Month: April 2019

Nature Refreshed

The long wet winter is nearing an end. I am out looking for signs of Spring. Close to my house is the Jensen Botanical Garden. In the fall I brought Libby here to walk along the path. Eucalyptus trees abound, but not much else. This totally changes in the Spring.

It was our first trip out with Libby since she developed a lame back leg. Hard to get her in and out of the car. I bought a set of steps to help, but when I tried tempting her in the house she said, “No way!” With her new Help Em Up harness I was able to get her into the car without picking her up. I was thrilled to be able to get out and about with my Libby. She also developed cabin fever and was happy to find a new place to sniff. Then that morning when she she needed to have her toe amputated. (Refer to previous post – Breakfast Interrupted). Now for the next few weeks we used the steps to get her in and out of the car to visit her Dr. Hart, Dr. Trip and Dr. Faith at Reagor Vet Hospital

Do you remember the song?

There is a tree with nesting Great Egrets in Lincoln. Captured some Great Egrets improving their nest.

All these nests in one tree!

Bringing in some nesting material.

Honey, I’m home!

I’ll publish this now. Nature continues in the next post!

What’s happening on the farm?

Started this post about a month ago. I’m just now catching up.

Three weeks after spine surgery, and I am out with my friends and my camera. For California we are having a wet winter/spring. Hopefully, this will quell the noise of a drought during the summer. Our group has to be flexible because each day brings a chance of rain.

I brought my Fuji x100f which is a light mirrorless single focus camera. My first outing was to two farms in Woodland, Ca. Yolo County farms provide a time once a month where photographers and artists are invited to visit. This time our invite was to Valley Oak Wool Mill and Fate Sole Olive Oil Orchard.

Came a bit late for the full tour of the Valley Oak Wool and Fiber mill in Woodland, Ca.

Walked around to another farm that produces olive oil.

Frate Sole Olive Oil tasting room

Friendly dog welcoming our arrival

Yolo County Art & Ag monthly invites artists, and photographers to enjoy the scenery and get to know a bit more about their local working farms.

Painter capturing the olive orchard

We stopped for lunch in the city of Woodland for some Thai food at Bangkok Cuisine.

Loved the old signage along Main Street


Fixing musical instrument in Woodland, Ca


Spring is here and I have been out taking many photographs to share in the upcoming posts. Stay tuned!

Simple breakfast interrupted

Each morning I wake up to my dear husband bringing me fresh squeezed orange juice. Right now we are just picking the last of the oranges off of our tree.

This morning I awoke to the sound of my grass being mowed. Thought, since I’m not sleeping in I may as well make French toast for me and my husband. I haven’t made breakfast in forever. Usually French toast using rye bread is something I reserve for my grandchildren.

I have patiently taught all my grandchildren how to make French toast.

Eli making French Toast


But it hasn’t occurred to me to just make it for us grownups. But this time I just felt like starting the day off in grand style. Table set, coffee made, orange from our tree sliced, real maple syrup poured, and French toast cooked.

And just as I was ready to drink my coffee and read the paper I glanced down at my Libby Love and noticed a large red gash on her foot. OMG.

Libby Love

Called the vet, and had 15 minutes (for a 25 minute drive) to get her to the doctor. Once there, the doctor took one look and said, “This is bad!” The toe will need to be amputated. There is nothing left to stitch up. I did not expect this outcome.

We left her there, and waited at home to hear that she was out of surgery. In a few minutes we will be picking up my darling dog. Libby has been through so much since November. What we thought was a blown out knee turned into either a bone infection, or tumor. Now I suspect that it is a tumor that is increasingly pressing on her nerve. My guess is that she doesn’t understand why her foot feel wrong.

My dear little, very expensive cone head, Libby

I know what that means, because I am just 4 weeks from my spinal surgery. No such surgery available for my poor dog. Now we have recovery time and hope that she doesn’t do this again.