Lots of Lovely Colour and a New Little Dog

Three guesses what I'll be doing this afternoon. First two don't count. The trucks of leaf suckers have started to circle. The leaves are composted by the Town of Oakville and offered back as compost twice a year. I used to do a lot of my own leaf composting, but found that it just took too much space. Let's hope we can at least get this section done before the vacuum men come back 'round the block.

It's been a while since I've been able to get to my computer to share what's going on in the garden and read about what's happening in your neck of the world. So here is a quick and dirty run around the garden. This is the first year for Solanum laciniatum - a native from Australia. It grows 3 meters there. In my garden about 1.5M. Obviously it needs more warmth to really produce good fruit, but the leaves and flowers certainly have earned it a place in both my garden and planters next year.

Considering what a mess other plants look like from the Solanum family
- this plant looks really good.

So nice when a plant is tough as nails; takes dry shade and looks fab in three seasons. Here is
Poygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum' in its final fall days.

And Hydrangea 'Limelight'.

The view from under the dining room Japanese Maple.

The trick will be to get out there to cut back these Hosta before they turn into putrefied slime. Right now I just don't have the heart to touch them as I adore this golden colour.

And a few days later - more of the P. ordoratum.

Lovely golden/brownie Hosta.

It is an excellent fall season for colour. We had an abundance of rain this summer and not much cold so far. It seems that each plant is taking its own turn at providing colour, making it lots of fun to be out with your camera.

The is what the Japanese Maple looks like from the dining room. I've never seen so many colours in the leaves.

And the ridiculous Allium thunbergii 'Ozawa'. What kind of a hardy plant starts to bloom in late October?

An astounding red from the Viburnum plicatum - most years it just looks like a bruise.

And here's what the neighbourhood looked like this w/e. Postcard perfect.

Just eye-bleedingly beautiful.

So, from here on it's about our new dog Bart. Can't help myself. Go no further if you don't wish to read about our new beast.

Last Sunday, after my dearest friend Carrie died of multiple myeloma at age 56, I didn't know how I was going to get out of the house. Every morning for the last six years, Carrie would call at 8:30 sharp to say it was time for our morning walk. We met at a half-way point when we both had dogs and then closer to her home after Agatha died and Simba became lame. Simba became the only Golden on the planet who was unhappy to see me, as he knew as soon as we met, it was back home to bed for him - Carrie coaxing him, me lifting his derriere up the stairs.

I just knew I had to do something. So I said to Kevin, "Let's go to the Hamilton/Burlington SPCA to get a dog. Look at all the nice dogs they've got online." Before I could rethink my thoughts, he had me in the car headed for the pound. The dog we thought was going to be ours was completely uninterested in us - no connection whatsoever. So, Kevin walked past the columns of dogs, went to Pam and said, "We're looking for a nice dog. Show us your nice dogs." Pam put Ferguson into my arms and said, "Here's a really nice dog." He just melted my heart - warm, cuddly, sweet, full of licks - however, and as you can see from the photographs, he's a Jack Russell - more commonly known for murdering vermin and creating havoc. Pam insisted, "What you see is what you get. He's lovely." So, Kevin decided we hadn't exhausted all the "nice" dogs and wanted to see more - so we did, however, I would have had to put the newly named Bart down on the ground to hold them.

I confirmed that it was Bart I wanted - we form filled, were interviewed, saw Bart's assessment, paid our $300+ and he was ours. As with any (or many pound animals) there are a few other problems, and 3 visits to the vet so far as he'd been obsessed with his spay stitches - what man wouldn't be? And now that the first end is fixed, he needs drops at the other end in his ears. Hercules, the cat, is taking advantage of the cone-headed Bart. Life no doubt will change next week when he is de-coned.

Here's 6'5" Kevin with Bart on the front lawn pre-raking. You can see why we had always had Saints before....

Here he is with a tennis ball that has since been murdered.

On my office chair helping me with my book-keeping.

And what was left of the pillow after the Ativan wore off.

We learned why we got the cage and that he isn't fond of soft furnishings. Will save money on doggie cushions.

Bart in the last week has shown himself to be brave (couldn't be bothered with small snarling dogs), smart (brought my shoes to the front door when he wanted a walk), and exceptionally lovable. He is very quiet and great company. We've made a wonderful match.