Gardens For Goldens

The longest journey

Many dogs travel lengthy distances to get to Homeward Bound, transported by our dedicated Golden Taxi team. But a group of dogs, including new arrivals Dimple and Moose, take that journey to an extreme.

Their arrival last weekend at the rescue was the last leg of a very long trip; a 6,449 mile trip – from Taipei, Taiwan to San Francisco.

Dogs are not equally valued in all cultures. Suffice to say, Taiwan may not be the best place to be born a dog. Johanna Quinn, an American native, and her teammates in Taiwan have made the rescue of Taiwanese dogs their life’s work. They recently formed their own group called “HOTAC” which stands for Heart of Taiwan Animal Care. Johanna pulls dogs from shelters in Taiwan and raises the funds needed to fly them to a network of rescue partners in the United States and other western countries.

The dogs’ journey begins with a long drive and wait at the airport, followed by an 11-hour flight. Upon arrival, they are met at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) by our transport team; in this case, John, his wife Beatrice and Rowena.

John and Beatrice – Homeward Bound adopters – have been part of the transport team for several years. They live in the Bay Area and wanted to find a way to contribute. Our network of caring individuals like them across the state is invaluable. In addition to transport, John and Beatrice also do home visits for adoption applicants in the area allowing us to extend our reach with confidence.

Dimple and Moose stayed overnight with them, then traveled in style to Homeward Bound in the morning.

Dimple was a breeder dog – “used up” by the age of six.

Moose is handsome boy,

but in desperate need of medical attention which has already begun.

Their arrival marks the end of a nightmare and the beginning of a journey ‘homeward bound’ for these lucky two.

Our sincere thanks to Johanna, her HOTAC team, and our own Golden Taxi transport team for giving them both a chance for a better life.

Our family mourns

We are accustomed to loss at our rescue, Homeward Bound. It is an inevitable part of what we do and so we prepare for the sadness while focusing on the joy. But this week was different. We lost one of our own, a member of our team – a true friend.

Dick Brothers, a long-time volunteer, a board member, and our Vice President had a sudden heart attack and passed away at the rescue. He was taken from us suddenly and much too soon.

Dick and his wife Jean have been involved with Homeward Bound for more than ten years. He was the kindest, smartest, most modest and soft-spoken man you will ever meet. And as our president says with love “he was the ‘honey’ for all of our ‘honey-do’s.’ ” He literally had a hand in everything, from raising buildings and funds – to raising hope.

Our hearts go out to his wife, Jean and to his family. He is mourned by our Homeward Bound family and the entire community to which he gave so generously of his talents and time.

How we go on without him we do not yet know, but he would insist we do. I read that he was a fan of the Cat Stevens. I don’t know if it’s true; I never got a chance to ask him. But I have a feeling that gratitude for the beauty of each and every day as expressed in this hymn memorialized by Cat Stevens would express his wish for us as we attempt to carry on and ensure his legacy is sustained.

“Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the world

Sweet the rains new fall, sunlit from Heaven
Like the first dewfall on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where His feet pass

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God’s recreation of the new day”

Dog Days (Before Summer!)

Saturday, it was 111-degrees in the Homeward Bound Memorial Garden by 2PM. The birds were seeking water…

and shade.

The Coreopsis was wilting…

Even the flowers were sweating! Kidding…but they would if they could!

White looks magnificent and cooling when it’s hotter than hades.

Kondos had the right idea. He makes a kiddie pool look dignified and cool.

We keep these little pools in each yard exactly for days like Saturday. When it is even too hot to trek the dogs to the big swimming pool, we bring the water to them before returning them to the air conditioning to nap away the afternoon. The pools are dual purpose; they double Steve’s Scuba Training Center. He taught Scrubs how to scuba by slyly placing his cookies at the bottom of the pool. We think he’s a natural!

The Delta Breeze mercifully kicked in Saturday night, and today we enjoyed a cool breeze while we worked, letting out a collective….ahhh.

Have a great week all!

A June Night

At 9:42 pm, the thermometer reads 89-degrees.

I made a quick check-up on the Homeward Bound Memorial Garden tonight – when the thermometer still read 106.

I discovered Rob mowing despite his promise not to if it was too hot. He lied. Out of respect, I will not share a photo of him dripping sweat. The fresh cut looks lovely though.

It is too hot for man, woman, beast, or bunny.

“Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it.” ~ Russel Baker

The plants and flowers surprised me; they have held up amazingly well.

In their second season, they are taller providing shade for their roots which are better mulched this year as well.

The dogs are tucked in. The only sounds are those of nature’s creatures scurrying to feed and drink before night blankets the garden.

“If a June night could talk, it would probably boast it invented romance.” ~ Bern Williams

Tomorrow’s forecast: 108. Sigh. I think it will be a good day to spend hosing down doggies.

Wordless Wednesday: First Sunflower of the Season

Bee-trayal

Until this weekend, the bees and I had an understanding.

I deadhead the flowers, which produces more for them to enjoy.

I leave them alone; they leave me alone.

Someone didn’t get the message.

A honeybee stung me, stuck in me and wouldn’t let go. I read later that honeybees sting only once, leaving their stinger and venon sac in the victim. This results in their own premature death. Bumblebees, yellow jackets and wasps on the other hand can sting multiple times. That’s just wrong.

The justice of a strike for a life seems fair.

Like the knats that have invaded the garden this year, the spiders have their revenge.

With temperatures already approaching the century mark, the bees, butterflies, dogs and dog walkers were moving slow – easy prey for my camera.

Even the killdeer is too hot to sit on her babies – so she shades them instead.

The pups took their walkers to their favorite shady spots. Lily has this down.

Jack too.

And Bobo.

Lucky pups. Not so lucky walkers and gardeners. Jody worked on sprinklers in the west yard, Maria fixed the drip in the Willow garden, and Rob mowed. I think I got the better end of the deal this weekend, except for the stinging bee.

If it is this hot in the spring, I think we’re in for a long summer. No complaints though, when surrounded by good dogs,

good friends and beautiful flowers…

with mostly well-behaved bees.

Discipulus invitus

Ina is our resident master gardener which means she actually got schooled in the art of cultivation, while the rest of us either learned through experience – or we fake it.

She creates beautiful gardens, but always refers to a plant by its latin or botanical name. I have no idea what she is saying.

Centaurea cineraria

I think she believes that if she repeats the name often enough, I will eventually catch on.

Physostegia virginiana

I just nod. Politely.

Asclepias tuberose

I have discovered that I am much more inspired to learn the latin names of dogs than flowers. Don’t ask me why. For example:

Lipidus smoochus

Minus dontouchus

Toobigus forlapus

Feelgoodus dontstopus

See what I mean? Much more memorable.

Meus happius

Sunshine, Freedom, and a Little Flower

A perfect long weekend starts early with the afternoon off and a sneak trip to the garden.

The Hummingbird Garden with Veronica, Coreopsis and Asiatic Lily in bloom….

The Cottage Garden, freshly tamed. Ina has been here!

The Butterfly Garden, filling in at a rapid rate. I saw a Monarch today, but it got away!

The Dahlias, making their way skyward…

Maria’s Garden, a jumble of color awaiting the Sunflowers arrival…

Darn bunnies burrowing beneath the blueberries…

And visitors. A lizard with a keen sense of irony…

And Pelican Bay. Taking up residence in the flooded rice fields.

“Just living is not enough… one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.”
~ Hans Christian Anderson

(I’ll be back tomorrow.) 🙂

There are no words Wednesday

If Irises are a symbol of hope and faith, we send this field of them to the people of Oklahoma.
You are in our hearts and prayers.

Rainier: The Update

Everyone needs a guardian angel. The first Homeward Bound volunteer that set eyes on Rainier was his.

Alex, a long time volunteer, transported Rainier from the shelter to us. His story inspired so many of you – thanks in large part to the team at Freshly Pressed who spread his tale far and wide, and all of you who so kindly reblogged the story, shining a light on The True Meaning of Rescue.

Rainier saw the vet; his lumps and bumps are thankfully not threatening; he has some chronic conditions to treat; and his age is determined at 12-plus. But the most important person he saw that very first day was Alex – a member of our Golden Taxi transport team. These angels travel up and down the state to provide a second chance to lost, abandoned and displaced dogs in need of healing and a home. For Alex, it was love at first sight. And this weekend, when I walked into the office, I found this joyous note on the board:

Rainier scaled his mountain and found his forever home. He found it the minute he set eyes on Alex and she on him. It just took the rest of us a couple of weeks to catch up.

As a permanent foster, all of Rainier’s medical expenses will be paid by Homeward Bound. Alex provides the love – of that we have no doubt. Happy life, Rainier. We could not have written a better ending to your story.

Guests of the garden

We have a lake view! The rice fields that surround Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue have been flooded with water surrounding our eight acres of rescue paradise.

With the arrival of the water we have new visitors to the garden – most welcome. The birds were everywhere this weekend,

squabbling over territory and even feeding on our bees.

This particular creature is less welcome.

I’m pretty sure he is a water snake. I’m very sure he needs to return there post-haste!

With our heavy clay soil, I suspect the flooded fields around us help the plants by keeping the roots moist and cool. What a display!

This time last year, we were still planting. Sometimes I look in astonishment at what we have created.

Of course, we had our four-legged visitors as well. Tyson is a bounce-back; returned because his family’s circumstances changed and he was unhappily spending too much time alone. We need to find him a family that can give him the time and attention he needs.

Janie is recovering from cancer treatment. She’s doing great now, and while Judy enjoys having her as her “office dog”, it is time for her to find a family of her own as well.

These adorable pups returned for their vet check and last round of shots. They are from the litter we showed up in March – one of our First Signs of Spring. They are growing up so fast!

Our dog walkers and other volunteers pitched in to continue the foxtail eradication project. As if their other contributions are not enough, they have arrived early and stayed late the past few weekends working double time to get the weeding done. The yards and trails have never looked better – and ensure that the pups have a safe place to play and train.

But my crowning weekend achievement is this:

A spotless garden shed. And a word of warning to my fellow gardeners…it had better stay that way!!
Happy week, all! See you in the garden.

When less is more

You can do more damage to a plant by overfeeding than underfeeding. Like kids with candy, plants will scarf up all the food they can find – especially nitrogen and phosphorus. Over-application of plant foods – organic or not – can be deadly.

Leaves turn a very dark green at first, then light green fading to yellow. The leaves struggle to keep their shape, and the stems lose their ability to bend and bounce back. Over production of flowers is followed by low or no production.

As it is for plants, so it is for dogs (and people by the way). Too much weight puts stress on virtually all of a dog’s organs, joints, bones and ligaments. Overweight dogs are at risk of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and respiratory distress. People confuse treats with love and can quite literally “love” their dogs to death.

Duke just arrived at a whopping 150 lbs; way too much weight for his frame to support. He has to be moved on a stretcher to reduce stress on his joints.

Samson and McKinley are in a little better shape, but both have a lot of work ahead. Reducing food intake is an obvious first step. Pumpkin, which is loaded with fiber, can be added to meals. Calories are burned through walks and play, ensuring our pups do not overdo. It is very important to start slowly and gradually increase time and distance to avoid over-exertion or injury.

One of the most beneficial exercises is swimming as buoyancy takes pressure off the joints. Thankfully, a generous supporter gifted Homeward Bound with a pool specially designed for the dogs and their volunteer people. Swimming helps burn calories and strengthens joints and muscles.

And, of course, there is nothing better than a nice cool splash on a hot summer day – even for reluctant first timers! Click here for a short video of McKinley being introduced to the water for the first time.

As we all know, it is a lot harder to undo excess than to maintain a healthy balance in the first place. So do your dog and yourself a favor – show your affection with play and exercise instead of excess treats. You’ll love each other a lot longer that way!