Peace After the Storm

It's the end of a crazy weekend! The first day of spring brought with it sunshine and continued warm weather! It could not have started out on a better "note!" I woke to hear the return of my favorite bird, the Eastern Phoebe! We heard the Phoebe's relentless squeaky toy call of "phoebe-phoebe-phoebe" every day until late last summer. I know there are birds with prettier songs that fill the air, and I enjoy them as well but there was something about hearing the simple repertoire of the Phoebe that we became quite attached too. I really missed it when it left.

I did have to make a trek to the vet's office with Hamlet who has a small abscess on a lipoma. He's on a couple of medications and I'm quite sure he'll mend just fine. I also picked up Cowboy's ashes. The return of the remains is always very sad for us, but it's a comfort to have them. I usually keep them out on the shelf for several days, then when it's time, I put them away with the others.

I got home about mid day and I was just a little put out that Carl hadn't even started any of the planned yard work that we had agreed to getting done. After a little bit of a discussion about which jobs to do, Carl went out started some clean up in the yard. He was out there for a couple of hours when I heard him calling to me--I went out and he was covered in blood. He had fallen and hit his head on the trash-bin that he was using to clean up the yard. I got a towel that was soaked very quickly, it didn't take long for the 2nd one. I called "911" and after a barrage of questions, an ambulance was sent. I went out to be with Carl who was sitting on the front porch. Knowing the dogs would go crazy inside when help arrived, even though he was feeling a bit dizzy we moved off the porch to the rocks on the edge of the driveway to wait. Help arrived just as I noticed that where he was sitting, running all over the rocks were these little yellow spiders--They were everywhere!!! They were even on Carl--The "rescue team" that was attending to Carl noticed them and ended up with a few on them as well. But they got him all set and transported him to a nearby hospital. I'll spare you the rest of the details of the 4 hours we spent in the emergency room and just say that he ended up with 10 staples to close about a 2-3 inch gash on his head. A little worse for wear when he was finally being released around 10 o'clock, when he got up to leave 2 spiders were left behind.

Sunday was a much quieter day! Carl is feeling okay and after a nap I sat on the porch with the dogs looking at my magazines, watching the birds, hearing the Phoebe every now and then and relaxing. Peace has returned to Golden Pines! Thank-goodness!!