A New Giveaway, An Unwanted Visitor and a Walk Through The Gardens

*** The winner of last weeks giveaway for the brass candlesticks is: Sharlene T. Contact me and I will ship them right out!

This week Teddy is giving away these amber glass fairy lights. They are about 8 inches in height and about 4 inches wide.


The top lifts off so you can sit a candle inside.


There is a hole on top to vent the heat. These are very pretty vintage pressed glass pieces and shimmer when the candles are lighted inside them. They would be wonderful on a harvest table. Halloween is only 6 months away!

To enter, leave a comment on this post and if you are not already a follower, sign on to follow.

Look who invaded Teddy's territory this morning. And what a morning it was. I chased this guy with a broom and he just looked at me like I was crazy. Teddy was within inches of getting him. Finally Teddy treed him and then we put Teddy on her leash and took her to the park. Then I spent hours trying to get the coon out of the yard. It seems to be gone now and I hope it got the message not to return!


Phlox


This was the phlox yesterday.


A bit of it began to open.


Here it is this morning. Tomorrow might be the day it is in full bloom.


I bought these because I needed some quick color for the patio.


The viburnum are open and smell wonderful!


The peach tree is about to bloom. I will be harvesting peaches around July 10th.


Blueberry buds.


Six future blueberries. I hope I can get to them before the birds this year.


The Japanese Maple is filling in by the day.


If you look very closely in the middle you can see the new brown fern fronds just emerging.


Ferns are my favorites. I love ferns and moss.


A view of the back garden from the porch through the viburnums.



A pachysandra flower.


More ferns.


Hostas



The Fall Flowering Cherry blossoms were all blown off by the winds and this is what remains.


A tulip about to bloom.


Climbing hydrangea bud.


The Salem Witch day lilies.


I have violets planted between my pavers all over my patio and paths.


And of course the dandelions are here. I am learning to live with them. I refuse to use chemicals in my gardens.


The hydrangeas are opening.

It seems to take so long for spring to get here and then suddenly everything is bursting open.

I've received so many questions about Teddy that I thought I would answer some of them here. Teddy does not shed. She has two types of hair. The top coat is long and coarse. Underneath she has a very dense thick layer of down. In about another month the undercoat will be ready to come off. We have Teddy groomed once a week but we brush her daily just because she likes it. When the undercoat comes off, it will come off in huge clumps. She will look like she's had liposuction! She instantly looks half her size. Some people spin chows hair into yarn and knit with it. I don't want to wear Teddy. We leave her undercoat outside and watch all of the birds flying away with it in their beaks using it to build their nests. Teddy is a female. Her full name is Theodora Puddle pup. Don't even ask where that came from. She is 5 years old as of yesterday. Though Teddy looks sweet and lovable, remember that looks can be deceiving. Out on the street or in the park she might allow people to pet her. That all depends on her mood. Chows are very suspicious creatures. They do not trust easily. She would never be friendly to anyone in her gardens. That is her territory and she guards it well. She also does not particularly like other dogs. We socialized her when she was small. We took her to dog parks daily. Chows play to win. They can be a bit rough and Teddy is a bruiser. In general, chows bond with one human and tolerate a few others. In Teddy's case, she bonded with me. Smart girl since I am the food provider. She loves the rest of the family but she bosses them around. If anyone has any other chow questions feel free to ask!

Comments

I am overwhelmed at how lovely your garden is!! Phlox, peaches, blueberries, cherry blossoms, violets... ♥!
brokenteepee said…
I leave the goat fur out for the birds too.
I am sure it leads to very warm nests.
Jennifer said…
I would like to enter your giveaway. I am already a follower. Wow, a raccoon, we have not had one of those in the yard here even as far out in the country as we are! Teddy is a brave girl, I have heard that raccoons can be quite tough for their size. Love your rock steps with the phlox on them, just beautiful!
I now understand why it is I am so drawn to Teddy....we are birthday twins. I couldn't figure out why, besides her obvious beauty, that I would be tickled by a representative of the only dog breed that I had been bitten by. I have the scar to prove it. Now I know....birthday mojo.
(((hugs))) until next time
Melodie said…
Oh yes,please enter me in the giveaway! Teddy sounds a lot like our Red Heelers..no one with any sense will enter their yard!
Jennifer said…
I'm imagining a warm late Summer's evening, sitting outside, enjoying some music and good company, those little lights shimmering in the fading dusk, the promise of a harvest not far off. Lovely!!

As usual, your garden looks lovely! I love seeing it wake up!!
Love the sweet candle holders, beautiful BUT I am so in love with Teddy! She makes my day patrolling her gardens. Love the info you shared. She is my 'virtual' dog as I have a cat who has my heart! Your garden is lovely. I must get outside and take some photos of my spring growth.
I´m still not sure if my Nectarine has survived the winter. I do hope so since it flowered for the first time last year. I would like fruit from it at least once.

Not even the dandylions has started here. If You want to get rid of them put half a tea spoon of salt in the middle of the plant. The salt will rapidly kill the root all the way down. Just remember not to pour out salt all over the garden, salt in hughe ammounts is a poison. But it´s possible to reduce them slowly and effectly.
Have a great day now!
Christer.
Happy Belated Birthday, Teddy..

5 years old....

and only 6 months to Halloween..yipppeeee

loved seeing your beautiful garden this morning...

Birthday Hugs to Teddy...only 10 days till we have our little Teddy here....

Kary
xxx
TMCPhoto said…
We have raccoons here to, last year as we were driving out for the day I saw one climb out of the cherry tree in our back yard. When we first moved out to Vancouver we lived in a big house in the valley. One night I was watching an old Audry Hepburn Movie and felt someone watching me, I turned around and a family of them were sitting on their hind legs at the patio door watching with me.

Your garden looks lovely and I hope you get to those blueberries before the birds too
Sharon Day said…
I adore amber! Those are beautiful! That little rascal looked rather confused by your stopping to take a picture--hee hee. I miss my chow. She was the best dog ever and extremely protective and devoted to us like a mother hen. The garden is looking gorgeous. I'm so glad the tons of snow are all gone. Looks like it's a wonderful allergy season there too.
Wizardess said…
Let's pray that mr. raccoon is not rabid & that he goes away. They should be a little bit more scared of people than that.

I simply love your gardens. Thanks for the Chow info. I will be cautious in my approach of them in future.
Sharlene T. said…
Oh, wow! I'm so thrilled about winning the candlesticks! Never in a million years did I expect to win them. Thank you, so much.

A raccoon can be very dangerous. How did you finally get rid of him/her? Glad you got Teddy out of the way.

Lord, I'd love to know how she got that name! Has to be a story, there.

Things have only just begun in my garden, but I thinkt he Apricot tree is going to go crazy with fruit. I've only seen leaves on my peaches, apple, and cherry trees. Shouldn't the fruit flower, first? They may still be too young.

Thank you, again. And, of course, now I'm going to need the quieter light of the fairy lights, as well. Ahem...
Please enter me in the giveaway. I am a follower.
Yalco (Chris) said…
Your garden photos are amazing. Looks like you spend a great deal of time in your "outdoor rooms" (and with good reason). Very inspiring. Looking to do a great deal with our back yard this season as well.

Enjoy your pictures of Teddy and your sale finds. Guess I need to look more carefully when I hit the sales.

Hopefully your coon woes are over. They can be such pests. Had to give up feeding the birds because they wouldn't leave the feeders alone. Not sure they needed more to eat either. They were HUGE.

Thanks for the blog. I'm enjoying it very much!

Happy Spring! Chris
slb3334 said…
what a cute chow. ever have anyone ask if it's a bear?
Oh the garden, the garden, the garden is bursting with new life.

It is so exciting to see how quickly the garden throws off the winter snow and gives a show of lush green and blossoms.

Enjoyed learning more about Teddy.

Eeek! Racoon go away now!

Happy day!
Congratulations to Sharlene winning a Teddy Treat!

Great new giveaway! Love the amber glass fairy lights!

Good luck everyone!
Toria said…
Lovely candle holders, I've never seen any looking like that.

And it is wonderful to see your garden coming back to life again.
William Bezek said…
Phlox! Thank you, I have some and did not know the name. I love the fairy lights.
Laura said…
Hi Jaz,
Your garden is beautiful and I just love those fairy lights. I've never seen anything quite like those.

Your raccoon looks a little scarier than the possum my dog trapped a couple times. We haven't seen it in a while so I'm hoping she's moved on to some other place.

give Teddy hugs for me :)
happy spring!
blessings
~*~
pastrywitch said…
Could have been worse - it could have been a skunk!
AmyB said…
Lovely garden! I love those candle holders. They're my favorite color!
Mr. Macabre said…
Love the fairy lights! They're beautiful!
Your garden is nothing shy of glorious, beautiful pictures!
Sydnii said…
Ooh, I want those faerie lights... and your garden... and Teddy... and the raccoon! When I was younger, my mom would sometimes wake all of us kids up to peek at the raccoon family that would visit our back porch to swipe dog food.
Anne said…
Gorgeous pictures, I finally have daffodils blooming this spring, but the rest of the garden is a ways off.

ajolly1456 at gmail dot com
those phlox spilling over those stone steps, wonderful
xx
julie
Nydia said…
What a lovely pair of fairy lights!

Oh, that little guy looks so offended! LOL
And your garden looks blessed!

Thanks for sharing the info about Teddy, they do answer my curiosity!

Kisses from Nydia.
ginnn7 said…
love your blog! the pics are so beautiful. new follower.thanks


ginnn7(at)yahoo(dot)com
brandi said…
~a Racoon is your house...my little ones would have thought that was the greatest thing in the whole world...may he remember his home is to be outdoors and not in...your garden walk was filled with such beauty...blossoms blooming all over the place...the yellow plant that you just bought...i was given the same on easter from my grandpa! cheery little flower it is...and as for your fairy holders...simply gorgeous pieces you have found...a true treasure indeed...well wishes and brightest blessings~
Oh! Those fairy lights are adorable!! Also, I am a follower. *^_^*
Have you looked up the meaning of Raccoon to see what he's trying to teach you? Try Ted Andrews' "Animal Speak" for some in depth meanings.
nightowl said…
I am thinking about Autumn already while looking at the picture of the prize. It is my favorite season, however your pictures of things coming into bloom is beautiful.
winit6@hotmail.com
Julie said…
Your lovely pictures remind me of my sister's flowers-you both have a green thumb.

I follow your blog as jelaws5

aunteegem@yahoo.com
Heather said…
Congrats to Sharlene T!

I love the fairy lights! Where do you get the pieces you giveaway? They are always stunning. (I received my glass dishes by the way, and I love them!)

Great garden pictures!! So pretty!
Hannah said…
My cat fought with a raccoon once. They are gutsy things. PS I am a follower love your site.
Hannah C
psychopathicpixie @ yahoo
Rosemary said…
Found your blog by accident and love it... I am now a follower.
windycindy said…
I am new to your blog. Your stone work with the creeping phlox is beautiful! Teddy is adorable and
I hope he has many more happy,
healthy birthdays.....
Thanks, Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com
jc said…
Happy Belated Birthday Teddy, such an adorable cutie!! I'm a new follower, thank you.
Suzie said…
Congratulations Sharlene! I think that those candlesticks found a wonderful new home!
And Jaz, your next give-away is awesome! I have some sort of connection to amber, and the faerie lights are so enchanting!
Did Teddy have some sort of special dinner or surprise to mark her special day?
Back in the 70's, I was fortunate to have a Golden Retreiver, who loved the family, but was my special girl, never wanting to leave my side. The kids and I would comb and brush out her downy undercoat outside in the Spring, and the birds wouldn't even wait until we were back inside to swoop down and catch up those downy clumps for their nests. Samantha was a friend to all wildlife though, even some who didn't understand her good intentions at first, but amazingly, came around to being buddies.
Even though we are in town, we are on a ravine, and have nightly visitors in the forms of raccoons, possums, groundhogs, and even the occasional deer. I put out dry cat food to keep them from getting into things that they shouldn't be into, and has worked fine for years. But we don't have a dog now, either!
Everything that you profiled about Chows was what I knew about them, but somehow I expected Teddy to be above all of the, shall we say, less favorable traits! But that is because I don't have to put up with her daily doggy shenanigans!! But no breed is "perfect" by human standards, and to me, that is what makes them more endearing. They each have a personality that is all their own, and we love them, wholeheartedly, just as they are.
katscorner said…
I really really love these they are fantastic and would match my bedroom wonderfully. I am a email follower
bison61 said…
please enter me in the contest-I enjoyed the pics of your garden and the raccoon!

tiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com
I just love your blog! Please enter me for the giveaway. I have also become a follower.
Lucie Le Blanc said…
Candle holders are magnificient ! I began collecting glass in that color : it is so rich and warm.

Ah I am so looking forward to see the vegetation grow here too !
Vittoria said…
i'm a follower! wow, these are so pretty! and i adore those stairs with the flowers...gorgeous!

DolphinV27@aol.com
Sugar said…
Thanks for the tour teddy! She is so cute!! I would love to add those fairy glasses to my fairy garden I am making for my patio!!
Anonymous said…
Aww... the coon looks so cute, but They can be viscious!

mondocurio at gmail dot com
If only raccoons acted as sweetly as they look!!!! Always LOVE photos of your gardens............
The amber fairy light is beautiful! Your gardens are so far ahead of ours here in the east. It was a pleasure to see all that's happening in your garden.

Thank you for the chance,
Teresa
money saving maineac @ gmail dot com
OMG! I can't tell you how much I love these adorable fairy lights! I could just see myself trying to pull a fast one on the Caped Crusader ("why, yes honey, fairies actually do live in these"). Unfortunately, the activated testosterone in his five-year old, boy-mind of death and destruction might convince him to pulverize said fairies with his invisible ray gun. Handsome and the Caped Crusader need a little more "girl" in their lives. Fairy lights do the trick (and I get a little revenge against all the functional dude gadgets invading my pretty space). :)
windchild said…
Please Enter me in your Giveaway! Those are very beautiful fairy lights. ^_^
Marie S said…
I just love your yard, I love the old timey plants you grow too.
I love the fairy lights will you please count me in?
Thank you Teddy! And Jaz!
Jennah said…
I love your blog! So much inspiration!! I am following via GFC (kittytech2003). My Chow Lily is the world renowned opossum assasin, she has killed two so far in the past 2 months... why the opossum think scaling a fence into the dog yard is a good idea is beside me!
Celia said…
I would love to win those fairy lights! They would be a nice addition to my new potting table! I have signed up as a follower....and I have so enjoyed reading your entire blog....all the way through....I didn't want to miss anything!
Reba said…
Please enter me in your giveaway. Beautiful fairy lights!!
MissNoan said…
I have been just blessed....I have found your October Farm site! How wonderfully peaceful and quiet, and so many exciting photos and articles to enjoy. I hope to be able to visit often. MissNoan
Anonymous said…
Just found your site and would love to win the fairy lights!!
duvetqlt at verizon dot net

Vicki
couponpickers said…
You have such a beautiful garden! The amber fairy lights are so pretty to. Spring is a great time of year to see everything come to life.
Jennifer Rose said…
ooh very pretty, love the colour of them :)
Unknown said…
Your garden is beautiful. The raccoon is cute. We have sqirrels, rabbits and deer. garrettsambo@aol.com
Unknown said…
I love the picture of the raccoon. We see them here occasionally. In the city, the travel around through the storm drains.

hafner611{AT}gmail{DOT}com
buzzd said…
Lovely garden and cute pets and critters.
lilyk said…
I follow your blog.
Amy said…
Aw, I love raccoons! But then...I'm a Tennessean* so I guess I have to.

*state animal

amysweeps at gmail dot com
Just googled Amber Glass! when I found your site, I was looking for something to go with my new lamp which has Amber glass on it,
so I would love to enter the draw for the fairy lights,
I love your Garden is'nt it wonderful to see God's Handy work at this time of the yearwhen everything is in full bloom,
I love that you put the dogs hair out for the Birds, I save all my thread cuttings when I am sewing & put them out for the birds
I have olly ever seen a racoon on the TV, but I do love the photo that you took I would enter that in a wild life competation.