Not for the faint of heart or those with weak stomachs.

From January

Yes.  That is my toe.

Why are you still looking?  I am hideous.

The nail has not grown since August? September?  Nails grown on dead people!  My toe has gone beyond just dead!!!

I have been to the doctor and I've now taken 6 weeks of an antifungal medication.  The result is what you're looking at..  (WHAT?  YOU are STILL looking at IT???!!  Turn away fool!  It might be contagious.)

I'm pretty sure it looked better 6 weeks ago.

I called last Monday (the 19th) to schedule a follow up with my doctor.  She's been away skiing in Colorado since Christmas.  (Why can doctors leave their practice for weeks at a time but veterinarians can't? don't?)  The first available was February 2.

My foot may drop off by then.

Happy Australia Day!

From January

I momentarily considered adding a little flag.

Four days ago I got an email reminding me that Australia Day was in 5 days and I needed to get busy acquiring and sending out my A-Day cards.  Hmmmm.  I've never seen an A-Day card.  I don't know what they look like.

Maybe they all have tree frogs on them.

Yours does.

Evening visitor

From January

It has been raining here in Brisbane.

Raining a lot.  Not only does that mean that I've been able to turn off the air conditioning for hours at a time BUT that cute little tree frogs turn up at the front door.

Sure beats finding them in the toilet.

Though, I suppose I prefer a frog to a snake or a rat.  When one of those turn up, or I get a huge huntsman in the car with me, I will be grabbing my bag and heading back home.

This one is free

From January

though you might feel compelled to send money to me, anyhow.  Really, it is THAT wonderful that you'll feel an immediate rush of gratitude to the world... and to me.  Ok.  You CAN send me money.  Or, more spinach.



Spinach Burger

Cook hamburger to desired level of doneness.  Keep it pink if you like the thrill of a possible food borne illness.

Saute spinach in butter and onions.

Place burger in pan with the spinach and pile the spinach around burger.

Lift it out of the skillet as a unit.

Garnish as you like.

You might even want to consider wrapping it in bread or a nice bun.

One more reason you should be glad you didn't marry me

From January

Kevin fortunately loves me.  And, he tells me the truth.  I am hyper-critical.  Yes, yes, yes, I want to be easy going and always find my world to be copacetic, but I cannot turn off the "evaluator": not even when I am reading lovely, warm-fuzzy books to my son.

Take the quote above and now look at the illustration:

From January

Yes, the cow is in milk but she is not a "milk cow".  She's a beef cow.  And, if anyone wanted to milk her, they would not let her nurse that calf.  Maybe this is a bit of a stretch.  Maybe any cow with a distended udder is a milking cow.  Maybe I am wrong here.

But, what about:

From January

I know my rodents.  That is not a mouse.  

From January

It is a gerbil.  

From January

And, here -

From January

I think this poor fawn may have hydrocephalus.


Edited to add :  Kevin says, "How do you know I still love you?"

The end of an era

From January

I figured it would happen sometime.... a smart phone has been moved into our house.  It is Kevin's.  And, those are Zupe's bananas.

I am now the last of a lost tribe... the phoneless.

Is there any wonder why I wake up at 5 AM?

From January

Don't worry.  I didn't see any birds, either.

Hmmmm - the video doesn't play when you push the arrow, but takes you to where it originates.  You have to repeatedly push play to get to see the video.  Sorry.  That is true for the video below, too.  Erggg.

Year in Review - thanks to Google

Merry Christmas

and Happy Boxing (Rebellion) Day at the Goma!

In my next career move, I think I am going to be

From December 2014

a ninja.  Yep.  Not only did we whip WuFang's butt despite early expense of yin-yang tokens, but I have decided to embrace my superpower and go with it.  I can walk up to automatic-open doors without triggering an automatic opening.

Ninja.

Why did it take so long to figure this out?


Edited to add:  Kevin reminds me that we are playing CHINESE Ghost Story and, therefore, those are not ninjas.  Fair enough.  They are not ninjas but I AM.

We are having something of

From November 2014

a tea party revival here at Hibiscus Circuit.  No one is exempt - not bear, not doll, not mom, not dad.  Whether you can actually reach the table from the chair makes no never mind.

From November 2014

There will be plates and bowls and cups and lots of spoons.

From November 2014

You are invited.  Bring an appetite.

As we move ever closer to Christmas

From November 2014

it is time to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!

A Cautionary Tale

From November 2014

There is so much going on here.  Consider what it might be saying about Australia...  about the rise of the mammals and the extinction of the dinosaurs...

Then, consider that a few minutes later while eating lunch, the stegosaurus toppled the koala off the high chair tray...to the ground with the marsupial! The fall was not good.  Two legs were lost.  A koala that doesn't stand isn't long for this world.  He was ushered into the rubbish bin.

 Consider what it might be saying about Australia...  about the rise of the mammals and the extinction of the dinosaurs... about the fall of mammalia...

Ohio Part 4: The Stillwater River (Autumn)

From September 2014

From September 2014

From September 2014 From September 2014

Mirror, mirror….

From September 2014

This mirror hung at my Uncle Will and Aunt Jane's home.  (They raised my father - in Versailles.)  Uncle Will used it to shave with every day.  After he died and my mom hung it in our house, she used to expect to see his face looking out of it.  I don't think she ever did.  I haven't.

Now, it has hung in this spot at the bottom of our stairs for 40 years.  I am not a big mirror person myself, but I have looked into it before leaving for the homecoming dance, or trick-or-treating, or the prom.  And, wayyyy back when, I stood here and shot a selfie (before they had a name) to mail to my boyfriend (after waiting days or weeks to have the film processed) - because back then kids, there were no digital cameras and there was no internet…

I wanted to recreate it and I'd let you be the judge of my success, but my computer is developing Alzheimer's disease about some of my old photos, and while I can see the thumbnail in i-photo, I cannot open it, let alone upload it.

One day.

Ohio : Part 3 : Family

From September 2014

From September 2014

From September 2014

Ohio : Part 1 : Autumn color

From September 2014

Happy Fall from Bear's Mill, Arcanum, Ohio.

We were so lucky to be in the US during the peak (or part of the peak or a peak-ish period) of fall.  It rained, of course.  And, was gloomy and grey.  I felt so at home away from this dreadful, never-ending, mind-numbing sunshine that is Queensland…  And, I was very, very lucky that my mother is willing to drive me places or slow wayyy down or even stop when we are out so I can take a photo.  And, then, I borrowed the car for a brief drive around the outskirts of Versailles and Webster.  I wanted to drive out to Willowdell and take some shots ala Annie Leibowitz, but didn't have the time.

From September 2014

Pumpkins, gourds, and indian corn from Bear's Mill, Arcanum, Ohio.

From September 2014

Pumpkin patch, sincere, on State Route 121 between Versailles and Greenville, Ohio.

From September 2014

Stand of trees behind a field of dry soy beans, Versailles, Ohio.

From September 2014

Orange lining the street, Dayton, Ohio.

From September 2014

Yellow!  Bear's Mill, Arcanum, Ohio.

Ohio : Part 2 : Great Smoky Mountain Veterinary Conference

Because I didn't want to miss our flight (needing to leave for the airport about 5 AM) and because I was painfully jet lagged, I woke at 2:30 Thursday morning.  ARGHHHH.

We didn't miss our flight.  We arrived in Charlotte, original home of Zelda, picked up our rental car and drove to Asheville…where I stopped at a gas station/fast food joint and bought a map.  Fortunately, our hotel was easy to find and the wifi there was sufficient to allow me to get directions to the conference hotel.

It was a beautiful weekend in Asheville…a bit overcast and occasionally drizzly - but I was locked inside (Friday through Sunday) learning important veterinary stuff like the flea tablet Capstar can be given rectally and it will also kill maggots.  (WOW! and you get this info for free!)

Now, I'm disappointed that I didn't play hooky on that sunny Thursday and take in the Biltmore Estate. Instead, we studied the local halloween shop and K-Mart….hmmmmm…. I was playing hooky on Thursday, ANYWAY.

The brief slide show (above) from Asheville notably lacking any of the endoscopic images that were "slide showing" during breakfasts at the meeting.  Hope that's OK with you.

Thoughts about home

From September 2014

You probably feel a bit like you know Versailles by now.  And, really, considering the population of the world, you ARE pretty much an expert.  (I did tell you that to sound like you are from Versailles you need to pronounce the "s" with an "s" sound and not a "z" sound - 'cause if you do that, everyone will think you are from "up north" - like Minster.)

So, here I wanted to share a few things that are meaningful and probably specific to me.

See the above landscape.  When I was growing up, we'd drive every Sunday 30 minutes to my grandparent's farm for dinner (lunch).  It was during these drives that I first became impressed by the way that when you'd look at the horizon, there was an unbroken line of forests.  It really helps to appreciate that Ohio was a wilderness not that long ago.  Trees, trees, trees…  And, how much work to clear all that to make the acres and acres of farmland!

From September 2014

This is the church at Webster (Scenic Webster on the Stillwater River or maybe it is Webster on the Scenic Stillwater River) - just outside of Versailles on SR 185.  Isn't it beautiful?  It is no less pretty in the middle of winter with everything covered in snow.

When I got my first 35mm camera with my first roll of film I headed out to Webster.  I don't think I've ever taken this shot, however.  It involves parking along the highway.  Thanks, Mom.

(My second roll of film was taken on a post-graduation trip to NYC…. )

From September 2014

I suppose everyone is imprinted with a love for their "home" waterway.  All around the world there are people who have left their hearts on an important coastline or a majestic river.  For kids from Versailles, it is the Stillwater River.  The Stillwater features in a post every time I'm home.  It is small and simple, but in my eyes it is beautiful.  Someday, I'll gather photos from the seasons on the Stillwater.  I am sure I can do spring, winter and fall from the same bridge.  This is the Stillwater taken from the bridge we'd cross going to the farm.


Finally, what feels more like being at home than looking out the front door?

From September 2014

Review of October….

From September 2014

So, how did that rehabilitation of October go… exactly?

No one died or became critically ill. That's pretty darn good for October, I'd say.

On the other hand, the compressor for the car's air-conditioning needs to be replaced. And, oh yeah, Kevin needs a new job.