Decisions, decisions

Back in the dark of winter, I signed up for a shorebird photography workshop in Ohio which will be held next month. I decided it would be a good idea to buy a lighter, more versatile tripod before attending the workshop. When I finally settled on a model I learned it was discontinued. More research followed. Last week, I ordered it and it arrived two days later already. It is hard to order something I have never set eyes on, but this is the most beautiful tripod I have ever seen. I almost hate to use it so I don't scratch it. Unfortunately, my bum knee is acting up again and so I haven't been able to put my new purchase through a serious test yet.
Last week, it also occurred to me that I better find a place to stay during the workshop. The workshop leader mentioned the only chain motel in town, but I learned that it received less than favorable reviews. My online research revealed that there were two bed & breakfast places in town (or rather right outside of town) and one of them had rooms available. I therefore decided to "splurge" and stay there. Who knows, it might actually be cheaper than a chain motel since they always add on so many fees to your bill that you get sticker shock. This might turn into a scouting trip since there are 15 covered bridges in the county.
Our cat Roxy now has a much better appetite and seems to have put on a wee bit of weight. That doesn't mean that she likes to be medicated. On the contrary: she has a sixth sense about the exact moment when we try to give her her medicine. Oh well, at least she's eating better...

How to (not) medicate a cat

Our cat Roxy is now only getting Prednisone once a day. Nobody is happier about that than we are. That's because she's on to us now and knows that we usually give her the medicine around the same time in the morning. That turns out to be the time when she becomes Houdini and disappears mysteriously. This morning was the hardest one ever. As if the heat and humidity weren't enough to wipe us out, we had to chase Roxy all over the house. First, she crawled under the couch and I grabbed a broom to flush her out of there. Unfortunately, she ran under our bed next. I brought her syringe in and closed the door. We had her trapped, but how to coax her out from under the bed? The broom came to the rescue again. Finally, she came out and a very exhausted "mother" cradled her in her arms while my husband administered the medicine. We are going to have to alter our time schedule a bit because we are too predictable. I can understand why she doesn't want to swallow cherry-flavored medicine (it's made for children), but take it she must. She is eating much better now but still looks like a feather-weight. I have bought some prescription dry food for her and am anxious to see if she eats it. Little Miss Finicky won't just eat any old food, you know.
On the gardening front, we are having hits and misses this year. Because of the wet, cold spring, only two of the flowers we started in the house actually survived. Then we went out and bought a pot with three sunflowers for our flower island. The next morning, almost all its leaves were eaten. We suspect a rabbit as the culprit. So, now we have to buy rabbit-prove plants. Sunflowers seem to be particularly tasty since we are having bad luck planting them. Too bad, because we really love them. Our native plants are faring better this year. Last week, I photographed a honey bee on a common milkweed. Now the milkweed stopped blooming, but the purple coneflowers and black-eyed Susans bloom now. I haven't seen any monarchs yet and am wondering what happened to them. The insects sure like our little garden and it's always buzzing until late in the evening. And, best of all: we don't have to water our native garden since they're all perennials.

Sprechen Sie English?

A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I were at Sewickley Heights Park and noticed that the milkweed was almost ready to open. On Saturday, we went back to see if the blooming milkweed attracted any monarchs yet. Indeed, we saw several monarchs all over the park feasting on milkweed, together with honey bees and countless other insects. At one point, the sign post said that we were on a "Bridal Path." Alas, there was no bride to be seen anywhere. Neither were there any bridesmaids with interesting dresses. A look at the hoof-shaped prints in the mud confirmed my suspicion that we were on a "Bridle Path." This is only the latest example of my ongoing study how Americans mangle their language. Recently, I've noticed that my grocery store doesn't sell iceberg lettuce anymore. It's now iceburg lettuce. I have heard that produce travels long distances nowadays, but to literally ship it in from the North Atlantic is ridiculous. Are there any greenhouses in Greenland?
On the home front, there is one piece of good news. Since we put Roxy on medication, her appetite has greatly increased. She doesn't exactly eat the diet she should eat, but right now we're just trying to increase her weight so she can get her strength back. This doesn't mean that she likes to take her medicine. The better she feels, the more she fights when we try to perform our "favorite" hobby: cat wrestling. Yet, we're happy that she has regained her appetite and is also livelier.