Busy Monday

Can't say this is my favorite day of the week. 18 dogs in the kennel and about 13 went home today. Also busy getting shipments ready and sent out on UPS. Today I had to box up 2500 cc of vaccine as well as dexamethasone, oxytocin, and bags of iron into which I had to inject 75 cc of gentocin and 75 cc of vitamin B into before relabeling and putting in Tom's truck so he could take it to his hog visit today. Is that a run on sentence or what? It's kind of how it feels getting everything ready before Tom leaves.

Also had to euthanize an 8 week old alpaca. It had been born with a broken neck it seems and the owners had bottle fed it but the baby was paralyzed. They finally decided to put him down. He was beautiful though.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Helped Tom fill up 11 gallons of formaldehyde. Pig producers use it to fumigate their hog barns. They mix potassium bromide with the formaldehyde and it sets off a chemical reaction that fumigates the area. It is very dangerous to breath so the producers have to time it just right. They fumigate barns between batches of pigs so they don't spread disease. We have to fill the gallons in the barn right at the doorway so the fumes from the formaldehyde don't fill up the barn (or us). The specimens in college for dissection were preserved with formaldehyde. The clinic also uses a diluted form to preserve tumors that are sent to the labs for identification.

My dishes that were bought in Rome finally were delivered today - two months to the day since we bought them. They came through fine and and just beautiful. I hope my children also like them, I made sure to get 4 pieces so they can each get one when I'm gone. I can't wait to use them when everyone comes home. Of course, Anna now has our long table so I'm not sure where I'm going to place these beautiful pieces....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Thursday

Just a quick blog. Today started out nice and cool. On my way to work I noticed one thing standing in the road. I thought it might be a large dog, but when I got closer I found out it was a fawn. Her mother was standing on the side and I hadn't seen her. They raced alongside the car, but in in the ditch, not on the road. Very shortly they found a gap in the corn growing alongside the road and headed into the middle.

That was a nice beginning, but it was to get better. A little further down the road, I saw a large bird perched on top of a telephone wire. I'm used to seeing hawks on the way to work but this looked different. Imagine my amazement when I discovered it was an owl! It was about 6:45am and the owl was facing east while the sun was coming up. He was looking around and blinking his great gold eyes. I so wished I could stop and look at him for a while but, of course, it's Thursday and I had to be at work by 7. I'm also pretty sure he would have flown away as soon as I slowed down or stopped.

Surgery day but it was also filled with boarders coming in as well as helping with appointments. Busy day - 2 dentals and one surgery to remove a cancerous growth next to the eye on a German Shepherd. 7 dogs came in to board and I had to get the check in's ready for the 9 dogs coming in tomorrow. Also had a last minute Guinea pig boarder. Yes, really. "Squeaky" has boarded one other time. She's really no trouble and not every body has a neighbor or friend they can ask. That's why I do it. Of course all my coworkers think I'm crazy, but I've been there looking for a place for my pets before.

Home late as usual. Jacky will probably cut hay tomorrow. I'm worn out from making jerky, zucchini bread, and freezing peaches. It's that time of the year, and I must say, one of my favorite things to do is put food away for winter. Can't say I'm completely happy with 2 or 3 zucchini's ready every day. What to do, what to do. How many ways can you fix zucchini?

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Morehead and Fargo

Long morning driving. We hate to leave the Northshore but, gotta do it. I'll drool over a estate for a few days before I get it out of my system. Not much to see on the way over, trees which I love, but nothing else. Slept for a bit, read for a bit.

Finally to Fargo and there's construction everywhere. After stopping at the hotel - the one with logs and bears - off to Emma's rental house. A rabbit greeted us as we stepped out of the car. I don't know why she says she doesn't have any pets...Actually there were more than one hopping around the neighborhood. Must not have any loose dogs around!

Here's her house, all cleaned up for a parent visit. Very nice Emma!

 

 

 

and Emma...

 

After some shopping, for pants for Jacky's interview, raincoat for Anna's trip to New Zealand, and a bed for Emma to be delivered Saturday...we stopped to eat at this Diner. I love the outside and Emma told us it has great milkshakes. Yes, they do!

 

 

 

 

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Tall Ships Festival

Full day in Duluth. First we went down to Canal Park to see the Tall Ships in town. We were lucky to get there just in time for some of them to go under the lift bridge. Last night the ships were all in dock. Much better out on the water, and with their sails up! There were lots of small boats everywhere around the ships, kind of annoying when you're trying to get good pictures.

 

 

They put their sails up after they got out of the harbor. These ships were taking tourists out for a two hour ride. Tickets for these ship rides were sold out months ago. Unfortunately it's been raining for the first two days of the festival. Hope people didn't get too wet!

 

Anna and Aren!

After looking at the ships, we went north up the shore. Becky had to work at Teavana so we stopped there first to sample teas. They were all wonderful and I don't know how anyone makes a decision as to what to drink.

Stopped at Russ Kendall's for smoked fish (of course!) and then on to Gooseberry Falls State Park. It's been years since I've been there and the weather was great. Still, there were lots of people there too but I got quite a few pictures until my battery ran out. Of course, then I just switched to Jacky's...

 

 

 

 

Back to Duluth and a side trip to Hawk's Ridge. Stunning view of the North Shore!

On to Fargo tomorrow.

 

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Duluth!

Here we are in Duluth during The Festival of Tall Ships. The weather was rainy but cleared off a little after dark. Cold though! About 52 degrees all day, and wet. It didn't stop us from going down to Canal Park and enjoying the ships. We were lucky enough to watch a freighter, or laker, hauling taconite out under the lift bridge. Nothing compares to Duluth!

 

Here's the rest of the gang, under the lift bridge waiting for it to come down on their heads!

 

I had to get a picture of Aren and Becky together. They are so cute!

 

Ok, here's one of the tall ships. We were there pretty late so my pictures were few. Plus I want pictures of them out on the water. I hope to get those tomorrow.

 

It's late so one last picture from Duluth:

 

 

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Workin' Hard

Well, it's Saturday when most people get to continue their holiday fun.I guess we aren't most people then. I had to work at the clinic - opened up at 7 although there were clients outside the door before then with their boat in the parking lot (they were dropping their dog off for boarding). It was crazy busy from then until 11:45 - just 15 minutes before we had to close. But I had a boarding dog with an eye issue that Jen had to look at. Turns out the vet these people use had done surgery on the dog's eye - for 'cherry eye'. He had left a suture (stitch) in that was rubbing on the eye's cornea and had actually started an ulcer on that eye. So we had to get hold of the owner for permission, knock the dog out, and remove the suture. The dog will be SOOO much more comfortable. Can you imagine having something in your eye, irritating you constantly? Jen asked me to stay until the dog was awake enough to be out of danger. Considering that the boarding kennel was full, I had plenty to do while I waited.



While I was working, Jacky was working too - in the hayfield. He raked and baled the neighbors 2 acres. So I hurried home to help put them in the barn since rain was in the forecast for tonight. 91 degrees, and it's hot. Seems like it's always in the 90's when you're trying to put hay up! I had to take several breaks since I was directly in the sun. I wore a long sleeved shirt too because my arms got all scratched up earlier in the week with our other hay. Jacky did most of the work and we put up 94 more bales.

Found this little guy on the barn floor. No, he didn't make it, but I had never seen so young a bat (except on TV) - hairless and blind still. When Jacky was up in the hay loft, he had to move 2 bats to a safer area! We actually have small piles of bat guano in the hay loft and I should shovel it out and put on the garden, it's supposed to be excellent fertilizer. This family loves bats (except that one in the bedroom last winter...). We really enjoy watching them at dusk eating all the bugs!

Cooled off in the air conditioning until I had to go to Amy's to take care of her farm. She went to Colorado Springs with her family. What's left behind is 3 ponies, 1 dog, several cats. Not nearly as many animals as I have! But her ponies have to be inside the barn at night and the dog is in the house so it means twice a day visits.
After another cool off inside, I went out and filled up all the bird feeders and picked more sour cherries before it got completely dark. The robins have been in the tree again, and mostly pooping it looks like! My beautiful red cherries are streaked with white. I did find some good ones and I'm soaking them right now, just in case.
Flowers are looking good. Have to take pictures to remember how pretty they look!

Happy 4th of July!

Well, finally a day off. We had beautiful weather today - about 81 and low humidity. Jacky went out and cut a neighbors 2 acres of alfalfa. We'll probably bale on Saturday or Sunday before the rain starts up again. Don't know how I'll fit that in too but I guess I'll have to.
Grilled hamburgers and brats out back and sat on Jacky's new lawn chairs. So comfy! Good for a long nap too...

Tonight I watered the tomatoes and I was happy to see teeny tiny baby tomatoes coming on. It seems to take them so long to show up. The broccoli and cauliflower plants have been eaten by the goats since I didn't put the fence up. Oh well, it's an unusual year what with all the rain, and the trip to Europe.
I did notice that our sour cherries are getting ripe. The birds have also noticed. 4 robins flew out of the tree when I walked up! And yes, there's quite a few with peck holes in them. Peck holes then call the flies who lay eggs in them...Yuck. Anyway, I figured I better pick a few, even if they could use another day or two of ripening. So I got 1 cup and cherry juice all over me. I may try to take a photo tomorrow, I love the sight of a cherry tree covered with red cherries. It always reminds me of the childhood game "Hi Ho Cherry-O!" that I loved to play!




This is not my picture but it sure could be. It only lacks the mosquitoes buzzing around! I'll need a lot more cherries to bake something with.
While I sat on the step taking out the cherry stones with the 'stoner', surrounded by dogs of course, I listened to the beautiful song of a male cardinal. It's funny but they never come to my bird feeder. I was surprised to see him up there singing. Of course, I had to fill 2 hummingbird feeders, 3 kinds of suet, and mixed seed in 2 places as well as sunflower seeds in one feeder and clean and fill the bird bath. It's almost a daily occurance but it's well worth it when you hear the songs of the cardinal, the two kinds of orioles, see the goldfinches and indigo buntings, the nuthatches, chickadees and, of course, the red headed woodpecker! Sorry, also the hairy and downy woodpeckers and the hummingbirds... They are easier to take care of though then baling and putting up the hay for the horses and llamas!


I made bacon and eggs for breakfast - my holiday breakfast (otherwise I go to work smelling like bacon on my clothes!). The smell of bacon cooking made me think of being at the cabin at Lake Vermillion with Mom and Dad, when Benjamin was a baby. I do wish we could spend time at a lake. Maybe some day, when the farm animals are gone. I love the sounds of loons on the water as well as the beautiful sunsets....