I live not in myself but become a part that around me.              ~ Walt Whitman. 

Tonight as I sat on the patio, Ma Nature reminded me how miraculous life is. 

This pregnant doe and her buck munching on the tree are a reminder of the cycle of life. 

I do miss Willy and the pups so much, but am starting to be able to again enjoy all the wonder around me. 

Nightmare Continues

Yesterday I received a call that Dad had taken a turn for the worse and that I should come. I threw dog food, spare clothes and the dogs into the motorhome and headed north.. Dad rallied after I got there but checking him with the stethoscope, I could hear that he was in pretty severe heart failure. I did not think taking the dogs would be an issue. Dad loves the dogs. They are so stressed away from me right now. They relax at his place and do so well around strangers. That evening I noticed they were chewing on something. When I checked it out, I saw a large tin with blue-green pellets. A while ago Decon had been put out and forgotten. I rushed them to the emergency vet where they spent the next four and a half hours vomiting and drinking activated charcoal. I was up with them most of the night. They will be on Vitamin K for a month. Only time will tell how much damage was done.
Today we put Dad into the hospice system then I came home to snuggle with the dogs and sleep.

WaHoo Two Plus

To earn the AKC Canine Good Citizen, CGC title a dog must pass ten tests demonstrating good behavior in various situations around humans and other dogs. The ten tests are: accepting a friendly stranger; sitting politely for petting; sitting for the evaluator to brush the coat then examine ears and each foot; walk through a crowd; sit and down on command/staying in place; coming when called; reaction to another dog when approached by a human with a strange dog; reaction to distractions and supervised separation. 

Two weeks ago when Koyuk was scheduled to take the test, she was in critical care fighting for her life. A special testing was held for her last night. I was concerned that both she and I might be too stressed and that she would be too velcro for the 3 minute alone with a stranger separation test. But after a few minutes in class, she was able to focus and went through her paces like a champ. The stranger was indeed a stranger but after she figured out he didn't have any treats, she laid down and closed her eyes as class went on around her. Twenty dogs, including three excited puppies, and handlers in a small room were part of the "mingle" test.  Normally "mingling" (walking on loose leash in a mingling crowd), is done just with humans but her test was done as part of the class. She really wanted to play with the puppies but successfully pulled off mingling.

This was our first outing since everyone became so ill and Willy's death. It feels good to finally be able to start moving on. I am so proud of her for passing.

Yesterday I made the first big garden bouquet. 

 While picking the flowers, I heard all kinds of primal calls coming from the trees bordering the garden. At first I thought it was a crow mimicking the blue herons but it soon became evident that there was a nest of hungry chicks too. Then I saw the pair of Turkey Vultures flying in and out of the trees. I grabbed my camera with telephoto lens and started my search. 

Somewhere up there is a buzzard nest. 

 Suddenly I was dive-bombed by a very upset raven warning me away from her nest while the upset buzzards screeched overhead
. 
A little research and I now know that turkey vultures nest on the ground. With the pair of foxes living in my barn, I find this hard to believe. I must have been close to their nest while photographing the raven's nest. The insistent chirps of robins and swallows have nothing on the ruckus from these two nests serenading me while I garden.

WaHoo

When Noah proposed to my niece Amanda he talked the captain of the cruise ship to run up the flags asking: "Amanda, will you marry me". Today he sent out this post.

I'm going to be a Great Aunt again.  

Recovering

Slowly but surely we are recovering.  Today was pull weeds while the girls checked trees for squirrels during sun breaks then couch potato during hail and downpours.

Therapeutic Weeding

Once again it is time to tackle the weeds on the front walk.  I can't think of any activity more therapeutic than mindless weed pulling. The girls were quite pleased with me being perfect height for kisses and hugs.  While I worked. the dogs engaged in brief games of Chinook tag. The rules have changed a bit. Rather than lying in ambush, McKenzie just lies. The other dogs leaping over her and changing direction constitutes a tag. Either that or they were just having fun doing zoomies with McKenzie as an on-course hurdle. Even more therapeutic than weeding, is watching the dogs once again run and play with tails wagging. 

It is nap time as I type. Think I'll join them. 

Foraging

Kerstin brought Anna and Lupin (Willy's sister) for a visit to pick-up the pots and bowls from the wonderful meals she had made for us and to forage for landscaping ferns. McKenzie, Cedar, Koyuk, and I were so glad to see Lupin.

While Kerstin, Anna and I gathered the ferns, Koyuk and Lupin gleefully raced about in the woods.

Anna has really grown but not lost the desire to play on the jungle gym truck roof rack.

Anna 2009

I can't imagine how much it must itch to grow back fur on sensitive parts. Poor Cedar is sleeping this morning but did groom all night.