The Dogs

 We have three dogs here on the ranch with us.  

Many of you will remember Kersey, our yellow lab. She came to us as a puppy right around the time I started this blog.  She will be 12 this summer.  Kersey has been suffering from severe arthritis for a number of years and is currently maxed out on medications.  She's still a happy dog but she doesn't leave the front porch too often and is starting to show signs of dementia.  

Sage is three years old.  She is very busy, all the time, keeping Acorn in line and hunting squirrels and gophers.  She is the best rodent control we've ever had.  While she loves agility, she also has a nagging soft tissue injury in her front leg.  It doesn't bother her when we do short sessions here at home but she can't tolerate training class which is more intense.  She is very anxious and doesn't like to leave home so my plans were never to compete her.  She would hate it.  So, I've decided to stop with formal training and just work with her here at home.  I've converted the dressage court to an agility course so we can practice there -- which she loves.

Acorn is 16 months old and has been a real challenge.  He is Sage's brother, from a later litter obviously.  He is endlessly devoted to Brett and lives to run errands in the truck.  If Brett leaves, in the truck, without Acorn all hell breaks loose.  Acorn howls like his heart is breaking and runs up and down the driveway frantically.   While Sage is a timid and anxious dog.  Acorn is bold and brave.  He's very affectionate with people but has been aggressive with other dogs, including Kersey.  Working through this behavior has been a huge project.  Kersey was Brett's dog before Acorn came along and so he is very jealous of her.  Brett's done a ton of focus and control work with him and that, combined with Acorn growing up, has made a big difference.  He tries to herd the donkeys and horses but mostly they either ignore him or, if he is really getting on their nerves, they herd him away.  He's been known to dig up all my drip lines, multiple times, and drag them across the property.  He's destroyed patio furniture and rugs.  He's beautiful and is going to be a wonderful dog when he matures.

Fish Emulsion Mistake

 When I start seeds, I add a bit of fertilizer as an ingredient in my seed starting mix so I don’t worry about feeding the baby plants when they first sprout.  There is also a bit of fertilizer, some compost and worm castings that are added to my potting mix when I move the seedlings up to 4” pots.  Some of these plants will go to the Master Gardener spring plant sale (our big fund raiser for the year) and some will go in my garden.  Regardless of where they end up, I want them strong and healthy with a mass of white roots filling the pot.  So, after the plants have been in their pots for a month or so, I give them a little drink of fish emulsion.  

This morning was the day.  I fertilize on the 15th of the month — I have to pick an easy to remember day otherwise I forget.  Tomorrow, the 15th, we are expecting snow so I did it today.  I put a couple tablespoons of fish emulsion in my watering can and filled it with water.  The lovely smell of fish emulsion filled the greenhouse.  Think tuna.  Both Sage and Acorn appeared at my feet, noses twitching as they tried to locate the fish.  When I watered the little pots, both dogs stood under the bench and licked up the fishy water that leaked through.  

I still had some of the mix in my watering can so I took it out to the garden bed where I have parsley, turnips and bok choy growing.  The dogs were eyeing the planter bed with interest so I made sure they came with me when I left the garden, closing the back gate behind me.  

A few minutes later, I was busy mucking one of the pastures when I realized that Acorn was no longer with me.  I looked over at the garden and there he was — standing in the raised bed, digging like mad, trying to find that fish.  He had gone around to the front gate which was closed, but not latched, and let himself in.  One of the turnips was half-way out and the other plus the bok choy were flung to the side.  I stuck them back in the ground but I don’t have high hopes for their survival.  I think he chomped the roots.  Dang dog.  And stupid me for not latching the front garden gate.