# Not the Chelsie flower show but......



## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

The clematis Montana has put on a fabulous display this year


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

Lovely photograph Sandra.
We don't get much growing up here Sandra, a bit of heather, sorry. a lot of heather


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## Drew (May 30, 2005)

Lovely picture Sandra, have you got one of the "BEAR" please? I would love to see him without his long coat.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Well Drew

Best I could get


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## Drew (May 30, 2005)

Thank you Sandra, greatly appreciated.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Just for comparison Drew

The long coated version, now it’s trimmed to undercoat so feels and looks more like fur 

The long is beautiful, it’s clearing the undercoat which is a problem 

He can no longer jump onto the workbench, and we can no longer get down to the floor to groom him 

But he is now 10 and getting older


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

coppo said:


> Lovely photograph Sandra.
> We don't get much growing up here Sandra, a bit of heather, sorry. a lot of heather


My lucky heather is dead , a little vase of dead heather

Yep it's still there Barry :grin2:

And will remain until I can replace it

Now me although I love lakes and mountains

I also love the wide expanse of moorlands , soothing and eternal

But as mountains I can longer walk the lonely moors 
But love them as we drive through

Sandra


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Well he’s no longer a black bear

He’s shades of grey and white

Laid against a painted wall 

Grey emulsion 

White goss 

He will soon be an an old English sheep dog 

So change is the spice of life 

Sandra


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Is it the angle you have taken the photo Sandra or is he short legged?
I can´t believe he is 8 stone, Shade was 35 kg and Shadow doesn´t look bigger than him.
Hans says he's done too much swimming and shrunk his legs.>

He is a very handsome dog your Shadow.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Beautiful Sandra!


I know nothing about gardening and so my garden lacks colour. Chris won't let me have anything that "spreads". He almost has a phobia about it. I have managed to get away with a variegated ivy over the garage but that is it. He chops branches off from trees that ruins their shape. I must take advantage while he is in hospital and get planting!


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

Jan, believe me it's just the angle of the photo. He's a generous full-size Alsatian. Just a little less of a man-dog with his coat volume reduced. He has lovely fur though, like silk.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

JanHank said:


> Is it the angle you have taken the photo Sandra or is he short legged?
> I can´t believe he is 8 stone, Shade was 35 kg and Shadow doesn´t look bigger than him.
> Hans says he's done too much swimming and shrunk his legs.>
> 
> He is a very handsome dog your Shadow.


No he's definately Eight stone and a bit

I'm trying to slim him down a touch

He has thick chunky legs

Yeti feet

And is now shades of grey white and black

Sandra


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

HermanHymer said:


> Jan, believe me it's just the angle of the photo. He's a generous full-size Alsatian. Just a little less of a man-dog with his coat volume reduced. He has lovely fur though, like silk.


And he's all over her when she comes 
No longer like silk

Furry and cuddly

And painted in shades of grey with white touches

Sandra


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

Will it have grown back by July? Arriving Manchester 9th. Perhaps Albert will get the chipper out! (lol- not planning to land on you that day, got some stuff to sort in the moho - just hope the blerry thing starts!)


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Doubt it Viv 

A hound from hell clipped 

Chips are on the menu 

The whole house downstairs is redecorated and I love it

Tuesday the utility room , and the whole of downstairs is finished 

Grey, grey and more grey 

I’m into grey 

The gardens fantastic , the hostas magnificent 

And the fushias are on there way 

Looking forward to seeing you 

Sandra


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Jan I can only just 

circle his legs with my hands 

His feet, well they are like sponges , hairy huge , although Clare is managing to clip them a bit 

Me I mess with them and he growls at me, he hates his feet touching 

He does not have legs like shade 

They are probably shorter , thicker 

A different shape

He’s long haired....or was 

Heavy boned 

Sandra


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

JanHank said:


> Is it the angle you have taken the photo Sandra or is he short legged?
> I can´t believe he is 8 stone, Shade was 35 kg and Shadow doesn´t look bigger than him.
> Hans says he's done too much swimming and shrunk his legs.>
> 
> He is a very handsome dog your Shadow.


Looking at that lovely boy

You were so lucky to have him

He was beautiful

No he remains beautiful

Sandra


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Photo´s can be so deceptive, some people & animals are photogenic and some are not :grin2:

Its obviously not taken with a camera and your looking down on him, next time sit in a chair, I know you can´t bob down anymore, in a chair you will be more on his level. :smile2:

I'm on your level at the moment Sandra, bit too much beer & Schnaps >


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Not a chance to bob down Jan 

But I didn’t take those photos , albert did , and although he can still kneel with difficulty 

Bobbing down is out of his radar now 

We prob cut out most of shadows legs 

But he can no longer jump up and shade was up high in that photo 

He struggles to get onto the bed, forget I said that because he’s not allowed , except ........

He’s a different build , long haired, heavy boned as are most long haired shepherds 

Normally you wouldn’t know where his legs start because of his long coat 

Shorn like a sheep I guess we can 

But needs must , and now he’s shorn every three months not just when we travel 

And He’s painted 

Picasso eat your heart out 

Sandra


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

It’s been so windy

Beautiful weather

But the lawn is covered with flowers of the laburnum, we have a huge tree , beautiful

The lilac infull bloom now 

Pink but beggars can’t be choosers , I’d prefer blue 

My hostas are unfurling , I love them 

And the fushias are beginning to flower 

The geraniums a bit early yet 

The Nasturtium not there yet

But I love to eat them in salads , leaves and flowers 

The fish are beginning to jump

The frogs are still tadpoles

The iris in bloom 

Summer is definately on its way 

And this is a town garden

Sandra


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Two blackbird tail? Wing feather on the lawn 

And now I’m worried

Did a cat carry it off .?

Does it have young in the hedges

Was it just a scirmish ?

I love my blackbirds 

And eye up the Magpies

But I guess they have to live too 

The circle of life

And I try not to disrupt it 

The tadpoles will be come frogs, will eat the slugs

Which will no longer devour my hostas

The red admirals will come to the flowers on the ivy 

Is that what they do ?

We will begin to cut the front Ivy’s 

Well young Albert will

The higher ones belong to the sparrows nesting 

So it’s half and half

And young Albert needs money 

And he ain’t getting it without work 

He’s rubbish at college

Totally disinterested 

Here, he wants money work for it 

We could just give it to him 

But work ethic is strong in this family 

And he will work, or do without

And learn along side his grandad, his almost dad as he lacks one

And he can now manage the hedge trimmers 

So he’s learning 

More importantly he’s learning 

You work for what you want 

And one day we will give him a share of his inheritance 

And he’ll blow it

Or maybe not 

Sandra


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

One of our blackbirds, I discovered yesterday, is raising a brood in a shrub in the front garden. I was dumping some lawn mowings under the shrubs, spotted a bramble, and as I leaned in, to see if I could yank it out, I spied her sitting as tight as tight can be on her young. I retreated as quietly as I could. Good job we don't have a cat as the nest is very low. Even a dog could reach it. Hopefully they will all fledge and we will see them hopping around waiting for mum and dad to feed them. Already had one brood fledge from the Mahonia


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

We usually have a brood of blackbirds back and front each year

Again we had bluetits , but they have vanished , busy busy and then gone 

Sparrows not as numerous as former years

Robins and wrens put in an appearance but are gone now 

Or a least I don’t see them 

Sandra


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