Hitting a Purple Patch

This year has been one out of the box..we lost our darling old pup..we are losing the other..we have spent months going from vet office to busting  a gut outside in preparation for our Daughters wedding..throw in a nose operation the septic throwing a fit  things breaking down breaking up or just breaking bad! as we rounded the finish line to the wedding hubby on his way to work at 4.30 hit and killed a joey that came out in front of my new car..poor Joey died instantly Hubby was fine..car ..well it’s been written off..the day after that our daughter called to say her sweet inside kitty Sherriff had gotten out and not come home..thankfully he did after a couple of restless nights.

The few markets i could attend have been pretty dismal..the weather so bad we cancelled several..it has certainly put a dent in my enthusiasm to say the least..investment versus reward..in the negative. I will be seeing how the markets go over the next few months but i think if it is a case of me basically not even covering my costs at the minimum then i am done, i will just keep going long enough to cover the contract of my eft machine as really financially it is costing me.

The time i have spent out taking pictures this year is minimal..i feel like with all that has happened i have lost a year..no canola trips ,mountain trips, nothing i enjoy.

Apart from a brief trip overseas and our daughters wedding the whole year has been pretty horrid.

I will not even go to the sadness that has befallen so many of my dear friends..sadness that weighs heavily in my heart.

So that is a brief explanation for my lack of blogging..even as i type this i have done no Christmas cards..have all manner of paperwork for market that i really am over ,need to get prints replaced and have let Doc out three times for a peemail.

I have the vet AGAIN this afternoon…so i leave you all with these pictures.

But like purple in these images has now all but gone from the landscape..so shall my Purple Patch..

Fields of color

 

Grounds view

The bend

Purple

Alone

Like a dancer

Tanked

 

Tracts of Purple

On the crest

Silvery Gum

What a view

Shed

Hugged by Purple

Fiesty Friday

Sometimes i just sit and watch the show..some days it is just what the Dr ordered..between vet visit after vet visit and a load of work on the property i just need some me time.
I hope you enjoy the show as much as i did..take note of how the bigger roo put paid to the youngen’s silliness..well for a little while anyway 🙂
Off to dinner tonight so will catch up soon..

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Another time…the same Dream

Another time..the dream is the same now..

As Phil and i wandered around in the heat and humidity we could not help but feel a sense of humility..this town so full of history..history that changed a world..

One man from humble beginnings..one man..with a dream…what would he think of the world today..i wonder..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two views worlds apart

Beautiful Docklands in Melbourne the night before we flew to the USA

 

 

And beautiful Tybee Island Georgia

 

Wildlife Wednesday

Well folks since it is Wildlife Wednesday i thought what better than some cute little guys that i fell in love with when in the US..

I know most of my followers being American will probably be very blase about these but i was so excited to spot Squirrels..and they proved quite a challenge to capture with my camera.

Fast like birds and erratic..like all wildlife if you watch long enough you can often predict their movements..let’s just say i had some cooperative critters and some ..well they just saw me coming and laughed as they took off i am sure..

You would have laughed at the sight of a middle aged woman..creeping along..camera in hand and tip toeing around bushes and trees..

The things i do 🙂

Have a super Squirrrely day folks !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had a dream

Hi guys

I guess by now many of you will be aware that Hubby and i took a trip to the US..we planned this in January and decided after consults with the vet and boarding facility that the break would be positive for Doc so went ahead and took our trip.

I want people to know that we had insurance and were planning on cancelling after the bad news with Forrest and that we had a long tough time deciding what was best..you can imagine that while it was to be a secret this trip (as it involved a fellow blogger and was planned between us both as a double blog surprise) it was even harder to deal with Forrest’s loss as we had guilt about flying out of the country at this time.

Doc as it turned out had a ball in boarding..played with other pups made friends and had a careful eye on him as staff were aware he was grieving ..they reported he did great!

We asked them to arrange some playdates with suitable pups..see Forrest and Doc never did really enjoy other dogs..as much as we all talk on our blogs about our dogs we often have pups that would not like each other..que sera sera..so it was a plan to see if we could get him sociable and it worked..a real positive out of a real negative..

So amidst the grief we had the  sudden realisation that we had neglected to get ourselves ready for travel..we had so much to do and no desire to do it..we still wondered whether we should just change our plans as we had insurance to cover it and could go later..but the reality is we felt like fleeing..sounds awful but the daily reminders were so bad that we felt like running and never coming back.

We had all Docs special meals to make up for 11 days as we cannot afford to veer from his diet with his EPI..we had him get a check up on his mental and physical well being prior to leaving.

He was given the A+  as being fine for boarding..so we cooked and packed and froze all his meals..i did not pack a bag until the night before..as excited as i was i was still very much missing my boy..no sniffing my butt at every turn..no being rude for his meals..and still crying myself to sleep most nights..

So i will discuss our holiday later..show my pictures etc but for now i have something i want to share.

This is for anyone who is mourning their precious fur babe…

One night in Georgia i had a rough night..could not sleep..no matter what i did..and when i looked last at the clock in the hotel room it read 4.19am

I realised at the same time i had not thought of Forrest that day..i felt awful..then i must have fallen asleep..

My dream:

I am in a giant carpark..no idea where..it was night but not too dark..

I remember it felt like a mild night and i could see streetlights ..and i was alone..not at all afraid but very much alone.

I started calling Forrest.. like i used too..

” FORREST..FOZZIE BEAR…BOO BOO COME ON FOZZIE ..”

Next thing Forrest comes running at me full pelt..i can hear him barking but it was softly..so softly almost as if he had lost his voice..

He knocks me down..and i land gently on the ground..even though it is concrete..and he starts licking my face all over..he is licking like there is no tomorrow..

Normally when he would lick me he would sometimes have a little nibble..not hard not violent but enough to make me move my face from him a bit..

But not this ..just licking all over so furiously licking ..his face had no white..none just like when he was younger..and his tail was wagging like crazy..

I was holding him (another thing he was not keen on cuddles at all) and he kept licking..

I told him i loved him so much and missed him so badly..i am teary just typing this as it was intense..i asked him if he was angry with us ,did we do the wrong thing by him , and he just kept licking my face and wagging his tail..all the talking i had with him was done without speaking out loud if that makes sense..

I held him tight and did not want the moment to end..i asked him ‘please stay so Dad can see you are ok Fozzie please’..then i woke up…

It was 6.20am and i had to feel my face because i was sure it would be wet from the kisses..i cried my eyes out..i knew..i just knew he was ok..deep in the part of you that doubts..deep in that part that says out loud i know they are ok but quietly does not believe it..

I wanted Phil to wake up..i wanted him to know..

When he did wake up we sat outside the hotel..both in tears..both feeling that combination of love and grief..

I wanted to share this with you all..

I am crying again..but it’s ok..my boy is safe he is happy he is pain free and young again..and who knows when he may visit me next….

 

Hugs Fozziemum

Feathers on a friday

Hi guys..a quick post ..i have a super busy weekend of burning off to do..ugh..but i think it will help clear the mind and do me well to be out in nature at the same time.

A trip to  Lake Weeroona was lovely to clear the head also..the birds were out and i had a nice long walk with my camera..

 

Pacific Black Ducks

Magpie Lark

Purple Swamphen

Masked Lapwing

Eastern Rosella

White faced Heron

Black Swan

Dusky Moorhen

Black Swan

Purple Swamphen

This guy is some sort of goose.. must get a better peek 😉

Eurasian coots

Another feathered friend i can’t quite identify

Now this guy here is an Eclectus Parrot..typical up northern parts of Australia..now he was not at the lake but with his person at the new market i was at last Sunday in Woodend.

 

Waji the Eclectus Parrot

His name is Waji and he is 10 years old…his person told me that she has to be careful saying Market because if he hears he drives her crazy until she takes him..birds are smart animals..very smart and this guy was loving the day out on his persons shoulder and watching the activities around him..i hope to meet him again..he was a touch camera shy! he was a stunning bird..and trust me i did nothing to change or alter his color in this shot..

So i am off to bed..ready to get the overalls on and get dirty….have a great weekend and i will chat with you all soon..

Loves Fozziemum

 

 

Wags and Waves for Forrest

Our precious Forrest left us recently and my dear friend Sharon from Gentle Stitches came up with a Wags and Waves tribute day..she has been helped by another dear friend and fellow blogger Pam from One spoiled Cat  who made a beautiful badge for Forrest’s day.

Sharon has made a donation to a local shelter in Forrest’s name and Pam is having a commentathon and donating to a local rescue $1 dollar per comment.

Today is also Pam and Sammy’s 5 year blogaversary so we wish them even more years of wonderful blogs that entertain and keep us all smiling when we may feel a bit down.

The weekend before we said goodbye to our boy we had family come from far and wide.

I spoke to the kids and asked if they would mind helping me to honor our boy and they were all more than happy to help.

All our children and their partners were asked to either think of one word or some words that they thought of when they thought of Forrest..we had a photo shoot and it was just a natural thing to spend some fun time with Forrest..we cried we laughed and we all paid tribute to our pup.

The kids were all young when he first came to our home..16 18 and 20..times flies..

Please enjoy this little slideshow and pop over and say hi to all the waggers and wavers today.

Thankyou for your love and support our family has truly felt that our family here has been so well loved and our pup so well honored..

Loves Fozziemum

 

 

 

 

 

Extended Summer

Well as you may be aware our weather worldwide seems a tad funky!

Snow in Spring for some folks and here the never ending Summer.

This sounds ideal i suppose but to a parched land it is a bummer.

We have a running argument with the weather girl over her ‘rain forecast’ on a nightly basis it seems..in fact i am ready to get my rain dance gear on..frightening!

I spent Saturday at the BACWS taking photos of the kitties up for adoption this is such a hard thing to do..i could easily take them home..but alas that is how the whole hoarding problem starts.

So i have some work to do on those images and it has been a challenge as so many do not want to say hello..they are scared or hesitant and you cannot blame them ..they have been let down by society and it takes time and patience..so last weekend i did not get a lot of shots as i will not push their limits…i won’t ever force an animal into a situation..i can get shots another day..que sera sera 🙂

So as i head to bed i will leave you with some bright pictures of florals..hoping they cheer your Monday blues 🙂

Hugs Fozziemum

 

Grape Hyacinth

 

Rosebuds

 

 

 

Hydrangea

 

Apricot Dahlia

 

Fronds hidden in fern

 

 

Purple Dahlia

 

 

Russet Dahlia

Pink Dahlia

 

 

Wildlife has blooper moments

The other day as i ventured up from the dam after spending a fun time watching Wanda and her wee Buttons i came across some roos that had been camping in our lower paddock.

Now it can be hard to see them when they camp as they like to do so amongst the rushes.

More than once i have come across one and had the beejeebers scared out of me.

When you crest a hill and a big lad over 6 foot tall and all chest puffed and arms flexed is there it is quite a sight to see.

I defer to their right to be there and hope for the best 🙂

Well back to my trek up to the house..so i spot the roos…and the poor things must have been in a real daydream as i scared them a bit..i do not like to scare them so as i looked up i see roos going in all directions..i turned the camera on and shot some pictures..

I thought i saw what looked like a roo tumble over the reeds..damn..i hate that..i mean i know these guys are tough and all but i still hate to see them fall..

When i got back home i had got dinner sorted and mucked around a bit..when i finally got my sd card in the computer i went looking through all the shots of the wallabies..

Ok i come to the Blooper moment..what i saw next in my images were these shots..

Oh my..mid air collision of roos..both were fine after as i saw all roos hop off and then stand as a mob and watch me!

I guess sometimes even the wildlife is a tad uncoordinated and does not pay attention 🙂

Have a super weekend all 🙂

Cheers Fozziemum

Notice that there is a roo behind the rushes on the left..

 

Now the roo on the left takes off

 

Now rabbit up top left is taking off,roos are both in flight and not looking at each other

And the moment both roos collide!

Dust kicked up and over they go!

Calm restored..