Molly Update & Pepper Pass Day

Thanks to everyone who expressed concerns, prayers, and good thoughts for Molly. That means a lot. 

The pack waiting while we eat dinner, hoping we will share.

She's an elderly girl and last August she started having skin issues on her chin, muzzle, and eyes, a thick black scabby something. We checked for allergies, did bloodwork, tried diet changes, creams, prescription meds, and more, and nothing worked. 

Although occasionally it seemed itchy, it didn't really bother her very much but it worsened despite all the treatments we tried.  We get the biopsy results later this week and then we will go from there. And, she has an appointment with a dermatologist in June and we hope that that will help clear this up.

In the meantime, she continues to be a happy girl who loves her family and her food, although not necessarily in that order.

Molly is not the only dog who is happy with life. Pepper got to go to school and be with kids!

She may be a retired Seeing Eye Guide Dog, but she still has her guide dog chops and ignored all those tempting tennis balls looming above her!

Teacher Daughter Lisa lets her students earn "Pepper Passes" if they meet their reading goals, and this time 18 kiddos had done so!

Normally the kids come in by twos for ten minutes, but an hour and a half would've been too much for Pepper (and me), so Lisa sent them to me in groups. The girl second from the right is terrified of dogs but Pepper won her over. (I wish I could show you the smile on that girl's face as she stroked Pepper's fur. She is just beaming in this picture!)

And this boy's face, too. He was absolutely thrilled when Pepper laid her paw over his arm as he scratched her chest.

These two girls actually brought in a book to read to Pepper. 

The girl on the right had earned two Pepper Passes so she could spend more time with her. Isn't that sweet?

That book was hilarious! And while it is a picture book intended for younger students than Lisa's, the author had visited Lisa's school and given her a copy. I liked it so much, I may buy myself a copy to read to the Pony Pals and Cowpokes! 

Good job, Pepper! Not only did you succeed in encouraging students to make their reading goals, but you lessened a girl's fear of dogs. And, you ignored all 100 (yes, I counted) tennis balls at the same time!

Time for a pup cup, don't you think?

Spring Happenings

There is a lot going on here! So much so, I have divided this blog post into categories. Naturally, we are starting with the horses.

Horsey Doings

No foal yet. In fact, Tim and I both now suspect that Sultanna may have lost her foal early in her pregnancy. We are disappointed, but she can be bred again.

Tim is out of town and so I am keeping an eye on the herd. I never mind doing that! 

The hearts on Abby's face are really defined this spring. There is one over her right eye,

and two over her left. They make me smile every time I see them.

Doggy Doings

"Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft!" (If ya know, ya know! LOL)

Sweet Molly had four punch biopsies taken on Thursday and part of her right ear removed. 

We are hoping for good news when the results come in and that we will have a plan to help her get better.

She and Nash are staying with us as Lisa is out of town.

We enjoy that although the house is a little crowded and

toys are scattered everywhere.

Plus, we have to race the dogs to get a spot in our own bed at night!

Wildlife Doings

Wouldn't this be a great sound track for a Halloween or scary movie?

Those are coyotes howling in the field behind Teacher Daughter Lisa's home the other night.

Three baby robins have hatched in the nest built on top of my Christmas wreath. (All that white is not what you think. The wreath has fake snow and ice crystals on it.)

A gigantic bird swooped low over my head early this morning while I was taking the dogs out and landed on my neighbor's roof! A Great Blue Heron!

We have a Great Blue Heron rookery just two miles away (thirty plus nests in four trees) and they are feeding babies right now. They fish in our lake quite a bit.

Music City Emily has a rookery near her home, too. 

At 00:38 a mama flies in and begins feeing her babies. Listen to their chatter as they vie for food! (The buzzing in the background are cicadas.)

Like I said, there is a lot going on! And I still have some things to share but I'll save those for another time.

Stay 'tooned!