We're a summer haven,,,and then there were four...

Let's get this over with, quick like a bandaid being pulled away.  My darling Speedbump is gone, soon after my last posting the cancer took her apetite and we made the hardest decision a pet owner ever makes.  I was with her, in her ear until her last sweet breath.  I still miss her; she was and always will be my darlin.  And so, now we are a four dog house; really it feels like two and one/half because Charlie is my only big one left.  He is my keeper still.

Below, if you look in the middle of the heavy laden peach tree you'll see a turkey momma and a baby or two.  These ladies have taken to mornings under the peach tree and a few blue berries on the side.  I'll let them have it, why not!!  The Japanese beatles have taken two trees worth, so far, of peaches.  I made the mistake of following the directions on the pesticide spray and I stopped spraying 21 days before harvest.  Well, that worked out just "peachy" for them.  haha!  I did get one batch of white peach jam and hope to salvage one batch from the tree you see here.  We'll see...

I hate this being a sad news Sarah everytime I post something.  I'll try to keep the camera handy and do better.  I just don't do as well as I should, but I wanted to have closure.  I still think of you all, you're my friends in a real way, I'm just that crazy friend that blows through when she feels drama I guess and needs to unload.  Thanks for being there for me.  As always, I and we do pray for you blessings in our Lord Jesus Christ, from the holler...

p.s. excuse the poor gramar, I didn't have JP proof this one,,hehe

Just some pictures and a breakthrough

Wednesday morning as I left the holler, a flock of turkeys (we call them turkey nation because there's so many) was beside the road and then decided to fly in front of me a little way. In a few months they'll be escort in their chicks up and down the hill where they roost. 

Also, we had some strawberries recently that were so good.  We made them twice as nice by adding chocolate syrup

Speedbump has decided that she will eat hamburger mixed with Charlie's food. She eats only small portions but something is better than nothing. We are thankful for each meal she enjoys and each day we get to enjoy with her. 

Blessings to you all, in our Lord Jesus Christ, from all of us in the holler...

Now it's Speedbump!

My friends, it seems like bad news follows bad here and I'm asking for prayers for our family and our Speedbump. She is ten, so youngish old in my book for her size.  She is my beautiful girl. I think she has the eyes of a "Precious Moments"figurine.  I digress. She is sick, very sick. Her hips started being weak, then her appetite waned. So to the vets office we went.  He felt a mass at her jaw (thought it was a tooth) and also palpated a small something in/near belly,,we did an x-Ray that confirmed the belly mass but he couldn't tell if it's outside or what. Looks like it's outside, near the spleen, and its cancer (later confirmed).

Her apetite is none. So we did a week of antibiotics and the jaw gland went down considerably. Also, her teeth looked bad. So, he and I both thought,,tooth is bad. (Looks like a duck, acts like a duck, we treated her,,well you get it). Okay, dear ones, still with me? Her pre-labs showed pre-kidney failure, but just a smidge. So, I told him to go on with it. It turns out that she didn't have any bad teeth.  But during her anesthesia my dear vet did a couple x-rays (at no charge) to confirm the belly mass. So, she was sent home with chewy pain meds and an apetite stimulant. 

She has lost so much weight, I won't post a picture, you can imagine. My question is what have you fed your finicky ones? I've done, chicken broth and instant mash potatoes, canned food all kinds,   Ideas, prayers!!!  We are so grateful for The Great Physician and Creator of all comfort. And, of course we send blessings from The holler...

I just remembered something that happened on the way...

I was reading Maxmom's blog and remembered something funny that happened to me during Christmas. Go ahead and read if you haven't already, it's really short and it sets up my story perfectly, I will wait until you return.

MAXMOM's Cracker dog

Awe,,isn't Toby the cutest?  Okay, I needed to deliver a gift to a friend and I would only be in town one more time before Christmas. So, I called her and it was going to be great because I would get to meet the mom of her exchange student from Australia. I was so excited. As usual, I call beforehand to let her know I'm on the way only to learn that the airline had lost mom's luggage and they had to rush to the airport,,so sorry,,just leave the gift on the counter where yours is,,the side door is open don't let the dogs get you wet the groomers will have just left. Whoosh!!!

I was so bummed, but what can you do. So, I drove into the subdivision where my friend lives and saw two golden retrievers out in the road and they were wet, oh and the temperature on my car dash said 38 degrees!  Well, that silly groomer must've left the door open!! I thought I would take them in and dry them.  So, I pulled into the driveway where they were and called them to me and one of them tried to jump up on me which, of the couple, they usually do but I said no and we went in the house well behaved. That is when my world got fuzzy, my friend's house opens up into a great room; I was in a hallway.  But, I chalked that up to not always going in this particular door. Then I glanced to my right and the wall was COVERED in diplomas that ended in the wrong name and to my left was a elderly gentleman rising up from a mahogany reading chair, with reading glasses down his nose.  I sputtered "I thought these dogs were my friends, they just got groomed as well and it's so cold outside." "They are four houses that way" he pointed back up the street, well I was so embarrassed I retreated promptly to my car and went to my friends house where her dogs were laying in their beds so sleepy and dry after being bathed by her groomer (and dried).  I was told later that the other two
retrievers get loose and go swimming.   Well, my friend and I had a good laugh. JP said it could be called breaking and entering, but really, the door was open and I was returning his stuff.  Plus what a funny story I gave them (hopefully) he was able to laugh about it.  I didn't stick around to see.  Haha
 Preview isn't cooperating so I hope this works,,,
As always, blessings from the holler...

We are still in the holler!

I am the worst blogger ever.  One post a year is hardly even a blog at all but I do think of you my friends. I see some of you on Facebook, my new distraction. But I thought I would write a few lines for those I don't see there.  JP and I are well, the pack is minus one. our sweet Daisy died 2 days before her 16th birthday. We miss her so much and the pack seems so much smaller going from 6 to 5 you wouldn't think but you all know they are family member and we mourn the the same way.

You know, this is how we will remember her, playing the stick game with Charlie! Which, by the way, Scrappy has taken up that mantle and is his stick buddy or bully rather. Haha. He and that little jack Russell run all over their yard chasing sticks and squirrels they run into the trees.

God is so good to prepare us for life's moments. I am in a Bible study now of the book of Revelation and the week before we had to take Daisy in we studied in chapter 5 verse 13, there are every creature  praising God in the end,,,,on earth, under the earth and on the sea and the are all singing:

To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be

Praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever!!

Wow, that's gonna be something!  Doesn't that give you hope in these trying days?  Make sure, dear friend that you belong to Jesus. He died for you to be with him in that glorious moment. As always, blessings from the long lost holler.  Haha. I will try to do better