My gardens ... our movie backdrop

Lovely as usual Tt.......do you have the blue skies again today? We had black clouds and torrential rain since about 12 noon, but, I'm grateful as its been so dry here..everyone's grass is turning brown(except my neighbours who like the hose pipe) .So, I've not been doing much work as very little to do.This rain should get the grass growing and greening up again!!!!
Good work, Conker.......don't lose the baby.
Oh, nice hat ,by the way

Hi Paul ... thanks ... wet weather today, but we had many weeks without rain and the grass really suffered, and I was worried about losing shrubs too. My neighbour's Silver Birch is growing far too large and it sucks all the moisture from the soil everywhere... would be ideal next to your neighbours who could feed the birch's thirsty habits with their hosepipe. Lol.

Yes......you may have seen in my blog last weekend about the problem I'm having with the water sitting in my border and lifting my slabs.
I noticed some of one of my customers' shrubs were beginning to droop and dry up.What with the lack of rain, strong winds, sun and a heavy clay soil, the ground is like rock.Or, it was until today! It is forecast to rain most of the night too so that should soften the ground and give everything a good drink!

Yes... the ground was amazingly dry... we really need this rain... I've add a link to my blog for a little movie I made of a robin singing in my back garden, which was my first try at filming, just to see if it would work on facebook. Again, not as clear definition as my original, but the sound of the robin comes across well.

Hi Tt, another great blog, and very well done with all the prizes.
If you need it, you're welcome to some of our rain, no shortage up here, we're more waterlogged than dried up, Derek.

I'll have a look Tt.

Oh, Terra....it went to my favorites. What a talented team you have. Brilliant blog and love your garden.

Thanks Klahanie ...
we've been busy but happy ... I hope you are well.

Aaaaw what a great blog Tt Conker and Truffle really look to be enjoying themselves, well done on all the prizes! :-)
I want rain nothing here to speak of for ages there's only so much you can water :-(

Hello Kathy... thanks for visiting our blog ..

I have lots of fun with my pets and garden.
yes.. this rain is so very welcome ... the ground has been completely dried up !

Thanks J ...
I'm self-taught with the movie program on my laptop, and working that out has been great fun ... there's still a lot I don't understand about the editing, but I've learnt enough to crop footage, and add music and captions !

I am laughing my surgical socks off here Terra, I got sidetracked halfway through as I followed your instructions and revisited the Gnome Loo blog, then of course I had to start again on here, lol, very entertaining as always, you do put a lot into your blogs and it sounds as though you have been busy with the shows as well, congratulations are in order for all the prizewinners who once again have done you proud. Now off to facebook to see if I can watch your movies...

Hi Sue .. Thank you ...
Yes... we've been very busy, but happy too ...
I'm glad the Gnome Loo link works...
I hope the facebook links work well too ...

Aww wow he's amazing, just watched the first video, and the second :))

Thanks Jane ...
I'm planning to record most of Conker's favourite trick routines over the coming weeks... weather permitting ! :o)

Lovely blog of course too, ah yes the weather what's happened to it, its like Autumn here :)

Thank you ... but I'm grateful for the rain for my gardens ... last week I was filming dog tricks on very dried up lawns !

True, the gardens do need the rain don't they :)

Lovely as ever TT such an enjoyable blog.

Yes I aon FB but cant open the link.

Can't belive Conker is 15...he looks fabulous...no plastic surgery either! :)) Well done Terra.

Terra you are a wonder. I'm just lost in admiration...

Well done Conker.....what a clever dog. A movie star no less. He is so well groomed Terra you must spend ages brushing him.
I would like to say however that my garden is in no need of rain and my roses are suffering because of too much rain. I would be very happy to swop a bit of the liquid Terra in fact quite a lot of it if I could have some warm sunshine.

Terra I am all choked up here watching Conker in the movie, I've always wished I could see him perform, it was absolutely lovely, thankyou for sharing and I hope you show us some more.
I forgot to say earlier how nice your gardens are looking...

Fabulous blog as ever TT, congratulations on your success with the all the competitions your hard work with your lovely boys well rewarded, I will try to watch the videos I'm sure they are fantastic :o)

I add my congratulations to all these. Well done !

Thanks everyone for your encouraging words ...

Kath ... that's strange the facebook link doesn't work for you. Perhaps you could access another way by going into facebook and then writing Terra Toonie in your search box.

Hi Karen ... Conker was 11 years old in March, so he has now been in remission from his naso/pharynx cancer for 6 years. His throat is weak from the operation and year of chemo, but thankfully he continues to enjoy life. I hope your dogs are well.

Thank you Stera, Linda, and Diane ...
Conker loves having his coat groomed. A little rain on a Sheltie improves the quality and look of the hair. It gleams from the benefit of the soft water !

Sue ... we are working hard on editing of our second tricks movie. Hopefully ready around mid August !

Hi Neena ... I hope you are able to watch the movies on the facebook link. :o) x x x

Oh Terra how wonderful. ........Conker is so lovely and is canvas is very special indeed.....
I came across this last night, I'll try the fb link later.....we have guests coming for the weekend so will have a go when I can......this tablet has a fb app but I haven't ever used it......I'll let you know xxx

Snuck a few minutes over breakfast.....oh its beautiful....Conkers beautiful and so clever.....sniff.. think I need a tissue ?

Hi Pam
I'm so glad you're able to connect your tablet to the facebook links. Did you see the pink car with the doll and teddy, wearing the lovely hat and scarf you made ? Enjoy your weekend. We can catch up with news next week. :o) x x x

Super Tt, well done to Conker and Truffle and you of course for you part.

Thanks Terra x.....

yes I did! you set such fun challenges ?

Nice to hear from you again Terra and will look on face book for your first movie ! x

Thanks, Rose.. I hope you're able to watch the Supernanny movie... there's a link above to the little robin movie too.
That's a super climbing rose on your recent blog. I've added it to GoYpedia :o) x

Thanks Siris for your kind comments :o)

Hi TT, I am well impressed!
I love your pebble stream & I went to the link for the gnome loo - so funny, you have a great imagination & a great way with words, lol.
As for rain, well, here in the dry region of E Anglia, we're soaked thru, so enoughs enough & please send the sunny days to me ;)
I also saw your video's & am always amazed at how such a little bird has such a strong clear song.
As for Conker, well, those awards are very well deserved, such a bright happy sheltie. My little pooch can "do the pots & dishes" in reverse, lol.
Doubly impressed with negotiating around the flowers, however did you teach those tricks?
I wasn't able to leave a comment on FB, prob cos we're not "friends".
I couldn't hear Conker singing or playing the piano, I suppose you have to choose between music or not. All the same very well done & looking forward to seeing more of them.

Hi Greenfinger ... thanks for your detailed comments. I'm self taught with the movie program, and at the moment I only know how to make the whole movie with background music, of the whole movie without music. There's so much to learn on that program.

I laughed at the thought of your pooch doing the dishes in reverse... so it seems all we have to do is record that version, and then run the film backwards... and hey presto .. Lol.

Some of the tricks such as negotiating the flowers.. that's just Conker doing it himself.. he wasn't taught. Truffle isn't quite so selective with his toy mower ... he is ready to mow anything and everything !

Yes, I wondered whether GoYers would be able to comment or 'like' on my facebook movie, but, as you say, the facility is probably only for those who are facebook 'friends'. We are already well into the process of our next movie, and Truffle is more than excited that he is included this time.

Hi Tt, I'm not registered on facebook, but I clicked on the link anyway, no problem viewing the fantastic films, it must have taken quite a while to teach Conker those tricks, well done, Derek.

Hi Derek...
thanks for letting me know you can see the movies without being registered on facebook... that's good ! I really like teaching dogs ... it seems to come naturally... great fun.

Just watched the films, and then over again because I didn't want OH to miss them. Just amazing, especially the bit where Conker thought out how to steer round the edge of the border - that is one clever dog. . And you know how I love your robin Terra - what a joy to actually hear him singing at last!

I've seen them both now and so as my 10 year old grandaughter Maddison who is staying the weekend and we...including Rick, were very very impressed !
So...when is the next movie to be ! xx

Beautiful garden TT, and congratulations to all the filmstars and rosette winners ... and of course to you, without who none of it would have been achieved :o) xxx

Bella enjoyed the robin movie ... ears twitching and eyes looking up all through it !

All looks near perfect, Truffles and Conker are very lucky children.

Watched both movies now, how lovely TT - Conker is such a star lovely to see him in action! Looking forward to your next production x :o)

Stera and OH, Rose, Rick, Maddison, Hywel, Bella, Taurman and Neena ...
Thanks for letting me know you've enjoyed watching our first attempts at filming. I'm hoping our next movie will have its premiere in mid-August ... weather permitting !
x x x

Fantastic blog Terra ... definitely worthy of an Oscar! :o)

Thank you Shirley .. we have great fun :o)

Terratoonie:

Great photos! The babies are looking good! The garden looks great, also. I can't tell it's been dry there.

If you want to see dry come here. Lol! We were lucky to get a lot of rain on July 18th and 19th from Tropical Storm Delores. It was the most rain ever recorded in San Diego and around the county. It was much-needed rain to help our historic, extreme drought hitting California.

Hi Delonix ...
thanks... I've already started filming the next movie and in that film, it is even more evident how the ground became even drier. But this week... sudden change... downpours ! So I understand how dramatic it must be in CA when the weather swings from severe droughts to heavy storms !

Terratoonie:

It must be such a shock to have such dry weather there. I know you don't get the long-lasting droughts we get here which last for many years.(which isn't good for plants).

Many trees here are dying from this horrible drought.
In Balboa Park hundreds of trees are being cut down because they're dying. A whole pine grove in Balboa Park was cut down because the trees were all dead (I posted the dead trees on GoY about 3 months ago). It's really sad!
:>(

I JUST WANT TO SAY, ITS WONDERFUL, TERRA :-)))

Thanks, Junna, for sharing my movies on your facebook page. :o)))

Delonix ...
It is so sad when droughts kill trees which have stood proudly for many decades. My garden lawns are just beginning to recover from their thirsty summer, and looking green again. :o)

Yes, it's very sad to see so many old trees dying!

I'm glad to hear your garden lawn is recovering! :>)

Here virtually everyone's lawns are dead. I've kept my very small patch of lawn green with great difficulty. They keep on advertising to people that they should let their lawns die. I think it a very bad idea, because when the Santa Ana Winds come in fall and winter this could make us like a dust bowl! I think using grey water from all sinks and washing machines can make a huge difference in keeping the plants and grass alive until hopefully El Niño storms will bring us a lot of rain.