Warm, warmer, HOT, rain and snow.

January 25 : JJ soaking in the sun by the pool. That's Coleonema 'Sunset Gold' at his....feet

January 31: Daffodils and Euphorbia 'Blackbird'

Feb. 7: Kitties rejoicing for warm weather! (Bob)


Feb. 17 Malcomia maritima (Virginia stock) - a reseeder!!

Ed the cat admires 4 yards of new compost! Note to cats: NOT a kitty potty

We had over two weeks of warm (and dry!) weather in January/February. Sprinklers were going, daffodils blooming, trees budding and blooming. Temperatures in the 80s! I kept telling the garden "Go back to sleep. Mother Nature is messing with you."

yeah - I'm talking to you - go back to sleep


I won't waste my time to talking to you - you're always in bloom

Hollyhocks (single pink) starting under the pink chair

Grapefruit and....Tibouchina....whooaaaa nelly

Rosemary in bloom - it's on schedule for us

As we entered the third week of dry, balmy weather, I joined in the fray with a trip to the nursery to refresh a couple pots and bare spots in the garden.

JJ and flora: Showing the true versatility of (as my young friend, Chris called it) "The Popemobile".

And, yes, I did buy that fragrant yellow scotch broom *gasp* the one on the invasive plant lists. I haven't seen any of this growing invasively in my parts. Two hours west to the coast: yes - lots. It was a moment of fragrance-induced stupor that made me grab it and put it in my cart, all the while cussing the store for having it in stock...I'm planning on putting it in an urn next to the gravel path. It is heavenly fragrant right now. Maybe I'll kill it when it's not so nice smelling....bwaaaahhaahhaahhaa

The blue and white violas (pansies) will be nearby in the ground. As for the pink group, there was a planter that needed filling....

Pink ranunculas, paper whites and pink-with-white edge cyclamen.

Love Love Love this group and officially named it my "Valentines Bouquet" and promptly installed it on the front porch.

Feb. 15 : aahhhhhh

I heart cyclamen. I heart their heart-shaped leaves, too.

Things get kitschy....and then....

Two days later:

Mother Nature, you are so funny.

Trying Out The New Camera

"Fern" CH Ebbtide Fern


"Maddie" Ebbtide Madam President CD


"JJ" Ebbtide Careful What You Wish


Three Generations: L to R Maddie, her daughter Fern, grandson JJ


Meyer Lemons - faithfully wrapped in blankets at night to stay warm




Coldest morning yet...


Euphorbia 'Blackbird'


Cold rose


The dogs don't care if it's cold..

Paperwhites yesterday

Foster - the old kitty - 19.5 years

Lost Coast Kennel Club Show, Ferndale, CA

Three and a half hours north of our home is where you can "find" The Lost Coast

WHERE else would Fern go for the Fourth of July weekend, except Ferndale? She went to cheer on her son, JJ, at the Lost Coast Kennel Club shows: JJ (EBBTIDE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH) wins three Firsts, WINNERS DOG for 1 point and Reserve Winners Dog (bridesmaid - no points). That puts JJ at 13 points, 2 majors in AKC. He is in his "summer clothes" (read: shedding ALOT), so I'm not sure when his next outing will be...

I'm calling this JJ's Lost Coast KC win photo ...

In obedience, Fern's brother, ASCA A-CH EBBTIDE FENNEL HILL CD (ASCA CDX) "FENNEL" competes in Open A , winning SECOND PLACE and EARNS HIS AKC CDX TITLE! Sunday, he had a lovely work for FIRST PLACE with a 196! Congratulations to Fennel and owner/trainer/handler Laurie Rubin!

Fennel, Laurie & judge, 1st Place Open A

We watched and encouraged new Aussie exhibitor Teresa King & Rainedance Ticket To Mischief "Emmit" (he's related to the Ebbtide "G" Litter ;-) in Rally Novice A. They won a first place on Saturday and qualified both days. Yay Teresa, Emmit & RJ! Teresa has inspired me to get hoppin' with Fern in Rally.

We had an afternoon show-time on Sunday, so the dogs and I went exploring in the morning. Here's what we found:

An old barn in a beautiful spot...there are LOTS of beautiful spots

A beautiful Brown Swiss heifer in a field on the outskirts of Ferndale. This breed produces a high percentage of butterfat in their milk. In the 1800's, the prosperous dairy industry provided the economic base for Ferndale and cattle like this provided an abundance of milk: They can be thanked for their part in Ferndale's splendidly ornate buildings, known as 'Butterfat Palaces".

Ferndale Victorian homes


Back on the Lost Coast: Ranch AND Ocean view and cooling breezes...I could live there...

Fern and JJ pretend they are models

It's April 15...this must be the blog post for...JANUARY 31st, 2010

Raise your hand if you think I do all this dog stuff for the thrill of the big prizes, fame, glory, professional photographs and nice suits with pockets (stuffed with liver treats)?

Judge Klaus Anselm, and "Cali" Ebbtide As You Wish with me handling. Miss Cali won BEST OF BREED BRED BY EXHIBITOR, AND FIRST PLACE IN THE HERDING GROUP BRED BY EXHIBITOR COMPETITION at Golden Gate KC 2010 show.

Ooops - she also won WINNERS BITCH and 2 points toward her AKC championship that day! Cali is owned by Judi Scherrer and yours truly. We are a great team!

Back to my question: The answer - Hell NO!

I do it for FUN! And this was, quite possibly, the most fun I'd had EVER! You see, I never went to a summer camp as a kid...sniff...but I camped, alrighty! YOU bet - with my parents and 4 sisters and our little trailer all over the USA. It was great! But never a CAMP CAMP...you know: two weeks away from your parents, matching t shirts, and other stuff I'm not quite sure of...But I realized the people who've recently (past 5 years, I'd say) bought some Ebbtide dogs and go to dog shows with me, and all our shenanigans, could qualify as an All Year Long Summer Camp. So that was part of my inspiration. Then I saw THIS:

Michael Miller is an exciting fabric manufacturer - you can check them out here: http://www.michaelmillerfabrics.com/MMF/Swatch.cfm?&Kwds=flowers

They designed this display for a fabric show (FABRIC show?! who knew?). Of course, the teardrop trailer caught my eye, but it was the sign that set things in motion.

After about 10 hours working on my own Camp Ebbtide handmade sign (you think I'm kidding?!) , purchasing 6 Coleman doggie sleeping bags, bribing family members to take the kayaks to the lake (during one of the rainiest months on record),

sing around a campfire (between rain storms)

and make s'mores (during a clearing),

we were able to create our own CAMP EBBTIDE (in the dry indoors):

Yes, those ARE doggy-sized pillows and pillowcases with the doggy-sized sleeping bags! omg.

We need to add the stars of the show - on the right side:

Cali, Spencer, Beau and JJ (left to right, above)

Add 5 Aussies and one "honorary Aussie" and you get the totally completed Ebbtide bench:

Jack the Sheltie, Gotcha, Cali, Spencer and Beau (JJ didn't fit in this shot)

Yes, that IS log cabin wallpaper behind the dogs. No, smarty pants, I did NOT have to Overnight Shipping to get it here. Or anything else I ordered this year - THAT is a BIG WIN!

What did we win? Who cares! We looked AWESOME and we had a BLAST!! Isn't that what matters???

More results next post! But a clue: Gotcha and Fennel win in Obedience, Beau is undefeated, JJ learns humility and Spencer and Jack have fun, no matter what!

It Started Out Innocently Enough...

Lots of rain and a couple of days of sunshine and POP: Spring has sprung!

A request from my partner-in-crafts-crime (AnnC) for a couple of vases of flowers for her school library, led to this:

The Crayon Vase - really easy! With flowers from my garden.

Then JJ and Fern came over to help with the photos - a nice addition to the arrangements, I'd say ;-)

Close up of the Marker Pen arrangement:

Then I took this lovely photo of JJ and the Marker Pen Vase. But I forgot I had found a dead hummingbird on the pool deck and set it on the chair...

Did I say dead? I mean sleeping hummmingbird... poor guy

I don't think it was Ed the Cat..found on the opposite side of the hummingbird..err pool.

He has himself a comfy bed of dead Pennisetum 'Red Bunny Tails'.

Note to self: PRUNE those NOW) . But I DO like the chair with the dead morning glory on it, too...this photo should be a sepia or black & white.

The Sheep aren't saying a word... They are just wondering when Ann will get back to the Round Pen building and JJ and Fern will be out to "take them for a spin". Sort of an Aussie joy ride.

One Point, One New Friend and One Pretty Day

"JJ" (Ebbtide Careful What You Wish) and I supported our almost-local AKC show, Wine Country KC in Napa, CA. But I hate that it takes me an hour and a half to get to Napa...how can that be??? Answer: The Coast Range slithers in between Cloverdale and Napa... Good news: It was gorgeous weather both days and with fall colors in the vineyards and hills, one of the prettiest drives I've had recently. Take a look:

Saturday's show was attended without any Ebbtide groupies...which made JJ sad. Especially since we ended up grooming surrounded by Irish Setters and German Shepherds. Nice dogs, don't get me wrong: But have you noticed how Aussies LOVE being with their own? Saturday's show ended up with JJ 2nd out of 2. I always wonder in these situations: Were we Second Best or Last Place?? hmm. Sad to say: I think " last place"...

Sunday improved with the attendance of brother Beau (Ebbtide Wish On A Rainbeau) and a first time visit with the Stephens Family's new puppy, Luci, from our good friend Tina Beck. JJ was thrilled to meet Luci - his first red tri friend - I'm proud of JJ expanding his color palette of friends ;-) Here is photo of Luci with the toy JJ picked out and bought just for her:

Goldcrest "Luci Stephens" - honorary Ebbtide dog ;-)
Wow - those Goldcrest dogs are beauties! Thanks again to Tina for helping find a wonderful dog for Jim, Susie, Scott, Lindsey and Matt!

Back at the dog show...Jim, Susie and Cathy Baird and Beau fawned over JJ and made him much happier. Since we were one person short a handler (Judi was home with a sick kid), we abducted, I mean, borrowed a Jr Handler (Thanks, Alex the Corgi handler!) to help show Beau. Beau was a trooper and, true to Ebbtide form, went about his assigned tasks with aplomb and acceptance AND WON FIRST PLACE in OPEN BLUE MERLE dogs! JJ, being a happy camper, now that his admiring fans were in attendance (!), managed to place FIRST, and WINNERS DOG for one point! Don't poo-poo that One Point: Over the years I've been in a position of needing that dreaded One-Point-To-Finish-Your-Championship situation. Not a terribly fun place, for some reason.

So there it is: JJ has both his majors and 12 POINTS towards his AKC Championship. Brother Beau will be next in line to go forward and conquer. He's looking good and showing well.

Here is an action shot Jim took of JJ and I in the Best of Breed competition:

JJ and me in the center spot. Winners Dog, Wine Country KC, 11-8-09
He DOES have a neck!!