to replace the one we cut down. And a hot long summer with little hopes of water. So, if you have too much rain where you live, send some our way.

On other news, the new foster dog seems to be settling in. She's been doing pretty good with us. I've discovered taking a hold of her seems to be a trigger for her. She also seems to be just like the last foster who gets herself so excited she hits the panic level and then nips in fear. So, we'll be starting some self soothing work with her. But oh, she loves other dogs, and puppies are just her thing. She loves to play with them.

It's just discouraging sometimes when dealing with these dogs that are so sweet, and not bad dogs, and seeing the damage that irrational and neglectful humans can do to a dog physically and mentally. But, I have hopes, high ones even that we will get her slimmed down, calmed down, and fingers crossed, placed in new home that will continue the work we've restarted with her.

The new onset heat is not treating poor ancient Shiela well at all. She seems to be slowed down in everything the last few days and doesn't even bother asking to go for the afternoon walk. She would much rather stay at home where it's cool and she can lay on the couch. It worries me that this may be her last spring.

Last night while I was spinning up some Romney cross roving a friend (Thanks Alena! It was wonderful) gave me for Christmas. There will be pictures of that later once it's been washed and set, we witnessed Sullivan having one of those rough sleep sessions.

You know the kind. You start off trying to relax with your favorite pillow, erm... I mean soccer ball. Next thing you know you've tossed and turned until your the pillow.