Cat Health

After weeks of watching our cat's health and weight deteriorate, we decided to have an ultrasound done to find out what's ailing her. Did we get a diagnosis of the problem? Not exactly. One of Roxy's kidney's is small (the other one shows signs consistent with kidney stone), her adrenal glands are enlarged, and she might have inflammatory bowel disease. The last one is ironic because I have colitis. I know we have a lot in common, but that goes too far!
Because Roxy has always had an inquisitive mind and ate stuff that she found on the floor etc., we had associated her frequent vomiting with the fact that she ate something she shouldn't have or that she simply ate too fast. As a result, we eliminated canned food from both cats' diets a while ago. Another mistake. Now we know that we should have taken her to the vet much sooner for a blood test and whatever else was required. Right now, we're treating her for IBD and are trying to increase her appetite with the help of corticosteroids and a special diet.
Of the two cats we own, Roxy has always been "my" cat. In winter, she spent all evenings on my lap and the nights on my bed. Was I outside in summer, she meowed in the basement until I came back in. Nowadays, she rests most of the time with the occasional jumping on the keyboard or a window. It is hard to see such a lively cat acting so listless. Right now, all we can do is feed her often with small portions and give her tender loving care.

A Day at Beechwood

Last Tuesday, I went photographing at Beechwood for the first time this year. Usually, I spend a lot of time there in the spring, but this has been an unusual spring. Between arthritis, allergies, and bad weather, I haven't had a chance to go shooting as much as I hoped. It was quiet at Beechwood, except for the Song Sparrows. I now know how they got their name. They just won't shut up! This sparrow seems to sing "The hills are alive!" I also chased an Indigo Bunting around, but it was very skittish. A summer day at Beechwood wouldn't be complete without taking photos of bull frogs. I don't know why, but I always feel compelled to add more photos to my growing collection. Perhaps it's because there wasn't much going on at the pond. The summer wildflowers are not blooming yet, either, so there aren't many insects around the place. Weatherwise, it has been a strange year.

Green is In

I can't open a magazine or a newspaper these days without seeing countless references to green living, recycling, etc. Green is all the rage these days. Will it last? When I moved here from Germany, I had to rethink (=meaning back-track) my recycling habits. Every shopping trip yielded numerous plastic bags and I soon didn't know what to do with all of them. In Germany, people have always taken their own shopping bags to the store and if they needed plastic bags, they had to pay for them. Charging Germans for something is a sure way to get their attention.
Recycling and reusing materials is also in our genes. My frugal, depression-era mother went so far as to recycle Christmas wrapping paper from one year to the next. I will never forget that I had to open my gift so carefully that I didn't damage the paper too much. Then, before next Christmas, my mother ironed the gift wrap and the ribbons, too!
I applaud all efforts to recycle plastic, metal, and paper, but my pet peeve is litter. In this area, the U.S. could take an example from Europe. When the snow subsided, I was shocked to see how much litter had accumulated alongside the Pittsburgh roads. Why can't these people take their trash home with them? It shouldn't require the efforts and time of volunteers to keep the roadsides clean. Whenever we go somewhere, we take all our trash home with us to discard there. Why can't everybody do that?

Communing with Naturalists

I mentioned in my last blog that I got a big assignment--with a short deadline, no less. So yesterday, my husband and I headed out to Powdermill Nature Center to get material for my article and take the photos. Our drive was accompanied by lightning and pouring rain and I was beginning to question our sanity for getting up so early. I was particularly interested in the bird-banding which was supposed to begin around 7 o'clock. That's why we got up at the unreasonable hour of 3:30 a.m. Because of the rain, the banding was delayed but fortunately not postponed. After the rain let off, it got steaming hot. That did not tamper the enthusiasm of the naturalists who really seem to enjoy their jobs. I also learned that they're getting quite a work-out during their research and have to walk miles inspect nesting sites twice a day over uneven terrain and streams. After watching the bird-banding in the morning, I opted to take some photos of the "fish shocker" and his BioForay "crew." I was told that the site was 300 yards away from the parking lot. Because I grew up with the metric system that meant absolutely nothing to me. The hike turned into quite an exercise that involved crossing a stream and bending under fallen trees. And a trail was virtually non-existent. I tried to remember our way since we had to trace it back alone but we had our doubts sometimes. We made it, though, parched and exhausted. My new purchase, a pair of overshoes, proved to be a real help yesterday. Not only did they keep my shoes and feet dry, I didn't slip once.
Most amazing for me was that I met three people who had a) a German wife; b) had been stationed in Germany while in the Army; c) had studied German in college and had actually spent three months in a town that is less than 20 miles away from my hometown! I often run into people who have German connections, but this was a record.
I had to absorb a lot of information yesterday and only wish that Powdermill was closer to our home so we could go out there more often.