Westie, Sir Salty Gets Time Out

Our doggy boy now looks like he walked out of Gentlemen's Quarterly magazine. All polished, trimmed and not looking like our usual shaggy haired, beach-boy, doggy boy. It also looks like he lost 5 pounds instantly because of the summer trim. All of his curls are gone.

The day started out good. The day we have been in line and waiting for (waiting over one month for) came and we got him there as scheduled between 7:30 and 8:00 am. We were told by the vet's receptionist that he could be ready to pick up as early as 11:30am and they would call as soon as he was ready. Yes, yes. We had done this before. 11:30 came and then 11:45 and so on. I kept checking my phone. No calls. Is this phone working properly, I wondered?

It eventually rang and it was the groomer telling us that he was ready to be picked up. I looked at time, 2:00pm. Sir Salty had to have a time out for about an hour until he didn't care anymore what she did. (At this point after hearing about his little tantrum I was wishing the phone wasn't working.) But then she was able to clip him beautifully. Our groomer is one of the most diplomatic people I know and I think our normally calm, level, cool headed-dog tested her diplomacy and she passed beautifully while our westie boy failed in the manners department and had his time out. Our groomer was on our side most of the time.

Groomer: "You know it's a different environment and he is not used to us."

Me: "Right."

But then we got right down to business...

Groomer: "I could not let him win."
Me: "I am sorry."
Groomer: "You might ask the doctor to give you a sedative for him for his next grooming."
Me: "I am sorry."

Then I said I am sorry about five more times. I don't know the guidelines for saying I am sorry other than meaning it. I definitely meant it. When I went to get him out of the crate high above the other dogs he was the calmest, kissing-ist dog there. The girl gasped that I could pick him up, put him down and love him up without a sound from him, only kisses.

See, they must have had the wrong dog. Sigh. I guess we must go to dog obedience school where he learns to interact with other dogs and strangers, too, not just our family.

Pink and Lime Green Plant Combinations

Great color combinations by pairing the lime-green euphorbia flowers and the brilliant pink flowers of nemeisa. The annual nemeisa plants may be small, but the flowers cover almost every quarter inch of the plant. Euphorbia is an architectural plant, too. It stands above some of it's perennial peers, I think. I have a fondness for them.

Golden bleeding heart has the wonder of having the lime green leaves and pink, pink heart flowers. We can always look to nature for great color combinations. Plus the added bonus that it is an perennial and will reward you year after year. (Providing you don't have free range chickens scratching about it's roots.)

The lime green trellis is waiting for the roses and clematis colors growing alongside it to show themselves. I love this punchy green color especially against the dark green leaves. Wow. It definitely gives our eyes something to focus and rest on.

Loaded Flower Baskets

If you like the sweet fragrance of nosegays you will love flower baskets. These were for sale at a friend's nursery. They don't dry out as fast as terracotta...they look great on a table top like a living, wafting bouquet. The closer to the nose the better. They also have a country cottage and a victorian feel. Two opposite poles come together in the form of flowers. Tea; anyone?

When the pansies start to fizzle in the heat of July simply remove and add something else with fragrance like lavender or the curry plant. Do you see the blown-glass green, toadstool in the one above. These also make great fairy gardens for kids of all ages. Use your imagination and have fun.

Baskets are inexpensive from craft stores. You could even give one away for a May Day gift. Surely you all celebrate May day by leaving fresh flowers on your neighbors porch?

More April Sprinkles Art

A new 5x7-inch spring painting with a wee westie. There are still tulips in full bloom around and this little fairy girl is watering them with sprinkles/glitter. This watering can was retrieved from one of our flower gardens. Is anything missing? Just go look around the gardens for lost items. They just might be there left by fairies in your garden.

A loaf of fresh bread just came out of our oven. How is it that homemade bread tastes delicious? No preservatives or additives added......just fresh ingredients. Top with butter. Swoon. Go outdoors energized.

Earth Day Gardening Beauty

Today is earth day and I went to the USBotanic Gardens in Washington d.c. to see what has happened in the last two months since I was last there. Lots. All the brown mulch is hidden almost by green. This is taken from the park across the street. It is just beautiful. Buds on the roses, irises, peonies, indigo and on and on. I ran from plant to plant just like the robin birds were doing. (They didn't have a camera though.) I ran because it was both beautiful and rain and hail was looming and did pour out abundantly.

Remember we were talking about my new love of mixing soft yellow and burgundy. They did it, too! And isn't it gorgeous? This will look great all summer.

Here they mixed the yellow broom with these deep pansies. This spring I got broom, too, and put it next to deep burgandy rhododendrons and the deep-wine ninebark. I am anxiously awaiting for all to bloom at once. Patience.

This is another favorite combination of colors...pink and orange. I call this the tulip wave picture. All this right downtown d.c. for everyone to enjoy.

We also got a present today from the county. A very large recycling bin on wheels. Every residence here got one today for earth day. Thank you President Obama for not cutting back on keeping things "green".

Country Girl

Do you feed the birds? This country girl bakes and shares multigrain bread with her red hen. Speaking of birds my husband will say each spring when he finds large bags of wild bird feed in our kitchen pantry,

"Do we really need to feed all the wild birds?"

(Of course I have learned from my husband to field off unmerited questions with questions.)

Me: "Have you heard of ecology?"

Husband: "What?" (He volley's back a question, mind you.)

Me: Thinking...

Husband: "Can't we just buy food for our family?"

Me: "The birds are part of our organic gardening family."

Husband: "Do we have to feed all the wild animals outside?"

Me: "Is it still raining?"

I want to stop here and mention that I am so proud of him as he is actually reading gardening books lately. He might actually make the move from being a "Lawn Man" to a "Gardening Man".

One can only hope.

Garden Gathering

Yesterday was clean up day outside and I think tomorrow will be more of the same. We are still finding little twigs and sticks that came down during the winter storms. Wooded areas give lots of leaves for compost and yes, lots of small branches are tossed down, too. Maybe I could have made a wattle fence with them? Sir Salty, our westie, helped carry the larger branches! What a helper. We also rototilled the vegetable garden and I had to catch little toads that were unhoused and carry them to safer dwellings...which was the already tilled areas.

Oh, and there isn't much running and skipping today. We are feeling a bit sore. Sir Salty is the only one running up and down the hill. His energy is amazing.

Sprinkles on Cupcakes, Gardens and Lawn

This sweet cupcake we had at Mad Hatters Bake Shop in North Carolina. We came home to sprinkles of a different kind below. Sprinkles everywhere.


The cherry trees are sprinkling everything around them with their baby, soft-pink-blossom petals. Lawns are pink. It's like being a bride and groom again with nature tossing their blessing and wishes on us as we run down the walkway. How can you just "walk" when it is so spectacular out? We skip and run like giddy children.

Think pink. Blushing pink. Faint pink. Pink comes in so many shades. Today it is to hit the 70's and we might be a red pink if not careful. The nurseries are buzzing. People are out to buy, buy, buy... plants, flowers, trees and help stimulate the economy, of course, and their yawning sleepy yards.

Sarah Duke's Gardens in North Carolina

We were in North Carolina over spring break and had a great time. We were taken to Sarah Duke's Garden which is over 50 acres of oooh-la-la for us gardeners. And as this picture shows (I can only add one now, more later) beautiful gardens can be carved out of a hillside! Wow. The tulips and cherry trees plus eastern redbuds, lilacs, dogwoods and wisteria were all at their best! They are way ahead of us in Maryland.

Spring Cherry Blossoms

When the cherry blossoms open we know spring is here to stay. Daffodils and tulips are beautiful but these cherry trees rise high above us like fluffy clouds that the wind can't chase away. They are here to stay for a few days and then they begin to playfully toss their petals on us.

Blossom confetti still attached but will soon swirl all around us like we are inside a snow globe. The beauty of flowers.

Westie Puppy Dog Candylei Painting

A new 5x7-inch painting just listed on ebay. My paintings are painted alla prima (the little italian I know) which means all in one sitting. Gusto also means painted with passion. Each brushstroke has to have meaning like a bow crossing over the strings of a violin. Every brushstroke should add to the overall pleasing visual emotion.

The other day we were shopping and I picked up these two little (I mean "little" as in wee puppy size) gift bags and, of course my husband is like,

"What are you going to do with those?"

Me, "Paint them."

Him, amazingly at a loss for words,

Me, "Aren't they cute?"

Him, at a continual loss of words.

I knew of one artist who bought bread... all shapes and sizes from rolls to bagels to bread loaves just to paint them. Her paintings were great, too. Her family knew to ask first before eating any fresh bread from the bakery.

Garden Gardenia

Who can resist a gardenia? Really; who? Every garden center I have been to with gardenias all innocent passerbys always bow down to it and inhale. What does it stir up in your imagination? It reminds me of Hawaii where they produce large flowers with little or no care. The climate seems to dote on them there. Other women think of South America, Bali or India. We all want to claim the gardenia for our own geographic location and, of course, tuck a flower in our hair.

Spring Music and Seeds in the Garden

The little seeds above are from our standard rose of sharon trees. I just removed 2 pods and was pleased to find these seeds that were hidden safely all winter long in their seed pods. These seeds are like musical notes...plant them in the soil and they will compose their own beautiful song in time.


This little clump in the sheep pasture no doubt started from seeds since it is out of in the middle of nowhere. I'm going to take a shovel and move them to the garden where they can add to the "spring musical" that is in progress now.

Our star magnolia is full of waving flowers. Waving because of the wind. Motion in the garden adds an pleasing element. These flowers are kind of shy-ish to me. The top petals always bend over their heads protecting them from intruding eyes.

Almost Green Grass

Another little country evergreen garden that out-greens the lawn by staying green 365 days a year. This was taken 2 weeks ago and now the grass is almost ready to mow and irish green. What a little rain and warmer weather can do for a lawn.

There is a miniature horse in the back fenced area. If you click on the picture it enlarges and you can see a little better. She is wanting a treat.