Week of 6/25 in the Home and Garden - June Garden Haul

This week in the home and garden has been marked by hot weather and garden abundance. This is just one picture mostly of my garden haul for one day. Every year we struggle with pests and blights that affect things. I have not been able to grow any good cucumbers in my front garden for a few years. I suspect it is because I grow so many tomatoes out there and they are not good garden companions.

We have watered a lot to keep the yard going during the triple digit temps but things have cooled. Our house is ready for the fourth of July with some patriotic garden decorating and as always lots of vintage goodness. I hope you enjoy this montage...

Five On Monday - What's New In The Garden

Boy is summer here. Five on Monday with what's new in the garden....sunflowers, zinnias, the old coop and Tugg.

Oh the garden is full summer mode. I am picking little bouquets of zinnias all the time. The more you cut them, the more they will bloom. I have growing tips for great zinnias so check it out.

I still have our old coop even though the chickens are long gone. You can read why we don't have chickens any longer. The coop gets decorated for the 4th of July. I am making a video and post of it. We had so much fun playing with it and making it cute. Decorating the old coop makes it garden art I guess.

Our garden is giving us much surplus. We do have some critters fighting us for the goods though and that is so frustrating. I am making some videos of our urban garden. Find our gardening and other tips on our Youtube channel. You can see them and subscribe all right here.

Oh this dog. Tugg is one of the Chiweenies we adopted from the shelter. Someone once told me that Daschunds can be stubborn and I see some of that in her but she is the biggest character and so funny. Her personality is so funny. This is her preferred spot to sit when dad comes home as he scratches her back and spoils her. She knows she is his favorite. We always say it is a Tugg's Live...

Have a great week everyone...Last week of June. Where is the year going?
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Holiday Safety Tips For Your Pets

Top Winter Holidays Safety Tips for Your Furry Children

Buying gifts, baking cookies, decking the halls - there’s so much hustle and bustle going on during the holidays that it’s easy to become overwhelmed. You try to remember the most important things and not to lose sight of what the holidays are all about - family, friends, and love. Your dog is a member of your family, too, and you show them your love all year round by keeping them safe with healthy dog food, regular veterinarian visits. During Christmastime, there are some special precautions you should take to keep your dog safe in the midst of all the festive fun. Here are the top tips for dog safety at Christmas.

This year we have the new pups, Tugg and Luna to worry about, They are just a year now but very much still in the puppy stage. Here they are in there new holiday sweaters. Don't they look alike?

We miss our big dog Sandy at Christmas. She loved all the Christmas morning hustle and bustle and never stopped playing in all the wrapping. I wonder how these two will do. They have new matching stockings that will be waiting for them on Christmas morning.

Sneakers, our 15 year old cat, is enjoying the Christmas tree. I do like to get gifts under the tree right away as the cats will try and drink from the water and I want to prevent that.

Don’t Give Your Dog Table Scraps

All the delicious food may be one of your favorite parts of the holiday, but it’s also one of the most dangerous for your dog. A dog’s keen sense of smell means they’ll be attracted to many different things, even foods that are toxic or items that are inedible. Alcohol, chocolate (especially dark or unsweetened baking chocolate), and xylitol (a sugar substitute) are poisonous to dogs and can be fatal even in small doses. Other toxic foods that can cause severe illness in dogs are grapes, raisins, macadamia nuts, coffee, tea, and fatty foods (such as gravy and turkey skin).

Do not give your dog bones, either, because they can pierce their mouth, throat, intestinal tract, or stomach lining. Be very cautious with food prep or storage items like aluminum foil, plastic wrap, and meat twine or string. These can choke your dog or cause serious internal damage. Make sure all garbage is placed in an outdoor garbage bin. The best thing you can do is keep your dog out of the kitchen entirely, which will also prevent cooking-related accidents. Utilize a gate or to ensure your dog can’t access the kitchen.

Be Cautious of Your Christmas Tree

While the Christmas tree is the most iconic Christmas decoration, there are many potential hazards related to it that all dog owners should be aware of. For example, your dog can be injured if the Christmas tree falls on them, so consider anchoring it to the wall. If your dog chews on electrical wires, make sure any light strand cords are hidden or out-of-reach, or your dog will be at risk of electrical shock. Glass ornaments, if eaten, can cause serious injury to your dog. Tinsel and garland can also cause blockages or choke your dog.

The water in the stand of your real Christmas tree can become toxic, because stagnant water will breed bacteria, and pesticides used in growing your tree will collect in the stand. Pine needles can also be toxic and cause stomach irritation, so don’t allow your dog to chew on your tree branches (including artificial trees) or eat fallen pine needles. If your dog won’t leave the tree alone, consider purchasing a portable fence, especially because this tool will keep your dog safe without requiring you to alter the look of your tree.

Beware of Other Hazards in the Home

If you have any traditional Christmas plants in your home, make sure your dog cannot get to them. Mistletoe, poinsettias, and holly plants are poisonous to dogs. It’s best to avoid using them as decorations altogether and opt for the artificial versions instead. Potpourri, essential oils, and adhesives/glues are also toxic to dogs. Make sure lit candles are also out-of-reach so your dog won’t accidentally knock them over and start a fire.

When having guests in your home, ask them to keep their medications, gum, and other dangerous substances up high where your dog can’t get them. When you’re cleaning in preparation for guests, be careful not to leave toxic cleaning chemicals out. Remind your guests not to feed your dog or leave their drinks/plates unattended.

As always, a little precaution and common sense will go a long way for keeping your dog safe. Keep the phone numbers to your local animal hospital and your vet’s office handy, and be sure to call at the first sign of distress in your dog. If your dog is acting strangely or is ill, call right away. Keep an eye on your dog as much as possible, but consider keeping them in a closed room that is free of hazards during a busy holiday party. Remember that dogs get overwhelmed by lots of activity, people, and noise much more easily than humans do.

Flies In The Chicken Coop And How to Control Them

Of all the good things about raising backyard chickens, one of the biggest negatives is FLIES. Not kidding. When you don't have property, but instead you have a small yard and are raising those extreme urban chickens, flies in your coop are one of your main concerns.

The first year I was raising chickens I almost gave up because of flies. They were everywhere despite my best attempts. I experimented with all the tricks but not much was working.

Finally, after a lot of research and testing, we found what actually works to control flies in the urban chicken coop. I will share the steps we take for a successful backyard chicken coop in the warm months when flies are most bothersome.

1. Don't keep too many chickens for your yard. Chickens poop all the time. So avoid the urge buy chicks every time you head to the feed store or to keep too many chickens for your space.

2. Pick up droppings or rake up daily if possible during warmer months when flies are present. In a backyard setting this is doable and worth it. Leaving droppings for a deep mulch or composting in the run has not worked in our small yard. This goes for other animals. Pick up early and often! I also find if I rake up the coop real quick and put leaves and debris in the compost bins this works great.

3. Keep things dry. Especially in the coop and run. Even in your yard, water less frequently and preferably in the evening so things are drier by morning. Try sand in the run. I have found sand in the chicken coop run area really dries the poop out fast. Dry poop = less flies.

4. For really warm weather, I use Diatomaceous earth in the chicken feed and sprinkle in the coop and run. Also, hanging some sticky fly strips help to catch mature flies. The stinky traps do not work for a small backyard because they will attract flies to your garden.

5.I swear by these tiny little miracles that feed on the fly larvae. I mean it is safe non toxic fly control and you place monthly when you need them. Click here to read more or order fly predators. They have been amazing. They are tiny, and I mean teeny tiny, flying predators  that feed on fly larvae. They do not bother humans or pets.
I will share more next time on how I disperse the predators and the best ways to do this.

I think the problem of flies in the chicken coop is one of the biggest draw backs to raising chickens in small backyards. You MUST be pro-active in controlling them before they get out of control.

You can order fly predators here: Spalding Labs FLy Predators

Raising Puppies

Most of you know we have two new rescue puppies named Luna and Tug. Luna because a six year old named her and Tug because well, let's just say someone likes to pull on things and carry something around all the time.

We are now 16 weeks old and doing great. We keep our owners very busy with lots of outside play time but we spend our indoor time cuddled in our bed in the service porch where we can be watched by our mom.

Cuddling is a big part of our day and the tall man in the house sneaks us into his bed to watch TV at night. Don't tell mom cause she doesn't let us sleep there all night.

We play outside and try and keep our mom from her gardening chores when we get a chance. She does not appreciate us running through her garden beds though we are not sure why. The dirt in there is far superior than the rest of the yard.

Mom says our puppy playpen is a life saver. She loves the Northstar playgate and says it is the only way to raise puppies. We spend a lot of time in the sunshine playing in here so she can get things done.

A few have asked where we bought our gate and we have had it for years. It is from Amazon and we bought it for our six year old and then have used it for chickens and now puppies. Couldn't be happier with it and you can use all or just a few of the panels.

Our Very Own Puppy Bowl

We may not be the super bowl, but here is our own version of the puppy bowl.

Our pups are now 3 1/2 months old and doing great.

New Puppies

Yes, I said puppies. After the puppy that passed in December, we knew we wanted to find a new one after the holidays. I found a puppy that needed a home this week and after bringing it home one afternoon, was told in no uncertain terms to go back and get the sister. Our hearts are big after loosing our Pip, so between the six of us there are lots of arms to hold our new pups.

We are closing in on names but my family has a hard time agreeing on such things. They are 11 weeks, both girls and are part Chihuahua and Dachshund from what I was told. They are off to the vet today for wellness checks and to avoid in anyway what we went through with the last puppy. Not familiar with Dachshund puppies, but we already have one Chihuahua who thinks we are insane.

Sad News

Sadly, our little Pip did not make it. He had a nasty parasite and though we thought that was all, he never started eating again and his tummy started swelling and today I noticed it was worse. I took him back into the vet for the fourth time and they did a quick sonogram and confirmed fluid was all the way up around his heart but most important, he was clearly suffering. I made the decision with the vet that euthanization was necessary right away.

We all our very sad and it was torture to tell my youngest but thanks for all your kind words and support. When you choose to have pets, you receive great joy but also must suffer when you loose them. We have had this twice in one year so we will lick our wounds today and carry on. I am sure another puppy will find its way home with us but probably after the holidays.

A New Puppy But a Tough Few Days

Many of you know we lost our dog Sandy at the beginning of the year. We had wanted to get a new puppy in the fall when we knew we would be home and here to train a new dog. So a few days before Halloween, I brought home a Chihuahua mix puppy for our youngest especially to replace our other dog for her.

So meet Pip. A little brindle darling of a puppy. Sadly though. last week he started acting a little off and eventually he stopped eating.

After a few rough days, a trip the vet Saturday and last night having to rush him to the emergency vet at one in the morning, we finally know what is the matter with our little guy. He has a tiny microscopic parasite that has made him a very sick boy. We almost lost him last night and he still will not eat on his own. To keep his blood sugar up, we are hand feeding and making him eat every three hours. I have been to the vet three times and hubby, my oldest and I are all totally sleep deprived. He is still weak and not doing as well as we have hoped but he is on the correct meds and I hope he rallies and starts to feel better.

Ugh, I just wanted to bring home a puppy for my littlest and it has become a nightmare but we are so in love with him. Pray our little guy comes through. I know he is just a dog but it is heart breaking to see him suffer and to see how sad it is for the kids. I'll keep you posted, but for now our goal is to keep him nourished and prevent dehydration.

A Very Traumatic Day

I had lots of plans for yesterday. A big long list of things I wanted to accomplish. That was until about 8:00 am when I heard a horrible commotion at our front gate. Now crashing of the gate is not uncommon. One kid ran into them as a new driver, others slam them like, well I don't know what like, but they slam them too hard and our dog crashes into them trying to protect us from flies and bugs in the front yard.

This was different and my dog was inside so what heck was that sound. I run to the kitchen to see a woman trying to get a leash on a husky and then dashes into a car and drives off.

I started to search around and to check and see what had happened and then I realized our old boy Sneakers is usually sleeping in his little bed in the mornings on our front porch. He is 13 and the best darn cat ever.

I go out front and see lots of paw prints and cat hair and start to really freak. Where is my cat? I searched all around and finally found him on the back wall. He was completely freaked out too. Scared, he tried climbing the telephone poll to get away from me and fell. Oh poor guy.

I ran in and called my husband cause he is the other side of my brain and I needed him to calm me down. So while on the phone with him I took a little tuna juice in a bowl and put it on the wall and he finally came over lured by the scent.

I scooped him up and brought him in for an exam. He was muddy from the planter I am sure he tried to escape in, and full of dog slobber and a little banged up but thank God he seemed more mentally injured than anything else.

I put him in with his food and fresh water and he slept there for a while and just left him to calm down.

Later he left and I found him hiding in the corner of our den so we left him quietly.

He finally jumped up on the couch and we let him rest and he slept there for about eight hours until my hubby came home and he scooped him up and cuddled him cause the only two males in our house have a bond and if I was sad for the cat, you know my husband was even more so.

He checked him over really well and he had some missing claws we hope are still stuck in that dog but he seems fine but traumatized.

He slept in the service porch last night all cuddly and safe as he always does but he has not asked to go out yet. I wonder if he will ever sleep in his little bed made for him by my hubby again. I hope he can forget soon poor guy, but needless to say I didn't get much done on my list. I was shot.

Yes he is an indoor/outdoor kitty. He was a rescue and he was living outside full time when we rescued him. He loves to be outdoors but we do bring him in at night. I know too dogs will be dogs and it is really the owner's fault but it is life and things happen and I just wanted to share cause if you have pets you know what I felt. We love them like family.

Remove the Smell from Your Vacuum

How to clean your vacuum.

Or just give your vacuum a good scrubbing. Because I have a dog that sheds like crazy, I vacuum almost daily and our vacuum after a while begins to smell. You know you turn on the vacuum and you smell your stinky dog. 

I figured out long ago I really had to scrub the vacuum to get rid of the odor.

First, if you have a canister type like mine, take it all apart. I could never get this filter clean with scrubbing or running water so I decided to wash it in the washer. I fill with hot water and detergent and let it run on a gentle cycle. Really does a great job.

Just run it through a whole cycle and rinse.

 Then I put the pieces out to dry completely in the sun. The next time I use the vacuum, I don't smell the dog anymore.

Also here is a tip. If you have a bag type vacuum you can toss a fabric softener sheet into the bag and it will help with the dog smell.

What to Do With Stale Cereal

Now if your house is like mine, you sometimes have a box of cereal that has gone stale. I hate to throw anything out so here is what I do with it.

Yep, I take any unsweetened stale cereal and mix it in with the dogs' food. They love it and have never had any problems with it. If you have a dog with allergies than I am not sure about this, but mine do not and they gobble it right up. I also mix it with the chicken feed too. Here's another freebie treat you can give your dog with an old peanut butter jar.

You could also give stale Cheerios to your chickens if you have them.