There's this cliff in the woods we like to walk back to that we have taken to calling the Cliffs of Ruth after Matt's aunt who lived here in this house when he was born. It's a major Dog Event around here and in warm weather is often combined with the steep descent to the creek to the dog swimming hole. I have not headed that way in a long time, though Matt took all 4 dogs there just at the end of November..
I was ready for something cheap and local, maybe involving a ton of carbs. I settled for 'lower carb' since I don't really need the empty calories and 'not leaving the property' since it's Christmas Day. I made a frittata and set that off to cool and we headed into the woods to walk with the dogs.
Nia has been sick, I have been like a crazy person. I think she's clear of it now, but I am not sure I can handle one more 'thing' right now.
I was surprised at the amount of mushrooms that were out. But I think I say that every December.
We made it to the cliff with no trouble. I had it in mind to scope a spot to put a fire pit and make a regular camping spot over there. But I got busy watching the dogs tree squirrels and did not think about it once I was actually there.
I am so glad we feed them, they'd starve in about 12 hours without us.
That's the tree I look for every time. It does not look huge in this picture, but you can see it from a good distance.
We headed down under the cliff after standing on top listening to the creek below. It's been raining for the past few days and the creek is only a few feet wide, but the way it is located in the bottom of a steep V canyon makes it sound much bigger than it is.
We decided to walk down the hillside to the creek, the cliffs are above this hill on another bluff back a little way. It's a fairly long climb down. Which I forget until I have to get back up it.
This tiny fall makes a LOUD noise, we laughed when we reached it. We must have been expecting the valley to have caved in and there to be a 30 foot drop, the noise it was making.
It was warm enough to swim, I guess. She and Jessie both played in the water.
We walked along the creek all the way back up to where the old log road comes down from the pasture.
Between the wet ground, slick leaves and hidden rocks, I stumbled around a few times and my ankle was achy.
Back out in the pasture!
One of several groves of sweet gum and false pear trees.
I don't think Jess will ever tire of putting her whole face in holes she finds in the ground. I have seen her so swollen from stings that she looks like a balloon dog.
Nia seems to be feeling better. She threw up and of course I went into psycho mode. We made her anise tea and had her drink the whole pot over the course of about 36 hours. We mixed it with almond milk and Vienna sausage juice and raw egg. She sucked it down, there was no coercion. Anise is the basis of Tamiflu and that has been shown to stop Parvo damage caught early enough because it stops the virus from replicating.
I gave her papaya enzymes in case it was worms making her ill. Papaya breaks down protein in the gut, the enzymes can break down intestinal parasites anywhere in the digestive tract and the stomach acid will dissolve the rest. Wormer without the gross of seeing the worms.
This is all 'stuff I had on hand because the vet is closed until Monday' and not necessarily my first choice for dealing with sickness, especially if Parvo is suspected. I suspect it was probably eating Christmas goodies too rich for her tummy. Either way, it did her no harm and may have done her a world of good. I needed to be doing something.
Anyway, tomorrow we have a hike with friends planned and I am looking forward to that. Other than the repair shop ordeal (dropped off the car and the check engine light started flashing in the van. They fixed that, took the car back, it's still there), I have not left the house since I took Kai to the vet last Thursday. It today proved anything, it's time to get out and get some air. Just need to wrap my ankle better!
I am trying to get back on an even keel. I feel beaten down and I don't like that at all. I need time to process everything-without a new thing popping up-and I have not gotten that, not this whole year. Maybe that's life, but that's not how I am able to manage things. I need my list, my plan, things I can count on, people I can count on. I feel like I have been pared down to the core this year on all accounts and left that way. That probably does not make sense.
I just know I am looking forward to the long walk in the woods and the campfire lunch we have planned and having a few hours of nothing more that putting one foot in front of the other and seeing the scenery. Maybe take a picture or two. That's all I want.
