I have at least one or two ladybugs laying in each of the leafy remains of my perennials. I can't tell if they are dead or hibernating of what. I'm happy to see them anyway. I've got all the dead foliage cleaned up now, my tulips are all 3-4 inches tall, and I see my martagon lilies poking their heads up, as well as most of the perennials having little leaves coming up. I have confirmed loss: my Berlin Tiger iris. I had my suspicions because it had no signs of green leaves, so I dug down to the rhizome, and sure enough it was all soft and rotten. Other than that, things look good so far. My garden seems to be off to a better start this year than last! I'm just dreading the return of the mosquitoes.

You can go out to West Marin. Spend the time hanging out on the beach with your pup. You can camp out at Olema Campground or check out the inns in the area. Since Point Reyes is a national seashore, not much is allowed out there. Here is a listing of beaches available to you. Dogs must be on a leash at all times; the leash must be no longer than 6 feet. All trails within the park are closed to dogs - with the exception of Kehoe Beach trail and designated trails in the neighboring Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Dogs are allowed on the following beaches: Kehoe Beach - north of the Kehoe Beach trail Limantour Beach - southeast of the parking lot to the beach adjacent to Coast Camp Point Reyes/Great Beach - from the North Beach parking lot to the south Palomarin Beach - no longer open to pets Due to threatened snowy plover habitat, dogs are not allowed on the beach south of the trail at Kehoe Beach or on the beach to the north of the North Beach parking lot. During the elephant seal pupping and mating season (December through April), dogs and humans are not allowed on the beach south of the South Beach parking lot. Dogs are allowed in the Bear Valley Visitor Center parking lot and picnic area. Pets are not permitted in public buildings, on public transportation vehicles, or in locations designated as a swimming beach, or within any structure or area closed to the possession of pets by the superintendent. This prohibition does not apply to guide dogs accompanying visually impaired persons or hearing ear dogs accompanying hearing-impaired persons. Leaving a pet unattended and tied to an object is prohibited. = PER OFFICIAL WEB SITE I think Point Reyes Station has a small parade on the fourth, but there are a number of places to stay just south and just north of Point Reyes Station, where you can avoid the noises. There are plenty of places to walk your dog outside of Point Reyes Proper, hiking at Roys Redwoods in the San Geronimo Valley, hanging out at the top of mount Tam and taking advantage of the sights from the top of the mountain, there are a number of good hikes you can take your dog on while on Mt Tam, or stop at the Cowgirl Creamery in Point Reyes Station and take a picnic up the mountain with you, a nice blanket and a place to view the world go by would be nice (be prepared to check yourselves and your dog for ticks). You can take your pup to Muir Beach and there are some good places in the Marin Headlands (I would avoid being that close to the bridge on the fourth) China Camp historic State park is a good place to spend the day though your dog is not welcome to get out of the car in the park it is a good place to check out and whittle away some time (stay away from the North end, this is where the Civic Center is and Im certain during the fair - the area will be full of kids with poppers etc.) If you stayed at Pt Reyes you could drive up the coast to Ft Ross, dogs need to be on leash, Bodega Bay Drive out to the Bodega head for some good beaches out of the wind. There are enough trails and open space areas in Marin to take your pup that even a couple of days away just before and a day or so after the fourth, and you might get away with not running into fireworks. You can park near Tacaloma and use the multi use path which goes into Samuel P Taylor Park. a couple miles worth of level hiking next to papremill creek. Woodacre has a fourth of july pancake breakfast the fire department puts on and a small parade so I would avoid that area until after noon. Five Brooks has some good trails, horse poop laden if your dog is into that. You could head over to Concord and hang out around Mt Diablo tho that area is a little bit on the too hot side for me. Staying on the west side of Marin and Sonoma Counties, would be your best bet, you might be able to rent some sit on top kayaks at Tomales Bay ( one single, one double) and take the pup for a nice cruise of Tomales bay from the water...There are so many places in Marin you can take your dog without issue. Mill Valley has a dog park, Corte Madera, has one, Terra Linda @ Mcinnis Park - near a golf course where you can walk out to the bay on a huge levee system. ***This might be a little too close to the fair for your furbaby. Go get yourself Doing the Bay Area with your pooch, there is a California one as well. It will give you places you can eat and stay over with your dog, the information is great to have and I have take my dog to many of them. If you want a place a little farther away - go to Sequoia National Forest or Yosemite National Park - you wll be less likely to run into the fireworks crowd. I know Lake Tahoe has a fireworks show and it can get very congested up there at this time of year. Still further away is Mono Lake and Bodie. Not quite a days drive. Check with the Chamber of commerce of Bridgeport, Mono and Lee Vining to see about fireworks. I live in Marin and I have to dose my dog with rescue remedy or take him for a nice drive over to the Nicascio reservoir area, up and over Lucas Valley Road. I usually get a campsite at Samuel P Taylor State Park, but this year I waited too long and got a later reservation...I think the closest place for you all without crossing the bridge would be Fort Funston or Edgewood County park (I dont think dogs are allowed there) and I know of Mori point, down by Pacifica. But your access to areas without people lighting off illegals on the penninsula would be more limited, mabe Moss Landing, Elkhorn Slough?? Good luck with whatever you decide.

I just got off the phone with Angie's DH-he said her Dr. thinks it was either a massive stroke, heart attack, or embolism. They are doing an autopsy this week. I have been in a daze today, I just feel so awful. Thanks for all your kind words.

Bestyears, I was keeping it vague because discussing dog training methods can be equal to politics! Try telling some of the militant rescue groups that you will be using a different training method than the one they strictly follow ... you will never get a dog from them! Here are two articles from two opposite theories that gives you an idea of how they think. 1) https://positively.com/victorias-blog/balanced-dog-training-theres-nothing-balanced-about-it/ 2) https://www.nitrocanine.com/blog/2015/06/12/in-defense-of-balanced-training/ With my rescue I started out with a purely positive trainer. It worked great in the house and yard as the dog is very food motivated ... BUT outside none of the training made a difference. Critters and the chase were a much higher reward than anything I could offer. I even tried carrying filet mignon! I was being dragged around town by a crazy dog ... even with the easy-walk harness the positive trainer told me to buy. The dog just walked sideways and pushed into the harness. The last straw was when on a walk the dog nearly knocked me, and my father, to the ground when trying to get a squirrel. I had to kick the dog to stop her lunging and get us untangled (my Dad also had our smaller dog on leash). I looked for a different approach and found "balanced" training. The trainer I found is slightly different from #2 above in that they do use food rewards. Happy to message you a link to the training program website and the actual trainer I used. We now go on off leash hikes and I get stopped regularly by people who comment on her behavior and level of training. I got so many questions that I started carrying business cards for the trainer!! One of those people actually contacted and used my trainer, even thought she isn't local. Do your research and choose the trainer and method that best works for you and your dog. The best method will most likely be a combination of several different ones.