Boy was the moon bright last night. On our last post dinner walk we disturb half a dozen shadowy shapes that quietly disappear into the orchard . The deer are back in force. Their numbers are surging. They are benefitting from the lockdown and the enforced idleness of the local hunters. It's an ill wind.....
Sophie's nose particularly lustrous this morning. Whatever she's finding in the grass verges to snack on is clearly doing her a world of good. In the human world it's unlikely that a badger poop supplement would ever catch on .
Another change to our routine. Today we cut through the apple orchards to the stream. Yellow butterflies rise up in dancing pirouettes twelve or fifteen feet into the still air. What a gift these spring mornings are. More than beautiful ; wondrous. The water in the stream still running strongly. Sophie has a long, loud, indecorous drink. She then stops, looks around and then settles in for another long, loud, indecorous slurping session.
Back at home a start of day grooming and bath. The first B-A-T-H of the year. She is bribed into the water with a biscuit. With that ordeal behind her the family princesses day can only get better. She is now lying in the sun in the courtyard feeling hard done by. In fact she's feeling exceedingly hard done by. A bath should be at least a two biscuit occasion ... possibly three.
18 comments:
Given the things people are apparently happy to spend money on in pursuit of health and beauty, I wouldn't bet against a badger poop supplement catching on....
The hunting season closed Feb. 29. Though, at least here, for boar it was continued to the end of March (and I heard shots right up to the last day). I guess they couldn't dress their killings together, but they could shoot separately.
Does Sophie do like many bath-averse toddlers--incredible battle against getting in, and then utter refusal to get out?
Biscuits seem a poor substitute for croissant tips. To avoid going to the bakery often, I ordered a couple dozen croissants from our bakery and put them in the freezer. Very good though not as good as fresh, but less risky.
Here the local mayors have closed all the village halls so there can be no pre and post hunt tippling. Angus has never been keen on the hunters so both he and the deer are happy with this enforced calm.
Wow, your wisteria has certainly bloomed with a vengeance these past few days! I have been enjoying some of the online videos of wildlife reclaiming areas currently abandoned by the humans - goats taking over a village in Wales, an alligator strolling through a Florida mall, and deer and turkeys everywhere (although I'm not sure whether there are wild turkeys in France?).
The spring light is beautiful and I envy you your lovely morning walks as we head into autumn with the light leaving us.
The wisteria is beautiful.
Any time now, Inca is due for her first shower of the year, but please don't let Sophie tell her about the treats!
We use a walk-in shower and I hose her down with nice warm water and a lovely Aloe Vera anti-everything-nasty shampoo. Not that she appreciates it of course. It's a battle to get her into the shower and she's out like lightening when I open the door! Very strange for a Lab. - she's not overly keen on water - well, not clean water to wash in!
Hari OM
Idyllic. 'S the only word for it. YAM xx
Your wisteria looks magnificent. Their perfume is wonderful too. Vita is being shorn in stages - since she is past the age of standing on a grooming table for ages I follow her round with the clippers and take off bits at a time. It's as well she's not socialising, she's not looking her best.
For some reason I've always assumed that the wisteria bloomed from more than one trunk, but now I'm wondering if all that glory is produced by just one plant. I'm also wondering whether your new entryway will be installed by Bastille Day.
Yes, it's just one trunk. I'm also 100% sure the new paving will be in place by Bastille Day. I'm just not sure what year.
And this year the wisteria is covered in 100's of large plump bees. The sound is more memorable than the smell. It is quite literally a wall of buzzing.
This year we have a 50m long hose that is attached to the taps in the washroom by the garage. Sophie can be bathed where she's caught and we don't have to go through the rigmarole of water proofing the house. It is a strange way the prefect solution for both reluctant dog and exasperated owners.
No wild turkeys but nature is coming back with a vengeance. At night we sit outside at sunset and watch the spectacle of the bats leaving the roof of The Rickety Old Farmhouse. A slow start and then whoosh of they go in a huge cloud in search of bugs.
Sophie looks much smaller when wet. I didn't realize so much of her is hair. She is a special girl wet or dry. I do hope the second part of her bathing routine is a towel-drying massage. With that addition, I bet only one biscuit is really required. The wisteria is beautiful. Does it pre-date your arrival at the house which does not look rickety at all.
Wishing all of you a Happy Easter and beautiful Spring!
It's bath day here as well.
God help us.
xx
Good luck !
And health and safety to you and yours.
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