pet problems

Well, I have to say one of the big concerns for me is the other beings that share our home-- 5 of us, which means 3 cats. They are varying ages with all being rejected somewhere or feral. That means staying very aware of their health. We have always had cats since we got married. Having pets that many years, we are familiar with loss. We just don't want to hurry it.

Tigger loves finding new places to sleep-- probably a product of his feral years. This was a box that we had no idea would become one of his perches.

Our orange male, also one-time feral after being dropped by a previous owner in the country. Some city folks appear to think country will help their cats survive. Not so. In Tigger's case, he did pretty well for several years (we're not sure how many) before we recognized he needed to be adopted by us. We had him tested, shots given, and neutered. That was five years ago and all went well until recently when he had trouble eating. He had lost 3 lbs. We took him to the vet for major blood work, etc. (i.e. about a thousand dollars overall including meds). He had gingivitis, which is an early indicator of the real problem

That's when we learned he had what is sometimes called feline AIDs (Feline immunodeficiency virus is a Lentivirus). That scared me big time until I researched it. I was angry at first that we'd had him tested for feline leukemia, and it showed negative, but these tests are not the same. Generally they don't test for FIV as it's far more expensive and not as common. It is there most in previously feral cats, who have been in fights as it's spread by biting. I felt reassured that our other cats were not at risk since Tigger is not a biter in our home-- though he'd been in fights previously.

It turns out that cats with FIV can actually live full lives, but it takes being aware of symptoms as secondary infections is what will kill them. It was not good news but knowing he won't infect our other cats (unless he bit them) has been reassuring, as feline leukemia is far more easily spread by saliva, etc. and he doesn't have that.

Now, he has an abscess in his leg after beating the mouth problems. He's been eating well and staying active, but we just need to aware that an immune problem can be a big deal on many things. He'll see the vet Monday morning.

Our oldest female cat began throwing up yesterday-- new worry. It might be a new food she had eaten-- but it's another thing to keep an eye on. Loving pets, family members as they are, requires that.

I thought that this doctor's recommendations for keeping pets healthy was good for dogs or cats. We often don't know all -- though it'd be good if we did.

Recommendations for keeping pets healthy 

 

Brightening the Season

 

The Christmas season means different things to different people, some of which is cultural. When I was a girl,  for some years my parents had a place to cut trees from some planted years earlier. Not only us but many others drove out and paid. What I remember with our own trees is they always had good and bad sides where you had to place them carefully. I miss that in the trees today.

Those were the years when it was about Santa Claus coming Christmas Eve; then Christmas Day was gathering at one uncle's home for a feast and a few gifts but mostly bringing some kind of gift that went around the room with each taking a pick. Some gifts were useful and some funny (think rubber chicken or chamber pot). A few of those disappeared or reappeared the next year. I still have the chamber pot *s*.

 

When we got married, we began our own traditions for a lot of years, often a dinner at our house and again family and friends gathering round. We became involved in a church where it offered many activities with the season. When the kids grew up, they went to their new families' homes; and we were beginning a new tradition for ourselves as our parents died of old age, and our lives changed in other ways. 

those dried zinnias are a memory of summer this year

For quite a few years, we stopped having a Christmas tree as they always gave us sinus problems . Nobody was coming to see them anyway; so why put out the money? I did have a sizeable collection of Christmas villages, which took work to set up but were satisfying for the small community feel (they're in Oregon and not sure if I will bring them here where we have less room.

 

Once we were in Tucson for Christmas, we bought one of the artificial trees (love it), no allergies, and purchased ornaments of different sorts with one thing in common, inexpensive. We also had an assortment of garland type greens with tiny fairy lights to give the house a nature feeling as well as warmth. It's very different, and I won't say it's not sometimes lonely, but I have the knowledge that I once did it all. Now is time for change. Life is that way in my experience.

 

I know that Christmas is hard for some people , especially those who don't have a religious purpose behind it. Most know Jesus was not born December 25th, that sheep weren't in the fields at that time, but it doesn't matter as it's about more than a date but rather a feeling. For those who have sad memories of earlier Christmases, I think they need to find new ways. What do you do when family and friends are beloved but a long way away? I don't have suggestions. I am still working on that for myself. Not to mention, the difficulty when life deals hard blows and holidays are an especial reminder of them. We can't go back though-- only forward.

 

So, Merry Christmas to you or Happy Holidays whatever works for you. May you find joy in the season whether in old or new ways. 

Interlude

 by Rain Trueax

Still no words. We are supposed to get our second Covid vaccine about the time we are reading the more advanced viral version might be resistant... How joyful.  How about some pictures from the Arizona house when words currently aren't working for me. Yes, I could write about politics. What kind of joy would that bring???

Hopefully the cats and I will have something more next week... well nothing catastrophic, of course. Sometimes peaceful isn't a bad thing. We are still reading aloud. We liked the book by the poet, Richard Shelton, a lot -- Going back to Bisbee. The current book not so much and hope it improves.
 

natural and tribal living

by Rain Trueax

While some talk about redoing our culture, they often speak of less freedom rather than more. They would limit what resources we could use, where we could live, how we could live, and take us to more of a city environment where control is by the ones they choose to have it. The US is going through a big shift as to where it all should be in terms of the control. The argument is-- what is required in a changing world? What makes life better for more people? It goes a step beyond to debate-- what is more important-- the individual or the larger community?

What I like, and have for many years, is to see alternative ideas and especially owner built homes. In Oregon, I have a lot of books by people who built their own homes in very 'unconventional ways'. The problem is, to do this, you have to get beyond zoning and be able to do their own thing, often very organic. Closed cultures don't like that, and the places this can happen are dwindling-- even in rural areas. Controlled societies want structure and where people can live must be approved by zoning. We learned for instance that we could not live in our RV on our own farm property. To fix up what had been my parents' mobile home, where they lived on a hardship exemption until they both died. For us to fix it up, to live in it now, would require permits not always easy to get. And this is a rural county in Oregon.

There are, however, a few places where people can do their own thing. Some become Wild West but some, like communes, are very structured but the rules are made by the ones in the commune. 

This California YouTube fascinated me for both the earth built home but also the communal approach to how to live and what to share. I don't know that I'd want to live in one, but it has always had an interest for me-- depending on how it was structured. I came across this because of my interest in tiny homes. It's worth your time to watch, I think, as whether one wants to live that way or not, sometimes there are ideas to incorporate. It is both artistic, natural, and about sharing in an organized way while still respecting the individual.

Thunder Moon

by Rain Trueax

July's Thunder Moon

Because of our times, I wanted to put a warning here. I am going to discuss some cultural issues in this blog. It will appear negative to some. After that will follow what I believe we can do about it, which involves my home. So forewarned is forearmed. If you've had it with negative talk, come on back when Diane posts and next week I'll try to stay away from what is darkening my days. :) Sometimes though, a person just has to voice what they feel about what's going on. It's called venting...

Ordinary days

by Rain Trueax

Trying to cut down the photos to a few for this blog is proving very difficult-- and that just for the ones from May-- a very colorful season for the Tucson area. Cacti are in bloom along with the ironwood and palo verde trees. It's a sea of pink and yellow all around our home.

Ironwood are particularly interesting as they don't grow everywhere in the Santa Cruz valley. Generally they are on ridges and maybe have soil requirements that I know nothing about. It is one of the blessings of this property that it's in one of their zones; so we have quite a few. They drop tiny slivers, which definitely are no fun to get one in your hands or feet. I have suspected the cats have gotten a few in their paws as they'll be licking and biting at it to get it out. 

When we bought the place we had three big ones right near the house, which provide shade and shelter for the birds. We lost one of them and couldn't do anything to save it even by giving it a waterer. Maybe it had lived its life. I will hate it if we lose either of the others even though smaller ones are coming up.

Transitions

by Rain Trueax

Rain Rock Casino-- Yreka, California

Holy Mackerel, what is going on with time? It seems we just got home with a blog to share but now, time to write another one. Ack. 

Mostly the days after we got home have been about unpacking (a lot goes between homes) and then rearranging the house. When we are gone (with current agreement), our son lives here sometimes with his boys. He takes care of the livestock; and although in town, he has a duplex, he tends to be out here the most due to the needs of the animals. He then, of course, arranges things to suit himself. We come home and have to arrange it to suit ourselves. This business of sharing a home may not work long term for him or us. We are all feeling our way through it. One way or another, change has to come.

upward and onward or is that reversed?

by Rain Trueax

The other physical frustration we had in April has been one for both of us--the carport construction. We'd had experience working with independent contractors but learned a few things on this one. 

Destroying/Caretaking

by Rain Trueax

Recently, I've been thinking about life and writing-- how they go together. Many years ago, I decided people could be divided only two meaningful ways. It wasn't by race or ethnicity but were they caretakers or destroyers? 

It isn't always easy to tell the difference. Some destroyers come across as loving-- maybe loving to one and destructive to another. Care-taking is the same way. It doesn't always mean Kumbaya. We might think someone is a caretaker when they want to give away things or are complimentary. It doesn't always work out to be true caring. 

Where I think it's easiest to use this test is with ourselves.

Christmas in fiction

by Rain Trueax

There were years when I had a big footprint where it came to Christmas. It goes back to childhood with Santa coming Christmas Eve, and then Christmas Day with our family, aunts, uncles, grandma, and cousins for big meals and more gifts. When Ranch Boss and I formed our own home, there was always a Christmas tree and more gift giving through all the years of child rearing-- even as they formed their own homes and grandkids came along. 

Regularly, we'd have a big dinner at our home twice-- first one for neighbors and friends with even luminaries to light the driveway, second for family and again some friends, who didn't have family nearby. I loved the preparation, the decorating, the sharing, and setting up three tables for sit-down dinners. 

In decorating, I had Christmas nativities, ornaments that went back to childhood, collectible ornaments (some hand painted), white twinkly lights, and a huge Christmas village. Lots of greens were cut, along with a Christmas tree along with many white candles.

We generally did the Advent calendars and, in Catholic days, attended midnight masses (that is so special). Then out here in the rural community church, we were involved in Christmas programs. It's a busy season when someone is in a community.

serendipity

by Rain Trueax
 

It's hard to believe that it's already December. This year went by soooo fast. I am not much of a holiday person, though I had years where I was. Now it's mostly get through the season, to the shortest day and start heading toward spring and then summer. 

There is a time in life where I was more traditional but that's not this time. I look with some nostalgia on those days but life is what it is. I do see people where their lives seem to stay a lot the same for religion, community, family. Do we choose whether that happens or is it what it is?

the end of a season

by Rain Trueax
 

Equinoxes and Solstices aren't the only way the year can be divided. Most people are familiar with religious holidays but maybe less so of those from our more agrarian past when humans lived closer to the seasonal changes.

renovating

It's late summer, and of course, the irrigation pump had to break down. That took a lot of work, getting a new motor, having that repaired in town, and finally-- irrigation back up.

Many years ago, we bought one of those worn-out, claw-foot tubs that we saw for sale on a lawn in a nearby city. It came home with us and went into where we store winter wood. We even bought plumbing for it from a renovation store in Portland. It all set there (for years), with us never certain what we'd do with it-- I just liked those old tubs.

You know, I am one of those people who buys books I am not ready to read but want them on hand for when I will be. I live a lot of life that way with finding something but not always knowing when I can use it-- usually, eventually, I find the reason I wanted it.

Places that inspire a story

by Rain Trueax

When writing fiction, why is it set where it is? Some authors create places. I prefer placing mine in real towns and landscapes. Sometimes where that is will be influenced by the problems the characters will be facing. Because I know them best, Oregon, Arizona and Montana end up in most of my books.

In my books, of course, there's a love story but with complications. When I know the problem, the reason I am interested in writing the story, next comes its setting. I need to know where my characters live, their homes.

To give where these people live, I found some images from my own photos and others I'd purchased. Naturally, their homes are only part of the environment as they move around. Sometimes I only know where they'll roam once I start writing. That's the fun of writing, the discoveries I make along with them.

road trips with cats

 by Rain Trueax

Leaving Tucson on June 1st, I didn't really want to go; but knew it was time. I worried how the newest born baby quail would manage. I loved the house, its convenience to everything. I loved even the heat although June is my least favorite month in Tucson as it's before the monsoons arrive, which makes it humid and hot. I've been there before A/C, when all we had was a fan and towel or a swamp cooler; and it's miserable. A/C changes that, but it also means less time outside although Ranch Boss put up our first mister and that surprisingly, since it's water, made it nice enough to sit out watching the birds even in the mid-90s. It can't overcome the 100s.

In addition to my own hating to leave, I knew how the cats would hate traveling again. The thing is we can't leave them and they just have to buck up and accept we know what we're doing... we hope.

 

June 1st, we put all four into their own carriers (with no scars). Our cat kids and us were heading 1200+ miles with a 26' travel trailer, and above 100°F days until we got to Northern California.

We had debated various travel plans for the cats. One idea was two in the truck and two in the trailer. In the end, we decided it had to be all in carriers for the first day.  Coming down from Oregon, we had discovered cats don't share a carrier-- even if they sleep cuddled together otherwise. We chose having them all in the truck because we thought their first day of travel might be scary if not with us. It's impossible to tell a cat, who hates travel, that it's a family thing.

Cats hate carriers. They consider them prisons and with only one purpose-- to destroy them. Their dislike doesn't lessen with the miles. The smallest one, Babe, makes the loudest and most horrific mewrrooowws. The oldest one, Blackie, is peaceful on a drive and was allowed to get out of his extra small carrier and lie between us as a reward. The other three alternated who got to meow, with Babe sometimes issuing something ear shattering. We all had to just make the best of it including one incident of car sickness for Raven. She does not like whoop-de-doo roads, and we expected the cleanup. 

When we got to our first destination, Bouse, Arizona, the temps were well over 100°F. This is a kind of roadside community for desert rats, those who love to explore the nearby mountains for minerals or want the freedom of not being tied to a town. A few rigs in the RV park were probably permanent. Some had left their rigs there while they headed to cooler climes. A bit north of Quartzite, this is a place of mountains, sand, barren, desert landscape, flags flying, VFW halls, and communities called Vicksburg. I like it.

Once the cats and I were in the trailer, Ranch Boss hooked us to electricity and I turned on the A/C. Since this was our first time with the trailer in this level of heat, we weren't sure how effectively it would cool. There was worry also since when loading it, when Ranch Boss had endurance tested the A/C, it failed. He did some research and decided he'd used too small an extension cord. Still, with any failure, you do worry. 

The cooling worked-- not to the 70s during the daytime but into the low 80s. To add to reducing the pressure on it, he put out the awning. We settled in with one more question that would resolve the next day's travel.

How would the cats get along with the stress of travel and tighter quarters? It would determine if they could ride in the trailer, as they had in January, or would they have to, at least some of them, ride with us?

We had a peaceful night. We would continue to monitor how they got along but this meant we'd all have an easier travel day on Saturday.  

Many don't believe in leaving pets in trailers while traveling. It's illegal for humans although if we get a Fifth Wheel someday, humans could also ride in it-- not sure many would want to do so. The cats much prefer the trailer with a dirt box, food, and water to the boxes. When traveling, mostly, they hide under the bed. My main worry has been an accident but in that case, the cab of the truck wouldn't be safe either. 

Heat during the summer is another issue for letting cats be where there is no A/C while traveling. On the hottest days, we cooled off the trailer a lot in the morning and crossed our fingers that by not driving into the late afternoon, we'd be okay; and we were. They handle some heat, after all, they had wanted outside when it was 100 in Tucson.

During our time of travel, there were a few cat tiffs-- usually at 3 am. The reasons appear to be to wake us up in the middle of the night out of maybe boredom or being too close for too long. We resolved all the disagreements with the squirt bottle (cats hate getting wet)-- and one night closed the door so that at that time, the most aggressive cat, Blackie, slept with us.

All photos of the cats from Tucson this year.

More coming on our road trip. It may be of interest to those who use RVs or even have considered using one. Where to stay? Who else is there? Why do we do it-- especially with four cats? Well, I can answer that one here. We are moving between two homes, can't leave them in either when we are gone a long time. So with that many, what motel would let us get a room? Transferring them from the vehicle to the room would be difficult even if we found such places. Cats, unlike more adventurous dogs, prefer a familiar home and the trailer is that at night.

Projects in process

by Rain Trueax

On a personal level, about the only exciting news for this week is we saw the first of the wildflowers. This is not supposed to be a spectacular wildflower season due to not enough rain in the fall. We will take them in whatever small quantities they appear.

The project for the week, besides getting my fourth in the Hemstreet Witches series ready to be published, involved the arrival of the last pieces for the king-sized bed (frame, head and baseboard, mattress, etc.). This was good but also complicated. The house has three bedrooms but one has been a den for Ranch Boss's engineer consulting and publishing work when here (he is my editor and publisher). 

The original goal was turning the shop (outside the living room wall and under the same roof as the house) into a den/library. We would then have three bedrooms with two having queen beds. The king was for our master bedroom (not very master sized but it has a second, tiny bathroom off it). It would be a nice addition but still keep it a small home with maybe 1600sqft or so.

We just got the estimated cost for the addition. Way over our budget. Except, now what do we do with that extra queen bed? After much work for Ranch Boss in disassembling it, it's stacked in the second bedroom but that can't stay that way (although one of the cats likes its elevation for her sleeping). 

Our time here has been one project in progress after another (as a writer I am used to those). This one may take another year to get it to fruition.

One problem with spending more to do the addition than we had intended is that it'd not be a good investment, as either a rental or sale, unless we intend to make this our permanent home (that has not been ruled out eventually). The

United States has some areas (Oregon is one) where housing costs are skyrocketing. Tucson is not in that situation. With so many homes being built, more desert scraped off for developments every time we get down here, it keeps housing cheaper comparatively. There are some ritzy areas, of course; but even the more expensive sections in the Santa Cruz river valley (Tucson has several rivers and streams but most only flow after storms) are far less than they'd be in parts of California. 

Our home is in a nice little suburban feeling area where homes were built in the '70s on an acre or two of desert. It has a covenant protecting it to stay as it is. The reason we have so much wildlife is this isn't where they scraped off the desert, as they too often do today. These homes were set into their desert. Wildlife in Tucson has less and less of these places. 

Another reason for more wildlife here is we aren't far from the La Cañada Wash, which comes out of the nearby mountains. Fortunately, washes are places that they don't allow development due to flash floods after storms. That leaves them also conduits for the critters that many desert lovers don't desire or respect-- sadly. 

A lot of those who come to Tucson only want the golf, swimming, shopping, restaurants, bicycling, hiking, and endless sunshine. Nothing wrong with those activities, but it leaves the original residents just in the way-- unless being viewed in a zoo...

The photos of the bed being put together are because of how a process like this amazes me as to what Ranch Boss knows how to do. If he didn't, we'd have to pay someone who did, as no way could I do it. These projects are never without glitches. The end result though is a very nice bed with room for us and four cats if they so desire :). Through the window, you can see where we store our vacation trailer when we are here.

View out the bedroom window. We do have a wall that is mandated around the pool (does not keep out rabbits or birds). This one is to fence our cats in and let the wildlife have the rest. There is a neighbor at the back of our acre that we can see their porch light at night. The little sculpture garden is new with herbs being added. I don't how they'll do when we are not here, but we are hopeful the drip system can keep them growing. Having an herb garden off the kitchen is one of the many sensual pleasure that this place provides.

Another new addition this year is a hummingbird and loose seed feeders on poles. In the past, we only put out quail blocks but this year we decided to add seed intended to bring in cardinals. It has along with many other songbirds we hadn't regularly seen. When we are gone, the summer has more lushness for them to get feed and some, of course, migrate north to avoid the extreme heat-- snowbirds ;).

Part II, Diane Widler Wenzel on How I Hang the Pictures I Paint.

I couldn't be happier with last Sunday's  lunch with visiting family to celebrate 120 paintings hung at home and then the public art opening at Albany Public Library's main branch.    A sister-in-law commented,  " I could hang way more paintings than I ever thought I could. "  upon seeing how I hang groupings between large empty spaces.  One of my daughters wanted a grouping of 3 paintings from the corner fireplace installation in the dining area. The home celebration and reception made me feel loved by my supportive family and friends.

Part II of how I hang paintings continues with examples of how empty spaces around the paintings are important to their effect on us.  Also covered are my experiments in hanging solutions in the dining area and the entry from the kitchen to the laundry room.

Dining with Paintings that Contribute to the Room's Ambiance

Below is Don eating and a panoramic view of the green paintings that he sees from his side of the table. I selected for him green, his favorite color. Green is clean looking and soothing.

Below is Diane and a panorama of what she wants to see - a cozy corner:

Walls of three entries frame paintings.
From the front door the eye is apt to look beyond on into the dining area with busy activity and also paintings.

From the kitchen entry to the dinette the view includes empty wall space.

The  hall from the back of the house. 

The cool colored green paintings and white matt make the warm colored collage dominate the grouping. The collage is suppose to be the first thing seen.  Then looking at the collage the eye is directed leftward by a  shape pointing to the warmer colors in the green paintings, thus the eye moves around this grouping. The green vertical painting with a black matt counterbalances the warm collage. For me this group works. I hope that it works for others. Purhaps the reason Don slows down as he eats is because he has some greens around him.

To frame or not or hang out from a corner?

Two of the paintings and the collage are framed with oak frames made by my fantastic partner, Don. The paintings that are unframed work better in a grouping?  Or do these frames isolate them acting as obstacles preventing the eye from moving from painting to painting?

I feel none of my groupings have to be perfect because my hangings are works in progress. I am learning and do not know all of the answers. I like to ask, "what if," as I decide the next grouping.

 

An innovation for me is to draw attention to corner paintings by hanging them so the sides are on opposite walls. The kiddy corner arrangement makes them more dominant especially when walking down the hall from the back of our house.  From down the hall the left side wall is at too much of an angle to see what is happening in the paintings hung flat to the wall. Corner paintings work less like windows on the wall and more like a three dimentional architectural fixture that I have difficultyillustrating in a two dimentional picture.

For the coldest wintery nights we remove paintings close to the fire box and keep a fire burning.

 Paintings are clutter busting by creating distance in tiny laundry / fly tying / utility room.  

In this cluttered place I see the painting before the clutter. How about you?

After adding a painting with deeper dark green depth to the wall behind the sink,  there is a greater sense of depth. I feel less cramped.

Because of the humidity of the laundry room I do not leave pictures here for long periods especially during the winter. 

Rotating paintings is a favorite way to get inspired for making more paintings. Some of the ones I will be rotating are stored in my studio.   I will show my studio with storage cabinets in the next blog, Part III, How I Hang the Pictures I Paint.