DOG MINDING/ALLOTMENT AND DAY TRIPS

Cassie and Ellie.

We love animals but since no longer having a cat or dog here in Ireland, we decided to do some pet minding again. We have plenty experience of this abroad. We had a wonderful time looking after Cassie and Ellie the cat in Marbella Spain a few years ago . We've also done cat and dog minding in Turkey for friends. 
Many people do not like the crowded kennels and much prefer the home atmosphere. We only take one dog at a time in our home. When its cat minding, we go to the owner's home.
It's been wonderful spending time with much loved pets,  they are used to being loved and just want to love you back every minute of the day! 

Charlie was just 3 months old when he first came to stay.  He is adorable as you can see from the photo which I managed to capture on one of the rare moments when he sat still!  He is bigger now but still as soft and as lovable as ever. 

In between dog minding and traveling to our family's homes,  I find some time to tend to my allotment.  I really love the taste of home grown organic produce.  I have a mini tunnel in my back garden where my tomatoes are doing well.  They are flowering already and hopefully will be worth all the effort since they were planted as seed last February. 

I have another tiny mini tunnel at the allotment. Butternut squash seeds have burst through the soil and hopefully will bear fruit. Fingers crossed they have enough water until l return next week! 
The parsley and lettuce are doing well and my line of onions and chard are coming on too.  We have already been eating the chard. 

Weeds are a real problem.  With the recent rise in temperatures, 21c today  they are thriving!  Hoeing takes a huge amount of time and effort.  My hoe is very old.  I really must buy a new one soon.  

Now that's summer is here, we will take a break from the pet minding and do some day trips. West Cork Kerry and Galway are so beautiful. 

We love going to Dublin too because our daughter lives there. The photos below are from the Botanic gardens in Dublin.  We love a morning walk around there and usually work up quite an appetite for lunch in the lovely restaurant while admiring the flowers as we eat.

There is a huge variety of trees, scrubs and flowers to be seen and the colours in summer are stunning. 

We keep returning again and again to our favorite places. I'm so looking forward to gazing at the horizon at Inch beach, Co. Kerry while breathing in that non polluted fresh sea air.  Pictures will follow here later when I have more time indoors.   Take care, bye for now.