ivyskeep

I did the first lawn mowing of the season last week, and it already needs it again for HOA (homeowners association) standards. I don't even know if our HOA is keeping up, which I'm not too bothered about. We're somewhat rural and not in a sterotypical well-off gated community. Although I've been surprised at what some houses have sold for. I guess that's me being old and envious. There's a person in a local Facebook group who wants to be the new HOA president and is asking for someone to volunteer as secretary. He's not from here. I don't think he's reading the room.

Bridget the dog is doing okay. We're taking her for occasional Sunday rides. After one ride, she got out of the car and splat on the garage floor. Ever since then, she's scared to get out. We bought a ramp for her, which helps.  

I have more gardening energy this year than I did last year and will be planting some vegetables from the nursery as well as sowing herb and flower seeds.

I hope you're enjoying Yule season if you celebrate or having a good winter if you don't. There's a tiny bit of snow on the ground here.

Bridget had her cyst removal surgery and promptly burst her stitches. But it's been a couple weeks now and she's finally healing. She'll be so happy to not have to wear the cone of shame any more.

December is usually slow for work but not this year. That's a good thing.

The yearly physical went well. I've lost a little bit of weight and will continue doing what I'm doing. I'm only barely in the pre-diabetes range now. My cholesterol is a bit high though. Hopefully, both of those things will get better with continued effort. 

On the gardening front, I sowed zinnia, marigold, and calendula seeds. I transplanted lavender from a container to the ground, as it didn't look happy in the container. Something de-rabbited our yard a couple of weeks ago. We aren't sure if it's hawks or some other creature. Yesterday, I saw a wild turkey in a neighbor's yard chomping on some poor dead creature, but our back yard is fenced in, so I don't know how a turkey could have gotten in to eat baby rabbits. Hub informed me they might be able to. I guess ever since that one episode of WKRP in Cinncinatti in the 1970's, I thought it was impossible. 

I'm happy to be collaborating with fellow polytheist Danica Swanson. She's an essayist who contributed to Polytheistic Monasticism: Voices From Pagan Cloisters, which from my understanding is a book that is the first of its kind. We are collaborating on her brainchild, Black Stone Sanctuary, which I occasionally provide art and posts for. Here's a brief synopsis of my involvement with relevant links. I look forward to contributing work and watching the space grow.

Bridget the good dog is getting her meds daily and generally being spoiled by her humans.

Happy May, everyone. 

Garden stuff: I weeded the area around the raised beds to prepare it for the rocks I'm going to lay down. I think I'm going to be using more rocks this year instead of so much mulch due to the mushroom problem I had last year. I also thinned out the yarrow before it devours the columbine. You've got to stay on top of yarrow. It's like peppermint that way.

While my knee isn't perfect, it feels much stronger, so I've been walking more on the trail near my home. I always take my "emergency cane" though.

Bridget is doing better, so her surgery has been rescheduled for April.

I tried this recipe for Scottish rolls, and they turned out perfect! I think they're the best rolls I've ever made.

Bridget may have to have more cysts surgically removed. I'll find out more next week.

I've got 4 scarves, and 3 newborn hats done for a couple charities. It's nice to destash for causes. This yarn wasn't getting used. The scarves need to be no bigger than 4-5 inches wide and 51 inches long to be able to be packed into a care package, so they work up quickly. Those are crocheted. I should have enough yarn to make a hat to go with each. The baby hats are loom knitted. I found an excellent tutorial here.

I decided to destash/donate five baby blankets I thought I might "sell one day" to Warm Up America.  They distribute to organizations throughout the country. They also have different campaigns going at any given time with different needs, so I can always find something to make for them.

Our neighbors had a Generac generator installed. The squirrel-induced power outages have stopped since the electric company finally decided to put some kind of cover over the line, but memories of work stoppage from the spring and summer linger. Probably the 0 and less degree temps are making me dream of a whole-home generator of our own too, though the cost is prohivitive for us right now.

I'm not letting Bridget run around too much in these low temps as she starts walking like her paws are on fire, and the boots I bought her don't stay on very well. 

The dog is better, thank the Gods. I've never been so happy to see solid poop in my entire life. I stayed up all night with her last night. I need to get work done, but my brain is slow right now especially since the job due by mid-week is a little more difficult than usual. I will start fresh tomorrow instead of trying to plod through and take twice as much time doing it due to tiredness.

Well, I did the first snow shoveling of the season, and my knee didn't give out, so that's a happy thing.

Bridget keeps chewing on a scrape on her leg. I don't want it to get infected, so I got her a hot pink onesie to wear since she loses her shit with the cone of shame and practically strangles herself.

Bridget's surgical scars are healing well. Tomorrow is the last day of the vet-recommended abstaining from exercise. I will start taking her for what I call the "short walk" around the block Wednesday. I'm not going to allow her to run and jump in the back yard yet just to be on the safe side of not opening her scars.