Homeward Bound Memorial Garden – Page 4

Time to Appreciate

There’s one major drawback to an all-volunteer organization: when you want to have a Volunteer Appreciation Picnic, everyone has to work harder so we can appreciate ourselves.

The annual event was held Sunday at Homeward Bound, which meant days of primping, weeding, cooking, and fussing to make the rescue look perfect and create a Thanksgiving-worthy feast. It was also the official Memorial Garden Dedication,

and the garden was dressed for the occasion.

Gina and Sarah did the flower arranging (with Hank’s help);

a bouquet for each table from each bed of the garden (some out-of-season Tulip and Iris representatives did sneak their way in).

The pups played nicely in the large park under the watchful eye of Pack Leader Laurie and a few other volunteers while their humans enjoyed a feast and some music.

In the garden, some critters were doing a little feasting of their own. These red and black beetles on the milkweed multiplied ten-fold while I was on vacation so they were dispensed with,

and Maria angered the wasps by spraying their very large nest at exactly the wrong time of day. They sought refuge at the base of St. Francis’ skirt, climbing over their poor comrades’ fallen bodies.

The lizard and crawdad were allowed to stay, however – much to Lilly’s delight!

Despite unseasonably warm temps, it was a wonderful day and a great way to show our appreciation for each other. Canines and humans alike.

Today is a Gift

“The flower that you hold in your hands was born today and already it is as old as you are.” ~Antonio Porchia, Voces, 1943, translated from Spanish by W.S. Merwi

I don’t know where the summer went; the time passed so quickly. We leave soon for our annual Labor Day camping trip – a week on the ocean and river where the salmon run. It seems like summer arrived just yesterday and it’s gone in the blink of an eye – or the life of a flower.

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That’s why we call it the present.”~ A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

We paid our dues early this year. Having survived two straight weeks of 110 degrees in June, we have been treated to much milder temps all through August. The garden is showing its gratitude now.

And so are the pups. This is Lukey.

Handsome Shane.

Sweet blind boy Brutus.

And hug-a-boo Mickey.

With a light breeze blowing, our golden oldies were treated to a group play date in the large park. So many beautiful sugar faces.

Little beasties, meanwhile, were having their own party in the Butterfly Garden.

Ocean camping is heaven, but its hard to compete with this bliss.

“For there you have been and there you will long to return.” ~ Leonardo da Vinci

Orange

Orange is a warm and happy color – more intense than Yellow and less aggressive than Red.

In color meanings, it is positively associated with gregarious, exuberant, youthful, adventurous, and creative.

A little Orange energizes. Too much orange can feel overly flamboyant, loud and crass.

Orange in nature is associated with heat, fire, sunsets and sunrises, and of course, autumn.

In crystals, Orange is a power and healing color. It stimulates appetite as well as enthusiasm and creativity.

To Native Americans, Orange represents learning or kinship. In Eastern philosophy, the Orange Chakra is in the abdomen and the creative center.

It was also the source of ridiculous jokes as in “Orange you glad I didn’t say banana?”

Orange in the garden is sometimes criticized as too bright and garish – not tasteful. But I think orange brings life to a garden. I use it at home to create tropical heat or add brilliance to an otherwise dark space.

We use spots of it in the Memorial Garden to add warmth while accentuating other colors.

From deep, near-red burnt Oranges,

to the more fragile Salmons and Apricots…

you’ll find every shade of “Orange” in the Homeward Bound Memorial Garden.

Orange you glad you stopped by?

Garden Ballet

Monarch Butterflies are doing dances all through the butterfly bed in the Homeward Bound Memorial Garden. We have created a haven for them with Butterfly Bush, Milkweed, Lantana, Verbena and a host of others.

As long as they stay still, I can pretty much capture them.

In flight – not so much.

I was able to capture the dance of this rare specimen, however. Quite the ballet – don’t you think?

Take a bow, Dee Dee! Such a cutie.

Under Construction

New month; new project in the Homeward Bound Memorial Garden. We can’t help ourselves.

It is time for the long-awaited entry way garden. These beds will hug Memorial Garden path; the one filled with bricks commemorating all the dogs we have loved.

Planting won’t happen until fall. Common sense, patience and Ina’s (frequent) warnings win out given our July and August temps. No worries; preparations will keep us busy until then.

We killed off the weedy grasses, and for good measure, covered the section in a layer of thick cardboard.

We used the technique in other sections of the garden to good effect. The cardboard starves the weeds of light and disintegrates over time. Until then, it is simple to dig holes through it for future plantings.

A truckload of 50/50 was delivered Monday which we will supplement with compost, manure and other goodies to enrich the soil which is starved for nutrients in this section.

Rob was gracious enough to do some earth moving for us. Kind man.

Maria (along with Jody and Mike) is my Mistress of Water. I tell her where I want to plant and she makes it happen. This site involves digging new trenches and laying new PVC to get water to the dry beds.

Doesn’t she look great?

Once the beds are prepped the mason will return to install a small wall for the beautiful new plaque that will grace the garden and feature the names of its sponsors.

In this way, this acre of donated plantings (and labor!) will raise funds in support of the dogs.

It requires a little imagination at this point. But that’s precisely what got us to this place in about 18 months.

The dogs have faith.

Wordless Wednesday: Bowed

A study in yellow

In color psychology, yellow is supposed to be uplifting, illuminating – full of hope, happiness and cheer.

It is said to inspire original thought.

It is a color of the left or logical side of the brain; a practical thinker/creator, not a dreamer.
It does this by creating enthusiasm; awakening confidence and optimism.

“There are painters who transform the sun to a yellow spot, but there are others who with the help of their art and their intelligence, transform a yellow spot into sun.” ~ Pablo Picasso

Within the meaning of colors, yellow is the great communicator; it practically demands that you look at it. It is the most visible of colors in the spectrum.

It depends on itself, preferring to not get emotionally involved. It is a color of the head, not the heart.

Yellow can make people anxious and babies cry. A little goes a long way.

I was never much of a fan of yellow. My garden beds were always a study in pinks, blues, purples, greens and the occasional orange. But this garden has changed my mind. Yellow brings spots of energy and light to the garden; it adds warmth and depth at the same time.

“There is no blue without yellow and without orange.” ~ Vincent Van Gogh

Maybe it is the range of yellows here…from the slightest hint of color…

to the deepest gold.

Or maybe it the fact that it is worn so beautifully by the wonderful creatures here.

Uplifting. Illuminating. Full of hope.

A study in yellow from the Homeward Bound Memorial Garden.

Welcome Relief

9:09 PM. 94-degrees.

Today is supposed to mark the end of a seven-day stretch of 100+ temperatures in the Sacramento Valley. By some miracle, we are supposed to get to a high of only 95 tomorrow. Someone, please grab my parka!

The flowers in the Homeward Bound Memorial Garden are more than ready for some relief.

Pups too. This is Bailey. She’s hot.

This lucky dog has found his relief; not just a shady spot, but a long-awaited home.

Tom came all the way from Taiwan and has been with us awhile. He’s another dog with sight impairments,

but he has no problem following his ball, does he?

He is going home with Kevin next week. A former adopter, a veteran, a man with an obvious passion for this well-deserving dog.

Kevin says he knew the minute he saw Tom that he was the one. He has visited with him constantly while waiting for a family commitment to conclude before Tom can go home.

They both obviously look forward to that day. We look forward to a breeze,

and a much-needed break from this sweltering heat!

Here’s hoping for our promised 95-degrees and a 12 mph breeze. Wind chill of 92 anyone? We’ll take it!

Wordless Wednesday: Elusive

Heat Wave

In case you missed the news, we’re having a heat wave out west. No wait…a heat storm. A solid week (at least) of triple digit temperatures is more than a wave.

The Dahlias are loving it…and now outpacing Maria’s sunflowers (ha!)

And while everything else in the Homeward Bound Memorial Garden has survived so far, everybody is looking as tired of this as we are!

The doggies get regular runs in the sprinklers or splashes in the pool…including this little boy that you may have seen on my post yesterday.

His “best” name is still being determined; in the meantime, we call him “Monster”.

What I didn’t mention is that he is blind. We’re hoping that his sight is fixable. We’ll certainly do our best to change it. But he has adapted very well so far as you can see…

and he certainly has no problem finding the treat pocket!

Think good thoughts for our power grid, and more importantly, prayers for our firefighter heroes please. It’s too hot for man or beast.

Stay cool.

Wordless Wednesday: White

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!