Of Books, Blooms, and Dogs

It's a busy, busy time.  Weeds are growing as fast as the perennials and need to be pulled, and every flowerbed needs to be mulched.  Plant shopping has begun, and with the warm weather, I've been ignoring the average last frost date of May 15 to get an early start on some of the containers. The back porch is so filled with plant purchases already that no one can go through the back door without tripping over a flat of impatiens or all the Carex that came back with me from Texas.

Some tulips are still blooming in the shade garden, but perennials are quickly filling in.

So who has time to read a book?  Actually I do; it's still the best way to relax before falling asleep and to ensure I'll dream about something other than pulling weeds:)  When I realized it was time once again for the monthly meeting of The Book Review Club, I decided to critique the last book I have read, since it was freshest in my mind; it's also a departure from my usual genre.

Cooper Harrison is a broken man.  A former K-9 officer in Boston, he must take a leave of absence after being injured in an explosion during an arrest.  But the psychological scars are even worse, and he is so traumatized by the death of his beloved partner Argos that he resigns from the force.  Months later, he is offered a job by an old friend from his hometown as an animal control officer.  It's a step down in his career and his childhood home is filled with unhappy memories, but Coop's depression has led him to drinking and with his marriage falling apart, he decides to take the job, but only as a temporary position.


Cooper rents an isolated cabin so that his pacing during the middle of the night when he awakes from his nightmares about Argos won't be noticed by neighbors.  Even during the day, he is haunted by his past as he sees a ghost of a dog on his morning jogs around the lake.  But one day he realizes this is no ghost he is seeing, but a stray dog obviously frightened of humans, and he becomes determined to catch it.  Cooper spends days trying to lure the dog, going well beyond normal measures for an animal control officer.  When he finally is able to capture it, the dog is close to death and Coop's friend the vet recommends a merciful euthanasia.  But Cooper feels he owes it to this dog--and on a deeper level, to the memory of Argos--to do everything he can to save him.  He takes the dog into his home while he heals, but only until he finds his owner.  Finding the owner and the person responsible for cruelly abusing this dog becomes Cooper's mission and ultimately his salvation.

Sophie enjoying the late tulips. I don't think she tiptoes, but she hasn't knocked one over yet.

Obviously I'm a dog lover, but I don't usually read stories that focus on animals.  I still have vivid memories of being devastated by Old Yeller as a child.  When I watched the movie Marley and Me, I cried so hard at the end that I knew I could never read the book.  Other animal stories that have happier endings often seem too sappy or sentimental.  But there was something in the reviews of this bestseller that made me think it was worth reading, and I am glad I did.

Coconut's favorite spot while I garden is in the shade of the old lilac.

The Dog Who Saved Me is anything but sentimental.  Cooper Harrison has no intention of getting too attached to the Labrador who is nothing like his beloved German Shepherd Argos; in fact, he never gives him a name but simply calls him "the yellow dog."  Even though small parts of the book are written from the dog's perspective, they are believable in explaining his instinctive reactions and help to explain how the dog became so frightened of humans.

When Older Daughter asked us to keep Frank, a rescue Pug, I said we already had enough dogs in the house.  But who could resist a face like this??

I enjoyed Susan Wilson's novel because it is much more than just a dog story.  As Cooper climbs out of his depression, he finds himself attracted to a woman with her own need to heal.  He also must deal with his estranged father Bull, a Vietnam vet and recovering alcoholic, and Jimmy, his hardened ex-con brother.  Ultimately, Cooper Harrison finds personal redemption, and yes, the book does have a happy ending.

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@Barrie Summy

And now a few scenes from the garden where spring is rapidly turning into summer:

Just a few days ago, the white crabapple was full of beautiful blooms, 

but most have now blown off with the wind and light rains.

But the lilac is still blooming, providing me with perfumed bouquets indoors.

One of my favorite spring perennials, Brunnera 'Jack Frost,' covered in delicate blue blooms.

You have to look more closely to spot the small blooms of Solomon's Seal.

Tulips are fading fast in the warm temperatures of the past week.  I've noticed that the 'Rosalies,' my namesake tulips in the back,  turn a little deeper in color as the days go by and age beautifully.
Wish I could say the same for me:)

Late-blooming tulips 'Queen of the Night' and Marguerite' compete with the emerging Allium.

Other late tulips in the shade garden complement the Bleeding Heart.  Have you noticed I like pink?



Spring has to be the shortest season here in Illinois--oh, how I wish it would last longer!

As with all the books I review here, I received no compensation of any kind for writing this review.  The Dog Who Saved Me was borrowed from our great local library system.

Spring on Fast Forward

What happens when you leave on a trip just as spring bulbs are emerging from the ground?  In a typical Illinois April, daily rainstorms could flood the ground or the temperatures could plummet with even a late covering of snow.  But not this year!  When I left to visit Daughter and her family two weeks ago, the sun came out and temperatures rose, and spring flowers exploded into bloom.  While I was off babysitting my newest grandson, now four months old, my friend Beckie checked on the garden for me and sent me photos of daffodils, tulips, and so much else in full bloom that I worried I was going to miss it all.  Of course, I was thoroughly enjoying spending time with my grandson, whose smiles can melt your heart, but at the same time I didn't want to miss my favorite time of year in the garden!

We returned late at night, and I checked a couple of the garden areas, but in the darkness it was hard to tell if the blooms were fading or still intact.  The next morning this is what I saw in the Arbor Bed--I hadn't missed the whole show after all!

I did miss some of the early tulips, and others were already past their prime, 

like the 'Double Maureen' above.

The same was true of the daffodils, including some sweet smaller ones that I saw only in Beckie's photos.  But I didn't miss these mixed among the 'Maureens'!  (Names of most daffodils are somewhere in my memory bank, but hard to retrieve at the moment.)

But most of the tulips waited for my return.  'Sunlover' was in full glory, a double peony-type tulip that has the largest blooms I've ever seen.  And even better, it has multiplied in my garden.

Too tired the first morning back to unpack or do any of the countless chores that awaited me,

 I traipsed around the garden in my ratty old robe and snapped photos.

A closer look at the tulips shown in the earlier photo--my namesake, 'Rosalie.'

And this gorgeous beauty in front of it, 'Ad Rem.'

As if on cue for my mother's birthday, 'Princess Irene' also began to bloom this past week.

I've kept records of all the tulips I've planted in recent years, but I have so many that I am beginning to get confused about some of their names.  I'm pretty sure this is a new one, 'Pink Star.'

And this, I think, is 'Lady Jane.'  I was worried these species tulips had been disturbed when we tried to dig out some nearby old yews last fall, but they certainly don't look like they were bothered at all--and they have multiplied as well.

Despite my efforts to record names, some escape me, like these delicate white with yellow markings. No matter, I enjoy their nameless beauty all the same.

Another NOID that's different from any others I have.

And what has become my very favorite tulip of all--'Akebono.'  The rabbits didn't get these this year!

There are more tulips here and there, some nameless, some still waiting in the wings to bloom.  I've been taking long shots of the garden, not because they're particularly attractive photos, but for my own records.

Having these photos in the fall will help me remember where there are empty spots in the sidewalk garden above and the shade garden in the previous photo.  Because you know I will be ordering and planting more tulips next fall!

Tulips aren't my only addiction, however.  I do love daffodils, too. 

 'Mount Hood' has multiplied in just two years.

It's a gorgeous white beauty with large blooms.

In the shade garden, a stand of narcissus.  I wish I could remember the names of these, because I just love their slender stalks and would love to order more.  Or, I could get ambitious and divide them...

I like the standard yellow daffodils because they're the first to bloom, but otherwise I much prefer a variety of daffodils and narcissus.  This is one of a mix around the oak tree.

My granddaughter and I planted 80 daffodils around the oak tree last fall. After rabbits and/or deer feasted on many of the tulips last year, I decided not to tempt fate and stuck with daffodils rather than tulips in this area. I think I need to plant twice that many . . . or I could just be patient and let them multiply over the next few years.

Not every spring bloom has to be big and showy.  Grape hyacinths make such a pretty contrast planted in masses in front of tulips or daffodils.  I especially like this variegated mix.

I was also happy to see the new dwarf forsythia I planted last fall blooming so well. 

 I guess I forgot I had already planted tulips in this spot, though:)

Hellebores are still going strong.

Their pretty faces are much easier to see now than a couple of weeks ago.

Pulmonaria is blooming as well.

As is the Epimedium--my very first one.  How have I overlooked these little beauties before?  I think there will be more of these on my plant shopping list this spring:) 

We were home in time to also see blooms on my little Serviceberry.  It's doing well, but it will be a few years before it commands the attention it deserves.

And best of all, we were home in time to see the sight I wait for every spring--the redbud and flowering crabapples lining my driveway.  Ahhh, can you see why spring is my favorite season of the year?!


I am way behind in blog reading and replying to all those who took the time to comment on my last two posts.  I took my IPad with me on our trip, and while I could read blogs, half the time I couldn't leave a comment.  I'm going to try to catch up with everyone's posts and comments this week--whenever the sun isn't shining, that is:)

April Bloom Day--Spring at Last!

April--the month I consider true spring here in Illinois.  We've had our share of April showers, of course, along with some wild weather including hail and threat of tornadoes.  But in between, the calm days have been sunny and warm, including Easter Sunday, which had to be one of the most beautiful Easters we've had in a long time, a perfect day for the grandkids to run through the yard hunting Easter eggs.  It is also the time when the garden finally wakes up, and each day seems to bring a new surprise.

For this Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, I am sharing a few photos that were taken last week.

The crocuses are fading fast, but they were a welcome sight to begin the gardening season.

Every year I plant more, and my efforts have been rewarded with some nice big clumps.  I love these striped crocus--'Blue Pearl,' maybe??--and must remember to add many more of these this fall.

The daffodils first opened up on Easter Sunday, appropriately enough.  The standard yellow NOID's are the first to bloom, but there will be many more of different colors and forms in the coming weeks.

One of my favorite small blooms of spring are these Scilla in the shade garden.  I don't remember if I planted more last fall or they have multiplied somewhat, but either way, more of these will be ordered this fall, too!

The Hellebores have taken awhile, but they have finally opened up, too.

Part of a collection I ordered from a mail-order company several years ago, they're all "ladies" of some type--'Red Lady,' 'Green Lady,' etc.--but I really don't know which is which, because they're all either white or deep red/burgundy.

The warmer temperatures last week really jump-started the hyacinths, which went from tightly closed buds to fully opened blooms in a matter of days.

I'm still not completely finished with gardening clean-up. due to rainy days and some other commitments.  But I couldn't resist planting a few pansies and violas in one pot.

One of the many delights of the spring are the surprises in the garden--surprises because I can't remember what I had planted the previous fall!   I had completely forgotten I had planted a few more miniature narcissus near my miniature Japanese garden until they appeared a few days ago.  On checking my notes, I found these are 'Topolino,'

Sasha kindly helped to show a sense of scale here so you can see just how diminutive these are.

Another surprise--some Chionodoxa, also known as "Glory of the Snow," under the lilac.  Actually, these bloomed last year, too, but once again, I had forgotten all about them.

Another new bloom this year--and one I had also forgotten I had even ordered, much less planted--are these Iris reticulata.  These are also planted by the miniature Japanese garden, and I think 'Harmony' is a perfect addition here.

 But my favorite surprise of all--Puschkinia scilloides, or Striped Squill.  I have admired these on other people's blogs for several years, and I can't believe I finally remembered to order some last fall.  Ten of these little beauties are blooming now, and I think they'll need some more company next year.

As I said at the beginning, all these photos were taken late last week, because by the time this posts, I will be in Texas cuddling my youngest grandson once again--no doubt posting lots of photos on Facebook:)  When I left, the lilac was leafing out, one flowering crabapple and the small serviceberry (above) were budding, and some tulips looked about ready to bloom.  Who knows what I will find when I return next week?  I am going to enjoy every minute of cuddling with Grandson, now almost four months old, but I'm looking forward to even more surprises in the garden when I return!

Thanks to Carol at May Dreams Garden for hosting GBBD each month and for her constant inspiration.  I expect this month will see a host of people joining in celebrating the arrival of spring.