While 'daddy' was tiling up the garden area....making the dirt all nice and fluffy (which Kimi greatly appreciated once she discovered it's 'softness') I was busy planting what felt like a thousand and one Hostas plants. Kimi of course had to help me out. To make sure I was doing it right, or to make sure she didn't miss out on anything fun. Who knows which....? For every hole I dug, Kimi had to immediately jump into it. While digging the hole...she would stand by, staring into the hole as it deeped, her little pink tongue hanging out...a wide grin on her face, her fluffy little glued down ears perked up as much as they were allowed. ( I would have loved to have known what she was looking for or expecting!) As soon as I laid down the shovel, she would let out a "YIP" (again I still believe it means BONZAI!) jump into the air...for maximum air and jump into the hole.

Once in the bottom she would root in the mud...like a pig. She would scoop the mud...like a bulldozer. And of course she would taste it...like a fine connisuer of wine. I have never witnessed anyone enjoy the taste of mud before, but Kimi certainly knows how to take all the enjoyment she can from any given thing in life. While she is inhaling it's aroma deeply....swirling it on her tongue for maximum-taste-allowance...or flicking it off the end of her now brown tongue expertly, she has his 'look ' on her face.

How do I describe it? Have you ever seen the wonder in a childs eyes the first time it sees the ocean? Have you ever seen the pleasure wash over a starving man's face as he eats for the first time? Or seen the love of love come over a teenager when she gets her first kiss? Combine these things and you can see what Kimi looks like as she plays in the mud. She will actually tip back her head, close her eyes.....and you can just feel her relishing every second that her and the mud 'become' one with each other'. Once she has had all she wants of each taste, she will jump back out of the hole, well actually scramble would be a better word for it. She is a bit short for jumping OUT of anything. But she isn't finished yet. She knows mommy has to put something in the hole first, and then we get to put the dirt back over it. I truly hope the little bugger doesn't go back and dig everything up, thinking I am 'burying' these 'treasures' for her! Once or twice she has 'helped' place the dirt over whatever we have planted by pushing it with her nose...or scratching at it with her feet. YOU may think it is all by accident, but I know my Kimi, she is to smart to do ANYTHING by accident. So what if it often goes in the wrong direction, she is not even 10 weeks old yet. Could any of YOU do that when you were 10 weeks old? Once the plant is in the ground, we have to repack the soil around the roots. Have any of you ever seen a bear jumping up and down on all four legs? Well evidently Kimi has because I know she didn't learn that move from me. Yet that's what she does to help me pack it all down. Although she doesn't often come close to her' target', from what I have been told, close only counts in horseshoes and hand granades anyway. And isn't it the thought that counts?

Once 'daddy' finished tiling up the garden it was time for Kimi to 'inspect' it for readiness. We still haven't figured out if she approved or if what came next was her way of making sure it was all ready to go. She wasn't to sure what to think (or maybe she was just considering her line of 'attack'; first?) when she first stepped into the dirt that was so fluffy her legs sank and she was literally in it up to her belly. (not that that is all that far from the ground mind you). Once she figured out all she had to do was keep moving and she could stay on top of it, the rest was a cinch. Her nose to the ground....she took off at a run, her little butt tucked under her and her legs were flying. Round and round this garden plot she went at top speeds. Was this the Mario Andreti identity coming out in her again, or just another quirk to her love of wet dirt? Every so often her nose would become 'stuck' in the dirt and over she went....tail over tea kettle. My heart would jump.....thinking she would get hurt, but she would lay there with a laughing expression on her face, and then jump up as quickly to start all over again. And every so often she would have to look over to where me, daddy and the kids stood watching her. It's just like the little kid who yells "mommy, daddy....watch me!" She would "yip" and take off again. Only after she tired could we begin planting the tomoatoes and the seeds we wanted.

Oh but Kimi didn't want to be left out of that either. Once the seeds were in and covered, she took care of the 'packing them down' part. Up and down the rows she went...her little feet packing the dirt down expertly. Not to firmly, but not left loosely covered either. And please..don't tell me it was just by chance that her weight was of sufficient amount to pack it perfectly. I KNOW she kept her weight adjusted on her feet according to the ground she walked on. And don't tell me she was only following the sent on my hands in the dirt....I KNOW she was packing down the seeds like a seasoned veteran. Whatever our yard and garden is going to look like this year, it will be thru the help of Kimi the Super Sheltie.

She is the one who patrols daily on the look out for slugs, bugs and other nasty creepy crawlies she can 'attack' for us. She will rid our yard of all the evil's of this underground world and protect us from the vicious attacks of anything smaller than her (which isn't much!). She will sniff out, seek and destroy all that dare to enter her domain.....and all the while protecting her beloved family from the demon's she finds everywhere. Brave brave puppy isn't she?

Kristi...(proud mommy of this wonder-pup)
Kimi....(mommy, is my superpup-cape dry yet?)