While still relatively small, my Dragon's Fruit Cactus has tripled in size over the two years I have had it. It is enjoying the summer out on my covered, west facing balcony.
We went to play find the rat this morning. Maude went 2/2 finding the rat on both tries. There is an empty tube and one with litter as well as the one with a rat. Because Maude had already earned a ribbon, today she got the huge RATS Canada Novice Barn ribbon.
She was an absolute doll, not minding any of the commotion, or dogs. She greeted everyone who wanted to say hi. And just generally a really good dog.
Pending RATS Canada approval, she is now known as,
Summer Moon Ruby Red NBAR.
I'm in eastern Ontario, zone 5? There seem to be two different zone numbering? It was 34C out today, and the plants were watered early this morning.
I can almost see the red develop in the tomatoes as they ripen. I'm looking forward to topping bruschetta with them.
The Fuchsia is thriving even with direct sun, and takes some effort to deadhead. The dragon fruit cactus is living its best life in a newly upsized pot and fresh dirt.
The begonias are my current favourite, though not growing much in volume, the bloom rate is good.
TL:DR It was too warm after all for her to want to run agility, we pivoted and focused on other stuff.
Maude and I were signed up for a 'fun match', the first of four monthly events. We are in a team with 7 others, and our division has two more teams. There are two more divisions. The host club has three rings (a Standard and two games), and each division runs one of the rings, then we switch rings, etc. There are not refusals, but faults for missed contacts, skipped obstacles and fallen bars. Best three dog scores count for the team score. There are ribbons and end of season prizes.
Part of the event's purpose is to give prospective judges experience. So, Maude was successfully unofficially measured. To my great surprise the 12" wicket had a smidge of room, making her jump height 8".
It was warmer than I had hoped for our 9:30 run. We started in the Gamblers ring. Maude was great at the start line, but upon being released, darted to the shade at the back of the ring. I followed and I asked her to do a jump that was back there, which she did, so we went to the exit gate together.
I scratched her from the two other runs.
In the shade, she was fine, barely even panting. So, we practiced engagement while hanging out, and mingling among the Border Collies, plus some crate resting. Things she could do either in the shade or wearing her wet cooling coat. She was a star at that, giving me all the behaviours asked of her, not worried about anything. She was also good on the cot, staying put, even with passing people (I had a leash on her too). When crated while I did a shift of ring crew, I was told she settled and simply watched.
This is my little balcony. Visitors are almost exclusively chickadees. Occasionally a sparrow, blue jay, crow, even a cardinal too.
I would like an easy to clean water thing for them. Hopefully small enough to fit on the shelf in the second picture (though I would set it up closest to the balcony edge). I need something that is heavy enough to not blow away if it ends up dry. That I can bring in to clean in the kitchen sink.
They have been camped out on the balcony for about a half hour now. Maude loves herself that Muskoka chair. While Edna prefers to be ready to guard the place from passing pigeons.
Maude is wanting ALL the boops, please.
Maude just loves the camera, and poses better than she does when I have my phone out. Edna was not having it, so here she is looking away.
My mother put 18" chicken wire around her vegetable garden to keep the dogs out.
Maude, said "Hold my beer please".
I think she climbed over. But she barked for help to get out.
She was in a cooperative mood, so we did photos after I freed her. I used the fancy camera and will have to wait to be back home to get them out of the camera to post.
My phone is a Pixel 7, I believe the OI Share app is up to date. I'm also of the belief that the WiFi is set up correctly. The progress bar just doesn't move when I try to import from the camera to my phone.
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Taking suggestions please.
The camera is a TG-4 and I cannot get the files to transfer over wifi using the Android app. The app sees and connects to my Pixel but the progress bar never changes. Files transfer fine with USB cable to laptop.
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Suggestions welcome.
There was a class being held in the ring next to ours. So I'm counting that as public. We went on to repeat the stay a few times and she sped up some.
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Then the video has some of her teeter work, with me on either side. With the treats being dispensed on the board, she was happy to climb and tip it.
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All in all, it was an excellent practice for her.
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Edna was there too, and is loving the equipment being lower, on easy mode.
Update on these plants, https://www.reddit.com/r/Balconygardening/s/qeHJbkMAjg
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Everything got potted and is doing well. Moving a few indoor plants needing rehab out too. A few afternoons of sun now to acclimate them.
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I can't wait for the begonias to fill out. And the chives have new growth.
We went out to play some agility last evening. The equipment has been out of winter storage for a few weeks now, and the rings are lush with grass.
I rented the 'baby dog' ring with lowered teeter and a-frame. Maude had no issues with the movement or height. She did do a very bulldog thing and was going through the jump bars instead of over them. Minor detail we can easily fix.
Edna runs Master level agility in competition. So she ran little three obstacle sequences and got to chase her frisbee. She loves running fast and snatching her disc. She has soft nylon ones.
The pictures make it seem like it was super hot, but it wasn't (maybe 24°C/75°F in the setting sun, and there were dunking pools of water available). Plus the ring area was mostly shaded. They are just happy because they had been loving on a few people who stopped to watch us.
Thinking about taking a few overnight trips. I'd get something like this Napier tent. In the hopes of transferring gear to the ground, and sleeping on the folded down seats. But would a 6' adult fit?
Took the girl dogs out for some pictures in the grass the other day. Edna was really feeling the camera.
Not to get political, but Edna and Maude have a few young fans who I wanted to acknowledge this month. We are allies.
Going to re-pot everything tomorrow. The chives are going into railing hanging pots. I have bigger pots for the tomatoes and troughs that I think will do the begonias nicely.
Over the weekend I played paparazzi with Maude, trying to feature my Mom's flower gardens. I had mixed results in the photo department (brindle dog issues).
But, Maude was a star! She followed me around, posing in a stand/stay or sit, as requested. I'm so excited she is choosing me and 'working'. No need for me to grab the leash she had dragging from her harness.
I had had my hands full wrangling them into position so didn't get any pictures.
The photographer knew what shots he wanted and the dogs cooperated nicely. First we did Maude with various small colourful buildings as background. Then Edna's pictures were mostly out closer to the river.
The pictures are going to be used in calendars.
Also because both dogs do agility, he wants action shots of them jumping.
For dog tax, the video is of Edna chewing a chew and Maude being very good about not stealing it. She just gets really really close instead.
Shout out to the favourite toy of the week, the stuffed hedgehog 🦔.