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Friday, July 24, 2020

BUTTERFLY ON LILY, BOHDI AND VEGETABLES


          Look what came to visit me a couple of weeks ago. I don’t often see these butterflies in my yard. Usually I have smaller white ones that kind of come and go. It didn’t stay long, but both Maryanne and Claudia were able to see and photograph as well since we were doing our deck stay apart lunch.

          I usually have a lot of dragonflies. Until a few years ago, I didn’t realize they came in any color but blue, but then there were several red ones. I tried photographing those too, but even though they stayed perfectly still each time, apparently my camera or my hands weren’t steady enough to get a clear photo.

          Neighbor Dave pulled into my driveway this morning while I was watering my vegetable containers. He was coming back from taking his German Shepherd Bohdi for a swim class or swim therapy. Bohdi and I are great friends, but in the middle of giving him some pets, he suddenly barked…almost scared the pants off me. When I told him to sit, he laid down in the back of the Explorer…he’s too big to be able to sit. He’s the biggest GSD (as his owner refers to him) I have ever seen with the longest hair. Bohdi is a different kind of GSD that doesn’t have the undercoat most GSDs have, just this long looooooooooooooong fur. He’s also the most handsome GSD I’ve ever seen as well. I stole this photo from Dave and wish I had one of Bohdi's face...gorgeous eyes and BIG sharp teeth.

          Unfortunately, Bohdi’s tale was a sad one before he found his forever home. Whoever got him as a puppy didn’t care for him very well for the first couple years of his life. When he was rescued, he’d lost most of his fur, had skin problems and a whole bunch of other stuff that was wrong. In addition, he had never been socialized, so everyone and everything was a threat. His rescue person worked with him for I don’t know how long before my neighbors took him in. The rescue person said she knew Bohdi had found his forever home when he took to both Kim and Dave as soon as he walked in the door. His rescue person also made a video that shows Bohdi as she got him and how he developed after that. As Dave said, it starts out really sad, but ends happy.

          I knew they were getting Bohdi, so when I found out he’d come home, I dashed up there and stuck my hand right into his kennel to pet him. I had no idea he could have taken my hand off with his big mouth and teeth, but I guess he liked me because we’ve gotten along ever since. I’ve even gone to the house when Dave and Kim are running late and let him out to do his bidness. He obeys my commands as well (maybe almost) as he does Dave’s. I always took him dog cookies though too, so maybe that helped.

          Both Dave and Kim have worked hard with Bohdi to get him more socialized and friendly to other people and dogs. My walking partner Kathy was bitten by another dog last year and she’s hesitant around Bohdi, so, of course, he picks up on that and barks and challenges her. He gets in trouble and is reprimanded for his actions, but I think he likes to play the intimidation game with Kathy.

          This is the fourth GSD Dave and Kim have had. Dave always takes the dog for a walk and would come here when John was alive. John would provide the dogs (ours and Dave’s) with a cookie…or two or three…while the guys chatted and yukked it up. Dave walks Bohdi and he says he checks my vegetable pots every day, but I never hear either one of them. One of the previous GSDs always used to come to our porch when he got a chance to run away. I remember we had a horrible lightening storm and somehow the GSD was able to get out. He was terrified and made a beeline for my porch. We dried him off and kept him until he was rescued by his family.

          Anyway, Dave and I talked vegetables. He said his tomatoes flower, but then nothing really happens. I’ve had a number of cherry tomatoes off my hanging pots, and there’s a bunch of green ones developing in the bigger pots. Also, my zucchini has finally decided to produce. I’ve used one and given another one away. I have a few more that are almost ready…or maybe beyond ready…to be plucked from the vine. And, the peas have grown and I’ve already harvested more than enough for one meal and it’s time to do it again.

          Dave’s brother Ken is the real gardener among us, but he told Dave his tomato crop isn’t doing well either and that it’s because we haven’t had enough hot days. I agree with Ken’s opinion and think my success is due only to the black asphalt on which the tomato pots sit. Come Monday, it will be time to fertilize everything again, so hopefully the coming hot days will make everything grow better.

          The Danish and delicata squash aren’t doing much and the pumpkin plants have vined, but I’m not sure any of the punkins resulting from the blooms will be viable because of the weather. When I bought the punkin plants, I thought it would be so fun to grow them and then have Xander come and help me make jack-o-lanterns, but now, that isn’t likely no matter how big the punkins get.

          My Thai basil and Italian basil really seem to like this weather though. They are growing very well. Every time they begin to try to set flowers, I pluck the flower and a couple of the leaves and put them in my salads…pretty yummy. Still, even though I had a difficult time getting to sleep on Monday when it was hot, I’m ready, more than ready really, for summer to show up. So, enough with the onshore flow, the drifting clouds and the sporadic drizzle…let’s have summer NOW!!!

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