These little guys and girls – surrendered on Easter weekend – have kept us hopping! They don’t look much like Golden Retrievers, do they? Thankfully, they were raised well and will be ready to go after a trip to the vet. Anxious families await!
Tag: Puppies
Wordless Wednesday: Jingle and Belle
Our Houseguest
I shared Lady Edith’s story on our rescue blog. But since many of you do not see that (and I am up to my elbows in puppy poop!) I hope you will indulge me with her story and current update.
Lady Edith was destined for a life of making puppies. Too young, too thin, and in need of eye surgery – she was surrendered, instead, to our rescue, Homeward Bound. It changed the course of her life forever.
Despite her slight stature, we could tell something was up. The vet confirmed. A week or so later, she delivered her beautiful pups in the wee hours of the morning following a rare evening of Sacramento Valley thunderstorms. Edith’s mothering instincts came naturally, despite her young age.
She has raised (with much assistance!) four beautiful pups from tiny things…
to rough and tumble troublemakers!
Each litter that we welcome has a dedicated human mom assigned to them. This time, it was Judy who ensured that they were well-socialized – so important in a dog’s proper raising. It also means countless feedings and clean-ups. What goes in … must come out!
All of Lady Edith’s puppies have been adopted.
As has Lady Edith – who is being renamed “Lacy.” Her puppies are now fully weaned and exhausting her. Yes, you – little troublemaker!
Before she can have her eye surgery, her milk needs to dry up so we can do her spay at the same time. No more puppies for this puppy. So we are fostering her for a couple of weeks until she is ready.
At only one year of age, she is a puppy herself – with absolutely no house manners. Just like her kids – she poops on, pees on, and eats everything in sight! We will work on those things before she heads to her own forever home where her adoptive mom also waits – anxiously!
There, Edith will enjoy a life of play and love – as every young dog should.
New Additions
April showers bring … April flowers. In abundance.
The garden is in full bloom making my early morning arrival extra special.
“An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.” ~ Henry David Thoreau
Last week: five long-term residents went home. This week: five arrived in one day. Plus three more for good measure throughout the week.
The universe seeks balance, I guess. No rest for the weary.
We have a new addition to the garden: a beautiful bird bath.
Maria made it for Jody, our president who, with her husband, imagined this whole Homeward Bound effort and works tirelessly to sustain it. It’s the perfect centerpiece for her special bed in the garden.
As beautiful as they are, the flowers in the garden have tough competition from the pups named for flowers. Iris…
Rose,
Sweet William,
and Stephanotis.
All spoken for – from a long list of families that have waited a long time for these rare arrivals.
Until their going home days…we’ll enjoy watching them bloom, as well.
Wordless Wednesday: Of Tails
Swallowtail:
Puppy tails:
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.
The Smallest Things
“Sometimes,’ said Pooh, ‘the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.” ~ A.A. Milne
It is 96-degrees in the evening on the first weekend of October, which officially makes it too hot to write. My brain is fried. So I bring you a collection of the smallest things from the Homeward Bound Memorial Garden (and Homeward Bound in general). Warning: make some room in your heart. ♥
Wordless Wednesday: Heads or Tails?
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.
Wordless Wednesday: Puppy Love
Signs of Spring
“The flowers of late winter and early spring occupy places in our hearts well out of proportion to their size.” ~ Gertrude S. Wister
The signs of spring are everywhere in the Memorial Garden. For those of you still suffering winter, a few vignettes are shared here with a hope that your spring is on the way.
Yes, no spring is complete without puppies. And last, but not least, a beautiful specimen of the treasured “sugar corculum”.
Bring the Meeting to Order
Being part of a rescue organization, means dealing sometimes with sad news. But for all the difficult days, there are many more rewards. Lest you think that all are days are tough, I would like to share with you highlights from a recent meeting at Homeward Bound.
Top-dog is a take-charge kind of guy, who definitely knows how to command the room’s attention.
Type A is a perfectionist, excellent note-taker and always on the ball.
This one is a visionary; see the far-off look? Clearly strategizing about the next big project.
And here is our socialite. Knows how to work a room, and definitely needs to be in charge of community relations.
Oops…do I spy a little boardroom competition? Stare down!
Or just bored – in the room? Talk about sleeping on the job.
This meeting has been called on account of nap time. Welcome to the joys of rescue!
Gardens For Goldens 