Weather has been dreary but I'm seeing signs of spring. Daffodil and tulip bulbs are pushing their way up through the mulch and buds are forming on trees and shrubs. I've been working at reducing the manure pile, spreading it around plants in the yard to slowly release nutrients into our sandy soil. The pile is saturated with rainwater and my wrists ache from repeatedly loading the cart with a pitchfork to haul it around the yard. Only a ton of shit left to move!
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| Manure pile |
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| Tulips |
Hellebores are flowering. The bright white ones really catch the eye but they're even more striking as they age, turning yellow and pink.
Now meet Timmi, my most handsome of the white boys. He has held back longer than any of the others, just now being comfortable enough to touch my hand in hopes of finding a treat. He can be skittish and will leap into the air and over the other boys to avoid Hattie. He's a bit of a head butter, too, so I keep my eye on him when I'm working in case he charges. He's made some advances that I've avoided so far but once my knee is done they cannot butt me in the legs. I don't think he's being mean or aggressive, it seems to be a social thing the boys do and Timmi is just including me in the gang, but I redirect that energy now to getting a treat or a gentle touch instead. I've watched the boys at their head butting games. Two will square off, slowly walk up and touch heads, sizing up the competition, then back up a few yards and go at it, bang! Sometimes it gets rough and the others will side with one or the other to calm things down, but it has gotten bloody a few times.
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| Timmi |
Tux is now taking medication for incontinence that has stopped her obsessive licking but has given her diarrhea and restlessness. I'm waiting for delivery of doggie probiotics that might help with the intestinal issue otherwise we'll have to stop the meds. The Fluconazole really complicates treatment for other things, poor old girl. We don't know what has caused the increased blood calcium and have opted so far not to do a lot of diagnostics. She is getting old, has Valley Fever, hip dysplasia and pannus which will never go away, so there is little point of making extraordinary efforts to treat cancer or other serious disease. She's getting lots of love and attention and seems happy.
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| Tux |
I think I've got all the tests done for my surgery. I meet with my primary doctor next week, then have the knee class where I learn everything I need to know about the surgery and recovery the week after.
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| Hattie rolling for joy |
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| Duck girls, Sapphire and Ruby |
