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I went to the farmer's market this morning. Found nothing there to write home about; I wanted some green beans and there were none. I am finally, maybe, getting some zucchini from my garden. I overplanted my little space, but now that the tomatoes and sunflowers are dying back, the zukes are getting sun and airflow. I have never been able to grow any sort of squash here, because of squash borer bugs, but all I am seeing now are stink bugs. Not getting so many tomatoes, just enough to keep Sweetie in sandwiches. The asian pear tree is loaded.

Princess was spayed Wednesday and was slow to recover. Yesterday, I was most worried because she was yelpy and not eating or pooping. Still very sore.




Today? Much better. Her appetite is improved and she finally did number two. She seems to be a trainable dog, as all she wants to do is please. She is also more dog-like that Bonnie or Buster ever were. She loves to ride in the car and hang her head out the window! She is also gentle and interested in her world. Easily cowed, though. I have only had to fuss at her once, when she ate some of my bunny wool. She sulked or cowered for hours afterwards, but she hasn't messed with the many bags of fur that I keep since. Next trick, to get her not to chase outdoor bunnies when they run away from her.

This is Sparkle. A friendly, sweet and social guy. A friend's kids wanted a bunny back in the spring, and I had several babies for her to choose from. The kids opted for one of the outside kits that I had brought in, over an angora. And now the kids? Not so interested and I have taken Sparkle back.

Pulse for 15 seconds.

Do you need a good laugh? Then go here.

I laughed so hard I cried!

Shake vigorously for three minutes.

Today was kitchen day. I washed the dishes first, a twice weekly chore.

Then I made butter. So easy and magical.

Then I made a banty egg dish with diced tomatoes and mushrooms with Italian sausage patties. The larger brown egg that I thought may have been laid by one of the larger girls, was indeed a banty egg with two yolks. So I had ten eggs and eleven yolks. Talk about rich - mmmmm rich.

I had gone to the Corydon farmer's market early Saturday morning and picked up tons of stuff. So today, I cooked snap green beans with new potatoes. Then, I stir fried yellow squash, shredded cabbage, mushrooms, banana peppers, green peppers, and onion, to be served with aged basmati rice.

I also made a cold vegetable salad of cucumbers, red and yellow cherry tomatoes, and left over corn off the cob mixed with my special ingredient, zesty Italian dressing.

These dishes will last us several days. I am learning to really like these cooking marathons, especially with Sweetie home, as he tends to eat too much peanut butter and crackers unless there is ready-to-eat food in the fridge.

He also has a superb fashion sense.

Quick Battery Recharging.

Sometimes a dream is just a dream. Right?

Since we have gone generic on most of our drugs, I have been able to cut my happy pill dose by 2/3s, and still feel okay. It is an anti-depressant as well as an anti-anxiety med.

I tried to quit it entirely, two years ago, but found myself very nervous and asthmatic, quite fearful actually, and my doctor ordered me to resume my dosage. I was trying to find my creative spark then, but all I got was worry and brooding.

So, now, I am taking 25 mg a day, down from 75 mg, and it appears to be just enough. I am more emotional, but that is okay. I have always been overly emotional.

Yesterday, I awoke from a different-from-normal kind of anxiety dream. In my dream, I was planning and trying to attend a birthday party for my mother. (She died in 1974, at age 42.) But, like in any anxiety dream, all the plans were stymied. The outfit I ordered special from a costume company, some sort of Annie Oakley outfit (!) was too small. The socks I wanted to wear didn't fit. The bus to the event was slow. People were late. I remember thinking, IMD, that I had wanted this to be a special occasion, but it was turning into an "everyday event." The dream made me sad.

I don't know what to think about this dream. I did see my mom, looking younger than I am now, in a white blouse with the collar turned up. Blonde hair teased into an up-do. Cat-eye glasses. She looked just like I remember her and not old. She would be 77 now, if she were alive.

Buster's appointment today is at 4:30. The vet prefers to schedule these sorts of visits late in the day, because it bums out everyone in the office. (I am glad that it does.)

Here is his story, from a previous post.

I have tried to be especially attentive to him these last few days, giving him little treats and rubbing his chest.

Sweetie has the grave prepared.

I am so sad.

You're in Good Hands

I want to thank all of you for your kind comments about Buster. It really means a lot to me. He fell over on our little walk tonight, so I am sure we're doing him a favor.

I do have other animals and thought I'd share a few shots of them.

This is Reese's Pieces, guarding the garden.




Millie in her favorite position.



Fiona, just before her hare cut.




The obligatory sunflower picture. Not an animal. Oops.



Miss Biddy gives me that dramatic look.



Here is another dramatic reaction.

Expiration date August 5, 2009

A couple of things going on. The good news, is that one of the two large hens laid an egg today. Yay!

I placed an old sewing machine cabinet drawer, lined with hay, in the mezzanine of the chicken tractor and the hens have been laying all of their eggs there. The banty hens gave us another 8 eggs this past week, but there was a larger egg in the box today. I figure that is about right, as I think I bought those girls a few weeks after I got the bantys.

The roosters are getting it on with the hens, but the hens are too young yet to brood. They may never sit on their eggs, but if they want to, I will let them.




The bad news is about 15 year old Buster dog. He has good days and bad days, but he has had a bad week. Wizzing in the house is one thing, and I can tolerate the mopping up, but losing control of his bowels on the couch one night and on the bed with us the next night is quite another thing altogether. He seemed so totally out of it.

So, I called the vet this morning and made the death appointment for Wednesday afternoon. But wouldn't you know it that today, he had a good day. Almost actually running, and doing all his business outside. Damn. Sweetie and I are in such turmoil. We let Bonnie live too long, as she was a mere shell at the end. She wavered between her bad days and the more terrible days, and I swore that I would never let Buster live his last hours like that. He is almost blind and almost deaf. He has lost ten pounds in the last year. He has a cyst that will not heal. His fur is falling out in clumps. His zest for life is almost nil. He doesn't want to eat. We thought about canceling the appointment. Then I decided, no. We have to do this.

It all just sucks.

Like a Good Neighbor

Wow! Look at this, it's a cup holder for your spinning wheel!