A new world with Zuchinni and Corgis

Last year's drought apparently actually killed a fair amount of bermuda grass in my yard. In the back, the ground currently is covered with a low weed with small, fragrant flowers that butterflies love.

Actually, granddaughter mowed today and alas, the flowers are mostly no more. Yesterday, however, they were plentiful. I had probably hundreds of butterflies skimming the grass, lifting up when danger or obstacles threatened.

Gracie, my Pembroke Corgi, is a year old later this month. She loved all the butterflies. She leapt for them. It was amusing to watch, as pratfuls always are. My sturdy little girl can run like a bullet, weave back and forth, track a treat and catch it in mid-air. Leaping after butterflies? Let's just say it wasn't graceful. At least when I saw her, she didn't land on her back.The butterflies were not particularly endangered.

Oh, Lord, why must she be one of the yapping Corgis? But she is. Butterfly! yap, yap, yap. Another! yap,yap,yap, yap, yap! Another butterfly! yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap.....Fewer flowers and fewer butterflies today, Gracie. A little more peace in the neighborhood. (She's inside now. I just heard a thud. She is trying to catch a fly in the living room.)

Brody, my half-Pembroke Corgi, with longer legs and a curling tail that constantly wags even when he bays at strangers, is mostly the strong, silent type. He's a city boy, as well. He could care less about some fluttering insects. Are snacks coming? More water? Will you scratch his belly? Are more snacks coming? An occasional whine, but mostly communication with ear pricks and pleading looks. I would say his other half-ancestry is dachshund except for his longer legs. He also can run very fast. When these two beautiful dogs chase in a large, green back yard, it is joyful to watch. Gracie outright laughs. Brody chuckles.

I am starting re-training with Gracie on walks and start 'lay downs". Brody has sit and stay down. His walking is atrocious and will need many treats and a shorter leash. Although he weighs only 25 pounds, I may need more muscle. He can be extremely stubborn. Well, so can I, Bucko.

Since Brody joined the family, Gracie sleeps on her pallet only if she and I are alone and he is outside. Otherwise, she sleeps under the bed, which saddens me. Sometimes she also weaves under the furniture to get to me. With Corgis, the female is supposed to be dominant, but she is still a puppy. He is two, and larger. He has gone after her with teeth bared on a few occasions when he wants my attention, or the snack offered. I am continuing to alternate in and out some each day so I can give special attention to each dog without competition from the other. That is helping. Hey. I am not a trainer. I've read a little, and been around animals. This seems to work, and it makes sense to me.

Amazingly, they don't fight over toys. He came with his "wubbie"--a hard rubber squeaky bone--which he likes me to throw. If Gracie is present, she will beat him to it. I am charmed when they prance up, each holding half the toy in their mouths, to present it to me.

Gracie had been used to snacking leisurely at her food through the day. No more. I give both a small morning feeding and augment hers with a pinch of shredded cheese so she will eat it. Evening meal--I give them both another pinch, or a tablespoonful of stew or whatever. Both are healthy. Neither are fat. I firmly believe that is abusive.

When I finally got my vegetables planted, Gracie had taken out the Heirloom Tomato and the Bell pepper plant. I added two more tomato plants and parsley. I planted two cosmos flowers to draw bees, and planted one yellow squash and two zuchinni. Gracie promptly pulled one flower out and broke the yellow squash plant. I got some wire fencing today that I believe is too inconvenient for her to get over, yet short enough I can step over. I've replaced plants again. So far, so good. She's leaving it alone. Brody barely bothered the garden before. Now, I feel sure he will behave.


I had a pecan tree and burr oak too close together in the back yard, and planned to take out the oak. I watered sparingly last summer, but apparently not enough. The pecan has only lower branches in foliage. The burr oak, however, has prospered. Hmm.
Let's hear once more for Productive Procrastination.

Last summer, Gracie had me up and about with her in the summer from six to seven a.m. I suspect I will go back to that to get gardening and dog walking done before 9 a.m.

I'm looking forward to it.