Hello, everyone. Sorry haven’t been adding to this blog for some time.
We’ve had some wonderful weather… hot and dry, for many days. Today it was rainy and quite cold, and it was the occasion of the first Farmer’s Market in a nearby community! Despite the wet day, there were many shoppers at the Market, and I sold hundreds of tulips (as cut flowers), an entire cheesecake by-the-slice, and many perennial plants in pots. I had a lovely time visiting.
Every day is different and most days are quite wonderful. I continue to have as much pet grooming as I can handle, and have been trying so hard to work on the flower beds. The gardening is quite overwhelming, really… I have taken on too much, and am going to try to consolidate some of the perennial beds in order to let others go back to lawn.
I often cannot write about my clients for the sake of their privacy (okay.. that of their OWNERS). I’ve groomed some dogs and cats that are hopelessly matted, but that’s what I’m here for! After almost 22 years in business, I’m more confident and charge more appropriately for my time and “expertise”, and people don’t object. I never know what the weeks will bring and it’s often so fascinating.
One dog that I groomed a couple of weeks ago was so HEAVY that she turned “blue” while I clipped her! How does a dog turn blue? This poor old cocker spaniel was panting and her tongue turned blue-black, indicating a sudden cyanosis; I sat her up to try to facilitate breathing… and pleaded with her not to die. I said comforting things, and she seemed to relax. Pretty soon her tongue was a normal pink colour, and I finished the job as quickly as I could, reassuring the dog all the while.
There was some excitement in the valley in mid-week. I walked into a coffee shop in town, and several people remarked about an huge fire that had started near my “ex-home” on my ex-farm… the barn that I loved and that my daughters had played in had burned to the ground! Luckily, no people or animals were hurt. The blaze had started when wind blew a tree onto power lines… the two lines touching on the ground had sparked and started the fire. This became a forest fire which burned at least 12 acres right around the old farm house. My ex-husband and his wife stayed on the roof of the house running water over it until the heat from nearby burning trees became unbearable. By that time, almost the entire community and passers-by had come to help, and those folks kept putting out smaller fires started by blowing sparks. Some people quickly brought skidders and cats, making “fire guards” and trying to push back the fire.
This is an amazing community, with so many offering help and support. The fire has changed a familiar landscape and destroyed a “heritage” building: a part of my history as well! All I could think of to do for the family was to take a bunch of groceries and make sure that our three daughters (who are grown and gone) were informed, and there is nothing more for me, at least, to do.
I’m all talked out. Thanks for checking this weblog. I’m going to go watch the DVD “King Kong” with hubby.
~Ann
