Hoping everyone had a great Christmas! Looking forward to a Heuchera New Year for 2012.

Everyone, please stay safe through the holidays.

Yup, had a great Christmas so far. My sister and BIL are coming today, my brother and his family tomorrow. So will still be celebrating Christmas for a few days.

Yes, hope it's a happy new year to all. Many new herchera this year to enjoy!

I am already thinking about the new garden year as well. Can't wait for the new gardening year!

Glade everyone had a nice Christmas. Wishing all a happy New Year. The new garden catalogs are starting to arrive, time to start planning.

I got a bunch of new catalogs already too! Bob, are those your dogs in your avatar? Adorable!

They were It has been a few years since the last one passed.

Well they are certainly cute!

Adorable! What kind are they? Do you have any dogs now?

They were Chinese Shar-Pei. The parents are on the outside with the puppy I kept in the middle.The one on the bottom was back for a visit. Molly the puppy I kept I would say is that one special dog you own during your lifetime. It took about 3 years before I got another dog, and got something totally different so I would not be comparing the new one to her. It was hard because I know a few show breeders who wanted to give me puppies.

This is Mops I adopted him a couple of years ago ,he is a great little guy.

What a cutie. Love dogs! I see he has a giant play toy. My dogs love the long toys for some reason too. I have two mixed yellow labs. One is 9 and the other is 2ish. Never owned two dogs at one time. What a hand full.

He goes thru toys like crazy, I think he destroys more then the 3 bigger dogs did together but does not touch things that are not his. I,d love to have more then one but the cost of vets are very high around here. Some of my friends are show people so I'm used to people with 8 to as many as 20 dogs.

In my eyes my dogs are show dogs. When it's hot they like to dig a hole to sleep in. When I come across them in the fall I just fill them with leaves and cover with dirt. Just their helping hand. I would have to draw the line if my heuchera, coneflowers or sedum went flying but mostly they stay under the big plants!

Oh Bob, I love your dogs - they are so cute. I must admit, I have times I would much rather deal with my animals than with people! We always had dogs when I was growing up - this is the longest period of time I have gone without having one....

Hug them for me....

So funny the pup has not grown into his skin. Rolls next to the tail. Only time rolls are cute. They look big. Bet they have a good disposition. Never been around a Shar-Pei Going off to learn more about them.

They were all very different . The mother Mabel on the left was tough as nails very protective. I did not get her till she was over 6 months old and don't think she was socialized enough . One problem I had with her is she was bitten by one of the original owners black dogs and never forgot , her whole life she was aggressive to any black dog she saw. The male Flop on the right was as sweet as you could want a dog to be. Molly the puppy had to me a perfect personality. They in general are standoffish with strangers and need socialization. They run around 60 lbs ,but are very powerful.

I was reading about the breed. Said you need to be a strong pack leader to own this kind of dog. Also, said they were watch dogs in the palace. Very interesting.

We had a boxer who bothered a baby robin on the ground once. The mother robin came after her. After that she just hated robins and would chase them whenever she saw one. Left any other birds alone though.

We don't have a dog right now either. We're gone too much and it wouldn't be fair to the dog. But I love all dogs and all the neighbor dogs are welcome to visit us any time they're outside! The neighbors like it too. Whenever their dogs run away, they know they can find them sitting at our back door waiting for me to come outside.

Chris -

Interesting - your boxer could tell the difference between robins and other birds. I know people that would not know the difference.....

We always had Great Danes - for years and years. My husband does not do well with dogs, so I now have a houseful of cats.