This was supposed to be a book post but instead it's a James Mason and garden post.
Our beautiful and normally active boy is having another IVDD flareup. I thought something was wrong when he didn't leap into his bed last night in my bedroom. It's a funny little ritual we have, I fluff his nest and blanket up and he runs from the hall and leaps into his bed and I laugh and say, "Good boy!"
After that BreeBree jumps up into my reading chair on her blanket and after tummy rubs for both of them and several I love you's and nite-nites I get in bed myself.
That didn't happen last night and he was restless all night, also unusual, and this morning was walking that way that signaled back trouble again and to the vet for prescriptions.
And another week or two of keeping him as confined and quiet as possible. He's asleep now, both of them are, in their nest in my office while I keep them company, my laptop open.
Instead of books I'll share some pictures of our morning garden tour from a few days ago.
The walk from our kitchen porch to the gate opening to our driveway is lined with boxwoods and marigolds and a profusion of garlic in flower.
The little spots of amber color on this one are the small bees that love it all summer. Larger bees join them as noon comes. You have to be brave when by afternoon three kinds of bees are covering it and daring you to walk by them.
The picture below shows the manicured path after RH took scissors to the garlic this week after trying to navigate the path while carrying armloads of groceries to the kitchen.
I'm one who begs to let everything spill out into the path and I hide the loppers when he threatens to cut back low branches over the garden, but I could see his point about this main path.
The garden is winding down, not much color in it now except for marigolds and some purple sages and salvias.
The Autumn Joy is pretty now.
A little color is left in the oak leaf hydrangea.
And the tomato plant is finally doing well and I plan to pick these three when they first start to turn pink before the critters get to them.
We are having such pleasant weather now that it is nice to sit in the garden.
I have to admit that I've always been a little bit of a marigold snob. This is the first year here that we've had them. Our daughter planted four small ones here in May and I am so thankful she did. They are gorgeous now and such nice pops of color after all the pinks and purples have almost disappeared by now.
The pond is pretty after all the rain we had this week, but I hope RH will use that pile of gravel blocking view to it soon! [Sometimes he actually does fix something after I point it out on the blog.]
When RH took scissors to the garlic I asked him to bring them in to me. I'm not going to pass up free greenery and flowers anytime!
Of course there was garlic perfume in the kitchen all day but I happen to love that scent.
Here's a picture of James Mason and BreeBree that a dear friend reminded me of this week. It's a favorite of hers and mine too, and I told her that it only took about 50 shots to get this one perfect one. Simply because you cannot keep a dachshund still. And that's my job now while James Mason's back heals.
