Because They Love Us

I'm always amazed at the loving loyal hearts of the dogs I have owned over the years. Here's my sweet Agatha, a dog as totally without malice as any I've ever known.  The most cheerful of little souls, who greets me every morning just as if I've been away on a long journey. "Oh!" says she, "Finally we are together again" (she is forced to sleep on the landing outside my bedroom door because of her loud snoring poor girl).  With tail awag she happily waits for her favorite time of the day, "BREAKFAST! Oh JOY!" says she.

They don't ask for much. 

A pat on the head, a scratch behind the ears, oh we busy ones who sail past these pleading little faces with our long lists of the all the urgent, the important things that hurry us through our days.

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Those lists that rob us of so many of the best moments sprinkled here and there if we pause long enough to see them.  The small blessings that if we let them, can bring us so much joy.  Even the furry creatures who wait with baited breath for us to pause and enjoy just a moment with them, and perhaps a bit of their favorite treats if the truth be told... 

Last Rose Of Summer

It's been a long busy summer dear friends and I've missed writing and sharing all the daily bits and going's on's here at Foxglove Farm.  Agatha continues to faithfully keep watch for possible squirrel insurrections in the backyard and I find myself longing for just a few extra minutes to sit down and enjoy a  good old-fashioned writing jag as I call them.

I hope this finds you well and enjoying these beautiful last days of summer.I have a climbing rose right outside my kitchen door who has amazed visitors all summer long with her fragrant red blooms.  If you're a rose grower, she's called Climbing Red Eden and is worth any effort to acquire, incredibly fragrant with that wonderful old rose fragrance that has been lost from many modern roses.

The window box outside my kitchen still spills over with a riot of beautiful blooms, we'd best be enjoying all this extravagance of color, winter is right around the corner.  No worries, fall is yet to come with her wealth of autumn leaves and will keep us content until those first snowflakes start, so enjoy these long days of late summer wherever you are my friends!

Does your dog love treat time too much?

Here's what happens when treat time becomes just a bit too important to your dog.  Pictured above is Agatha, who thankfully enjoys a good treat on a regular basis, unfortunately for her, as for many of our dogs, too many of those treats tend to settle right round her middle section, meaning that like it or not, I must use caution and keep her treats to a minimum or at least be creative with treat choices.I completely sympathize, poor girl, treats are not my midsection's friends either, but the other day when her little snack skittered across the floor and under the refrigerator, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She was down in a flash, peering desperately into the depths of under-refrigerator-land (a scary place indeed I'm sure), rest assured, I quickly came to her rescue and retrieved the poor bit of broccoli before the dust bunnies devoured it & she made a dent in the side of my nice refrigerator.The good news is that she's learned to consider a bit of BROCCOLI worth all this drama, (it's amazing what a bit of encouragement can do in changing what your dog considers a worthy treat). The bad news is that she's not a puppy anymore and along with her mistress, more exercise and fewer treats, even the vegetable ones are the order of the day.

Sometimes just having someone to exercise with makes things a bit more fun!  Here's Fajita & Agatha enjoying a romp between snacks.

With Grateful Wags & A Most Exciting Announcement!

My Dearest Puppy People,I can't tell you what a joy you have been to me, these years we've met together here at Foxglove Farm.  Many of you have come and had a seat in my kitchen, met Agatha in person, had a cup of coffee and visited with one or another of the little four-footed creatures that call this place their home.  Many more of you I have never met in person but I feel I know you anyway, that we've shared a bond of the love of animals and shared stories about them.What a sweet blessing you have been in my life, your faithful reading of my postings, your loving and generous comments, your precious prayers, I am so thankful for each and every one of you dear readers.  I can't tell you how much of an encouragement you've been.  In large measure it's because of you, because of your letters and exhortations to write, children's stories and books about Agatha, about life at Foxglove Farm.  You've helped me have the courage to step out take the first steps on this new path.Soon and very soon, the first 2 titles of a series of 5 (did I just say that out loud?) yes, FIVE children's books will be beginning a journey of their own into the wide wide world and I hope into the hearts of dog lovers everywhere.  "Bonsai Comes Home To Stay" is my special favorite, his true little tale is a poignant one with a very happy ending (we love happy endings Agatha & I).I've shared an excerpt to the Bonsai tale, we even have a real live website here with book previews and even a spot to pre-order!  I was so taken with his story when I saw his little woebegone face in a blog post by a dear friend Karrianne Wood that described his arrival at her farm (you can see the real Bonzai here on her wonderful blog www.thistlewoodfarm.com) that I couldn't stop thinking about him until I gave him his own honest to goodness book!  A Yorkie right?  I know, but his story captured my heart and I had to tell it for him...I loved writing the story of this elderly little fellow and I'm especially thrilled to report that upon reading the first proof copy aloud to three 7 & 8-year-old little girls, that the room was so quiet that you could have heard the proverbial pin drop, the only sound the ticking of the old clock on the bookshelf.  Little girls who loved their iPads and games on their mama's phones, sat completely still, softly quiet and captured by this small dog and his tiny struggles, that they had tears in their eyes at the part of the story where Bonsai found himself in the Old Dog's Home...I'm so very excited and cannot wait until the first copies of Bonsai arrive, literally hot off the presses and I can share them with you.  They are partially yours anyway, I never would have had the courage to step out in faith and share them with the world if it hadn't been for you.  I have treasured your words and believe in my heart that you've spoken truth into my life and it's time to take flight, to take to the wing, to soar and let my stories take on lives of their own.  My prayer is that they to make people laugh and yes shed a tear over stories of real dogs and their small journeys.  Stories that people will read to their children and grandchildren, turning the pages slowly to have time to enjoy the beautiful watercolor illustrations, each with a heart of its own."A Puppy's Christmas Wish" makes ME cry when I read it!  Goodness, I wrote it so you'd think after a few readings I'd be not so teary!  The day I took the photos of Tinsel and Buttons, Jingle & sweet funny Sparkle Plenty, I knew there was something special happening, the camera whirring and puppies telling a story right before my eyes. My desire is that in reading or hearing these stories, children will learn to love dogs, develop a love for reading and most of all, a love and heart for the animals in their lives.  That dog lovers of all ages will find entertainment and a bit of rest and refreshment in books with delightful illustrations and photos that make the stories come alive.  A word about those beautiful watercolors, lest you think I've developed an entire new vocation as artist, alas, they are not my own (though the photos will be!) but are painted by a wonderful artist, Vianne Chang who skillfully brings each of my characters to life.OH, I WISH I could send them out to you all FREE of charge, you have such a part in their creation...  My wiser and better half reminds me that there is the tiniest profit after the investment to publish books on this rather small scale. Our cost is not much under what they are priced at so to keep peace in the family and pay the bills if you decide to purchase a copy, I promise to send it along with a personal note from Agatha & me.  I'm trying to decide if she'll cooperate and put a paw print inside the cover, but ink and dog paws might not be the most brilliant thing I've dreamed up yet!With Most Heartfelt Wags,terry & agatha(& bonsai & fluffy blue eyes & barkley & tinsel & sparkle plenty & just a few more...)P.S.  Faithful readers, I humbly ask that you help get the word out?  If you like to pin things on Pinterest, if you have a few dozen dog loving Facebook friends, or if the lady where you take your dry cleaning is a dog lover, won't you help spread the word and the new website: https://tellencross.squarespace.com and Bonsai & the rest of my little books with anyone who might sit still enough to listen?!?  I so hope everyone loves and enjoys these stories, in my heart, I know this is something I'm meant to do and I know that along with my dear puppy people, God will help Bonsai & Tinsel and all the rest sit up and bark!XOXOt.   

Bentley Needed A Friend

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My heart ached for this poor baby when this picture arrived in my Inbox a short while ago.  Meet Bentley a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, who recently lost his buddy, Murphy, who passed away unexpectedly. In the canine world, there are not many things sadder than a little dog mourning the loss of his lifelong friend and companion.  Bentley has been extremely listless and spends much of every day with his head between his paws grieving.  His owners who are of course also broken-hearted are also terribly distressed to see their remaining dog like this.  Cheryl says that the only time Bentley shows any interest is when they go to town and return home,  then he joyously runs from room to room, clearly hopeful that somehow Murphy might have returned in his absence.   After carefully searching every room, Bentley goes and lies down again with a sigh to wait for his brother who is never coming home again.

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Cheryl & Bryan had contacted me to see if perhaps we might have a good fit for their family and someone that might help sweet Bentley too.  When I saw this picture, I told her she needed to quickly get another dog, whether from here or not wasn’t nearly as important as the urgent need to fill the empty place in this little Cavalier’s heart as quickly as possible.  It’s all too easy for the dog left behind to begin to decline rapidly in a number of disheartening ways and the picture she had shared frightened me for the outlook for her remaining dog if she delayed too long.

We talked several times and I’m so happy to say that one of our little ones will be there to surprise him on Saturday.  I’m counting the hours until that sad little face has a little furry bundle of puppy antics to bring zest and a happy sort of distraction back to his life.  I know that this puppy will be good medicine for Bentley and for Cheryl and her husband Jim too.

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POSTSCRIPT:  I love what I do, I really do!!!

These photos arrived today along with an animated video of Bentley playing with his new little “brother”, I especially love the second photo, see “Shamus” curled up close to his side?  

I can see the beginnings of a beautiful friendship.

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My heart ached for this poor baby when this picture arrived in my Inbox a short while ago.  Meet Bentley a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, who recently lost his buddy, Murphy, who passed away unexpectedly. In the canine world, there are not many things sadder than a little dog mourning the loss of his lifelong friend and companion.  Bentley has been extremely listless and spends much of every day with his head between his paws grieving.  His owners who are of course also broken hearted are also terribly distressed to see their remaining dog like this.  Cheryl says that the only time Bentley shows any interest is when they go to town and return home,  then he joyously runs from room to room, clearly hopeful that somehow Murphy might have returned in his absence.   After carefully searching every room, Bentley goes and lies down again with a sigh to wait for his brother who is never coming home again.Cheryl & Bryan had contacted me to see if perhaps we might have a good fit for their family and someone that might help sweet Bentley too.  When I saw this picture, I told her she needed  to quickly get another dog, whether from here or not wasn't nearly as important as the urgent need to fill the empty place in this little Cavalier's heart as quickly as possible.  It's all too easy for the dog left behind to begin to decline rapidly in a number of disheartening ways and the picture she had shared frightened me for the outlook for her remaining dog if she delayed too long.We talked several times and I'm so happy to say that one of our little ones will be there to surprise him on Saturday.  I'm counting the hours until that sad little face has a little furry bundle of puppy antics to bring zest and a happy sort of distraction back to his life.  I know that this puppy will be good medicine for Bentley and for Cheryl and her husband Jim too.POSTSCRIPT:  I love what I do, I really do!!!  These photos arrived today along with an animated video of Bentley playing with his new little "brother", I especially love the second photo, see "Shamus" curled up close to his side?  I can see the beginnings of a beautiful friendship.

Why Does It Feel Like Someone Just Kicked My Dog? The ONE Star Review...

So I probably take things like a negative review too personally.  It's because of Agatha.  She’s the inspiration for Agatha’s Apothecary.  She’s the reason I started the journey to find the things that truly help pets stay healthy.  She’s why I spent years and a small fortune gathering great products in a field that abounds with cheap, ineffective placebos.Agatha's Apothecary is unlike any pet company out there & I'm blessed to be part of its beginnings.  My dream?  To provide absolutely the best products money could buy.  Products that help pets have happier + healthier lives,,,  period.  I wanted ours to be products with HEART, from a COMPANY with heart.  A company that truly cares about the other Agathas and Annabelles, the much-loved Luckys and Lucys and Lulus out there.I've been so excited about our new product line.  There have been so many thousands of hours poured into this endeavor and finally, we approach the official Amazon launch of over a dozen products.  Besides our probiotics, upcoming is a joint formula, an all-natural flea remedy, the best dog shampoo & coat conditioner money can buy. (really!)  There's Fur Freshener & Pup Pup Cologne (divine!) Agatha's Elixir and even a product called Probiotic Cat Essentials for those with a furry feline in the house.The first product formula is AMAZING, (learn more about Agatha's Advanced Probiotic and other new products here) in brief, I've taken our original Advanced Probiotic and made it even more powerful, it has ten of the most pet beneficial probiotic strains, a whopping 15 BILLION CFU's per capsule. (That is  incredible for a dog probiotic, check labels, most pet products just don't come close)  I wanted to create products with stories and wonderful watercolor illustrations.  Stories about real dogs and cats, because we all need to laugh more and perhaps reflect more too.  It's been the busiest time of my life but a joy-filled time of creativity and a chance to be part of something that will help others hopefully avoid some of the pitfalls of keeping their pets well.I'm a storyteller and first, I shared the story of my wonderfully funny and sweet and loving and courageous little dog Agatha, who will be (trumpet sound!)  TEN YEARS OLD HER NEXT BIRTHDAY!  (yes, shouting for joy!).This isn't some huge China-based conglomerate company that spins out who know's what kind of pet products, to the best of my ability,  I promise that Agatha's Apothecary will offer the very best you can buy for your pets.Agatha's Apothecary is unlike any pet company out there, we follow the most current scientific & holistic research and offer the best made in the USA products on the planet.  I'm so blessed to have been given this dream and been surrounded by the talented people who could help make it become a reality.So what has all this got to do with reviews on Amazon?  I'm so glad you asked!Not long ago, I was checking the inventory on our Advanced Probiotic, I was stunned to see an ONE-star review from a woman who complained (with bad language) that she didn’t want the "blank blank" bother of having to hide the capsule in a treat.  (which is totally incorrect anyway, the package clearly says just pull open and sprinkle over wet or dry food, it’s totally invisible to pets & tasteless) easy peasy to give in those shiny little vegetable glycerine capsules, edible and safe any way you give it really...Regardless, not everyone will love Agatha's, I get that.  But, did she have to curse?(I know she wasn't cursing at my dearest of Agatha's, but it sure felt like it).And a ONE star review?  Ouch that hurts in the world of pet products.People CARE about their pets and who wants a product with even one bad review?The heart of Agatha’s Apothecary is summed up here: “for the love of a dog”.I started this journey “for the love of a dog”.  Because I knew if I didn’t find answers for how to help that dog fight the cancer that struck her at only four years of age, that certainly I would watch her die years before her time.And not for Agatha only, but for all the dogs I’ve owned and lost too early.  For those now lost companions, some of whom I watched suffer painful and needlessly early deaths.  It was like a slap in the face for everything we’ve worked so hard for, the products that I KNOW are amazing, that I’ve poured so much into, to be so caustically rejected without one ounce of understanding of why it was important to be willing to be slightly inconvenienced for the sake of the pets we love.   Am I old-fashioned as to believe that an open forum like that calls for at least a modicum of courtesy and good taste?  Obviously, she hadn’t read anything about who Agatha was, or why her products were so important for pet health, obviously, she couldn’t have cared less.Of course, I immediately responded and offered her a full refund, to keep the unused portion with my apologies (and just a word or two about using it the right way instead of writing such a disparaging review that was so unfair to the product itself).  It stung for days though, I’d wake up thinking about it, check my emails hourly waiting for her reply which never came.I contacted Amazon Seller Central with pleas of not wanting an unhappy customer and trying to find out how to refund her purchase, Amazon couldn’t find her order either so that was fruitless as well.Reviews on sites like Amazon can be the lifeblood of a new company.  I carefully read reviews myself and they definitely are one of the factors I consider when trying anything new.  Happily, Agatha’s products have a faithful and passionate following, but considering the hundreds of products we’ve sent to customers, the sad fact is that 99% of people (including myself I’m ashamed to say), never leave a review on a product. I totally get it, we are so busy, who has time to place the order in the first place, the added step of remembering to go back and rave about the products I love is often a good intention I simply never take the time to follow through on.  I’m trying to be more diligent in that area and when I love a product, I try to let the world know!The one good thing that might have come out of that review?  I decided that making probiotics even easier to use made sense, and I’m happy to say that  we’ll now be offering another really fabulous dog probiotic (and a formula for cat lovers too!) Probiotic Dog Essentials that allows you to use a scoop, contains a 5 month supply to make things easier for those with more than one canine companion.   It’s a powerhouse blend of immune building ingredients, you can read all about here soon here, but for now, suffice to say I’m more than excited and my dream of seeing Agatha’s Apothecary change the lives of pets everywhere seems well on it's way to becoming a reality.(By the way, would you do Agatha & I a favor?If you love her products???Please help us tell the world with a nice review on Amazon?!? Warmest Wags Indeed,Terry & AgathaCo-CEO’s & Founders of Agatha’s Apothecary TO VISIT AGATHA'S NEW SITE OR SHOP NOW CLICK HERE 

Thoughts And A Few Prayers In The Garden

I was out this afternoon working in the small kitchen flower border, which Agatha had said needed something cheery planted to welcome visitors. It’s a tiny spot with just room enough for a handful of plants, it’s the perfect spot for something showy and colorful to make people smile. I had been to the garden center earlier and picked out the most beautiful yellow daylily, a cheery coneflower, several old-fashioned pink Hollyhocks, and a baby Heavenly Blue morning glory and couldn’t wait to tuck them into their new home. 

(thank you, sweet friends, for encouraging me to enjoy the garden more this summer, I’ve taken your good advice to heart in rather an alarmingly enthusiastic way!  There’s another story waiting to be told, I arrived home with only room in the driver’s seat, my car literally looked like a rolling greenhouse, I’m not to be trusted when it comes to plants.)

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After unloading the car, I worked for a bit arranging the hollyhocks, all shades of pink and soft white, the lemon daylily, an unusual cheery yellow coneflower.  The morning glory vine was trying his best to clamber his way up everything in sight and simply begging to get in into the ground sooner rather than later.  I worked along smoothly, popping plants out of their pots and into the rich dark soil.

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It’s usually a simple matter of upending whatever plant I’m ready to place in its spot.  Just give a firm thump on the bottom and out slides the root ball all ready to settle into its new home where it’s real growth could begin, free of the confines of the restrictive plastic pots. I reached for the lily and told her that she was going to be amazing next to the coneflower and those Hollyhocks.  I turned her pot over and gave a thump and nothing happened.  I thumped harder and shook the pretty flower, (who was probably thinking her small world was coming to an end) all to no avail.  The lily was firmly stuck in her pot and obviously not thinking much of the idea of leaving what she thought was a perfectly acceptable home.

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Finally, realizing the lily wasn’t going to budge without reinforcements,  I went and got a most unlikely gardening assistant from the garage, a rather ancient but most efficient-looking hammer. The poor lily surely must’ve been shocked when I started whacking away on the bottom of the pot, but sure enough, those roots began to loosen and she slowly slid out of that constricting, binding, even smothering plastic pot and into my gloved hands,  indeed, her roots were much in need of more room to stretch and grow.

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Poor thing didn’t believe it at the time but better things were ahead for her.   I quickly tucked her into the lovely cool soil where she could spread her roots and grow to beautiful maturity.  I was right, she looked amazing next to the other flowers.

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Stories rattle around in my head at the most unlikely times and while I struggled to convince the lily that it truly was the very best thing to leave her confining dwelling place and trust herself to the gardener’s hands,  I was thinking of a dear young friend and her recent struggles to leave what surely must have felt like a safe haven.  But like the lily, the time had come to leave that temporary home where she found herself.  She’d just gone through a rather cataclysmic change which I’m sure must have felt like a hammering of sorts, shaking her loose from everything she knew and was comfortable with.

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But I know that my prayers and the prayers of her sweet family and the others who love her and whose hearts ache for her, will be answered and that what she thought was a disappointing and sad change of direction was instead God’s working out His best for her life.

Be encouraged my dear young friend, God loves you and all will be well. You can trust the heavenly Gardener, though He sometimes seems to allow our small worlds to be turned upside down, there are wonderful opportunities ahead for you, just spread your roots deep and begin to grow…

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High Summer At Foxglove Farm

My favorite season is upon us at Foxglove Farm; even Agatha seems to enjoy the beautiful early mornings as we make the rounds to see what's blooming in the garden and which of our favorite birds are back with us for the summer.

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I’ve been so busy with the puppies, and now since Agatha’s Apothecary takes much of my time, I’d just about decided that this year I just couldn’t spare much time for the flowers and little bird garden I’ve been working on for the last couple of seasons. All it took was the glorious appearance of the Peonies and my other faithful perennials to discard that nonsense! How could I not take the time to enjoy the fruit of previous years labors? The flowers have been just beautiful, and I’m glad that my early mornings are spent OUTSIDE and not peering at the latest item topping my To-Do List!

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The old bird feeder has seen better days, but the birds don’t seem to mind, and I love its classic lines and vintage charm. The Bluebirds have decided it’s one of their favorite spots to keep watch over their tiny babies hidden in the little birdhouse that stands just a few feet away.

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I’ve promised myself a post or two devoted to the Bluebirds, they have had quite a struggle but I’m happy to say that with some help from Agatha & I, they have raised several broods of the most endearing little fuzzy babies you’ll ever see. They have become almost tame, not even flying away when I come out to sit with my coffee. That tale will have to wait, but suffice to say that even Agatha knows they are our friends and at a word from me she charges out to chase off any real (or imagined) menaces to our small friends.

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If you look carefully, you can see the male Bluebird on top of his house. It’s literally only about 20 feet from the kitchen door, I have amazing stories of these gorgeous and exceptionally friendly little birds. Agatha watches carefully for bluebird dangers, she really is a grand little pocket protector of all the little people at Foxglove Farm. She might only lick some of the offenders but at least she tries to look fierce.

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I’ll explain all the streamers in another post, I’ve become a reluctant expert on how to keep them safe!

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And so with a few peeks at the bird garden I’m determined to enjoy,,, I hope this finds you enjoying your summer, whether it be full of bluebirds or perhaps the beach or the mountains or maybe just a good book out in the hammock.  Go find some lemons and fix a nice glass of lemonade and sit a spell and rest yourself!

Warmest Wags,

Terry & Agatha

(& Mr & Mrs Bluebird too!)

The Life of a Dog Shampoo Poster Child isn't always Easy.

Poor Agatha, she's had the sometimes not so enjoyable job of helping us develop new products for the company named in her honor.SHE HAS NOT BEEN A FAN.The problem is, as someone with rather a large amount of experience regarding dog grooming (owner of a grooming shop/boarding kennel, veterinary technician, etc), I decided a few years ago that there simply had to be a better dog shampoo available.It wasn't too much to ask really.A shampoo that smelled fabulous (and didn't bother my allergies). A shampoo that lathered richly (without nasty sulfates) and left doggie fur lightly fragrant and super clean.A shampoo that was truly safe and natural, as organically sourced as possible, gentle on the eyes. A shampoo that not only cleansed, but nourished coat and skin. A shampoo that removed dander and amazingly, even helped reduce shedding!Alas, it took dozens of failed attempts on this journey to an absolutely fantastic dog shampoo solution.First I tried searching the internet. I spent hours reading the reviews of this or that bubbly offering. I stayed up late at night, scanning the vast array of dog shampoos available to the pet owner.  I ordered so many bottles of shampoo Agatha began to think we were opening our own pet apothecary,,, (little did she know).The UPS guy must have wearied of driving up our long farmhouse lane. Of carrying box after box of heavy cartons up into my kitchen.Agatha was always pleased to see his arrival; he carries a box of dog biscuits (though I'm certain they are not grain-free, she doesn't mind a bit).I would open those cartons, one by one, and begin the process of evaluating the pros and cons of each.The criteria were strict, upon opening the bottle, first of all, the fragrance had to be fabulous AND not bother my allergies.You'd be amazed at how many failed even that first simple test. The high hopes that I had for each new candidate were often dashed the moment the lid came off the trendy looking bottle.Why on earth would I want my dog to smell like a pumpkin latte?  If just the first whiff made me cringe, why bother to douse my pet in the smelly stuff?I developed a rather large carton of bottles to donate & spent a small fortune only to find that not a single one of those products which promised the moon & stars was more than mediocre at best.Some of them required an enormous amount of shampoo "pour a couple of palmfuls on your dog's coat to start" (this one had over a hundred 5 Star Amazon reviews!). Even that enormous amount of shampoo didn't clean very well and required so much rinsing that it quickly went to the reject bin.(Agatha was relieved when that one went by the wayside!)

All that trial and error ended up being one of the best things that ever happened to me as far as dog grooming and coat care.  It forced me to expand my search and eventually helped me find the California company that would help me create what without a doubt is one of the most amazing dog shampoos you can find on the planet!

Agatha's Luxury Lather Dog Shampoo

I know dog shampoos, the good the bad and the ugly of dog shampoos. I know even Agatha would agree.

If you have to give your dog a bath, why not use a product that makes you happy just to open the bottle?

A shampoo that helps bring not only shine and a great fragrance to your pet but a shampoo that over time will make your dog's skin and coat healthier.  One will help reduce shedding, a dog shampoo that will make dog bath time, dare I say it?Doggone divine.

There's No Place Like Home Toto Part III (I love happy endings)

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We finally reach our destination, the beautiful old city of Charleston, as we pulled onto the street where we were to stay in a small guesthouse, I apprehensively scanned the addresses, our experiences thus far hadn’t made me any too confident in my online trip planning skills.  We pull up cautiously in front of what is supposed to be our lodging place for the week and stare disbelievingly.  If you’ve ever been to Charleston, you’ve seen the wonderful old houses set back behind black wrought iron lacework fences, not exactly where one would expect to trundle up and knock asking admittance.  Happily, we were indeed at the right spot and the gracious caretaker gave us the keys to what turned out to be the most amazing little cottage that was to be our home during our stay in South Carolina.

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Even Agatha was impressed with her new accommodations and wandered about happily (just getting OUT of the vehicle was something to be overjoyed about).  Although tiny, our new place was as wonderful as I could have hoped.  Located on an estate dating back to the mid-1800s loaded with delightful character and vintage charm.  Massive old live oaks framed the antique chimney that promised long evenings by the fire.  (I was ready to move in permanently by this time).

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We unloaded and carried our 101 bags inside to view further surprises and delights. Vaulted ceilings, original heartwood pine floors, a hand-knotted lace canopy, even a fully equipped gourmet kitchen with acres of granite countertops.

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I did a happy dance as Agatha wandered back and forth wondering if the management knew one of the members of our party had four feet.

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I did a happy dance as Agatha wandered back and forth wondering if the management knew one of the members of our party had four feet.

I told her not to worry, the owners were avid dog lovers too, she was probably even more welcome than we were.

How could anyone resist that sweet furry face?

I hadn’t expected such a treasure was waiting for us, what a delightful relief after our rather harrowing trip thus far.  Even Agatha seemed relieved and cheered visibly as she watched us unpack with plumed tail wagging happily. (She knew the snacks were in one of those bags).

First things first, a little sunbath & my good dog settles in to help me chronicle our journey.

Ever the helpful writing companion, soon she’s snoring loudly just to inspire me as I write.

Someone has to get recharged she says, this traveling is hard work.  And so, I end this doggie tale with photos of marvelous old Charleston SC, dear readers, if you’ve not been, add it to your list of places not to miss.  We lived there for many years and it’s still one of my most favorite places to visit with it’s lovely homes, spanish moss, the old town herself with her sleepy carriage horses and salt laden sea breezes.

A word to the wise though, you might want to do Delta the drive certainly isn’t for the faint of heart! (Agatha says she totally agrees).

Have you ever been to Charleston SC?  What was your favorite part?  I never get tired of visiting there, but the drive,,, not so much!

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I told her not to worry, the owners were avid dog lovers too, she was probably even more welcome than we were. How could anyone resist that sweet furry face?

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I hadn’t expected such a treasure was waiting for us, what a delightful relief after our rather harrowing trip thus far.  Even Agatha seemed relieved and cheered visibly as she watched us unpack with plumed tail wagging happily. (She knew the snacks were in one of those bags).

Agatha of Agatha's Apothecary

First things first, a little sunbath & my good dog settles in to help me chronicle our journey.

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Agatha helps write blog post

Ever the helpful writing companion, soon she’s snoring loudly just to inspire me as I write.

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Someone has to get recharged she says, this traveling is hard work.  And so, I end this doggie tale with photos of marvelous old Charleston SC, dear readers, if you’ve not been, add it to your list of places not to miss.  We lived there for many years and it’s still one of my favorite places to visit, with its lovely homes, Spanish moss, the old town herself with her sleepy carriage horses, and salt-laden sea breezes.

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GeorgeEye

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Agatha the Cavalier

Have you ever been to Charleston SC? What was your favorite part? I never get tired of visiting there, but the drive, not so much!