Wednesday, April 21, 2010

What a Difference ...

Desmond made it through the night well, has eaten and walked outside.  I wonder if he has been in pain for the entire year and a half that I've had him.  Something I really can't think about.  I won't be able to bring him home until tomorrow night.

Chicken Mama posted pictures of her house from last year and from this year - and that has prompted me to do the same. 

The first picture is the south yard in September, 2008, before I bought the house.  The cherry trees are on the edge of this overgrown area. The second picture is from the stone wall at the south end of the yard in May, 2009. You can see the cherry trees in a line to the right of the shot.



It's hard to believe I took the pictures from (virtually) the same place.  The bottom picture is what it looks like now, April 2010.  Sans those 10 trees, and 6 behind me.  Plus 3 raised beds.  It's hard to see the cherry trees (I've pruned them to nothing!) but they're there.

My plan was to use this whole area for an orchard, but now I see that I can put all the fruit trees on the cherry side, and use the left, downhill edge of this area for the goat shed and pen.

10 comments:

  1. So glad to hear Desmond is doing so well! Hooray!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm so happy that Desmond made it through with flying colors. You have done an amazing amount of work - it looks great. Can't wait to see it in person.

    Sue

    ReplyDelete
  3. good job on the pruning. It is often hard to cut something, even when you know it will be better over time. Today I pruned my job after another session of an ongoing argument.OOUCH!!
    Working for the inlaws has it's disadvantages :0) But I'm ready for the next adventure...after a bit of time here at home getting some major hoeing out done, some garden spaces ready for planting, just general cleaning and maybe I'll find something that makes me smile in the morning when I go to work!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Karen Sue, it sounds like you pruned it altogether, not just smaller! Good luck! It's a good time of year to be home for a bit.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow, what a difference a year makes! You did a great job clearing your property. I really like the way it opens the view and path to your house. I hope you get some cherries to eat. It sounds wonderful to have fruit trees and all those terrific blueberry bushes.

    I'm so glad that Desmond made it through the surgery, and I hope he recovers well. After loving and owning dogs for 20 years, I know how hard it is to make those decisions, and I truly sympathize with you. Zen that Desmond will heal quickly and well and get to spend much more time with you.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hoping Desmond is ready to come home and re-coup tonight. Maybe just 1 extra treat!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks for the kind thoughts, folks. I'm looking forward to bringing Desmond home tonight.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Jordan, Just catching up on your blog so I am a bit behind what has been going on with Desmond. Glad to hear that he will be coming home. As our pets near the ends of their lives, we need to be their advocate because usually the Vet will try to do all they can to save them/make them better. We had to put one dog down last Sept. and the other this past Jan. I think I got dehydrated from all the crying. Now we are seeing our cat go down hill. I spoke to my Vet about not extending life when I would only want to do it for me and not the animal. She totally understands me now. I am grateful for that! All my animals were/are 14 and had had a wonderful life with us. Plus they were all "found" animals so they could not have asked for better circumstances. That's what carries me through my decisions. Good luck with Desmond. May he have many more months/years of good health. Bless you for taking in an "old dog"!!! (PS: Jon Katz is an interesting/thoughtful/provocative writer but remember, you are the one who has to make the final decisions and live with them afterwards!)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks for sharing Karen. Now that Desmond's home, I'm beginning to think that if I had been stronger on Monday I would have made a different decision. It's harder to let them go than it is to try and save them!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Jordan, You bet it is harder to let them go than to try and save them! I totally agree. It's so easy to say "Sure Doc, do whatever needs to be done so I can bring her home." I actually made an appointment one weekday afternoon to take my last dog in to be put down just before the vet closed up for the day. About 4:00 PM after spending all day with her, I changed my mind even though I knew it would eventually have to happen. Had to carry through with it the next week as she stopped eating. At least that was a sure sign that things were over for her. Guess we all usually have to go through those "end of life" days before the end actually comes. Sorry that I have gone on and on about this but it is still fairly fresh in my mind and all I can think about is getting another dog. Timing is wrong at the moment though. So, hug Desmond and enjoy every day you get with him. I still think you are one special person to adopt an obviously aged dog. No matter how much time he has left, you have given him a wonderful last hurrah!

    ReplyDelete