I feel discombobulated in my life right now because I have Puppy Brain. It’s true. No matter what I’m doing, I’m keeping an eye and ear focused on our puppy, Barnaby. It doesn’t help that I still have Puppy Fever and sit cooing and cuddling him when I should be knocking out my spring chores like spreading compost. It pains me to leave him for more than two hours in his crate during the day. (We’re crate training him.)

But, after slowly losing my beloved dog, Maya, to cancer for over a year (I still miss her so much!), I’m embracing all the small steps of a growing puppy. Yesterday, right before heading off to the vet, Barnaby scratched at the patio door to go outside and go potty. I cheered.

At Companion Pet Clinic, Barnaby weighed in at 17 pounds at 8 weeks old. He’s gained 6 ½ pounds since we brought him home. They took him in the back room, so the staff that saved his life could coo over him. And out splashed that big Great Dane smile of his that he reserves for his special few.

The Assistant is patiently teaching Barnaby about the finer things in life.

Like how to share a stick on a sunny afternoon.

Afterwards, we stretched out in the backyard to enjoy the beautiful afternoon. Barnaby and Sadie shared a stick, rough housed, and walked the dog paths. At one point, I thought that I had lost him, only to discover him sitting under my chair.

But, even through this Puppy Brain of mine, I’m still working on my Victory Garden. Last night, I cut seed potatoes up so they could callous overnight. And I’m going to slip them into the ground when I’m done here. I don’t know about you, but planting my vegetables and herbs thrills me to my primal core. I’m one happy girl.

The Humming Gardener