Where there’s a …

“Where there’s a will, there’s a way” is the old saying. And it was meant to mean doing something really difficult because one’s determination is insurmountable. This week has been a different sort of will and way in my determination observations

Where there’s a basket there’s a cat . I put the basket out on the deck the other day to return it to the vehicle for “containment” of items while we drive. It seemed the basket was always finding it’s way back to the house. And cluttering up our allready very messy entry way in the kitchen.

Where there’s a fence, there are weeds. These Bicycle tires make a great visual guide for me when I am walking from the greenhouse to the barn. So of course for the first three months of summer I had to pull bind weed out of the spokes. Finally now that fall has officially arrived the flowers are showing their little faces through the fence. I think it looks so fun!

“Moon garden delight” is what I call this next photo. The fact is I was supposed to be helping hold the tomato containers while my hubby did the picking. But when darkness set in and the solar lights came on, I could not resist trying to get a picture of the mass of blooms. I really need to get after dead heading the blooms but sometimes it’s fun to let them go a little longer.

And now for true confessions of deep desires and companionship. Yes, I spend a lot of time alone. A LOT. The last six months have found me bringing Zucchi or Pepper or Tabitha in the house during my afternoon rest / crochet time. About three weeks ago Pepper found her life’s end on the pavement by the mailbox. It was a sad day, but she was not real attached to me. Then just the other day, yesterday in fact, one of the four year old spayed females died on the road also. Lela was old enhough to know better I had hoped. She was not real friendly as cats go, but she was a good mouser. I hope the mouse she was after tasted good. It certainly does not seem worth the rest of running across the road for it

So while I spent the afternoon digging a five gallon sized hole, I made my final decision to spend no more money on cats when we live so close to a busy paved county road. And it turns out that one of our neighbors has been raising small lap dogs for a few years now. As a bit of side income and enjoyment, small dogs do make a lot of people happy.

I have been looking at small dogs for a couple of years, I so miss the companionship of a little thing on my lap or next to me. Yes, I know it’s a lot of work up front for a couple months. And yes, I know I didn’t really want a black dog. But little Shih Tzus are such an attachment to their owners, that I’m not to worried about having a ton of eye contact. And now for the name…

At first I wanted Ebony after the black keys on the piano. I like to caress them also. Then I thought of Kona, after one of my favorite dar roast coffees. Then our daughter texted “I WANT SNUGGLES!” And we thought maybe that would be a good name. Bugger but it’s important to get a name right. We’ll be saying it for the next fourteen years or so.I’m

So this little eight pound hairy thing will be mopping up a lot of pollen over the next few weeks until frost. And he’s way too small to do the stairs. He does well on the leash / follow thing so that’s good. And so far in less than 24 hours of “gotcha” I have only stepped on him once..

Kona (the coffee) has a light, delicate sweet and fruity flavor with less caffeine than roasts made from beans picked later . So we think the name fits a little black pocket puppy quite well. He’s pretty light, you can carry him with one hand. He’s very delicate because of his size. but actually quite well proportioned. . And yes, he’s very sweet and it’s going to take a lot of will power to keep up with the training and not let him be naughty. He’s also a little fruity when he gets his energy spurts. But that’s just the nature of a happy little Shih Tzu.

Next up: how to train a puppy if you are blind. I wonder how that one will read.

Kona’s Journal: Thus began the life of little black mop in my empty nest life. How will the family put up with my lonely decisions? Surely we will all fall in love with my need for a therapy walk with a little outside time thrown in for some fresh air. Puppy love is very time consuming. Puppy parenting is bound to show the flaws in anyone’s character. Here goes a new challenge!