Monthly Archives: August 2020

Retirement Is a Lot of Work

Country Life, ,

This has been my foot ware for the majority of the summer instead of my new sandals. Why, you might ask?

Generally these are my gardening clogs because they can be washed in the shower. I’m wearing them most of the time now because of an encounter with the spud bar gone bad.

We were working on a drainage project and I needed to break some PVC pipe to fit in the trash can. That ended with a score of pipe-1, foot-0.

I’m finding that retirement is a lot of work with helping with projects like laying the drain pipes. Also notice the paint spots on my clogs from painting new siding panels.

Ahhh, country life.

On Not Lounging

Cooking, Country Life, Gardens, Thoughts On Life, , ,

Well, today I was NOT sitting in a lounge chair enjoying the patio. And not just because it was so hot.

First I helped tie up some loose ends from a construction project. Then I picked up nails from said project. After that it was time to pick green beans. Picking beans seems to be my new hobby. Either that or cleaning and snapping them.

This afternoon consisted of making rice pudding for this evening’s dessert and then working on cleaning up the office. I never did get around to writing which was the whole point of cleaning up the office.

Oh well, as a line from a great movie says (in a wispy southern accent), “Tomorrow is another day. “

Dogs On the Patio

Dogs & Other Animals, Gardens, ,

This is how we have a relaxing day on the patio at our place. We do it with dogs. We have it all fenced in so we can relax, knowing the dogs are safely with us.

When we open the door from the side porch, our dogs know which way to go depending on if we say pasture, fountain/patio, or car. If they have taken off too quickly, they will do a big u-turn to go to the proper place.

As our newest dog, Claire has been on leash in the patio area most of the summer since we tried two times off lead and she went tearing through the raised flower beds. We tried her loose over the weekend and she did good! She seems to have the idea. So far she is only free when we can supervise, but she seems to have it.

This makes her, and us, happy!

A Home With Friends

Dogs & Other Animals, Rescue Happenings, , , ,

My post last week about Maizie generated lots of interest. You can read it here if you missed it. A Heart of Gold

Rest assured Maizie enjoyed her life here. She became a permanent member of our family the day we received her diagnosis of kidney failure and found out her time was limited. She loved going out to the pasture with the other dogs and coming back in to sleep on the dog bed.

As many of our animals do, she seemed to enjoy the Christmas tree. I think it has something to do with the lights. Even with kidney failure and occasional infections, she never messed in the house. She was such a good girl. And she always greeted me with a smile when I opened the door to let her back inside.

Maizie developed a special bond with our cat Lacey. They could often be found sleeping together. Maizie passed before Lacey. When Lacey passed a year or two later, I buried her with Maizie’s ashes in our little pet cemetery. She earned this right as a part of our family and the two friends were together again.

Maizie’s time here was happy. She was only visibly failing for the last few days. The rest of the time she enjoyed doing her goofy gallop around the yard with the other dogs, playing, going on walks, getting lots of petting, and sleeping on a warm bed with her friends. Good dog Maizie, good dog.

What To Write?

Thoughts On Life, ,

Hello Dear Readers,

My brain has been working overtime on new ideas and I have not been able to make a decision, so I am asking for feedback and opinions. I plan to write a book, but I keep changing my mind as to what I should focus on. It will be non-fiction since my thought processes tend toward the technical. All those years as an environmental scientist served me well. I have started some books, but need to pick one and follow through. My choices for you are as follows:

  1. An autobiography focusing on the animals I have encountered in my life and how they have affected it.
  2. My country lifestyle and day to day happenings including animals, gardening, cooking, and more.
  3. Views From the Patio. This would consist of my thoughts and interpretations of anything, from foster dogs to nature to current events.
  4. A cookbook. It would be vegetarian based and give occasional ways to add meat into a basically vegetarian meal since that is how we eat, with one vegetarian/pescatarian and one omnivore in the household.
  5. A book centered on the animals I have rescued over the years.
  6. My blog posts bound into a book, by category. ie. Rescue Happenings, Gardening, etc.

I am interested to know which of these subjects is most appealing to you since I seem to be equally attached to all of them. And I may write about all of them but I have to start some where. If you have other ideas, feel free to mention those too!

Thanks for the input.

A Heart of Gold

Dogs & Other Animals, Rescue Happenings, , ,

This is Maizie. She was our foster dog seven years ago and passed to the Rainbow Bridge after spending a little over a year with us. She had a heart of gold. Following is what I wrote at that time.

Dear Person Who Abandoned this Senior Dog,

Maizie was found by the pound and when they sent you a letter to come and get her, you did not come. She spent 30 days in the pound kennel waiting for you before the efforts of two rescue groups brought her to our house as a foster dog. Today we discovered that she has kidney failure and will live out the rest of her life with us however long that may be. What lesson am I supposed to learn from this? Perhaps to have compassion for you and not be judgemental? I will work on that.

I know that I have been blessed to know this dog who is sweet, loving, and grateful for every bit of attention. She smiles at us constantly and is one of the happiest dogs I have seen. Occassionally she will try to play and has a small, joyful hop to her step. Our lives have been enriched by knowing this kind dog.

My dreams will be sweeter knowing that I have helped and loved this girl. May you be able to sleep at all.

Veggie Season

Cooking, Country Life, Gardens, , , ,

It’s that time!

We get this many cucumbers, zucchini, and yellow squash every three days.

We also have more than sufficient amounts of green beans, Roma beans, turnips, snow peas, and tomatoes.

I am trying all kinds of new veggie recipes looking for some variety. We have had Mediterranean pickled turnips, Thai cucumbers, old fashioned refrigerator pickles, zucchini fritters, and all the usual standbys too.

We can only eat so much. Time to freeze veggies!

Ways To Deal With a Pandemic

Thoughts On Life, ,

Surviving a pandemic is hard. Even if you aren’t sick. You have to socially distance and practice isolation as much as possible.

I have not been inside a grocery store since the beginning of March. Thank goodness for curbside pick up. And thank you to the shoppers who make it possible. There are many things I miss.

See that little notebook? It is how I cope. Every time I want to do something but realize that I can’t because there is a pandemic going on, I write what I wanted to do in the notebook.

Our memories are short. I don’t want to miss out on anything and I will surely forget some things. Now I have a record of them. I have a post-pandemic list of desires and goals ready and waiting for me.

It helps me to feel that I am not missing out. I just can’t do these things right now. But they are on my list.

Some examples

  • Spend time with my nieces (again & again!)
  • Invite various friends over to spend time on the patio
  • Spend an afternoon at the library
  • Resume yoga

Your list may have different activities. But take heart dear ones, these restrictions will not last forever. One day we will be able to start work on our lists.

Peace to you.