What’s In A Name?

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.” – Shakespeare

Hundreds of dogs come through Homeward Bound each year. Some arrive with names; some are given to them. And sometimes – it seems – they just get it wrong!

Flowers names are pretty true to form. Sunflower…

Black-Eyed Susan…

Coneflower.

Simple enough. This beautiful boy arrived as ‘Hank’. Does he look like a Hank to you?

Since there were other Hanks in residence, he was named Hank Spoon. It is a ridiculous name.

Rationale #1: “He has a tongue like a spoon.”

He does not.
Rationale #2: “ He’s like that character in Lonesome Dove.”

That would be Jake Spoon – a lazy gambler and drinker. Hank’s not lazy, but he may drink, and if he did gamble, he’d be taking points – betting the underdog. He may also be a bit of a wise guy. Which may be why he is now “Hank, The Spoon.”

On the other hand, the name Hank means ‘ruler of the home’ in German and Dutch. And that may be closer to the truth. Maybe the name ‘Hank’ really was astute…

but I prefer ‘Misunderstood’.

Where Friends Gather

“Gardens are not made by sitting in the shade.”- Rudyard Kipling

Maria lost no time today prepping the garden paths for our installation project, only a week away now. She removed buried rock, the few remaining weeds and leveled some hardened clay bumps and lumps.

Meanwhile, I set about expanding the Hummingbird Garden, giving the plants a little more breathing room, as the Russian Sage continues its skyward march.


Nothing gives us greater joy than seeing that the Homeward Bound Memorial Garden has become such a gathering place for friends – of all kinds. Today, in addition to walkers and trainers, we played host to frogs,

butterflies –

and our newest volunteer gardener; Pat’s newly adopted Penny.


If you’re a regular reader, you may remember her as Blossom. She’s a beauty – and great company in the garden.

The Hummingbirds returned,

this time displaying an amazing courtship ritual of aerial acrobatics. While the female sat on the wire playing hard-to-get;

the male rocketed high into the sky,

and then dive-bombed back to earth and to her…over and over and over again.

Some honored guests shared photos with us of the garden when it was nothing but a field of mud and weeds. We have come a long, long way.

The best friend visits of all, of course, are the dogs. Today’s line-up included Sanctuary pups Bebe and Veronica,


Hank Spoon…now Hank, The Spoon (more on that in another post),

Eastman,

Goldie,

Denver,

Susie and Hope,

Brittany,

and two extra-special friends. This little girl was found by one of our trainers on the side of a country road.

There’s not a stitch of Golden in her – except her obvious affection for people –

so we’ll have to craft a rescue plan for her. We call her Sanka – for her coffee-colored spots.

But the most heart-warming moment of the day belonged to Snuffy.

You saw him here a few weeks ago; shaved and obviously in need of adding a few pounds.

We watched him, hopefully, visiting the garden with a family considering fostering –

then saw them leaving together a short time later. That people can see beyond Snuffy’s missing coat and temporary rat-tail to see the adoring dog within, makes all efforts worthwhile.

Make a volunteer gardener’s day: adopt, foster, rescue. Who knows? We might even plant something in your honor.

The Language of Love

Judy, from Homeward Bound, shares that we had some honored visitors in the garden, recently. I’m going to piece together the story for you, borrowing many of her own, well-written words. How wonderful that the Homeward Bound Memorial Garden could serve as a backdrop to this amazing reunion.

On Friday, September 28th, Johanna Quinn came to Homeward Bound to visit dogs she had rescued in Taiwan and sent to the Homeward Bound sanctuary. Johanna (far right) is an American living in Taiwan, and she works with shelters there, and rescue groups in the U.S., to save these dogs’ lives and find them better futures.

As every gardener knows, flowers have a language of their own. Blooms express sentiments that, sometimes, cannot be spoken.

These pups have a language of their own as well. “They come to us with names we don’t recognize like A‐Tong and Momo, GinDian and San Li,” Judy writes. “Their paperwork is green and in Chinese. When we talk to them they look confused and don’t seem to understand us. But when we scratch their ears and tummies, and when their tails wag and they melt into our hands, these differences don’t matter – because we are speaking the same language; the language of love.”

In the past few years Homeward Bound has taken in over 30 dogs from Taiwan, traveling thousands of miles in search of a better life. Thanks to dedicated volunteers of the Taichung Universal Animal Protection Agency (TUAPA) and Asians for Humans, Animals & Nature (AHAN), Golden Retrievers – and countless other breeds, from Taiwan are getting a chance to live the doggie version of the American Dream.

Their medical expenses while in Taiwan, and all of their travel expenses are paid by the Taiwan rescue groups. Homeward Bound’s responsibility is getting a driver to the airport to meet the flight, and then finding the Goldens the best possible home. Many volunteers have made the trek to SFO to meet the flights, and witness the amazing arrival of Goldens coming through customs, along with other breeds that have been rescued by TUAPA and AHAN.

Only one of the rescues Johanna sent to Homeward Bound is left, and that’s Tom (below) known as ‘A-Tong’ in Taiwan.

When Johanna saw him for the first time she spoke to him in Chinese. “His ears perked up and he jumped on her with pure joy at the recognition of not only his rescuer, as she had spent a great deal of time with him, but of his language,” says Judy. “He clearly understood Chinese better than he did English!”

Judy writes: “I took Johanna on a tour of the facility and we started – where I always start now – in the Memorial Garden. As we were walking the garden, Jeff and Nancy Rogers, and a dog that Johanna had rescued, came to visit.

Ping-Ping came to us in 2009 and it appeared that she had been hit by a car, or otherwise injured, so that a portion of her mouth was missing. Although she had some surgery in Taiwan, Homeward Bound did additional structural and cosmetic surgery on her after she got here.

I worked on the adoption. The family – along with their two twin daughters about 13 years old – were looking to adopt a younger dog. We had very few young females available, and a lot of people didn’t want their children to meet Ping-Ping because of her deformity.

But these girls didn’t care at all, and they made it very clear that they wanted to adopt a dog that needed them. Ping-Ping was their girl. I don’t remember all of my adoptions, but I remember this one because the girls were so unique for 13 year old’s. Looks didn’t matter; it was about who needed them.”

Many of the dogs have been adopted by Homeward Bound volunteers, as well as others. Because Homeward Bound does not turn away a Golden in need, no local dogs are displaced by the arrival of the Taiwan dogs; all are welcomed here.

“We are grateful that TUAPA, AHAN and Homeward Bound all speak the same language. It’s the language of rescue; the language of love,” says Judy.

For more information about AHAN and TUAPA, please visit their websites: AHAN at: www.ahan.org, and TUAPA at: http://shibasenji.wordpress.com/2010/12/01/tuapa-taiwan-animal-rescue/

Hummingbird Cloaking Device: Me

OK. I’m an idiot.
The elusive Hummingbird finally made an appearance at the Homeward Bound Memorial Garden this weekend, and I pretty much blew the photo opportunity.

Turns out he really does love the bed we planted for him, full of Russian Sage, Scarlet Bugler Penstemon and Blue Salvia. There are plenty of treasures in there for the butterflies as well.

I spotted him while taking a break under the shade of the pear trees. And that’s probably the problem…”under the shade”. The Hummingbird was drinking up the Russian Sage in full sun, and I was in full shade. Doh!

I set the camera to shutter-priority to catch his rapid movement, but did not adjust the ISO or Aperture to allow enough light. Amateur! Then I happily snapped a good 50 pictures in rapid-fire succession. Rule #1 ignored; check your shot. I ran to show Maria my prize – and saw only darkness in the viewfinder.

I could have set the camera to Auto. I could have walked out into the sunshine. But no.

Photoshop was created for pretend photographers like me.

In Photoshop I adjusted the levels and tone…and while the image is not what I intended, it is kind of ethereal and seems almost fitting given the bird’s iridescent feathers.


I swear this bird has magical cloaking powers, buzzing around – heard, but unseen all summer – and now this mishap.



He did make a quick return, allowing me to capture just a couple of quick shots…in the sun!

So there you have it. Lesson learned. At least I didn’t forget to put the memory card in.

End of September Update

The humans were a little sluggish this morning at Homeward Bound. I’m not sure if it was the late-into-the-evening fundraiser for the organization, or the weatherman’s promise of 100-degree temperatures…on September 30th. Enough already! While we pounded coffee, the dogs and creatures were up and at ’em. Bees…

butterflies…

frogs…

and even the Hummingbird made its appearance!

We created a garden bed just for this fellow, but he has eluded us all summer – until now. More in another blog about how I almost blew his photo, and the interesting Photoshop save and results.

The only thing not moving was this Crawdad that must have made its way from the draining rice fields. The yards have been full of them, but this one was strangely silent.

Not to be shown up, Maria, Pat and I got busy dead-heading and preparing for the paths that will be installed in two weeks. Here’s Pat hard at work!

With the weeds beaten back, we can’t wait to cover this uneven baked clay earth in three inches of walk-on mulch which will show off the beds beautifully.

Once the paths are in, the goal is to expand the beds. Ina will extend the Cottage Garden across the length of the front entrance,

we’ll create some needed space in the over-grown Hummingbird garden,

Sue and Jeff have planned beds of pansies under the trees (once the weather cools!), and Maria was so inspired by the removal of the blackberries, that she has already begun the task of doubling the size of the Herb Garden.


Across the way she dressed the St. Francis bed for fall.

Goldie gave it the once over, and her approval.

And with that, the parade was on! This is Hank Spoon.

A terrible name for a sweetheart of a boy. Maybe someone will adopt him and change it to something more befitting.

Brutus and Sierra came in search of refreshment. They are still looking for their ‘fur-ever’ home together.

Goldie, number two. A beauty with, what look like, Collie ears.

Scout and Huck are new arrivals. Scout is part Golden and part Corgi. One of our gardeners already has her eye on him. Occupational hazard? Or master plan? I’ll keep you posted.

Huck is a people-loving little thing, who will do well with someone dedicated to his training and who can match his obvious enthusiasm!

Bones helped himself to another apple from the tree. He can’t hear, but he can see and smell! (Remember not to let them eat the cores!)

Bo-Bo and Hershey are not available for adoption, so they can call the garden ‘home’.

And finally, Wedo. This sweet pup has led a ‘sheltered’ life and needs someone who will be devoted to helping him discover life beyond. In exchange, you will be the recipient of this adoring gaze!

There is a lot more to catch you up on, but it is late, and I promised to bake triple chocolate cranberry cookies for work tomorrow…so off I go! See you back here soon.

Inspiration from the WPA Rock Garden

I have taken so much inspiration from my fellow gardeners at the Homeward Bound Memorial Garden. With a season under our collective boots, there is a garden closer to home that I now appreciate even more.

It is the WPA Rock Garden at William Land Park in Sacramento.

This three-quarter acre gem is tucked inside the park,

between the quaint Fairytale Town, Sacramento Zoo, the outdoor theatre in the round,

and the duck pond.

It was originally built in 1940 as part of the New Deal’s Work Projects Administration – thus WPA – and has been our city’s hidden treasure for generations.

But it wasn’t always the oasis it has become.


A well-known local horticulturist, Daisy Mah, took over care of the garden in 1988 after it had been overgrown by ivy. This sounds like a familiar tale to our Homeward Bound volunteer gardeners.

Instead of the typical water-thirsty and shade-loving plants you find in neighboring gardens, she planted drought-tolerant plants from the Mediterranean climates.





The paths are laid with decomposed granite; the beds raised with low rock walls.


The naturalized mixture of grasses and perennials, flower and foliage, light and shadow remind me of Ina’s Cottage Garden…


with little surprises tucked into every corner.



Beginning with a budget that would not even buy you a night at the movies – ingenuity, propagation expertise and, as rumor has it, fertilizer originally contributed by the zoo animals, has created this meandering maze of delights.




Daisy Mah has announced her retirement from the City Parks and Recreation department this year.

What will happen with to the garden remains to be seen, with the economy already severely testing city resources.

A great community volunteer effort has risen to the task of maintaining the park, and some have worked for years with Daisy to maintain this wonder. Hopefully, the WPA Rock Garden will continue with this dedicated group.


One thing is certain – Daisy Mah has created a living legacy.


One that deserves our admiration and our commitment to carry on her good work for the generations to come.

Bringing Out The Best in Buster

As we tackled the blackberries last weekend we uncovered hidden treasure.

To some, this represents a fun game of play;

but to pups like Buster – something more worrying. Buster is one of a few dogs that arrive at Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue and Sanctuary completely, utterly and totally ball-obsessed.

Lots of dogs enjoy a game of ball, but in some cases it moves from play to something much more. When a dog focuses on the ball to the exclusion of every other kind of human or canine interaction, the obsession lessens their quality of life.

A garden succeeds with variety – of shape, texture, color and contrast.

Too much of a good thing results in sameness.

The magic occurs in mixing things up and uncovering surprises.

Dogs are social beings. They need interaction and variety too, or they can become compulsive, neurotic, or worse. The trainers at Homeward Bound are well-practiced in turning around these pups, to give them a chance at adoption and a happy, healthy life.

There is a must-read success story posted to the website about Chester – now Rudy – who arrived at Homeward Bound very much like Buster. You can read it here.

With the training and dedication, Rudy has found a whole new life beyond the ball.

Buster is still a work in progress – but the progress is really good. It begins with a cleared pen, free of all balls, so he can begin to focus his attention on the trainer. Each look is rewarded with treats and praise.

New activities are introduced, with the ball becoming the reward – instead of the object of the exercise. A look in the eyes is cause for celebration;

a kiss means it’s time to throw a parade!

Buster is well on his way. You can see the change in his face…from a few weeks ago…

to now.

He is so lucky to have the team at Homeward Bound on his side. And it truly takes a team! Trainers, feeders, walkers – all reinforcing the same steps will, with any luck, help the placement team connect him to a waiting family;

someone who will see the golden in him, the way Art and Amy saw the promise in Rudy. Is that you?

Catching Up

Ina sends this note from the Homeward Bound Memorial Garden today:
“As of today, the bramble has had a complete ‘ectomy’ in both beds. Very satisfying work for a gardener with attitude! Onward!”

And no photo – so we are left to wonder just what gift she has left us. For those of you new to this blog, look back at the history of Ina’s Cottage Garden to understand her talent – and her ambition.

Since I cannot share a garden update just yet, I should catch you up our weekend visitors – lest they think they were overlooked!

Sunday was apparently homecoming day in the garden. School was in session just as soon as those pesky puppies cleared out, and we had plenty of alumni returning for additional training. There’s Stella, with Jody. (Jody is the one in the dog-shirt…big surprise!)

Thor and Loki – named after the gods of Thunder and Mischief respectively. Guess which one is Thor.

Henry – a beautiful combination of Golden Retriever and Afghan Hound. Just look at that coat!

Henry is one of those “failed fosters” – which means he went home with one of our gardeners, and they decided to adopt each other.

Hopper and Cinnamon are two of the newest arrivals. Another pair to, hopefully, be placed together. (Update: Another couple, Mosh and Marie who were featured last week, are now in foster care…together!)

Snuffy. This sweet pup is now receiving the TLC and medical treatments he so obviously needed and is on the road to recovery and a full coat again. He would like you to know that he gets along with cats and likes other dogs. And that he has a lot of love to give.

Bones. You may have seen him here before. He may not be able to hear,

but he sure speaks “Debbie” the dog-walker!

There is one more pup to tell you about, but you’ll have to return for that one. I promise you it is a special read in honor of National Dog Week. (Really…there is such a thing!) Hope to see you back here soon.

Puppy Touchdowns

Sundays are great in the fall, because with football on, no one even notices if I am gone for hours to the Homeward Bound Memorial Garden!

I arrived just in time this weekend for puppy socialization class.

Who needs football on TV when you have live action on the field?? Kickoff!

Tackle!

Wait…holding!

Defense! Defense!

Time out!!

Bench warmer?

The Referee.

Huddle up!

Hey, unnecessary “ruff-ness!”


Water break.

Hut! Hut!

Hut! Hut! Hut!

OK, that’s just piling on!

Game over. Let’s hit the showers!

Playtime in a controlled situation is a great way to socialize your pup to other people and dogs. This Homeward Bound romp was designed for that purpose. Not to mention bringing a smile to our faces, too.