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

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

 

 

 

 

 

Autumn finally brings some rain

Hi guys..Autumn has finally given us some rain..not a lot but it’s better than none….and the temps have dropped so the fire is blazing and the pups and kitties are taking full advantage of any warm spot!

Today we filled two more garden beds..one to go and i think another to be built and then filled..so hubby was back and forth getting trailer loads of mushroom compost.

I have seeds that are sprouting for Turnips (i love turnip tops and they are an amazing super food too) i also have seeds sprouting for Kale and Cavola Nero and a weird Italian cauliflower that is green and almost shaped like a pine cone! i want to get beetroots in and other goodies so very excited.

We get good frosts which Brassicas all love so finger crossed we shall have lots of fresh veggies to eat and sell at the local green grocer.

My meltdown from the other day is over..i took a breath and have been slowly rebuilding all the work i undid..sorry for the rant but i was super cheesed off and tired …yikes!

An interesting trip to the naturopath last week has me on some supplements for low magnesium and other bits and bobs..first time i have ever seen my blood cells under a microscope..poor things…tired they are..clumping in some places..oddly shaped in others…very bizarre..the weirdest thing was the teeny tiny floaties around the red blood cells..the naturopath asked when i had last eaten and what i had ..seems these floaties are fat..and she said my liver was breaking them down fine so bravo liver! she did however say she could see why i was tired…so armed with things i cannot even pronounce i came home..i have been a good girl ..less carbs more proteins..cut back a bit on sugar and back in a month.

I even got an email with the pics of my blood cells…we really are an amazing machine!

I am also excited because this week i get my new car! yep Harry High Pants (the Rodeo) will still be here as during fire season i need it to get out of Dodge! and that is why i am getting for the first time in my life a car that is NOT a family car or a WORKHORSE car..i am getting a lovely sporty hatch.

So lot’s happening this week..Doc is off to the vet tomorrow morning. He has a tooth i believe needs to come out and if so then his nails need doing while he is under..i want the vet to check some of his warts as they get knocked and bleed…and i also want to discuss his weird night time behaviour.

He has taken to going out at night and sleeping outside on his bed..now this is odd for him..neither of the boys ever sleep out at night they are in our room..and usually the slightest breeze and Doc is shivering…so weird.i have had to lock the laundry door to stop him as ..and i know you will think i am odd….but my biggest fear is that if something is wrong and he passes away in his sleep i do not want it to be outside alone in the cold.

So i think maybe he has a little doggy dementia or perhaps a cognitive issue with night and day which can happen to pups..thing is we have never been lucky enough to have dogs live to 12  and 13..so this senior dog stuff is new to us too!

So now i head to bed..and leave you with pics from last winters flowers…only a couple as i am still mid photo wrangling!

Have a super week guys…Loves Fozziemum xxx

 

Apricot Tea Rose

 

Yellow Rannuculus

 

Pink Rose

Weekend in Autumn

Hi guys hope you all had a super weekend…this weekend the Castlemaine Swap Meet was held..as always a place to spot a bargain have a giggle at weird things and of course Doggie watch..
Hubby was up and down there at 5.30am as he was manning the gates and taking donations for the SES..not a chance this Pixie was going so early..
I ended up down there at about 9.30am and already it was a battle to find somewhere to park..my intention was to try and find some old house vents ..you know the external heavy old metal ones..i have found some before and they make really novel and handy stands for outside pots..not one to be found..dang!

 

Vents under my pots are super handy

So i made the most of the sunny day to mosey around, i have to say seemed like the same old things..which was a shame.
I managed to snap some pics but not many as i was really struggling to find anything that appealed..but of course the dogs that took their owners to the meet were always a joy to watch.
I always make sure when taking a close up of them that i ask “May i say hello to your pup..and take some pics” ..people are always so happy to show off their pups and it shows the pride they have in their four legged friends.
Some pics i take from a way off with a zoom as i think the natural behaviour and interaction with their surrounds sometimes says more 🙂
I met a Koolie girl called Nicky…only about 2 years old and very interested in her surrounds as she sat with her person at his stall..he said she was always hard to get to look at a camera..it’s ok as they say never work with kid’s or animals..and to me i do not care if the ‘ideal’ pose is a bit askew ..it’s real and that is what i love..so i will introduce first Nicky..look at her stunning eyes!

 

 

Nicky none too impressed with my attempts to snap her

 

A sneaky shot of Nicky

 

 

That’s it..she has had enough and better things to look at than me!

 

This puppy was super keen to be somewhere..

 

Watched this darling from a distance

 

 

And as her people got ready to roll so did she..i love how she looks up at them..

 

This little one i watched all through the meet..like an Energiser bunny..always pulling the lead to hurry up!!

The usual hot rods were there and the bright orange one was hard to miss!

This bright orange hot rod was hard to miss!

 

Engines of this kind are beautiful to see

There were also a few old engineering beauties…not as many as usual which is a shame as they are gorgeous to snap.

This was such a gorgeous old furnace and had sold so i am sure will be looking happy in a new home

My final pictures are of the very beautiful Emily..Emily’s people told me she was a rescue dog from QLD..she had been at the shelter for two years as a senior dog…they fell in love with her beautiful nature.

They travel all around Australia and this gorgeous senior girl travels with them. Emily has been a delight to her people and they said she loves everybody and could not believe no one had adopted her.The day she went to her new home with them the shelter staff cried..both with joy and the sadness of saying goodbye..these wonderful people take Emily back every year to say hello to the staff and they have never forgotten her.

Shows that you cannot discount a senior pet as the love and joy they show at having her is proof that she is just as capable as a younger dog of bringing happiness and adventure into your life..so i close with the snaps i took of this sweet girl..i did not do many as she was hot and wanting to go for  a drink..no matter what i may want to capture i always put the animal first..and this sweetie was generous enough of her time.

Have a great Monday guys..Fozziemum xx

 

Beautiful Emily

 

 

You could see the love between Emily and her people..what a treasure

Maybe it’s Monday

Hi guys..i just realised this is my 400th post! and not a roo in sight!
Well tis Monday and i am going through some pics from the weekend..doing my tiny head in.
Saturday i had a lovely visit from Sharon from Gentlestitches and apart from making the worst batch of scones ever…go figure we had a lovely chat and some brownies and a walk around the property…the roos stayed hidden..dang..i forgot to take pics too!
The furries posed for some for Aunty Sharon though..bless em.
Yesterday we headed off to the Castlemaine State Festivals last day at the botanical gardens..a much better place to hold it..it was full of food stalls,craft and music..and of course doggies.
We then grabbed a coffee and headed to Cairn Curran where i hoped to get some more Pelican shots..but boats and jetskis were there so i guess the Pelicans took off..we did meet some pups though and dangled our feet in the water.
I bought home some driftwood for the boys and a huge Pelican feather for the girls..who batted it sniffed it and loved every bit..Forrest wanted to eat it!
So here are some pics i took..i am not really happy with them..do not know why…kinda worried i may be spending too much time looking at them and picking faults..or i am losing my mojo..have a great Monday folks 🙂

The archway in the Botanical gardens

The longest lunch tables set up under the shade of the trees..very popular

Others set their own tables up by the lake

Always hands telling stories

This pup taking a brightly dressed mum for a walk!

Music was everywhere

This young family and their Cairn Terrier Mary relaxing on one of the many couches set up in the park

Mary was tired from her busy day apparently

These girls had beautiful voices

At Cairn Curran..the walls of the reservoir

In the carpark we met Maisie May the Westie

Maisie Maes sister Lizzie

Lizzie was photobombing..look at Maisies face!

Lizzie

Maisie Mae is 13 and so is Lizzie

A lot of kids having fun on donuts so no Pelicans

Doc enjoying a piece of driftwood i bought home

Forrest loves it too!

This is how we rock

Hi everyone,sorry for the absence..i had planned to get a lot done and the recent snake versus Forrest issue kind of put paid to any of it. So I have been grounding myself in the kitchen…baking..and playing with the pups and kitties and just thanking my lucky stars that we still have our boy. I plan on doing a post with some info later as I have read some very disturbing things on blogs and forums and feel I need to get some clear information out there..as having first hand experience with not one but two bites in the same poochie..but for now as i ease my way back into some sort of routine I thought I would share part of that routine..the nightly struggle between canine and feline that exists in our multi-species abode..no animals are harmed in this..except maybe some canine dignity..you decide..who wins? Notice Forrest is happily sleeping through the whole thing..as always..he is Switzerland. Thanks folks and good to be back!

Lovefest at our house

Hi everyone..i often talk about how much the dogs and cats love each other here..there is no species bias..
When it is a mild day I let the girls wander with us,usually just a stroll and a roll in the driveway then back to the Kitty Day Spa..this day Marbles was inside sound asleep on her perch on the back of the couch..i had taken the pups for a walk and let the girls come out to have a stroll..
Dinnermintz since she was first with us as a sick foster kitten has always had a special bond with Forrest and Doc..mainly with Forrest ,her main man and she hates to be apart from him..especially when they go into boarding..
Another day and another lovefest here at home in the bush 🙂

Playing around and learning new things

Hi guys..well I must say my eyes are feeling so much better since the Dr has put me on steroids…of course I am eating for Australia but whatever..i can see better and the added steroid cream has all but fixed my ear and the skin around my eyes..so I have a bonus health wise for a change!
I have been trying to learn some new things in Lightroom..a great program but I am yet to totally figure it out..only been trialling it for a few days so still early..the thing is my pics are all on my old computer..and transferring images to the new one is a painstaking thing! Photoshop is a dud on my new computer as the resolution is fantastic but the program just has a teeny tiny almost invisible panel to work with..seems to be a problem they have not resolved …so I am trying to figure out how this lightroom works with transferring images and think I am getting there.

On the weekend we decided to go into Melbourne to the market…huge disappointment as the place has changed in 3 years..no vibe..fruit and veg not that good ..but the Churros were great and the Bacon sarnie I had for brekky was delish!

I had an irritating conversation with a photographer who although I thought his work was good and varied he came across as a bit of an Artiste ..
He had pictures of architecture, streetscapes,landscapes and a couple of ‘wildlife’ pics.
He took one look at my mid range camera and gave me the look….whatever..
I said I was not a very versatile photographer as I found my best shots were wildlife..which he responded to by saying that nobody wants wildlife pictures..they have seen it all, they are all the same, there is nothing new in wildlife.

So of course I ask him about his ‘wildlife’ shot of the roo..he says he took it at a zoo..

Now I am not a pro..and I do not claim to be…but I am pretty sure ‘wildlife’ is wild..and if you take your shot at a zoo you can hardly expect to see anything different.
Far from being deterred I just laughed to myself..this guy was good..yes he could take pics of all sorts of things..but let’s not over indulge in self importance.

I noticed that while he sat with no customers, no sales, that the surrounding ten or so souvenir stalls were selling really bad Australiana to tourists at a rapid rate of knots..and yes animal Australiana..

There are many photographers out there who are amazing, they share their knowledge, their tips and encourage you. These people do so because they love what they do,they get a buzz out of sharing that joy and have no problem with a person who is learning the art talking to them about it.

I could have critiqued his roo image myself as the color of the roo was over saturated, the background was overblown and the composition stunk..there was no real focal point..just sayin..but i didn’t..(to him anyway but did rabbit on about it in the car until hubby probably wanted to scream )

I just walked away knowing people like that are the reason i crawl on the ground and under the bush and climb trees..animals have no arrogance..and i bless them all for that.

So until i can get my pics sorted all i have to share is one from the market…i think it’s cute and sums up how i felt…stuck at the end of somewhere waiting for something to happen.

Another day of Summer Sadness

I am going to shut my computer down tonight..the terrible fires that have been ravaging South Australia have sadly taken the lives of many animals at a boarding facility.
Having just picked our babies up yesterday this has been the most tragic of news.
They have lost an entire cattery of cats and managed to save 40 dogs..but many many dogs have perished as well…I am devastated for the animals..the pet owners and the boarding staff who must be feeling totally devastated at the loss of not only all those in their care but their home and business.
As yet the cause is still unknown for the source of this bushfire…

My heart and soul is so sad..as it could also just as easily have been my boys and girls..a lot of hurt in South Australia today..
Please spare a purr and prayer for all affected as we are still not out f the woods in South Australia or Victoria.
This beautiful country can be a cruel mistress.

Springing into the week

Thought i would share with you all some of the spring colours that are arriving here at Samovila..after such a cold Winter and some really nasty frosts it is lovely to see life is coming back into my garden.

We have not had enough rain at all and so i am already watering..it does not bode well for Summer….but we are having some lovely warm days and sunshine and myself and the animals included are making the most of sunpuddles and pretty colours..soon enough it will be hot hot hot and brown…

So let’s spring into the week…

Hellebores also called Christmas roses..rallied after a beating by the frosts

These Ranunculus are all starting to bloom….they were planted mid winter and I thought they had died

Wee little and wee wee little look after my pots on the verandah

Wanted to add a dash of colour in the back while we clean the mess and get the Catio organised..so these will hang along the length of the fence

The beautiful but deadly Euphorbia..the sap is what is used in poison darts! when the centres get little pods they pop out and you wonder what the noise is..but they shoot up everywhere..so I have been pulling them out even in the backyard..nature makes sure she finds a way to procreate!

Irises line the length of the front garden and the back..they are all doing really well despite severe frost bite..i have been pruning all the frost bitten plants and now they are happy again

Doc enjoying the sunshine

I planted these daffodils and have had a 100 percent success rate so I am really happy

Forrest enjoying the sun too

The mystery fruit tree..with the first little blossom ..small fruit fuzzy like apricots..ripe when green and taste like peaches..we call it the peachnectaapriplum tree …

Pickles getting a sunpuddle on her sweet little feet after her big week..

One of my greatest loves..the Grape hyacinth

Felix and Oscar enjoy a bit of free ranging before they head to the back paddock ..Jock was somewhere eating my wattle trees when I took this..

Plum tree blossoms

Cleo in with the flowers hiding behind my Fig tree..

Dinnermintz getting her sunshine fix on the verandah