Life Goes on and Spring Still Comes.

Just photographs today, in honor of the Easter weekend, spring and the insanity of our last few days. So, it’s all MEANWHILE, back on the farm:

I’ll get right to the insanity part (as if we all needed more in our lives). Skip was running with a visiting dog, and came back to me on three legs, his right rear held up high and in a weird, unnatural position. It was sticking out laterally at the hip, as if he’d dislocated it. It looked horrific.

I’ll give you the good news right away: His hip is not dislocated, and it is doubtful that he tore anything. However, we didn’t know that for several days, (we’re still not sure) while I snot-sobbed about an endless recovery after hip or cruciate surgery under Covid-crisis conditions. But, cross your paws oh please please please; it looks more like he just bashed it and bruised muscles or perhaps his patella. I’ve had extensive conversations with a great sports medicine veterinarian, (Dr. David Edinger), and will take Skip in soon if he doesn’t continue to improve. I’ve been icing it four times a day, followed by massaging the muscles around the injured area. He is starting to put weight on it, which is a wonderful thing. No matter what it is, it’s clearly going to take some time to heal, which means no long walks twice a day watching the BCs play, no working Skip on sheep. That’s part of what’s keeping me sane, so cross your paws for a recovery sooner rather than later. I’ll keep you posted when I find out more.

A few things to note about the photo below: First, I am not tearing Skip’s ear off or doing a chiropractic adjustment to his neck while icing his knee. He turned his head that way himself, and I was stroking his ear. Please do not contact animal welfare. Second, I have sheep on my socks. Thought you should know. Third, I have red nail polish on, which is as atypical of me as it can get. I did it last week in a moment of desperation for something different and silly. Of course, it was half gone in two days after gardening, washing my hands 10,000 times; not to mention doing a crappy job of it.

 

 

Maggie is worried. It didn’t take anything special to know that something was terribly wrong the last few days. Here she, staring at me while I ice Skip, while sitting outside of the Ex-pen we are using to keep Skip in the living room (which is actually open cuz mostly he’s been on a leash with us if he’s out of the crate).

Maggie and I just worked the sheep, which helped her head immensely I think. (Mine too no doubt.) Less so the sheep, newly shorn, who were not thrilled about having their grazing on spring grass interrupted:

Here’s the other good news: The world is going on as usual around us, and it’s really spring. And crocus are such perfect Easter colors:

 

We took a walk at Walking Iron Park with some dear friends Friday afternoon, a wonderful diversion. Here are the first flowers in the prairie, Pasque Flowers:

Jim got this photo of a male Bluebird, who entertained us along with his mate on our walk:

And last, here’s what we did yesterday with some eggs, food coloring and some “food decorating pens”:

Here’s to you! Stay safe, stay well, and let us know how you are doing. (And stay tuned, another Come, Sit, Stay podcast coming up this weekend. I’ll let you know more soon.)