Rusty Dog Ranch Nature Preserve and Charity Events Host

07/23/2022

We love our two additional decks: the bonfire deck (20 feet in diameter) and the dining deck (can seat about 20).

Piece-by-piece, I'm building our vintage autoparts collection along the fence.

02/02/2022

Ohmygosh! Couldn't resist yet another amazing find from Littlejohn Online Auctions!

It's on our front porch now (of course!): we can sit in this vintage buggy bench, sip wine, and contemplate doing acts of goodness.

02/01/2022

The Chicken Town of Henton, illustrated by Tom Joliet and Gayle Joliet! Soooo eggcellent!

02/01/2022

Debra and her chicks, Amanda and Pearl.

02/01/2022

Cozy up, friends: it's going to get chilly!

Herman and Josie

08/28/2021

This adorable pumpkin decor from The Green Acre Garden Center is butterfly certified. 🦋💙🦋

09/14/2020

What a lovely reward for planting a few one-gallon salvias (mealy blue sage) last year!

Need ideas to level up your landscape's purpose? Your local master gardener and/or master naturalist would be thrilled to share ideas!

07/15/2020

Fall is not that far away, so it's a great time to start your plant planning. Channel your garden enthusiasm to benefit our flying friends ~ this resource from the National Wildlife Federation will help you ID native plants for your region.

This website will help you find the best native plants specifically for your area that attract butterflies and moths and the birds that feed on their caterpillars, based on the scientific research of Dr. Douglas Tallamy.

07/06/2020

This entrance garden has worked out better than I'd hoped it would. The sage is a magnet for pollinators and needs virtually no care. The native bunch grasses are ornamental and also provide seeds for birds -- the big blue stem grass will be 5 feet tall in a few months! These raised beds are so much more productive than plain strips of grass.

Here's info on the salvia/sage plants: https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=safa2

05/17/2020

Good morning, friend ~ come by anytime!

(I think I annoyed this fabulous bee with my friendship.)

04/20/2020

This is a great perspective on nature from Moog guru, Bernie Krause.

Listen to: The Last Sound -

Invisibilia on NPR One | 45:52