Summer is almost here

I was really frustrated when I was working on the blog and my computer kept freezing. I guess I am going to have to remember to do all the writing in MS Word and save the information as a draft and then add the pictures. At least if I have to shut down I will not have lost the written information. I don’t actually have any pictures to post anyway, but there were a few shots of the garden and the growth of our baby vegetables. We have sweet peas, beans, lettuce, green beans, cucumbers, beets, carrots, onions, tomatoes, cilantro, mint, squash and zucchini. We have planted cauliflower, but they have not sprouted as yet. I love the beginning of the garden because it is such fun to plant the seeds and watch for the plants to pop their little heads out of the dirt. I have a real problem with the thinning process and think that everything that comes up should be allowed to grow. Max, however, continues to explain to me that they need space for the roots and they MUST be thinned. We will be able to start eating the lettuce any day now as we thought the seedlings were dying and we bought some small lettuce plants. The tomato plants are sprouting flowers, but I am sure it will be a while before we actually get some of those “sweet one hundreds”.

I am hopeful I will be able to enjoy my humming birds soon. I have seen a few flying around the yard, but I have not actually seen any eating from the feeders. The food level is dropping so I am assuming they are eating. Since I don’t intend to stand at my kitchen window watching for the birds, I guess I need to start spending some more time in the back yard. The weather is turning really nice, but unfortunately for Kodi that is interpreted as HOT! He is already starting to search for the cool places in the house – he has ended up in the bathroom, but has not made it into the bath tub as yet. Most of the summer he likes to lay in the tub because it seems to be one of the coolest places in the house. I need to do some serious grooming on both the dogs and make sure that Kodi’s undercoat is thinned out as much as possible. It will be time for the plastic swimming pools that he loves so much to be brought out. He is so cute when he plays in the water. He puts his whole snout under the water and blows bubbles. He runs around the yard and then jumps in the pool to cool off his massive chest. Darci has not taken to the water, but they both like to play in the sprinklers.

Unfortunately, with the summer also comes the allergies and I need to get a jump start on Kodi’s ears and feet. As long as I stay on top of his medication and keeping the yeast down in his ears and feet, I should be able to keep him away from the vet. The first summer he ended up with his allergies I had to cut all the hair from his feet and between his toes and pads – now that was a funny looking “big footed boy”. Everyone around is suffering from allergies, so it is time to stock up on medication for the entire family. Thankfully, Darci does not seem to have any problems in that area. She WANTS to get whatever Kodi is getting, but she does not need it (and does not get it).

Max started riding her new bicycle to work today and liked the process except for not having a “to go” cup of coffee. She plans to continue to ride her bike to work everyday and get some good exercise. It is 6 miles to work and that is a nice ride (12 miles total). I worry a bit later in the summer when the heat gets up there that it might be pretty difficult to ride home – time will tell and I can always go pick her up with the truck.

That is enough rambling …