dog rescue – Page 16 – Gardens For Goldens

Holiday Cheer

Saturday morning, there were two adoptions on the weekly board. By evening there were seven. This is all the cheer I need to make my holiday bright.

“What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!”
~ Dr. Seuss

But, try as we might to empty the kennels before Christmas Eve, there are always new recruits.

Darbee snagged the coveted office dog spot, which makes her Judy’s (current) favorite.

This adorable little girl looks like a cross between a Golden and a Corgi with a little Basset Hound rolled in for good measure.

Yule was a stray, rescued from the shelter. Part Golden, part Great Pyrenees.

Scared and very thin, his wary face turned to smiles in Maria’s hands (which means she found a way out of gardening chores!)

The rains have turned our garden and walking paths to lakes and mud, but after three years of drought, no one is complaining. The rice field next door once again supports migrating geese and herons.

And the bees were enjoying the last of the roses and the blooming Ceanothus on a late, warm, December day.

Nature’s Yuletide decorations cannot be beat.

Good News In Buckets

Remember when I was whining about the injustice of the flooded rice fields adjacent to our water-starved garden? Well look at us now!

The area beyond the levy is the rice field. The area in front shows the overflown banks of our pond at Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue.

Good News #1: It rained. Buckets and buckets. For hours on end. It rained so long and so hard I thought we might float away.

Good News #2: We did not float away. But we did have some flooding, and we’re left with pooling water everywhere. Every time our pups go out, they get covered in mud. Us too. (Candy was working on manners with new arrival, Tucker. Looks like Tucker: 1; Candy: 0 so far!)

The rain created rivers of water that swept the garden’s walk-on bark paths away.

I spent the day putting down a layer of shreds to soak up the mud and make the place passable.

Good News #3: More rain is on the way, but in more manageable doses this time. We need every drop of it to help put an end to our three-year-long drought.

Good News #4: Remember scared Missy from last week’s blog post? She went to her foster home. Given that her foster mom has already renamed her Maggie, we’re pretty sure that they will be a foster failure together. We love foster failures.

When they first met, Missy was still shy.

It didn’t last long.

She jumped in the car with no prompting and said “let’s go!” Looks like a perfect match to me!

The Seeds of Today and Yesterday

“Memory is the power to gather roses in winter.” ~ Author Unknown

Gardens don’t have memories. They die back in winter and come forth in spring to show the results of our hard work – or the havoc the birds and nature have sown.

But surely, they have souls.

Each year the garden is reincarnated; reborn. Taking on a remarkably similar, but changed version of its former self. It’s journey – a combination of planning and happenstance.

A blogger I admire – Will, of Will and Eko “Marking our Territory” fame – wrote a beautiful tribute this week to his brother’s dog, Dutch, titled “On Losing a Dog.” If you haven’t read it; you should. He captures so perfectly the grief we feel when our most accepting companions leave us. But there was one line I could not shake. He wrote: “A dog has no journey of their own, no thoughts of past or future, so they give themselves fully to us in a way no person ever could.”

Will is right that a dog’s journey is largely controlled by others, but the dogs we rescue at Homeward Bound most definitely have pasts – and memories of them. Some are very hard to let go. We have seen dogs that mourn the loss of their human or canine sibling; others that have been traumatized or mistreated. One of our newest arrivals, Missy, is clearly thinking only of her past. Surrendered for a minor transgression, she does not understand why she has gone from family dog to homeless dog, or why she was left in a place she finds so overwhelming. Shaking, tail tucked, her body language says “I’m afraid.”

As soon as she sees the vet, we will hope to have her in foster. Gorgeous, she should have no problem finding a home. We will guide her on a new journey – with a secure and loving future. And she will, no doubt, give herself fully and gratefully to a person who will make her feel safe and loved.

“All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today and yesterday.” ~ Chinese proverb

Fall whispers farewell

The garden is tucked under a blanket of leaves.

We’ll let it wear this thin cover through the winter to protect sensitive perennials from frost while feeding the soil.

I am always surprised at how quickly the garden can fade; from brilliant oranges, reds and golds

to a canvas of grey and brown.

Not dead; just moved to a new state of slumber as if to say, ‘let’s rest awhile.’ It is a well-deserved. Fall whispers farewell.

Last year at this time, two weeks of record cold and frost were upon us. Unheard of for our area, it stole – overnight – the last color from the garden and resulted in more than a few casualties.

This year, we are blessed with successive days of warm rain. The last roses shine like neon against an earth-colored backdrop.

The long-term forecast says we will not yet escape the drought – but the outlook improves somewhat. For this we are very thankful. With the grey skies and the holidays upon us, the pumpkins were promptly dispatched to the compost pile

and a living tree was moved in.

While the décor has changed, we are still filled with the spirit of giving thanks. Our kennels are only half full after so many “going homes” including eleven of our twelve puppies –

Only sweet Titania remains. We have promised her a home by Christmas.

The breeder dogs that came in recently are all spoken for, including this beautiful pup – surrendered for a heart murmur. One person’s “defect” is another’s great fortune.

For once, the pace is relaxed – with time for enjoying each other’s company as well as the company of dogs.

Our own well-earned rest.

“And the dead leaves lie huddled and still,
No longer blown hither and thither;
The last lone aster is gone;
The flowers of the witch hazel wither;
The heart is still aching to seek,
But the feet question ‘Whither?’” ~ Robert Frost

In today walks tomorrow

Each rose has its season…

Each season has it’s time.

And every dog has its day…or so we hope. This weekend, more of our little puppies had theirs. From twelve, we are down to three – with “going homes” celebrated Saturday for Sydney –

and for Miranda and Nix, lucky littermates who went home together.

Fall marks an end…

And also a beginning.

Today marked an important end for Rosie. She will no longer live the existence of a nameless breeder dog; and the pink dye that was used to identify her and her pups is now washed away.

Today is her beginning. With time and patience, her fear will also be washed away – replaced with trust. Here is the beginning of that process in Carolyn’s capable hands:

“And in today already walks tomorrow.” ~ Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Happy tomorrow, Sydney, Miranda, Nix and Rosie.

Why Heaven Made Dogs

“If Heaven made him — earth can find some use for him.” ~ Chinese Proverb

As our garden matures, it has found purpose beyond beauty. Our compost now makes soil. Our passion vine feeds caterpillars –

that turn into beautiful Gulf Fritillary butterflies.

Nature has a way of creating purposeful pairs…Monarchs and their symbiotic relationship with Butterfly Weed;

Birds and their perches;

Lizards and turtles?

Apparently in our garden – if no where else. Spring needs Fall;

Bees need flowers;

And dogs need homes. Among others, Daphne and Delilah found theirs together this weekend…

And Indy, too.

And why did heaven make dogs?

“Dogs come into our lives to teach us about love, they depart to teach us about loss. A new dog never replaces an old dog; it merely expands the heart. If you have loved many dogs, your heart is very big.” ~ E. Jong

Wordless Wednesday: Special Bond

A little rain must fall

“Dark clouds become heaven’s flowers when kissed by light.” ~ Rabindranath Tagore

We were blessed to wake to rain early Saturday morning.

We are grateful for every drop during this long drought. Rain meant a day of dogs instead of gardening. Time with the pups; another blessing.

Sunday, then, brought twice the load of garden chores; fall is such a busy time in the garden – second only to spring. The day also began with a beautiful fog blanketing all of Homeward Bound including our Memorial Garden.

The soft light captured the fall colors and turned them into illuminated canvases.

Peaking through, I caught a glimpse of couple of favorites out for a stroll: Miss Dazy…

And Victor Mature.

Inside the shed, I found this touching note:
To the garden angels,
This is Rusty’s companion, Rosie. Three weeks after we lost him to Hemangiosarcoma, she let us know she couldn’t go on without him and we lost her, too. Could you put her in the rose garden next to Rusty?
Thanks, Carole

They belong together.

“Be still, sad heart! And cease repining; behind the clouds is the sun still shining; thy fate is the common fate of all, into each life some rain must fall.” ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Wordless Wednesday: Happy Chevy!

Happy Homecomings

We like every dog to know they are special, but when you help hundreds of dogs each year on their journeys home, being original about naming them can be a little difficult. So each month, we turn to themes. Composers, poets, artists…and this month: cars. I know. It’s just wrong.
Meet Mercedes.

And Rambler.

But Odyssey?? Just look at that disgust on his face.

Selecting cars as the theme this month turns out to be a bit apropos – given how much time our teammates just spent in them.
This is Marley.

He is an extremely thunder-phobic dog who happened to live in Illinois: not good a good place for dogs afraid of thunder. He is so frightened by thunderstorms that he will hurt himself if left alone during one. He is very closely bonded to his sister, Harlo. So the decision was made to send them together to a place where thunderstorms are extremely rare. That place is the Sacramento Valley – home of Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue.

Miss Harlo is a mellow girl, who made the trip by plane without incident. But Marley was having none of that. Even sedated, he freaked out. Time for the Golden Taxi!

Three teams of two relayed to ferry him two thousand miles over three days. Last night he was reunited with his sister in a touching welcome home. (Thanks to Rob Kessel for capturing the moment.)

Because special needs dogs need special plans, we had already contacted a family on our waiting list. Previous adopters, they were looking for a canine companion for their Ella. Instead of one, they fell for two. It’s a perfect match!

Tonight, Marley and Harlo are beginning a new chapter together in a loving home.

Meanwhile, I have been reunited with Maria – one of my bonded gardeners who went A.W.O.L. for three weeks and finally returned. I was so happy to have company again, I let her dress the Memorial Garden in silly fall regalia.

Sammy wasn’t so sure about these scary scarecrows – but with Steve by her side…it’s all good!

Happy homecoming and next chapter to Marley and Harlo. Welcome home, Maria! The garden missed you!

Made for each other

Some things are just made for each other: butterflies and flowers…

tiny frogs in roses…

the color gold and fall.

We had a weekend full of “made for each others” at Homeward Bound including Bogart and Bacall – a bonded pair that we insisted go home together. It took a little longer, but today they found their bonded human pair.

Mylee – at just ten months, is full of youthful spunk and energy; perfect for a family of kids and a runner mom to exhaust her puppy enthusiasm.

And Billy Joel. Born with extra toes and missing two wrist bones, his paw is permanently fixed in something that looks like a ballet pose.

He has adapted well and it does not slow him down one bit, so the doc says “leave it” unless it becomes a problem.

But that can be a hard thing to explain to people looking for a “perfect” dog. Until today.

He went home on a trial run – just to be sure everything works out. And we sure hope it does. Because, by the looks of things, he too found the perfect someone he was made for.

“Coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous.” ~ Albert Einstein

A drop in the bucket

We had an unexpected surprise this week…something we haven’t seen in a very long while: rain!

While the rainfall total is but a drop in our drought bucket, we are so grateful. It delivered a much-needed assist to the firefighters battling the massive King Fire in El Dorado County, about 70 miles from us. After two weeks and thousands displaced, the 97,000 acre fire is now 87% contained.

The garden soaked up every drop and enjoyed a few consecutive days of cloud cover.

In response, it spewed forth tiny frogs,

snails,

and a host of mushrooms…one of the gifts of our bark paths when the days are darker and there is finally moisture.

You’ll remember Moses from my Say Goodbye To Summer post? Well, your good wishes worked. He went home this weekend –

joining Carly Simon, Loki, Gordon (below right with his new sister, Sophie) –

Casey, Reacher and Ginger (pictured left with her new sugar-faced sisters).

Patsy Cline and Coki went to foster. Curious about the names? You try being original after rescuing nearly 8,000 dogs!

It was another good weekend for adoptions. Heard among our volunteers: “We have lots of open kennels.” Quickly followed by the arrival of seven (at last count) more.

Seven adoptions; two fosters…a drop in the bucket that keeps being refilled. But, like the rain, we – at Homeward Bound – are grateful for each and every one.