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Basil is getting to be a big boy! He is now 5 months old, and he weighs 56 lbs. Which means he is basically tearing through his old toys. He is losing a tooth or two a day, and only a few of his toys have withstood the attention…

• His puppy Kong. This was one of his first toys, and it has held up really well. It should even be large enough for him for another month or two!
• Nylabone Puppy Starter Kit - I bought this 3 pack the day before we picked him up, and he has just about worked his way through it, but I think the last one left will hold out another week or so…
• His tennis balls. He likes to fetch them, bu they do not get any chewing attention, so they have survived.

That’s it. We have nicknamed him “Basil the Destroyer”. So I need some recommendations from other puppy parents on which toys have held up for your little chewer. Please.

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I had planned on purchasing crocuses to plant under my weeping cherry, and I decided to do a mixture of blue, white and yellow varieties.

But when I went to the directory page under BloomingBulb.com’s “Fall Planting Sale” there was a section ambiguously named “Misc.Bulbs- Fall”. Hmmmm…. miscellaneous you say? *click*

And there, about 3 lines down, I was greeted with the most ridiculous looking flower I had ever seen…

Allium hair. These are SO going in my front yard.

Plus I bought my crocuses and another variety of Allium (Moly) to pant with my weirdo hair plants -

PLUS…I saved a bunch of money. I get really excited by many things, but planting new flowersand saving money are at the top of my list. So when these factors come together, it is an absolute “joy-explosion” in my brain. My brain has gone into happy overload because not only were their regular prices cheaper than I expected, but I got 20% off through their current sale, then I signed up for their newsletter and received another 10% of, = 30% savings, yay! check it out and get some “hair” flowers of your own…

Making your own dog shampoo is a quick and easy project that can save you plenty of money. This project will take about 15 minutes, and will cost about $5.

What you will need:

• An empty plastic container that hold 24 oz (or more if you are doubling/tripling)
• 1 cup Ivory clear liquid dish soap
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup glycerine
• A funnel
• A container large enough for mixing (I use a milk jug)

How to mix your homemade dog shampoo:

1. Using the funnel, pour the water, apple cider vinegar, clear dishwashing soap, and glycerine into the milk jug.
2. Put the cap on and mix it up! (watch for bubbles!)
3. You can either leave the shampoo in the milk jug or pour it into a smaller container (or containers if you made a larger batch).
4. Label your bottle so you remember what it is!
5. Shake the soap well before you use it (every time!) This mixes up the glycerine.

Try this recipe for a Dog Conditioner made from a rosemary tea for a glossy coat and nice smell!

Why does this mixture work?

• The apple cider vinegar deodorizes and keeps fleas away.
• The dish soap loosens dirt and makes your pup squeaky clean.
• The glycerine moisturizes the skin and helps reduce itching and scratching.
• The water dilutes the chemicals in the other ingredients. You can always add more water to make the solution less potent.

I have tried other variations and never found one that worked as well as this mixture.

Additional tips:

• Liquid glycerin is usually sold in the first aid section of your grocery store or Wal-mart.
• I usually make this in a quadruple batch, mixing and storing it in an empty milk jug
• Do not substitute any ingredients.
• It is always best to talk with your veterinarian before trying any new products, especially if your dog is prone to skin issues.
• Regular grooming can help reduce the number of baths that your dog will need.

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