all over the place

Strange weather. Frost this morning. (I'm glad I brought the plants in.) By Monday it will be 80F/27C. Then on Wednesday, my plants will be shivering again as we hover at night just above freezing. Sweatshirt and jacket today, t-shirt and shorts Monday.

Millie is feeling much better. Her cough seems to be there no more. She finished her parasite meds today. She should be good to go (until her next round of whatever). Because it's a weekend, I weigh our options. Over breakfast, which looks like something out of a flower shop or greenhouse (all those plants, waiting for the air to warm up out on the porch).

My pup rests and plays -- the usual morning sweetness interspersed with naughtiness, just to see if I'm paying attention.

 

 

 

As I think about how to structure our day, Ed calls and it strikes me that maybe a walk in the small dog park would be nice. I offer to pick him up (the farmette is on the way) right after I stop over at Steffi's House, where one planted rose is showing no sign of growth and the other is drying up from lack of water. It's hard to garden at a distance, even a small distance!

As I pour some water over these struggling plants, the neighbor comes over to chat.

Do you live here?

Actually no. There's a renter in the house until the end of June. After that -- yes, I will be moving in.

Oh, that's good to know! Cant wait to tell my wife -- we've been so curious about this house.

Have you ever seen the guy who supposedly lives there?

No, not at all...

A mystery to be sure. No one comes in or leaves, the shades are always drawn. Weird.

 

(picking up Ed, I take a minute to admire the last days of the blooming crab apple)

 

 

At the dog park, Millie meets up with like-minded and like-sized pooches and jumps all over their owners thinking them to be her friends as well, otherwise why else would they be there?

Her run is so different from a big dog's, but so fast and sweet!

 

 

 

(comparing notes with a new friend, a white poodle) 

 

 

(classic Millie jump)

 

 

It's a great day for a walk (and a run for her), but I have to say, this is small stuff, compared to the laps we used to do with the big dogs.

Ed comments at my diminished exercise over the past month. Isn't there anything you really enjoy doing?

Well lots, it's just not very aerobic.  

 

The three of us go to Tati's for lunch. She has grown so much in the last week or two! -- this from the barista there. It's so cool to be recognized for your dog! Millie, of course, is happy as a clam to be here. The familiar is always wonderful for her. Uncertainty? Her worst enemy. When I tell her "we're going for a car ride!" she runs away and hides under the couch. Car ride to where -- she wants to know. I've been feeding her words to remember: farmette, Ed, doggie day care, vet, dog park, Tati's. Over time, she'll feel the reassurance of knowing it's nothing like "some strange place where I will be abandoned never to see another friend or my mama again!"

At home, I put the four bare-root plants into temporary homes. They'll have to wait until the end of May for their space in Steffi's garden.  I'm hoping they wont mind this month of transition.

 

Evening. Just Millie and me tonight. We watch a movie, she plays. And as usual, barks at her reflection wherever it may appear. Dogs do not have visual self awareness. If they develop indifference to themselves in a mirror or reflection, it's because there is no scent associated with the image. Millie has not developed that indifference ("habituation") yet. And of course, us humans think it's funny that a dog would bark at herself. Me -- well, I was convinced for a while that I could teach her, by allowing her to see me, alongside the reflection of me. See Millie? That's me and this is me! But of course, I'm working against nature here. I've abandoned that now and just listen to her yap away at herself for a short while come evening. 

Hey, no frost tonight, or any night in the remaining spring weeks! I am grateful!

 with so much love...