Bamboo Politeness

Today we visited the wonderful bamboo nursery: Bamboo Gardens in Palm Harbor.  If you haven't been there, and you want some bamboo, you should make an appointment.  Yes, I did say make an appointment.  You can't just drive up and go in.  

Close up of some big bamboo.

Bamboo Gardens is on 4.5 acres on Jerry and Mary Ann Smith's backyard.  And what a backyard it is! It is filled with the most amazing varieties of bamboo that you will find.  And they know their business too.  Your name and the bamboo you buy will go into their database, so that when you call later and wonder what it is you bought and can you have some more, they can tell you.

Why do I tell you all of this?  Because in addition to being an amazing nursery with great bamboo, Mary Ann was also the most accommodating and friendly person I have met when it comes to welcoming a guide dog in training into her business.

When we walked in with Coach in his blue coat, she took one look at him and started to tell us about the neighbor's bulldog she had just met.  Then as we walked to the barn, she turned to me and asked, "Do you think he would like to meet some chickens?"

"Why, yes he would!"  She told me where the chicken coop was and I took Coach over there for a chicken exposure.

A photo of the back of Coach's head as he stares intently at the chickens.

 Coach was thinking maybe we were having chicken for dinner, but I was prepared for a lunge.  I had a firm grip on the leash and as we got close to the coop, I had Coach sit down.  A chicken appeared.  Coach jumped up.  The chicken flew off with a squawk.  Coach looked at me.  "It's a chicken, buddy.  They do that."

We went around to the side and sat down to see if they would come closer.

You can barely see a chicken down at the end of the row by the fence.

You can see the back of Coach's head and some of the chicken as he stares down the fence row.

 The chickens never got any closer, so we ended up leaving.  I didn't want him lunging and scaring them.

We walked all around the bamboo gardens and looked at cool bamboo while Fred and Mary Ann decided on what to buy for the yard.  Then, as the three of us were talking, Coach started to twirl in  front of us.

"He's starting to poo!" Fred said in an elevated whisper, which is as close to a shout as Fred ever gets.  And this is where I really take umbrage with the poodle man last night, because in mid twirl I grabbed the leash and made tracks away from Fred and Mary Ann and went behind a bush so they wouldn't have to see or smell Coach.  And they WEREN'T eating and I was able to do this.

And then I bagged it all up and tossed it in a trash can.  After all, it's polite to take care of your poo!

Fred bought three bamboos, and he is out planting them now. If you need bamboo, go to Bamboo Gardens, and take your guide dog puppy in training with you.  The chickens won't mind.