Irrigation, Landscaping and Canine Good Citizen Cooper

Kelly and crew have been putting in irrigation pipe all over our lot. We don't have to put it in deep trenches as it self-drains in the winter.

There is a steep area off the south deck where we need to walk to get to the lower yard where the garden will be.....Kelly is using the rocks that we have (We have a lot!) to make natural looking steps.

We had to "disturb" this area to put in a pipe that contained the electrical, cable and phone, Tv and water. Kelly is adding some rocks and returning it to it's more natural state. We will be planting a tree where the bobcat is parked.

This area is next to the front door. We created a bowl of rocks where the rain will pool as it runs down the chain, and a little stream bed. We added some larger rocks and we are going to the nursery tomorrow to buy some plants.

Cooper and I spent a grueling three hours being tested for the AKC Canine Good Citizen Certificate. A dog has to accept a friendly stranger, sit politely for petting, walk on a loose lead, walk through a crowd, sit and stay on command, come when called, not react to another dog or other distractions, and be away from his owner for three minutes.

He passed!! Although he has had a rough week......ate a new $50 door mat, chewed a throw and also took all the stuffing out of a pillow. He does not like to be left alone and he does not like to be excluded. As my son, Jake, said..... "Cooper was not so super this week!" We love him anyway.

This lovely creature was at the end of our driveway just cruising along at a slow and steady pace. He (or she) was beautiful. Cooper tried to sniff him and he reared up. Tarantulas are very common in our area. I find them fascinating. It's the scorpions I could do without. (We have had several in our garage.)