Text 36319, 114 rader
Skriven 2010-04-01 11:29:24 av Janis Kracht (1:261/38)
  Kommentar till text 36316 av Ruth Haffly (1:396/45.28)
Ärende: Catching up...AGAIN! :)
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Hi Ruth,

> We're over in Margaretville for a few days, helping out my parents.
> Heading back to NC on Friday because classes start again on Monday but
> we'll be up again around the end of June.  I was reading your gardening

Hey, if you folks want to stop by in June or whatever, just give me a ring..
I'd need to at least pick up the doggy papers Lol.. They're doing really well
with paper training, but I'm looking forward to working with them to get them
to use the doggy door (as you can imagine, I'm sure :))  They're a bit small
for it right now, but I'm sure it won't be long.

> notes and was half thinking that my dad might be able to handle a raised
> bed garden, if not this year, maybe next.

Yes, he should give it a go.. Ron made the bed 'frames' with cedar wood we
bought and some anle brackets, but unless I'm mistaken, you can get them
"premade" at some gardening shops, etc.  They cost more that way of course. And
you might not have options of making them higher so bending so much wasn't
necessary.  I think we filled the beds with about 1/2 Peat Moss, 1/4 Top Soil
and 1/4 compost or other "good stuff" like soil mixed with manure.  I've read
if you use the manure, you should wait to plant til the next year (or a minimum
of 6 mos.) to plant so you don't stand the chance of getting sick from it.. If
you add it to the garden bed after plants are in it, the manure could burn the
plants.. just some notes :)

> He's talking of having
> several containers of tomato plants this year--a good sign that he's
> still interested, even tho restricted by the doctor.

That's a great idea.. and I'm glad he's thinking of it.. it's good exercise. If
his doctor has restricted him from "gardening", then maybe he'd do better with
containers as you mention and maybe his doctor wouldn't mind... that way he
wouldn't have to bend, etc.  A lot of vegetables can be grown in big garbage
pails, I'd think.. I know Hap mentioned a site where the author discussed
potatoes growing in garbage pails :)  Not sure if I still have the link here
since I had a hard drive change since Hap mentioned it :)

>> Yeah, I did :)  Of course I had to make doggie treats as well.. found
>> a nice easy recipe for Toby .. glad I did, since soon after we got the
>> new pups :) They are two yellow-lab mix puppies, really little guys :)
>> Only about 8 or 9 weeks old!  They are little devils but they get
>> along with Toby, so that's great :)

> Sounds like you've got quite the mad house there with young puppies and
> year old kittens.  Toby looking over all of them like an old grand dog?
> (G)

haha.. yes, it is indeed a mad house :)  The kittens as you can imagine, were
very much into running through the house before we got the pups.. they still do
it, but the pups follow right along!!! Talk about having trains blasting
through your house haha.. They as so cute though, it's insane :)

I feel bad for Toby sometimes because as wonderful and patient as he is (he's
really incredible sometimes, putting up with the pups jumping all over him),
he's accosted by the pups day and night.. and right now, they are mostly teeth
and nails :)  I'm still putting the pups in the 'extra kitchen' at night though
after 10PM, with a child-gate, just so Toby gets some peace when he's sleeping
:)

>> > I think the key is in reassuring the mistreated animal that they are
>> > safe now... but that sometimes takes a long time... and the scars
>> can > run very deep...  I don't blame you for not wanting to take a
>> chance
>> > with your grandkids.

>> Yes, always a drag..

> Good idea.  We had a cat for a while that had been abused as a kitten.
> She turned into a very scardy cat, except when things were quiet.  She
> was a very gentle little one, until she had to take a pill.  Then she
> turned into a little tigeress--shredded a pillow case we'd popped her
> into (with just her head sticking out).  On top of that, she spit the
> pill out.

Sure, they can be ferocious - pillow case was a good idea (grin).. I usually
use towels since they provide a modicum of protection  :)  And I can understand
it being frustrating.. we went through it with Priscilla before the poor baby
died.. Finally, I had to wrap the pills in a very small chunk of hamburger so
she'd wolf it down before she could think about it (g).. That worked,but it was
too bad she couldn't be helped finally :(

>> They went overboard in my estimation.. I finally told the woman,
>> thanks for calling me back, but I've changed my mind.  She was going
> (snip)
>> conversation...She was some really young kid..

> Probably trying to act like she knew more than really did.  Anyway, it
> sounds like you got a better deal with the lab pups.

I think so as well.. on both counts (grin).  It didn't seem to matter to her
that this wasn't our first dog :) :)

>> Anyway, then I found the neatest rescue about 45 minutes away from
>> here, in Greene NY.. The couple who runs the rescue is fantastic, and
>> really cares about placing their dogs in a good safe home.  They loved
>> the idea of our fenced yard, and understood why Toby hadn't been

>> Their pictures are at http://www.filegate.net/pups/ Don't mind the
>> floor where Toby shreded a denim toy I made him Lol

> Do you know their date of birth so you can make a cake next year? (G)

Close at least :)  They were 8weeks old on 3/27/2010.

I saw the funniest cake on one of the cooking channel's programs.. a dog's
birthday cake.. made with cake and dogfood YUCK :) :) :)  I think I'd skip
stuffing it with dogfood :)

Take care,
Janis

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