Cocker Spaniels are not known for their wit. Or at least none of the cocker spaniels I’ve ever had. But they are playful, fun, full of joy, and always ready for a nap.
Pearl has lots of funny things that she does. Every time she spots a lizard, that particular spot is added to her rotation as she checks the patio area on a daily basis. If she isn’t hunting lizards, then she is sitting on a bench in an upstairs window, looking down at her domain. Or now in the summer, she has taken to laying in the sun, which would seem hot for a dog with a fur coat, but she seems to like the warmth and basks in it, until she decides it is actually hot and heads for cool tile inside.
Lately, though, she has taken up a strange habit. She noses into some bushes and just stands there. Head hidden, backside completely exposed. We can’t tell if she is trying to get us to play hide and seek or what. She reminds us of a toddler who says, “You can’t see me, because I can’t see you,” covering their eyes and thinking that they are hiding. If she is trying to play hide and seek, she isn’t very good at it.
We think she must be after either a scent from the plant or a scent from some critter’s presence (probably the one that ate all of my lychees…). Whatever it is she is doing, for minutes at a time while we are sitting outside enjoying the garden, she spends her time “hiding” away. When she comes out, she seems pretty pleased with herself.
And it’s those quirky things that make pets a fun part of the family. They sometimes seem to take on the temperaments and craziness of their families. And since you love those crazy pets (almost as much as you love your plants), let’s have some fun with Pets and Plants together! Mark your calendars for our third annual Plants & Pets event on August 24th, from 9 am to 12 pm.
We welcome you to join us when our gates open at 9 am, and immediately following at 9:30 am, we’ll host a Pet Parade where you can show off your pet. There will be prizes for Best Costume, Best in Show, and Most Talented. At 10:30 am, I’ll teach you all about pet-friendly plants for indoors and outdoors, as well as talk about some ways to keep your pets away from your plants. And throughout the morning, we’ll have a free Pet Photo Booth, Pet Activities, and you can talk with organizations like the Humane Society, AnimalLuvr’s, and Community Pet Project about pet adoption and supporting pets in need. As if that’s not enough, Tikiz Shaved Ice will have delicious flavored ices to keep you cool during these Dog Days of Summer. Get all the details here. We are already excited to see your unique pets, maybe they’ll try to hide in the bushes like Pearl, but with so much fun around I’m sure they will be happy to be a part of Plants & Pets.
P.S. Thanks to everyone who came out to kick off summer last week at 108 Sun Salutations. We had more than 60 yogis ushering in the season with amazing energy. Remember that we host Yoga in the Garden with Keystone Yoga the first Saturday of every month. Get your tickets for July 6th here.
