Never Enough Dirt

                         Yesterday I had 4 cubic yards of compost delivered! So happy!!!!!

                   Just hours later, torrential rain and tornado warnings, not happy !!!!

                       Covered it with plastic and rocks, and today it seems to have come through it all okay.  Now to start hauling it to the front yard where I am building beds for my annual cutting garden.
 

                  Found these amazing concrete blocks that you slide your boards into to create beds in any shape, length or height.  

                       All the local nurseries have been open and packed with plants for weeks, and now that my dirt is here I can begin to get them planted.

                         Last week my whole week was spent saving six young chows that had lived outside in a pen their whole life, a year and four months and the owner wanted them all gone asap.  Since they were in NC, it fell on me to coordinate rescues, adopters, transport and the rest.  A LOT of work, but worth it!  This is Bandit, a shy male.

                                        This is Bear, the smart and outgoing male.

                                        This is Willow, a cream female.

                                    Tina is a black female.

                                          This is Nola, cream female, the most frightened of the dogs, and not feeling well.

          I placed Bear and Bandit with Heart Rescue Group of NY. They are with a foster in NC getting their medical attention and grooming. Bear had a fish hook stuck in his skin under all his matted fur.

               Willow went directly to an adopter in NC through Pet Adoption League of NY.  You can always find her in front of a tv, she is mesmerized.  These dogs have never been inside a house. She has a sister chow named Peanut.

                   Nola went on transport to Chap's Chow Rescue in Atlanta. The trip was hard on her, she was not feeling well and missed her brothers and sisters, but has adapted in the past few days and will be going to an adopter in GA soon.

                       A lady named DeAndree had been writing me for the past few months.  I was trying to find a pair of siblings for her to adopt, and since she was in NC, I asked her to go meet all the dogs before they went to rescue and she adopted Tina and Whitney, the sisters.  I don't have Whitney's photo above, she is the whitest of the female chows.  DeAndree's sons love the dogs and all is going great!  DeAndree is an Army vet tech who has a big farm, so these dogs will be well taken care of.

                       The minute I could sit back and relax, someone in NC contacted me about this dog, not a chow, but a senior needing out of shelter ASAP, they were ready to kill her.  I got to work, she got out the next day and is in a home and being taken care of.  Her name is Easton (we initially thought she was a he). I suggested Sheena Easton, but I think I was dating myself.  Easton it is!

                  Then comes the weekend and it's time for all the bamboo lovers to arrive.  This weekend was Atena de Jong and her husband whose name I can't pronounce.  We talked plants and they stayed the afternoon and are coming back again this weekend.

                   Atena brought her machete, I was amazed at how well it took off the side branches, so getting one of those this weekend! Just like Bob to stand and watch the woman do all the work!! LOL

                  They just moved to Asheville from the Netherlands and will never go back, which surprised me because all I see of the Netherlands would make me want to move there.  They are such a nice couple. Told me about a nursery to go to that I had not heard of.  I gave her hellebores and the Mexican hydrangeas, and this weekend they are bringing me banana plants.  I think we have made some new friends!

                 One evening this week Mindy called and asked if I would like to go house hunting with her and Adrian who is a realtor.  Mindy has four flip houses right now and looking for more.  So many moving here from NY and IL.  Someone from IL pulled up while we were looking. I don't know how all these people are finding this small town, but if it makes real estate prices go up, fine with me!

                     This how was a total re-do.  A lot of rotted wood, smelled of mold inside, lots of water damage.  I didn't get to go to the small country church they found and 13 acres of land with an old house on top of a mountain with 360 views.  I'll have to check those out on my own.  I love looking at real estate.

                            This light was in the kitchen, and I want it!!

                          I wrote the listing agent asking her to contact the owner to see if I can buy it.  Probably won't happen, but worth the try.

                            Not the best photo, but the land is beautiful with a couple of small waterfalls and rhododendron everywhere!

                     Very strange fireplace.  Mindy wants the iron screen.  We'd have fun stripping the items out of this place!

    So this week I hope to get some things done outside and inside.  It's 80 degrees today, too hot too soon, and everything is starting to bloom!