High Desert Life

A letter to my dog

Posted by: calpoppy, 6:23 PM GMT on May 29, 2012

I know you have a couple of paws on that bridge right now, so I thought I would write this letter to you now, while you are still here. So here’s to you Dre.

We had fun, didn’t we!! You, your sister Ali and I. We hiked all through the San Gabriel Mountains and all through the desert. You never knew what a collar was or a leash ( except for those icky vet visits).

You probably don’t remember but I used to sneak you and your sister into work with me when you were just little pups. I couldn’t very well leave you at home by yourself, so I built a small pen and a shelter at the garden center and there you stayed with me, well until we got caught! Darn owner, said if he allowed me to take my dogs to work then the next thing people would want to take their kids to work. LOL But by then you were old enough to stay by yourselves. But I know you missed your MacDonald’s cheeseburgers on Sunday.

There was the time you were riding in the back seat of the car and all of sudden I heard you yelping! I turned around and saw the window had closed around your neck, you had stepped on the window controls!! One more time you did that, and I locked those controls!!

How about that time I showed you and your sister how to swim? Well, I didn’t exactly show you but I did push you both in, didn’t I! That was at Big Rock creek, there was a nice deep pool of water and you and Ali just wouldn’t go in. A little encouraging push and you were both swimming. You and Ali found out how much you loved it! I couldn’t get you out of there!

Remember Emmett, Marie’s pup? He crossed the rainbow bridge way before his time, just like your sister. A silly airedale he was, but he always had a crush on you. Remember the bear?? We were hiking with Emmett and his friend and the hair on you and your sister’s back went straight up. With quiet woofs you let me know it was a bear ahead. And sure enough out he bolted across the trail about 30 feet ahead of us. You and Ali stayed like the smart dogs you are, but Emmett took off after the bear. I think he was showing off to you! Luckily he came back. He thought he was pretty brave that day!

Then you met Mr. P and the pack!! You loved everyone of them, well maybe not Maggie but Maggie didn’t like anybody. Pete, Dawn, Shadow, Maggie and Skirt. Skirt was your favorite, you and her would play until you were exhausted!

What a great place to be for you and your sister! A pack to belong to, rabbits to chase and not a fence in sight!! Your humans trusted all of you and you never let them down! Before long two more dogs came into your life. Bear and Rocky. So a nine dog household began. All of you packed into a 600 sq. ft. cabin.

One by one your friends have crossed over, I am so sorry your turn is coming!!

But we had such fun, didn’t we.

Here is a picture of us a few years ago with most of the pack, I think there is only 6 here. It was so hard to get them all together, camera shy they were!

Here is Mr. P with seven pups coming back from a hike.

And here is Dre, in the water that she loves so much. When the creek by us runs a neighbor up the way makes a dam so the dogs who like water can go in. And Dre was always the first one in!

Updated: 6:29 PM GMT on May 29, 2012

Permalink | A A A

View Comments (34)

My garden center

Posted by: calpoppy, 4:27 PM GMT on May 08, 2012

For lack of a better blog I thought I would show some plants that I thought were pretty nice to have in your own garden. I brought my camera to work on Monday and took a few pics, but I was just about sold out of everything!! So more pics when I order again this week.

Here is a flower that loves the heat will take some winter freezes and is just as cheerful as it gets. With an array of colors it fits in all landscapes! The Osteospermum.

This geranium is like a mini Martha Washington, Angel Eyes.

Hanging baskets are always fun and how easy it is to just pick one up already made. I used to years ago make up the baskets for the nursery I worked for. A lot of fun!

Here are some Centrathrus Rubras or a common name you might know Jupiters Beard. These seeded themselves around the pond. They are very invasive but so pretty!

How about a Rhythm and Blues petunia? A rambler style great for baskets, one of my favs this year.

Another hanging basket with the fairly new orange petunias.

Pink Lemonade Petunia, for hanging baskets or pots.

What nursery is complete without nursery cats! Introducing Taz.

She was once called the Tazmanian Devil kitten, as my jeans still bear the scars of her claws as she would climb up my legs and onto my shoulders.

Here she is thinking how cool birds are!!