As you have heard, my sister has been a great gardening partner for the last several years. Working in the vegetable and herb gardens with Deberah, my sister and Jerry, my brother-in-law, has made my experience and hard work enjoyable, regardless of the weather, rain or shine, hot or cold and regardless of any project or job, digging, hoeing, planting or weeding.
But I want to introduce two other friends, Tia and Todd, as pictured above, both make gardening and yard work fun when Deberah and Jerry are busy working and I have projects to complete outside in the yard by myself.
Tia's proper name is "Tiasoadora" because as a puppy she was "my cup of tea" and she was "so adorable." She is a pure bred Pembroke Welsh Corgi and the first dog I acquired to keep indoors. Prior to deciding which breed I wanted to live in the house, I researched on line many breeds considering their size, temperament, exercise and grooming needs, plus inbred health problems but mainly, I wanted to know what breed would make the best companion to match my lifestyle.
After, a lot of research, I chose this breed because of their love of family, loyalty, intelligence, and also they make an alert watchdog, only barking when needed. The Pembroke Welsh Corgi originated in Pembrokshire,Wales around 1107 AD when it is believed the Vikings sailed to Wales with the Corgi linage on board. Bred for herding geese, ducks, sheep, goats, horses and cattle these agile little powerhouses are also known for sleeping on the fireplaces in their masters homes. Maybe that's why Queen Elizabeth II and British Royalty have raised them in their castle for seventy years and that's probably why I bought her as a pup through an online breeder, traveled to Tennessee, picked her up and brought her home in 2002. She was eight weeks old.
On the other hand, I adopted Todd, pictured at top left and below, from Paws Rescue, Inc. in February, 2010, at the Pet Smart in Newnan. He was eight months old. I questioned the volunteers and learned he was a Chiweenie, often nicknamed "Mexican Hotdog," a designer hybrid, half chihuahua and half dachshund. Designer dogs such as, Labradoodles or Chiweenies are not pure bred but crossbreeds of two or more recognized breeds. Chiweenies are sweet, loving family dogs that have characteristics from both breeds, energetic and intelligent, they are often known as "social butterflys," because like the chihuahua, may bond to only one person in the family. They are also known as lap dogs that like to cuddle with you under the covers.
Naturally, Tia and Todd love to be outside, unless they are chasing squirrels or birds, they are always interested in what I am doing. Their company is a plus and makes any chore fun.
Two points I am making on this post -- first just like any endeavor, going to the movies, going on a diet or shopping for something special, yard and gardening chores are always more fun when you have good company who enjoy the same goals and objectives. And secondly, if you and your family intend to buy or adopt a pet, do some research and make sure the choice works well with your household.
P.S. Keep the mouse handy to view another blog post this week, a list of garden and yard chores for February. Hope to hear from you then!
-- Posted by Wilma Smith
Enjoyed meeting these members of the family!
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