Primary feathers splayed and testing the gusty wind, a turkey vulture gracefully sails the wind-sea.
Month: October 2015
Hooray!
Stella and I just returned from yet another follow-up on her dental surgery and fistulae repair.
The vet gave the all clear to begin transitioning to normal feeding and routine. It’s been such a long slog I was prepared for more bad news, and slumped in relief. Our next visit will be for the routine annual exam.
Stella has been such a trooper throughout all of this, allowing people to prod and poke at her mouth so many times. Never happy about having that done yet never growling, snapping, showing poor behaviour. She’s always been ready to go for a car ride though so many of them ended at the vet, ready to go into the vet, though reluctant to enter the examination room (I can and certainly do forgive that!).
I give thanks.
Beautiful
Thanksgiving weekend was spectacularly beautiful. On Sunday we took a drive and wound up under the Bluewater Bridge, indulging ourselves with a box of fresh, hot chips from a wagon.
I had the extra treat of watching my partner, best friend, companion, wife watching the Ojibway pass by, upbound. Too good an opportunity to let pass.
I am so blessed.
What did you say?
Something that included the word that begins with a w and ends with alk?
Harvest
More of our gardens’ bounty. Butternut squash, sweet potatoes (and more to come!), and an experiment with corn. I think this is the only ear we got; we should do a little better next year once some trees are pruned which will allow more sunlight to reach the garden.
All done.
After 47 consecutive days of almost exclusively 10 hour shifts, Faye is done with this years’ tomato harvest. A long, grueling haul.
I took a break from most computing yesterday. It was a marvellous day, crisp, cool, sunny. We ran errands, walked the dogs (taking Achilles on a long walk), puttered in the garden, revelled in having more than an hour or two together.
Life is good.
Encouraging
Stella and I visited the vet today, following up on last weeks’ fistulae repair. It was a very encouraging visit. The stitches are intact, no sign of infection, and no evidence of other concerns. If next Thursday’s follow up is clear we should be able to resume normal life. Fingers, toes, and paws crossed. Your good thoughts are deeply appreciated.
She’s been such a good trooper throughout all of this. Although she was stressed by today’s vet visit, she allowed Dr. Vallee to examine her without complaint let alone growling or snapping. I am very, very blessed to have such a good dog.
Peaceful
This peaceful scene greeted me today. It’s a blessing to witness and live in such a beautiful part of the world.
Visitor
ETA: Now the photo is posted.
I rummaged through photos and came across this one from July. I put out suet cakes for a week or two and this female Downy Woodpecker (link goes to allaboutbirds.org) regularly visited. She also visited the hummingbird feeder, right background, and I think was able to extract some nectar.
I resumed filling the seed feeders late last week and expect to see more visitors soon.
Memorial
You may remember that in June we let go of Fayes’ beloved chocolate Lab Kendal.
The network that our vet clinic is in offers a wonderful opportunity to clients who let go of a dog during the year. You can plant a tree and have a stone engraved in your pets’ honour. Chatham very generously offers public parkland for this. We planted a tree Saturday. We joined a dozen or so others on a cool and windy day to plant our chosen tree, a serviceberry. Unfortunately the stone was not ready.
Kendal lives on in our hearts and minds. Now there is a living memorial of his time here, one that will likely outlast us. We will visit it and take care of it as long as we can.
Miss you sir. Am also very, very glad to have been blessed with the time we shared.
previouslytexan 