The Never-ending Song

The sun met me, rising in the East when I took Hannah out.  The last sunrise of the decade, it spoke of troubled years and delightful ones as it appeared in rosy red blushes on fluffy gray clouds.  I watched until it had turned golden, flooding the land with a sudden warmth and promise. "Goodbye 2019", it whispered, " look forward to tomorrow, 2020."  My Mother would be pleased.  I have finished writing and posting my thank you notes for the many thoughtful  Christmas gifts I received from family and friends, before the midnight hour.  Mother insisted that my sister Patty and I write thank yous for all of our gifts before the turn of the year. They could not be generic notes saying "Thank you for the gift.  I liked it", but must mention the gift by name.  The note must also contain bits of news such as what we were doing in school and/or 4-H.  If the gift was one of cash, such as my Dad's Uncle Russell sent (a man we girls did not even know!) we w

Christmas Eve in Virginia.  So warm outside, even though the sky has turned from mauve to black, that I just too Hannah out while wearing only my Grinch tee shirt. As I waited for Hannah to finish her business, I looked into the blackness above.  One brilliant star--in the East at that--and no others showing yet.   Of course, being technical, it is not actually a star, but rather a planet.  Still it is so very bright against the very black that it does radiate a sense of awe. So many Christmas eves in my past.  I even got engaged on one notable Christmas Eve when I was 23. My "baby" sister (13 plus years my junior) wrote that the thing she recalls best is having to wait to open the gifts until after breakfast and milking done and all the family was gathered in the living room. However, the stockings hanging on the mantle over the fireplace were fair game as soon as we reached them.  She loved the stocking, maybe more than all the wrapped packages, because there was always

I began writing this a week ago--when the miserable event occurred. Here we are, almost Christmas, and I guess that is about the only excuse I have for such a long delay in putting fingers to  keyboard. Anyway, back to Stink bugs. For those of you who live where these ghastly creatures have not yet made their presence known I will only say how very fortunate you are.  As far as I can see they have absolutely no use.  They also have only one enemy (other than man) and that is the Praying mantis.  The Stink bugs are not native to Virginia.  They were brought here to solve a previous problem and like so many things that were relocated to solve a problem, they have themselves become a problem.  They have multiplied  without fear as there are far less Praying Mantis to eat them.  We had a mantis here who sat at the laundromat door all summer and became huge.  I have never seen one grow to such proportions.  Her diet consisted entirely of Stink bugs.  She had positioned herself in the

Tis the season of mysterious boxes.  Boxes of varying shapes and sizes arrive with the mail carrier, the UPS truck and the bright Fed Ex van.   The brisk sharp rap on my apartment door sends Susie flying beneath the recliner. Hannah rises from her nap and appears from the depth of her crate to inspect the box as it is hauled through the door.  Hannah recognizes the boxes which come from Chewy.  Almost as if she could read the lettering on the side which declares "Oh Boy- a box".  I suspect; however, she may actually be detecting the scent of delicious items contained within.  She is, after all, a bird dog, with a nose always pointed into the wind to capture the distant essence of BIRD.  But in that box she detects a carton of Milk Bones and YES- some of those yummy Pork Chomps. Susie, after recovering from her initial fright of stranger bearing a large scary object, crawls forth from her hiding place to observe this thing being emptied is actually---Oh Boy-a box--and a

Thought perhaps you might want to see what Ginger looks like.  She is a very feminine kitty-fine boned with delicate triangular face.  When she rolls on the sidewalk she displays her perfect bikini, a small white bra and little white panty.   She is not easy to photograph, being very suspicious of anything with which she is not familiar.  My neighbor did capture a few moments of Ginger's life this summer on film.  She sent them to me last night so I am passing a few along to you. It amazes many of us living here how one small cat who does no harm could have created such a furor.  Now as the earth settles down to winter, the cold wind blows (And how!), the thermometer drops, Ginger spends more time curled up inside the little house on my porch.  I have a heating pad inside on the floor covered by a bath towel which I adjust according to the outside temp.   She comes indoors to eat.  She is extremely cautious, poking her head in and scoping out the room before she slinks in.  Once

The Thanksgiving luncheon held on the Tuesday prior to the holiday and catered by the Station Restaurant in Bedford was just as I predicted--turkey roll slices, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans and tiny rather soggy rolls.  Catered was a term used a bit loosely as Robert had to go and pick the order up and return unused/uneaten items after the meal was over.  It was all just okay, but I did really like the green beans.  A surprise, as I am not generally a fan of green beans.  These had tiny bits of onion and ham in them and that made them very tasty.  In fact I liked them so much that I tried to imitate them for the dinner Terry and I shared on actual Thanksgiving Day.   One resident brought corn and some good dinner rolls.  Quite a few brought desserts and there were some delicious puddings.  Fried apple pies-a marvellous Southern idea, were made by one of the male residents who has a reputation as a darn good cook. The tables were decorated with  paper turkey centerpie

First of all- for you Ginger fans:  She is still here and very much enjoying her warm house these chilly nights.  I have attended several meetings the past two weeks and though many issues were brought up, no one has mentioned Ginger.  Something to be thankful for. Now -thinking about the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, I have to admit it does not mean much to me anymore.  Mother of four, I used to go all out  when they were young.  I made several kinds of pies  (my own crusts too!), yeast rolls-two types, homemade stuffing for the 24 pound bird.  (Got up around 3 am to stuff him and put in the oven), all the homegrown vegetables, stuffed celery, cranberry sauce (not from a can).  On most occasions one set of Grandparents attended, so the special china was used and table decorated.  We dressed for dinner, the children, scrubbed hands and faces in their church clothes, and me, tearing off my apron at the last minute as the turkey was placed on the table.   Now I am 85.  Only one chil

History has tales of kings and other persons in high places who would not touch the food they were served until it was considered to be safe. I guess food poisoning was a popular way of ridding the country of a person of power.  So their fears were not unwarranted.   In order to assure the king (or duke or whomever) of the safety of their meal, a young, healthy male (usually) was assigned the position of taste tester.  His job was simply to stand beside the king's chair at mealtimes and to sample a bite of each and every dish placed before the king.  This job came with several nice perks:  a comfortable home, nice outfits (as he must be clad appropriately to be in the king's presence), and best of all, he got to eat some delicious gourmet meals  well- bites of them anyway.  In picture books I noticed these young chaps were generally small and slender, so perhaps they only needed a few morsels from each platter to be sated. At any rate, this position of honor did also come wi

Just a note for those concerned.  I set up Ginger's little insulated house with the heating pad in the base on my porch under a chair.  I am not attempting to conceal it.  I told Kathryn that was my plan until she did whatever she felt she must do about Ginger.  It was 24 degrees overnight.  Such a sudden change for the animals when it was 90 only 2 weeks ago!  Ginger recognized the house (which has been stored in my SUV all summer) and went right in last evening.  This morning when I went out with Hannah Ginger came  crawling from her cozy bed. Kathryn told my neighbor's daughter that she doesn't plan to do anything more about Ginger now.  She said that Joseph is having cameras installed thoughout the facility and then things would be caught.  She doesn't need to "catch" me-on film or otherwise, since I sent her an e/m telling her my plans for Ginger for the winter,. I am sure there are many more important concerns that the cameras may bring to the forefro

I love the "soft-mouth" breeds.  All those dogs bred to retrieve and carry birds back to the hunter who shot them.  Labs, Setters, Pointers, and of course the Brittany.  These dogs seem to have inborn manners too, or perhaps I have been lucky and only met those who have. But I know my Aussie and my Border Collie were not of that ilk. They had to be taught to take a treat gently.  My Aussie frequently sent me home with fingers dripping blood after a session on the agility course.  You see I carried pieces of garlic roast beef as training treats rolled up in my fist.  Running just ahead of her I held my fist down where her nose registered what was in there.  Once in a while, especially when training weave poles, I was too slow and Heather's jaws were too close.  Of course she was bred to heel drive. Hannah, my Brittany, is such a gentle dog.   She almost hesitates to accept a treat and when she does take it, she does so slowly and with her lips only--now and then her to

I just don't know.  Dog trainers with years of experience keep telling me that dogs do not think as we humans do.  That is a good thing in most cases.  When I think of some of the things my dogs have done in the past and when I hear tales of some behaviors dogs have recently performed I have to believe they really do think like humans. Maybe living closer to their people now than in past years when they dwelt in the doghouse, hearing so many words and watching more closely human actions, they are absorbing some human ideas. Every day I hear about a dog performing some amazing feat that he was definitely not  taught to do.  Actions that require thinking, often a more than one step procedure and even in a few cases, advance planning. We have all heard about dogs who associate their leash with going for a walk.  We even know dogs who will go get their leash and bring it to their person when they want to go for a walk.  My son's Boxer took it one step beyond last week.  Sean was

Halloween is not what it used to be when I was a child-or even what it was when my children were trick or treaters.  But then what is?   I remember taking my children out around our neighborhood in costumes mostly home made.  We never worried that some candy might contain harmful things.  We knew about everyone who came to their door bearing a basket of treats.  A few times when I was a preteen and we were out in a group with no parents along, there was one lady who had hot cocoa waiting on her porch for us, and a man who had his grill going with hot dogs.  The costumes were a big part of the fun, even for teens.  Only the very young ones seem to dress up any more.   Now home owners as well as children are afraid on Halloween--not of ghosts or goblins but of other humans. But I had my own fun this Halloween.  It was not planned. We had been enduring heavy downpour all day and as the rain began to let up, strong winds came through.  By 11:00pm, when I slipped out the door with my

This has been one of the toughest battles of my life and I have had a significant amount.  Some people seem to think I was fighting for Ginger because I loved her.  She is a good cat.  I like her a lot. She is not my cat, though.  I have been fighting for her right to remain where she was born  10+ years ago and to continue to live the life she was born to live.  She has always had some assistance from two ladies who lived here previously and for the past three years, from me.  She was one of a small colony and is the last survivor.   Now because of a couple of complaints, she is being forced to leave.  There are more people here who want her to stay than wish her gone.  Apparently majority does not rule.   Rules have been so misinterpreted or defined in a slanted way to make it sound as though I am breaking my contract agreement by providing food to a cat I do not own.  I am not.  The wording in our contracts specifically states that the rules against feeding feral cats do not ap

Despite much advice to the contrary, I did not have Ginger euthanized.  She is still with us, enjoying the sunny morning today, washing up out on the sidewalk after having breakfast indoors.  Tuesday morning she received a Rabies vaccination given by Dr. Watkins, the veterinarian who  cares for my pets. Rabies is a neurotropic viral disease.   It can affect any mammal.  The victim dies a horrible death.  Once it has infiltrated the brain there is no cure.  It is transmitted by saliva, usually in the form of a bite, but can be contracted if infected saliva enters through a scratch or other wound. Fortunately for humans there is an antidote if given soon after the contact.  Two of my children went through this series of injections: my daughter when she was bitten by a stray dog while traveling in the East and my son who was bitten in the ear by a bat in New Jersey.  Fortunately for domestic animals there is a pre-exposure vaccine which can be given by a veterinarian. Controlling R

 Tomorrow morning the Vet will be here to vaccinate Ginger.  A neighbor is bringing her cat over to get a Rabies booster too. Hannah will get a booster DHLPP, which I truly doubts she needs at her age.  I bet her titer in all is good.  But as long as I am paying for the house call we might as well do everything. This has been a rough week.  I have been advised by quite a few people, only a couple who live at JD, several who are caring for feral cat colonies elsewhere, that I ought to have the Vet euthanize Ginger.  We all know that if management succeeds in catching Ginger and taking her to a farm as they are saying, she will try to come back and that will not end well.  But I look at this beautiful, healthy, playful kitty and am torn.  Probably I could not legally have her put to sleep anyway, but who is to know (or care.) My daughter set up the little house I put out for Ginger in cold weather on my porch.  I was forbidden to do this earlier this year.  Ginger has gladly used it

Things have not been going smoothly here at JD lately.  Well perhaps not everyone feels the same way, but those of us who have been fighting for Ginger to stay are realizing that we are apparently unable to "fight city hall".  Inspections one on top of another--- Lots of other issues too that I will not go into. Today a lady who was a resident here a couple of years ago, Roberta, came with Bingo prizes, a yummy snack bar,laden with deviled eggs, turkey & cheese roll-ups, crackers, cheese, home made chocolate covered peanut butter balls and lemonade.  She also brought trick or treat bags for everyone filled with delicious surprises.  She spent over an hour calling Bingo.  Ten of us had come in a bit quiet, possibly some were suffering from aching bones due to the very wet weather (we need the rain so no open complaints.)   Roberta was born full of mountain wisdom.  She is so quick with spontaneous retorts and colloquialisms that are sparkling with happiness and hilari

Things are in the usual turmoil here at Joseph's Dream.  An inspection two weeks ago and now another one this coming week. But all that aside- the issue of Ginger's  continued residency here is still a hot one.  Manger Kathryn Bell seems to believe that if ginger's Rabies vaccination was up to date, the furor would die down.  I did not trust (perhaps wrongly) that the people she contacted to catch Ginger in a live trap and take her to be vaccinated would actually return her here.  So I refused to help with that.  I guess Jeanne, our Support Services Coordinator was finding all this a bit too much.  Last Thursday was her last day here. She has another job much closer to her home and with less stress.  She is a sweet lady and I wish her well. Hannah, my dog, is due for her annual boosters.  My Vet is wonderful and comes here since it is quite impossible for me to take her to the clinic.  So I made an appointment for the 22nd of this month for Hannah and explained about Ging

Fall has finally arrived in this part of Virginia.  Although the harvesting of field corn for silage has past in New England, this arrival of Autumn has brought back to me the days of silage making on the dairy farm in Vermont. We did not have the equipment now used on modern farms.  The corn was cut and bundled in the field. The bundles were tossed on to a wagon which was then hauled up to the side of the large wooden silo, where a chopper stood. No shiny metal silo such as seen now, ours was like an enormous barrel, made of wood staves bound together by metal bands.  It stood upon a cement platform, taller than the roof of the barn to which it was attached.  One man stood on the wagon and carefully tossed the bundles of corn to the track which pulled the corn into the whirling blade of the chopper.  This was a dangerous job-easy to have slipped and slid onto the track and have a hand or arm carried into the blade.  Thank goodness that never happened on our farm. But my sister and

Thursday I spent 1 1/2 hours in a morning meeting with Kathryn and Jeanne. This was the result of a neighbor and I watching an un- identified couple carry a live trap into the office.  We strongly suspected that management would set the trap for Ginger.  So that evening three neighbors and I, on my scooter armed with a high power flashlight, searched the surroundings.  Ginger was dozing in my chair on the porch.  We found no traces of the trap.  The following morning Kathryn called me into the office.  The trap was in a corner covered by a cloth.  She told me they planned to catch Ginger, take her to a local Vet and bring her back.  Then she was to wear a collar with i.d. which would say she was the emotional support animal of a lady who resides in this community (But is too frail to care for a cat), yet willing to claim the cat and have me "teach Ginger" to go to her unit to be fed.  When Metroprop inspectors come and see the cat loose, this lady is to say that the cat sl

This is the stray dog I turned in last Sunday.  Had been told the owner redeemed him but apparently something went wrong. He is on the bedford animal shelter site now up for adoption starting today.  They are calling him "Rivers".  They have him listed as Australian shep.  I thought that too but he has something else I believe since he has a tail and his ears look more spaniel.   From the brief time I knew him I thought he was a very nice dog.  He needs some grooming which I guess the shelter is not doing?  If any of you are in or near the Bedford, Lynchburg, Roanoke VA area and looking for a dog, you might want to check this guy out.

Just a note for those who wondered.  The shelter says the owner redeemed the dog which we had taken there by the local police officer on Sunday.  I am glad the dog has gone back to his home. But I do hope the owner takes time to groom him or at least remove those huge mats.  Such a nice dog.

On my property in North Carolina there stood an old tobacco barn.  It was still in very good condition.  It was two story in the central part with two lean-to sections on either side and a one story section on the back.   The right  side lean-to I used as a garage for my SUV.  The back side I made into a hen house.  It was the best hen house I ever had as it was the perfect size for my small flock.  It had electricity so I was able to have a timer on the light as well as a heat lamp over the waterer in winter.  On one wall I  erected a pole roost with a shelf beneath which made it easy to clean up droppings.  Another innovation which made cleaning very easy was a loose board in the floor in one corner which I lifted daily and raked out the soiled shavings.  They fell to the underneath of the barn which was raised on cement blocks.   From outside it was simple to remove the debris to a wheelbarrow and to the compost.   This was a great innovation-until a very large black snake disco

My neighbor woke me early this morning, rapping on my door in a manner that said it was urgent.  Ordinarily I would have been up by then but had not gone to bed until 1:00AM, so was sleeping in. Well trying to! When I opened the door she had a dog with her.  He was a tri-color male -apparently Border Collie & possible Aussie mix. He stood by her quietly and looked up at me with large brown trusting eyes.  His coat, which should have been lush and luxurious was so matted that dreadlocks were hanging from his belly, ears and ruff.   He came in.  Hannah was beside herself with excitement.  They did the dog sniff greeting from nose to tail and decided they were friends.  I put Hannah back in her crate while I offered the dog a cup of kibble and some water, all of which he made short work of.  Then I tried out a couple of commands -Come, Sit, Down--he did the first two-seemed unsure about the down- and despite his hunger, he accepted  a Milkbone biscuit very gently from my hand. Th