Recipe for a good nights sleep...

It was a successful day around these parts.  Brinkley and I left home at what felt like the crack of dawn to go join other dogs and their humans to walk in the 20th Annual Fire Hydrant 5k.  It's been on my wanna-do list since the day Brinkley picked me as his owner.  It was a beautiful day in the park as we joined the masses of dogs.  B. Miles behaved himself fabulously.  He was timid at first and plopped himself at my feet to observe the canine craziness happening all around.  Even after he realized it was a day for the dogs, he minded his manners and looked at me for approval before running off to sniff and give doggie kisses.

For the race/walk we weaved our way through a nearby neighborhood, passing homeowners in lawn chairs.  At first glance it appeared they were there to be friendly cheerleaders, waving and saying good morning.  A closer look revealed that the "cheerleaders" were merely there to keep watch over the furry walkers and the pooper-scoopers who accompanied them.  The 5k path was set out on the street, but it was entertaining to watch how many dogs pulled their owners up on to the sidewalk, including Brinkley.  All those hours spent walking on the sidewalk, we never knew how well trained our dogs had become!!!

When our three mile walk was over, Brinkley and I wandered through the pet fair hosted by the Larimer County Humane Society.  Brinkley got free tennis balls, some treats, and some congratulatory licks and sniffs from his four-legged counterparts.  For all the dogs out there, Brink was the only Brittany in the pack.  There were dozens of labs, dozens of golden retrievers, pugs, shitzus, boxers, and mutts, but there was only orange and white Brittany!!

Brink and I plopped in the shade by the car for a few minutes before we headed home.  Brinkley had an air of accomplishment around him with his head held high and a full doggy smile!  I wondered if he was thinking the same thing I was ... we should definitely do this again!

Later in the morning I headed to the Urban Gardening Festival at the Gardens on Spring Creek.  I've driven by the gardens many times but never stopped.  I didn't have much time because Brent and I were meeting friends for lunch.  I walked around the booths and took a few pictures.  Unfortunately, the only workshop that I was interested (stained glass stepping stones) happened while Brink and I were at the 5k.  The booths were kind of uninformative.  There was a booth for each nursery in town, some landscaping companies, and a few other odd ones.

One lady approached me saying she was a garden consultant (gee, rough life she must have) and asked if I had any questions.  She was standing near her makeshift cold frame, so I asked her about cold frames.  Brent and I are still trying to figure out how to elevate my cold frame on the patio.  She told me that I would most likely need a compost mixture as soil, not just straight garden dirt.  She also explained that the most useful thing to have for a cold frame is an air thermometer and a soil thermometer.  If either of those get too hot, all of the stuff on the inside will croak.

She also advised I will need to remove my greenhouse lid through the summer.  As the temperature cools in fall, I'll have to add the lid but leave it propped open for ventilation.  One fall has turned into cold fall, I'll have to close it.  I should be able to grow most (low profile)herbs and maybe some lettuce and squatty carrots if we get the base built deep enough.  Basil (my main inspiration) is extreme wimp when it comes to cold weather so she said growing it in a cold frame, even if heated through winter, could be very difficult.  I'll just have to grow my basil inside this winter!!  Anywho, it was very informative to talk with her briefly.  She offered me the chance to enter the contest for an hour of garden consultation.  I had to kindly decline and say my patio garden is not nearly big enough for a consultation.  Maybe someday.

As I passed another booth, I saw this beauty...

It's a redwood frame and it's much bigger than it looks in the photo.  It's probably six feet square.  And I want one!!!  Raised beds seem to be the hottest thing going.  Just in my time driving around town hour after hour for work I've noticed raised beds being built in front, side, and backyards!  It will be interesting to see if anyone turns them into cold frames come fall time.

After the gardens, I met Brent and our friends Aric and Sara at Ruby Tuesdays for lunch.  From there, Brent and I did some running around town.  We dropped off the old paint at the Household Hazard Waste Collection event!!  We hit up the Verizon store and a place called Hops & Berries, a home brewing supply store.  We got some root beer and vanilla creme soda extract (more on that another day). We also hit Whole Foods.  I got some heavy whipping cream and some goat's milk (more on those another day too)!  The day of productiveness ended with some burgers on the grill and a mini-marathon of Everwood on DVD.