Hummingbirds and Hostas

It is Memorial Day weekend and we have been at the Hippie House 9 months.  Where did the time go?  We haven't been here for weeks.  We are in the process of trying to put down our paint brushes ( at least for a while) and focus on putting a boat in the water and taming the wild yard that is emerging.  The weather is not cooperating with forecasts of showers on and off all weekend.  But after spending 10 days driving through the English countryside, it is hard not to want to get our gardens to look like these English beauties:

 

 We saw wisteria and clematis draped cottages, gardens filled with blooming columbine, bleeding hearts, iris, artichokes, lettuce and onions.  I will give it a try.  I am hoping this is the 'before' picture of the front garden.  Let's see how it looks in August.  

 The yard has some things going for it.  First, the Hostas.  There are tons of very mature Hostas all over the yard.  Second, we are starting to see some of the perennials emerge - bleeding hearts, columbine, perhaps phlox.  I saw one hummingbird yesterday and another on the pink columbine this morning - a ruby throated hummingbird.  And finally (not a plus but a fact of gardening life) the weeds!  There are tons of weeds-everywhere-in every patio paver crack, throughout the gravel walks and taking over every bed.  Back breaking, hand pain weeds.  Ugh.  But today we are going to visit a couple of plant nurseries and see what we can find that doesn't break the bank account!

Lewis- a great dog

On Monday, our beloved 15 year old dog Lewis passed away - leaving us with joyful memories but a bit of a broken heart.  He was such a sweet boy and he was the last of the marauding Gang of Four ( Cody, Clifford, Ernie and Lewis) when we were insane enough to have four dogs at once.  

When we first saw Lewis it was love at first sight.  Irv and I were watching a local TV show when 'Homeless Tails' came on promoting Lewis ( then Winston) for adoption.  He had been neglected to a point that the shelter had to surgically remove his collar.  We called immediately and drove down to south Jersey to pick him up and whisk him home ( he took one look at Clifford and immediately ran back into the shelter but they quickly became dog pals).  

A year later Irv tells the story that he and Lewis were watching the same local TV station when there was a year in review of Homeless Tails showing pictures of all the dogs that had been adopted. Irv says that when Lewis's picture came up he got off the couch and sat in front of the TV.  When his picture passed he returned to the couch.  

For 15 years he has been a joy - a dog who always gave kisses and wagged his tail when he saw you -- even at his last moments on earth.  He loved life and despite the vet telling us the last four years that he was dying he persevered.  We are grateful that on Sunday he did what he loved to do - walk the yard, bark at neighbors, eat roast chicken and lay in the grass on a sunny spring day.