A small grey and brown Cattle Dog inside her fabric bedtime crate curled into an impossibly small Sonic the Hedgehog ball hiding behind a wall of bunched up dog bed so that only one of her eyes is totally visible staring out at me for being so cruel.

Completely dog reactive. Wants to eat every rat, cat, bunny, squirrel, bee & wasp that moves too fast outside. Bred to strike fear in the heart of giant bulls. But laundry folding day? Terrifying! 🤣🤣🤣

#WeAreAllZoey #GardenDogs #DogsOfBluesky #ACDLife 🐶

Despite my nudging, a small grey and brown Cattle Dog lays down in the middle of the hot sidewalk in process of rolling over to show her belly and put her foot in the air to make it harder to pick her up and carry her inside.

When your hard-headed #GardenDogs #WeAreAllZoey is helping you plant on 80F day but refuses to abandon her guard duty post to go inside for water break despite “serious business voice” & had to be rolled like a burrito & carried inside like a baby. 🙃

#gardening #DogsOfBluesky #ACDLife #SillyDoggo 🌱

A small grey and brown Cattle Dog balances on her back feet with her front paws glued to the window sill so she can stare down into the back garden. The outside grey light creates a halo glow around her floofy shoulders and sharply forward-folded “I’m concentrating!” ears.

Muddy, colder & gray from overnight rain so #GardenDogs #WeAreAllZoey is protecting the backyard from squirrels, bugs, bunnies—whatever you got—from the window instead.

#gardening #DogsOfBluesky #ACDLife 🌱

A small grey and brown Cattle dog in a harness waiting at the corner of the deadwood fence looking back at the three front beds while I tried to fit them all in.

The Center Strip bed filling out with beautiful bulb foliage and small flowers and tiny baby basal foliage.

Another view of the Parkway bed from the opposite side framed by the other deadwood fence. Definitely more green than brown as the leaf litter is covered by new growth.

The bed directly in front of the house with another short deadwood pile to keep the plants off the stepping stones that I use to fight back the neighbor’s invasive ivies. The bed itself is filled with small yellow tulips and emerging cream tulips, again covering the leaf litter with new green growth.

Another snapshot of the front beds from this week. So much changes every day, except for #WeAreAllZoey being bored when the agenda is deadheading faded tulips and not sniffing neighborhood pee-mail sites.

#gardening #bloomscrolling #NativePlants #UrbsInHorto #Chicago #GardenDogs #DogsOfBluesky 🌱

A small grey and brown Cattle Dog with laser-pointed folded ears stares mesmerized like a statue at a city Robin hopping along the curb looking for snacks who is not impressed. Doggo casts a sharp morning shadow and has a jauntily upturned floofy white tail tip.

Birdy & the Beast.

#gardening #GardenDogs #WeAreAllZoey #DogsOfBluesky #ACDLife #birds #UrbsInHorto #Chicago 🌱

Tables covered in flats of 4” pots filled with soil and tamped flat slowly being filled with labels, #seeds, etc. Seed packets cover the couch & pillows while a small grey & brown Cattle Dog is curled up on the floor huffing a pair of Birkenstocks & looking depressed because no one is paying attention to her.

Behind schedule because of chronic pain, but Mr. CMG helped me bring up supplies today to finally sow tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, okra, tomatillos, celery, alliums, basils, & flowers from couch instead of standing in cold basement all day. #GardenDogs #WeAreAllZoey was less enthused. #gardening 🌱

A small grey and brown Cattle Dog head wedged through a crack in an old wooden door (despite having episodes of big dingo energy sometimes, she will not push a door open if she does not fit through it🤣).

A bright green frog plus toy with a tear down 3/4th of the right side and fluff hanging out everywhere next to a sewing kit, scissors and some magnifying readers so I can actually see the needle eye.

A happy green frog with a restore squeaker and fluff and a triple-strong Frankenstein scar down his whole right side ready to go back into the trenches.

Nosy #GardenDogs #WeAreAllZoey: “Hey, whatcha doing in there?”
Me: “Stay out, tiny terror. I’m doing emergency surgery on this poor frog you eviscerated.”
I had to take the bare squeaker away from her & sew that back in too. #ACDLife is never boring.
#DogsOfBluesky 🐶🔪🧵🪡

A small grey and brown Cattle Dog oversees her territory in the Pollinator Garden which apparently may require some bulb thinning at the end of the show this year.

Still pretty brown but some bulbs and ephemerals and peonies coming up in the untidied Rain Garden bed and an Archway raised bed with just a few strawberry survivors.

Trellises galore waiting to fill up in the Berry Garden bed and a relocated birdbath so hopefully doggo stops knocking it over on my toes chasing bunnies.

More current views of the state of the backyard beds with #GardenDogs #WeAreAllZoey looking at the bulb-dense Pollinator Garden bed, ephemerals starting to poke up in still brown Rain Garden bed, trellises galore in the Berry Garden bed. (2/2)

#gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport 🌱

A small grey and brown Cattle Dog lies on a mud mat in front of an open slider door with a screen with both paws blocking the track to close the door. She looks at the camera proudly ignoring directions given to move.

When your independent-minded #GardenDogs disagrees with closing the slider when rain picked up because she isn’t done surveying her kingdom. Physically blocking the track with her feet plus “the look”. I’m shook. #ACDLife 🙃

#gardening #WeAreAllZoey #RainDelay #FreeSkyWater #WeWantToPlayOutside 🌱

A small grey and brown Cattle Dog sits folded in an origami of despair on a small rug next to the bed and nightstand while I do Continuing Education hours for Master Gardener online.

Big “This Zoom meeting about Butterfly Gardening is not about me” energy. 🐶🦋👩🏼‍🌾

#gardening #GardenDogs #WeAreAllZoey #butterflies #pollinators #invertebrates 🌱

A small grey and brown Cattle Dog with a fluffy raccoon tail walks ahead on a concrete sidewalk in a blue jacket with “Zoey” embroidered on it hot pink and a blue lead.

A peek through the chainlink fence at a thick clump of tiny yellow Daffs.

Closeup of a thick clump of tiny yellow Daffs.

A small grey and brown Cattle Dog stands in a blue jacket with “Zoey” embroidered on it hot pink showing the scale of the tiny Daffs.

Brisk morning walkies with #GardenDogs #WeAreAllZoey. Cattle Dogs need to stay busy or they’ll drive you bonkers since we have no cows in our #UrbsInHorto #Chicago garden. We spotted some beautiful mini Daffodils in a neighbor’s yard!

#gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #FlowersOnFriday 🌱

A smalll grey and brown Cattle Dog lies with her entire head and neck draped down over the side of a double thick fuzzy bed—fuzzy contortionist!

I also feel like I am melting after an afternoon of pruning major shrubs and thorny roses to the point that my neon yellow handled pruners were more red from my torn up fingers. Heat pad and bandaids, STAT! 🪚🩸🩹

#gardening #GardenDogs #WeAreAllZoey #ouchie 🌱

Sound on to enjoy #GardenDogs #WeAreAllZoey bringing big Dingo energy to a ballet of stomping on my tulips & a symphony of whine because Charlie the Yard Bunny is relaxing unfazed in neighbor yard in between noshing on new grass.

#gardening #Ecosystem #Wildlife #UrbsInHorto #Chicago 🌱

When you try to have nice things, but your Heeler is in daily dingo mode. 🫠🐶🦝

#WeAreAllZoey #GardenDogs #DogsOfBlueSky #ACDLife

An adorable floppy dark brown velvet-eared grey and brown Cattle Dog sleeps cozily in a fluffy squishy bed with a cute pink tongue blep.

Stormy night, rainy day. The largest hail & tornadoes skipped us but lots of lightning so it was good for the seeds I direct sowed yesterday. My joints are on fire so #GardenDogs #WeAreAllZoey & I are going back to bed early.

#gardening #fatigue #WeatherRollercoaster #DogsOfBluesky #ACDLife 🌱

An adorable floppy-eared grey and brown Cattle Dog at the end of a leash and harness looks over the bright beautiful purple Crocus and fresh green foliage starting to peek up against the brown leaf litter out front.

Four-legged #bloomscrolling fan.

#gardening #WeAreAllZoey #GardenDogs #FlowerReport #Chicago #UrbsInHorto #DogsOfBluesky #SmallJoys 🌱🐶

A fluffy brown and grey bunny with a white ball of a tail blends into the winter brown foliage.

Finally something other than dog butt—a fluffy little cottontail glamour shot. Not sure it was worth it though since I ripped a button off my long flannel catching #WeAreAllZoey before she could fly into the bed after him. #Wildlife #gardening is harder with wild-eyed Blue Heeler on her the prowl. 🌱

A close up of a blurry jauntily lifted white and black tail coming off the rear end of a small grey and brown Cattle Dog walking the paths.

So far trail cam has captured lots of #GardenDogs #WeAreAllZoey butt while she prowls the paths for Charlie the Yard Bunny & lots of closeups of partner’s Muck Boots as he chases after her. Hopefully spring will bring more interesting things. 🤣

#gardening #UrbsInHorto #Chicago #wildlife #nature 🌱

A small grey and brown Cattle Dog lies on top of a twisted wool rug with her paws dug into the weave and the rug pad showing. She looks up (barely) with eyes boring into my soul at my audacity to question her choices.

Heelers love rug surfing & have no shame. Asked her 3 times what she did & she refused to look at me but lifted her head slightly each time. Then, BOOM!, angry teenager FU side-eye. Independent little diva! 🤣🐶🫠

#WeAreAllZoey #GardenDogs #DogsOfBluesky #ACDLife

A small grey and brown Cattle Dog lies flat on her back with her head curled to one side, her tail curled to the same side, and one emphatic rockstar paw stuck straight up in the air.

Big Friday energy! 🐶🥳

#WeAreAllZoey #GardenDogs #DogsOfBluesky #ACDLife

A small grey and brown Cattle Dog in a red white and blue star harness sits at the end of her leash staring daggers at a chunky brown bunny watching back through the chain link fence from the endless grass on the other side.

Charlie the Yard Bunny is no dummy. He explored yard all day so we took #GardenDogs #WeAreAllZoey out to potty on harness so she couldn’t chase him through my shrubs. But he was already safely watching from neighbor’s tasty grass—a fence face-off! #gardening #wildlife #UrbsInHorto #Chicago 🌱

Shades of cream and brown form a large platter of Turkey Tails on some rotting down wood while green seedlings pop up around them.

A #ThickTrunkTuesday worthy tree that has been dead for ages but left mostly standing at the back of the properties, filling the space between two garages, breaking down into huge clumps of layered white and foam-like orange fungi.

Finished #GardenDogs #WeAreAllZoey walkies through alley. Got to see some epic #fungi, first Turkey Tails that have persisted all winter in our Alley #Pollinators Patch plus new plant growth, then various epic bulges on old snag the raptors love so much. #gardening #nature #UrbsInHorto #Chicago 🌱

A grey and brown Cattle Dog curled into a small oval red bolster bed with her legs tucked in and her head and neck hanging over the edge. And, yes, she has at least at least five other appropriately sized beds.

In celebration of Paczki Day, please enjoy this photo of my fully grown Heeler who refuses to relinquish her puppy bed even though she looks like filling splooting out of an overstuffed doughnut & probably needs a cervical collar for neck support. #WeAreAllZoey #GardenDogs #DogsOfBluesky #ACDLife 🐶

Yet another photo of a ball of fuzzy bunny with perfect dead stem camo fur and big black eyes staring out from what will surely be my most fertilized garden area of 2026.

Thermometer? Not when you have Charlie the Yard Bunny! Seeing fluffball peeking from cozy overwintered Baptisia stem fortress a sure sign of 40F+ temps & melting snow. I imagine we’re both laughing at #GardenDogs #WeAreAllZoey prowling opposite fence line. #wildlife #nature #UrbsInHorto #Chicago 🌱🐶🤣

A blurry photo of a very sweet patient man in a puffy jacket and garden boots carrying a 35# sack of disobedient dingo towards the house while lights that could power a spaceship glow blindingly from the train yard across the alley.

Put up trail cam to test possible location but quickly realized all this vantage captures is offensive #UrbsInHorto #Chicago light pollution from across alley & blurry pic of Mr. CMG carrying #GardenDogs #WeAreAllZoey inside (she feels she outranks him & wasn’t done sniffing 🙃). #gardening 🌱 🐶

Showing off snowy winter garden last few weeks plus #WeAreAllZoey running paths doing Heeler things like selective listening & bitey snow because she is mad bunny Charlie & birds aren’t around to play with. Better news is that it is finally melting! #GardenDogs #gardening #ACDLife #DogsOfBluesky 🌱

A small grey and brown Cattle Dog rolls and presses her face into the side of her bolster bed so one eye is closed and only one crazy eye stares intensely at the camera as one crazy ears flies straight above her head.

Having pain flare today so we slept in. #WeAreAllZoey is bedtime cage-trained now because she has Heeler habit of popping up on bed edge at 3am to say “You Up?” just because. She was not consulted on delay of breakfast so she came out on wild dingo side of bed. 🤣🐶#GardenDogs #ACDLife #DogsOfBluesky

A small grey and brown Cattle Dog with stripey boots and a half-done bright orange coat, harness and leash sits on her high bed looking like a tortured octopus.

When you stomp on your button multiple times to ask for winter walkies then immediately act like you’ve *never* seen your coat or boots before (despite wearing them at least 2-3x a day) and your limbs are made of silly putty. 🤣

#WeAreAllZoey #GardenDogs #DramaQueen #ACDlife #DogsOfBluesky 🐶

Two stacks of rubberbanded seed packets and two corresponding sets of wooden labels waiting for winter sowing in jugs.

A floppy-eared grey and brown Cattle Dog stares disappointedly from the edge of her bolster bed waiting for something she actually cares about to happen.

Spent day with my favorite senior citizen & my favorite neurotic #GardenDogs #WeAreAllZoey watching soccer & organizing 2 more batches of winter sowing #seeds. We’re at 67 species now & these will take us to 109 total—I’m pretty sure that is *really* it this time. Then I can indoor sow. #gardening 🌱

A small grey and brown Cattle Dog stares intensely from the space next to my knee between the chair and the hassock.

Explaining to #GardenDogs #WeAreAllZoey that it feels like -22F out so her walk request has been declined. She begs to differ… with real #Chicago mob boss “offer you can’t refuse” energy. 😆

#DogsOfBluesky #ACDLife