Another Cute Gratuitous Dog Posting and a Prayer

Does this look comfortable?

Jules seems to think so. He likes to sleep on the bottom step, with his face all mashed up against the wall, and his right side legs collapsed onto the stair and his left legs dangling. To each his or her own! (Notice attractive stain to carpet above Jules' midsection. Additional note: Jules' nose is really black but he'd been digging a furious hole before nap time).
However, the real intention of this posting wasn't simply the charming shot of our sleeping prince.  It is to sneakily deliver my version of a prayer to the Gods/Goddesses/Powers/Spirits/Forces/Resident Deities- Whatever of New Neighbors:

Please be benevolent, oh Gods, Goddesses/Powers/Spirits/Forces/Resident Deities/Whatevers.
Grant us New Neighbors who are neither Intolerant
Nor Bigoted. Let them neither flyeth the flag of Confederacy nor Don't Tread on Me.
Leadeth them not down the path of Republicanism nor Tea Party affiliation.
Let them not belongeth to Religious Cults or Peculiar Engines of Proselytization.
Let them not spreadeth toxic Lawn Chemistry.
Let them not use an excess of Power Equipment in the form of humongous Lawn Tractors and
Blowers of Leaves, especially on a Saturday morning.
Keep them indoors, away from mine eyes until our Fence is constructed.
So be it.

Creative Landscaping Options

Here's a swell answer to those tough ground cover dilemmas: medium blue carpet, receding snow bank...a knock out combination! I guess come summer, we won't have to waste time weeding or mowing but we may need a longer extension cord for the vacuum cleaner.

Here's another riff on carpets in nature: swaddling the base of a young maple in Berber weave. The beige carpet harmonizes nicely with the logs and leaves already in place on the ground. A bit subtler than the blue number above but lovely none the less!