Post Endodontist

As I sat down to add to the blog, I saw a deer wander into my front yard; the dogs were obviously not doing their job so I had to remind them. Chaos ensued and the bad deer was chased away.

We haven't had a frost yet but probably soon. Anemones are at their peak now and the pink volunteer annual Cosmos are still going strong.

The leaves are about half down so I can now see Lake Huron again through my north woods. Sisters Pila and Totty are always near each other doing what female dogs do. On the bright side, Kit is very much like mom Totty and they get along great; speak the same language which gives Pila a nice break.

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About a year and a half or two years ago my dentist noticed I had an issue with an infection on my number three tooth (an upper right molar) so he sent me to an endodontist in Port Huron about an hour away. The problem was not fixed, however, because the infection has been festering, although I didn't notice anything until recently. A quick visit to my dentist got me another referral to an different endodontist in Saginaw about 1 3/4 hours away. So early yesterday morning before the sun was up I set off. The weather was fantastic; the drive back was gorgeous with autumn colors approaching peak here. The staff there was great and he was very kind. The actual procedure took only about ten minutes. The bone was 'gone' from around a fractured third root which was beneath the gum only. He peeled back the gum, cut the offending root off (amputation, he called it), removed some of the infected bone, and sewed me back up. He took notice of the long trip and arranged things so that I would not have to return. I miss the convenience of being near everything like I was in Royal Oak. The trade off is I love most stuff up here. Politically my neighbors and I could not be more different but most are nice enough. I've had a long life time of keeping things to myself so life remains pretty much the same regardless, eh?

Saturday

This week started with great Michigan fall weather, hope's promise fulfilled. Things went downhill quickly and it's rained every day for a week because Lake Huron's water is warm and the air cold - they said.Evaporation and condensation. Clicking on photos enlarges them.

I love seeing the rain fall in the distance just short of the earth's curve. I often wonder about my choices. Rationalizing daily, even hourly, that I am no more alone here than I was there. There's absolutely no denying that it's beautiful here although I have Hamlet's genes.

I took Kit, her accidents are now less frequent, to Town and Country Vet in Sandusky yesterday for a check up. (The vet missed Kit's first appointment.)  Kit's accidents are fewer and less troubling. She was measured and is 15" tall at the withers and weighs 20#.  The standard for Icelandics does not mention weight. Females should be 16"; males 18" I think. I honestly thought I might be done with dogs. Pila and Totty, the youngest two I had before her arrival, were each almost nine years old. Korpur, Bear, Kata, Kria are older than nine. That would have given them and me a few years before oblivion.

Kit is the height of her grandmother Kria, directly behind her in the above photo. Kria is and always has been broader through her chest though. Since I got her back about three weeks ago I have been wondering if I should breed Kit when she's over two. I think the well may have been poisoned and it may therefore be hard to find a mate. He should be slightly larger than most males to compensate for her size. The idea may be moot for several reasons, however.

I will have to go to an endodontist in Saginaw on Monday. My previous endodontist was in Port Huron. The infection at the base of my number three tooth, upper right maxilla, that ought to have been cured over a year and a half ago, is still there. Apparently some of the bone is "gone" now. I'm on a course of strong penicillin until Monday. I'm guessing that the trip will take two hours each way; I don't know how long the actual visit will take, I hate leaving my dogs alone for that long. My local dentist discussed several possible courses of treatment, all frightening frankly. The consequences of living longer mean that the quality of life diminishes inversely. Yuck. I always thought (and hoped frankly) that I would go before my partner.

One foot in front of the other, forward.

Autumn, October 16, 2016

I tend to "look up" but the scenery is just as amazing, spectacular "down" too. My Nord Mark (North Forest) this rainy morning. Clicking on photos enlarges them.

I love my Hosta and they are still putting on a very interesting show this fall too. Tree leaves show amazing color this time of the year; so do smaller plants.

We haven't had a frost here yet, perhaps we're overdue. Lake Huron does moderate our weather keeping us colder in the spring and warmer in the fall. The volunteer Cosmos are still amazing and the Dahlia lady's contribution to my garden continue to provide abundant flowers. Autumn rains do weigh the flower heavy stems down but who cares, eh? Rambunctious cottage gardens! Yay!

It took me three days but I finished planting almost 400 bulbs yesterday. I don't have my three kinds of garlic cloves in the ground. This week for sure. That should be a snap compared to the flower bulbs. Spring flowers to look forward to gets me through the winter!

Rose Frame Shop, Ferndale, Michigan

I picked up Bryant Tillman's self portrait done from a photo taken by Detroit's own Jeff and Susan Cancelosi. My friends Terry and John at Rose Frame Shop in Ferndale, Michigan did an excellent job as usual, of course. (Clicking on photos enlarges them.)

I love Bryant's selfie, don't you?

I hung my latest Tillman over his Bridge in Paris - 

a favorite person over a favorite place.

Rose has been doing my framing for years, decades, actually. They do fantastic stuff at reasonable prices. I also have other Tillman's including a night view painting of the Fisher Building, a dead sunflower, a portrait of Gilda Snowden with Bryant, and a view of three DIA (Detroit Institute of Art) windows that is one of my all time favorites.

Jon and Tracy

Wonderful fall weather brought Jon and Tracy up for a couple of perfect days.

Miss Timber

Hi Jaime

Just wanted to check in and let you know that Miss Timber is doing great! The photos don't do justice to her always happy disposition-trying to get action shots of her playing is very difficult!

Timber is a huge part of our lives. She goes practically everywhere with us and continues to enjoy being both a 'country mouse' and a 'city mouse', as we are back and forth between the Philly area and the Pocono mountains. 

I always tell people how wonderfully helpful you were when we brought her home as a puppy-your advice and support were invaluable and have continued to serve us well. 

We go to an advanced obedience class (just to stay sharp!), do pet therapy visits, and have recently started a basic agility class, which she seems to really like. Most of all, we just enjoy being together. She is a wonderful member of our family!!

Thank you again for this amazing, wonderful addition to our lives. 

All the best,
Sally and Daniel


I love hearing from my families -
(I wasn't able to download two new photos - these are file photos.)

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

A morning earlier this week.

Fall is here.

The Monarchs are tanking up for the migration south.

The wooly bears don't seem to have the middle black stripe;

Does that mean something?

Masses of Turkey Vultures in the sky above the edge of Lake Huron:

I counted as many as forty at a time soaring high, high above the beach.

Clicking on photos enlarges them.

The Cosmos self-seeded abundantly.

Sadly, my twisted trunk persimmon bonsai did not make it 

through the winter. It was about 30 years old.

A French variety of melon - yummy.

Masses of bloom still. 

Even my Autumn Orange daylily continues to dazzle

So many Colchicums and so much variety

I planted the Michalemas Daisies in the back of the border 

because the literature told me to. They will need to moved to the front.

Kit is back "home". I took her to Sandusky for her first vet appointment at 9:00 a.m Town and Country Vets. It takes me more than half an hour to get to Sandusky and, as usual, I arrived early, Thanks Mom and Dad. Alas, I waited for more than 45 minutes then left to do errands without seeing Dr. Sandford. When I returned about half an hour later she had come - - - and gone. So another 30+ minutes back home. 

Look. I understand. If there's an emergency, I don't mind. However, wouldn't it be nice if they let one know? (I do not know if there was indeed an emergency.) If I lived right around the corner or five or ten minutes away, fine.

Korpur and Bear really are good friends

 Regal Korpur

Sunrise this morning. 

I would have stayed in bed a little longer 

if I had known how the day would unfold.

Even the wildflowers are fall-turning.

Moss colonizing a fallen tree.