Since I was a little girl, this most beautiful hymn has always been one of my favorites:

The garden is glowing and we are harvesting daily.

Roasted Yellow Gold Rush Zucchini Slice diagonally 1/4" thick and lightly spray with olive oil Sprinkle with salt and pepper, bread crumbs, grated parm and chopped fresh herbs. I used oregano, chives and parsley. Bake at 400 F for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

How To Freeze Green Beans Throw prepared beans in boiling water for 1 minute. Remove and place in an ice bath for a few minutes. Drain and put in the freezer for two hours or until frozen solid. Store in freezer bags for up to 6 months.

The darling sweet peas have finally started to blossom.

It has been 2½ months since we adopted little Biscuit, and I’m happy to report that we are very much a family now. ❤️

When you adopt or foster through Pets In Need, they offer two free sessions with a dog trainer. We loved our trainer and came away with so many helpful ideas. The first thing she told us was about the “3-3-3 rule” that many rescue dogs seem to follow:

Biscuit followed that timeline almost perfectly.

In the beginning, everything was overwhelming for him. Sounds, people, dogs — almost anything new made him nervous. He had spent much of his life having to figure things out on his own, and our job was to gently show him that he was safe now with us.

We took things very slowly. Besides daily walks around our neighborhood, we went on five-minute car rides to somewhere fun. Trips to dog-friendly stores. Walks around town. Tiny adventures that helped him discover our world and develop trust. My goal was getting him to realize that if he was with me, he was safe.

Dogs were definitely his biggest challenge. On our first walks, I would cross the street or duck into a driveway whenever another dog appeared. But I knew that couldn’t be our forever plan.

Our first “practice dog” was a sweet old Golden Retriever we often see on our walks. He calmly passed by Biscuit without giving him a second glance, while Biscuit stared at him in complete terror. Each time we saw that gentle old fellow, I would praise Biscuit, tell him he was safe, and of course offer plenty of treats and encouragement. Slowly, it worked.

Biscuit began to recognize that not every dog was something to fear. We moved on to walking past other calm dogs, stopping to say hello, and arranging a few short play dates (10 minutes!) with gentle friends. Eventually, we even tried an enclosed dog park — and he did beautifully. While he didn't play with a strange dog, he didn't cower either. He engaged in several chases, then came back to me where he preferred to observe. I declared the experience a victory!

That was when we started wondering if he might be ready for a bigger adventure. We loved to travel with our previous dogs and we were hoping to do the same with Biscuit. Our anniversary was coming up and Carmel By The Sea is one of our favorite places, and it is a very dog-friendly town. Our other dogs loved going there, so we decided to see how Biscuit would do. He was not a fan of the 1½-hour car ride, but he settled into his bed and, while he didn’t sleep, he didn’t cry either. Progress!

Our first stop was the off-leash beach. It was a Monday, but there were dozens of happy dogs running around. I have to admit, my heart was pounding as I unclipped his leash. I held his little face in my hands, looked into his eyes, and said, “You can do this, darling. Stay close to Grammy and Papa and you’re going to have the best time.”

And friends, he did.

He ran a little way, turned around to check that we were still there, came back for reassurance, then took off again. Over and over. Dogs ran by and he didn’t panic. Sometimes he played chase, sometimes he ignored them completely. He chased sticks, splashed in the waves, climbed rocks, and looked like the happiest little dog in the world.

The rest of the day was just as sweet. We walked around town, browsed a few shops, enjoyed happy hour at the hotel, and went to dinner where Biscuit sat under the table and ate his own meal from a silver dog bowl like the little gentleman he is. And most of the tables, including the tables near us, had dogs too and he was calm as a cucumber.

The next morning, after breakfast and a walk through the charming neighborhoods, we went back to the beach. The moment Biscuit stepped onto the sand, he did the most adorable little celebration — a jump, a twirl, a hop and a kick, and then he was off running.

He was happy and watching him be happy was the best part of all. 

On our way home we stopped at a knit shop in Pacific Grove (more on that next week!) and had lunch by the water in Capitola before heading home. Biscuit slept the entire way.

I think he had a pretty good first vacation. He surpassed all our expectations and my husband wants to do it again soon!

Waiting for dinner--just a few feet away was a 100 pound German Shepherd. Look at Mr. Cool!

Waiting for his dinner to cool.

A ﹩﹩﹩ price, but my husband said, "What the heck. It's our anniversary!" (The serving was huge and the doggy bag we left with served him two more meals!)

We definitely went overboard with the bed situation but we didn't know what to expect. We even brought his beloved feather bed from his kennel. We shouldn't have worried. He was out like a light.

Carmel By The Sea is often considered one of the most dog-friendly towns in the country. If you’re thinking of bringing your own little companion, here are a few tips:

Many hotels welcome dogs, although they often have only a limited number of pet-friendly rooms. They charge a pet fee and that can be pricy, so it’s worth calling around to find the perfect fit. We absolutely loved Coachman’s Inn — it was comfortable, charming, and wonderfully welcoming to Biscuit. Plus they offer complimentary Happy Hour and a lovely breakfast.

Many restaurants are dog friendly too, although they may have only a few pet-friendly tables. We enjoyed dinner on the patio at Terry’s at Cypress Inn and loved both the food and the atmosphere.

Most shops were happy to welcome well-behaved dogs, which made strolling through town even more fun.

Dogs do need to be leashed in town, but Carmel Beach is off-leash as long as your dog has a good recall. We were amazed by how well-mannered all the dogs were —  little ladies and gentlemen enjoying a day at the beach.

On the drive home we stopped at Capitola Beach for a late lunch at Zelda's  with a good view of the famous colorful houses. They have a few dog friendly tables available on the patio. We strolled through town and every shop welcomed our little buddy.

 

The next day he was in do-not-disturb mode and barely budged from his bed.

This is a knitting blog after all so next week I'll be back with an FO!

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