Helena is Recovering Again

A few days after I graduated from college, I was hiking in the Rocky Mountains and sprained my right ankle, jumping a creek.  Just about the time it was finally feeling good again, I re-injured it walking out on a jetty of loose rocks, out into the Pacific Ocean.  I don't remember how many times I had relapses but I think it took the entire summer for it to heal completely.

That is what the entire month of July has been for Helena, one of this years goslings.  It has been exhausting for both of us.  Since Helena is a farm goose, not a show goose or a golden goose, it was up to us (Helena and me) to figure out what to do for her.  First, we had to google "bandaging a wing" (that actually went pretty well), then it was weakness after the next injury.  We gave apple cider vinegar in her water and an essential oil (lavender) on the bottom of her feet.  A few days later she looked great.  After the next injury, her neck was compressed.  That is when we started physical therapy.  I would hold her in a slightly inclined forward position so gravity could help the neck release.  I would support her jaw and hold ever so gently while she let go.  That seemed to help but when we stopped, her neck would return to the compressed position.  Next, I called my osteopathic practitioner for a consult.  She said she thought there might be nerves involved, and suggested I spritz Helena with a low dose Homeopathic Hypericum solution. Amazingly, I had a 6x Hypericum in my collection of remedies.  I also put a few drops in her drinking water.  A couple of days later, she looked a little better.

All the time the treatment has been going on, I have to keep her in a safe place and give her maximum time with her buddies.  It has been quite interesting watching how the others have been with her; calling her, staying by her side, dad watching over physical therapy, all of them hissing at me when I pick Helena up but not intruding. Gretta, the sheep, has been hanging closer than usual but more out of the way.  The geese don't mind the extra grain involved. I have had to keep hiding the grain when I want to just give it to Helena; under a towel, under my shirt, in a bucket... but the geese catch on quickly and follow me about getting under foot.

One would think that with all the time Helena and I have spent together, we would be good buddies.  Not the case.  She runs when she sees me coming.  She settles down while on my lap but doesn't like to stay long.  As she has gotten better, she resists her exercises but gets more stretching because she is able to do more each day.  Her balance is better and she can take baths again and preen herself.

So what is the lesson in all of this?  I am not sure for Helena but for me it is this:  Life is fragile.  Animals and People all around me have cares and struggles.  We all need to take care of each other in the big times and the little times.  Love and patience for all!   Another form of reciprocity.

Peaches, Pumpkins, and Pretty Flowers

Peaches on porches and pumpkins on hugels,
da da da da da da, da da da da da,
................ ............
 these are a few of my favorites things.

Wow, what a year for peaches.  We ate them fresh many ways, gave some away, froze a few and then when I was ready to pick the remainder--- they had suddenly vanished.  There must have been a tremendous party that night, with all animals within a 2 mile surrounding area, invited.  There are still very small peaches on a younger tree that we are hoping will ripen to some degree.









The hugels look fabulous covered with pumpkin plants.

 

When I lived on Cape Cod, I was a persistent vegetable gardener.  Every Spring I would plant a large garden in sandy soil with whatever soil amendments I could come by.  Unfortunately, on the Cape the temperatures needed to grow tomatoes, peppers, pumpkins and such, didn't arrive until after the 4th of July so the growing season was much shorter than recommended on seed packets.  If there wasn't an early frost in the fall, you could get some winter squash and pumpkins but tomatoes were iffy, at least for me.  The only thing you could really count on was PEAS.  Finally, after many disappointing years, I decided to name the year after what one or two plants did well.  One year, it was the year of winter squash, another, the year of comfrey.  There was one year that was actually the year of sunflowers.

This year is the year of Peaches, Pumpkins, and Pretty flowers.

Heat and Injuries Are Draining

Well, lets see.  First there was the July 4th weekend, then a sisters' trip, then extra caring time for an injured gosling.  Things have been out of sync since my return but now I am writing again.

Helena, the gosling, hurt her wing, initially, but she recovered mostly after we bandaged her up.  Then she removed the bandage but looked fine.  This morning we were awoken by the geese squawking so I went down to see what the fuss was.  Helena, was sitting in a corner of the run, injured again.  I think it was one of those "I feel better so I will go out and get in trouble again" things.  This time it seems to be more her leg or .......... ???  No one will tell me what happened so I just have to come up with a theory and treat accordingly.

The heat isn't much help, either.  The big accomplishment, today, was cleaning out the refrigerator.   I also fulled some yarn and needle felted most of a box turtle for a friend at camp.  I guess it is going to be in the 90's for a couple more days so I will have to continue projects in the house.  I picked up my summer knitting again, yesterday.  I have also been spinning in the house instead of the Hot fiber studio.  Most of the outside projects have been put on hold.  I do try to slip something in when I first get up if it is still cool.  I am SO glad that the nights cool off substantially unlike some places I know.

Most of the time, the animals take care of themselves and I have very little that I have to do for them. Heat and injuries are draining for all of us, though. Today, John suggested going away for a month in the summer.  That sounded good to me.  Maybe we will try it next year, there are only 5 or 6 more weeks of summer left this year.