What are some of your other interest?

Since I'm dealing with a bit of writer's block, I thought I would try something creative and veer off the topic of dogs for a while and into gardening.  My second favorite thing next to dogs.

I usually just concentrate on veggies, I don't mess around with flowers except I like to plant sunflowers all around the front of the house.  So I will start veggie seeds indoor this week, as we usually aren't able to plant until the first of June (hopefully) and with the short growing season of about two and half months those seedlings need all the help they can get.

I like to keep things easy and affordable or it's no fun.  I don't like to fuss over the garden.  Like compost, I used what's on hand:  leaves, ashes from wood, straw and duck poop.  So even Luigi does his part!  Duck manure is considered a hot manure and needs sit for a year before being ready to use.  So I have a small compost pile that I rotate from spring to spring

The main veggies I plant are:   tomatoes, cucumbers, green and hot peppers, onions and carrots. Each year I try to plant something new and different I haven't planted before or try another veggie again that didn't succeed very well.  Last year I tried broccoli, which turned out great and I'd like to do again. The dogs loved it!   This year I'm going to try again at growing lima beans.  I had some luck with them last year, but I started my seeds too late to get a good amount.

I only have so much room as my garden is small raised structure that hubby built where it has the best possible sun, considering the amount of trees we are surrounded by.

I use a method called "companion gardening," an age old method of growing certain plants together to benefit each other.  It helps in warding off insects, disease and helps each plant grow.  Two things I've learned:  put radishes in your cucumber hills and you'll rid yourself of the cucumber beetle.  (May work for squash as well) and that peppers grow great next to broccoli.  The cucumber beetle was actually sucking the life out of my newly planted cucumbers because I'd been lazy about planting the radishes in them.  When I finally did my cucumbers came back to life in a jiffy.  And I'd heard conflicting results about putting broccoli next to green peppers, but my green peppers flourished next to them and were some of the biggest and best I've ever grown.

I love gardening.  I am always amazed by the miracle of the seed and the power each hold within them, that with just the right conditions becomes the impossible.  It still boggles my mind.  There's nothing like just connecting with the Earth.  And no better excuse to play in the dirt!  And of course the dogs love eating out of it just as much as we do!

So what are some of your other interest?

Nothing like a good walk...

I don't know...

what it is about digging in the dirt,

But it sure makes me feel funny afterwards!

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Thanks to Life with Dogs, The Two Cavaliers, and Confessions of the Plume.

Bath Time Flop

Fresh from the tub, Chance demonstrates why bath times at our house almost serve no purpose...

Here's proof they were clean:

Yeah, we were clean, for about 5 seconds!
What does she expect with a dirt yard and the fact that we are DOGS??

BOL!

Now lets all take a dirt roll over to the Blog Hop!

Thanks to our host Life with Dogs, The Two Cavaliers, and Confessions of the Plume.

A Few PET Peeves

Having eight animals in the house at the same time entitles me to have some pet peeves and a reason to vent.  Six dogs and two cats is enough some days to send me over the top.  Well, I've had all I can take and I'm laying down the law.  And it's about time!

1.  Any dog that chews on another remote will be sentenced to becoming our personal slave for manually turning the TV on and off, changing channels and adjusting the volume to our desire.  All of this will be done without the luxury of treats.  That's right.  You heard me.   And for your information, Fiona and Blaze  the 'remote fairy' does not exist!

2.  For any dog going in or out you will all be entering and exiting at the same time.  I am not your personal door person for this intermittent parade that you continue to put on.  If I have to miss one more twist on Law and Order because of getting up and down to let you in or out individually you will all be tied together on one line.  That way you can all go out and come in at the same time.  And we all know, nobody wants to be THAT close to Brut!

3.  The fact that we have a dirt yard does not give you permission to roll in as much dirt as possible to bring in and leave on my bed.  That's right MY bed.  Are you back talking me Zappa?  The fact that the bed is left unmade all day isn't the issue!  Opposable thumbs or not the next one who showers my bed with dirt will learn how to use hand held vacuum to clean my bed every night.  ALONG with washing all your pack mates paws and will receive a BATH!  And here's the real kicker,  A BATH, WITH THE USE OF THE HAIR DRYER!!  You have escaped this horror of machines many times, but this time you will be blasted!!

And this is only the beginning...HeHeHeHe