Another Ezzy Moment

  While I am sitting here listening to the old dog, Mr. PJ, snore as he gets his night's sleep, my mind is wandering back in time to another dog that called the Little Bayou House her home.  Ms. Ez came here as a rescue animal, of sorts.  Had Darling Daughter not claimed the pup, the animal was to be put down, and that is saying it nicely.  Ezzy was the runt of a litter of pups and the owners did not wish to take the time nor effort to help her gain her strength.  Elizabeth brought the tiny five week old puppy home and the rest is history. 

 She became the true Bayou Dog that loved exploring the marshes, creek bed and woods.  She loved fishing, hiking and playing.  She guarded the birds, chased the squirrels and loved every critter and person she ever met.  Ms. Ez was one of a kind and she stole my heart completely.  Her life was spent entirely on the Bayou with only a few visits away from here.  After ten years of having her as my best friend, it is still hard not having her with me.  Even after the nigh on four years of her being gone,  I still sometimes awake in the mornings expecting to find her dutifully lying next to my bed.

  Mr. PJ has softened that loss somewhat but the emptiness occasionally bubbles up again.  It is only fitting that he has come to stay with us as he and Ms. Ezzy were close friends from the moment they met as pups.  When the situation arose that he needed a place to stay, it was the natural choice to have him come.  I am thankful for that.  Goodness, Ms. Ez!  I miss you!  With that, I reached over and petted Mr. PJ.  Goodness, Mr. PJ!  I am glad you are here.

Earning His Keep!

  Ms. Ez was the Bayou Dog.  She was a mere five weeks old when she came to live at the Little Bayou House so it was no effort for her to learn the ropes.  She picked up on how we did things around here and followed the rules to a T.  She was well behaved, mannerly and helpful.  I miss her and have always said that it would be a long time before I was ready for another dog.  Then, along came PJ.  My son and daughter-in-law needed a place for their beloved pet while they are on a faraway island for a few years.  The old dog could not go with them and it was heartbreaking for the whole family...PJ included.  So, what could I do but open my door and say "Here, Boy!"? Mr. PJ became a part of our family for the next few years.

  I have known Mr. PJ for a number of years and have always muttered that he is NOT a Bayou Dog.  He was not raised here so was not accustomed to living in such a remote and wild place.  He had to be watched most of the time for his own safety.  I figured he was pretty much a pampered pet.  His adjustment to living our life style was going to be a tough one but...he and I would give it a go.  Several things had to change.  One..the leash had to go.  It has been hanging on a nail in the laundry room since day three of his stay.  Keeping the dog on a leash is a perfect idea when he is anywhere else but, here, it is not necessary.  Next....the collar had to go.  Since the old dog never leaves my side, the collar did not serve much purpose other than to keep me awake at night.  Since he sleeps next to my bed, the jingle jangle of the dog tags was more than I could handle.  (If we go anywhere away from the Bayou, the collar will be returned to his neck.)  Three...Mr. PJ would have to "earn his keep".  Ms. Ez performed all sorts of useful tasks such as bringing tools to us or guarding the fruit trees and garden from marauding critters.  She knew which critters to chase and which were helpful.  Mr. PJ thinks all critters are friends so that chore is out the window and he has not mastered the names of tools as of yet.  

  Just when I thought that old adage about not being able to teach old dogs new tricks was truthful, PJ has taught himself a perfectly helpful task.  While out hauling logs to the saw to be cut into firewood, I turned to find Mr. PJ chipping in with the labor.  He watched me for several minutes before grabbing a log and dragging it to the pile.  There, he deposited the log and went to fetch another.  Granted these were only small (in diameter) logs but they were a good six or seven feet in length!  Four times, he repeated the chore before flopping down to watch me cut.  I was amazed!  Mr. PJ was helping!  

  The task that PJ learned was one that Ezzy never did.  She might have picked up a twig or two but never a log!  I could not help but give Mr. PJ an extra treat when we finished our wood gathering for the day.  Then a fire was built in the old wood stove and his bed was pulled up close so he could enjoy the warmth after his hard day at work. The old dog deserves every bit of attention I have to offer.  His actions, today, proved to me that he appreciates being here and is willing to fit right in with us.  I never thought that I would learn to love another dog after Ms. Ez but this old fellow sure is weaseling his way into my heart!  Every day, I find another reason to adore him.  He has now found the best way ever to "earn his keep"!

Not Nearly The Same

  While I enjoy having another dog about the place, it is sometimes a bit inconvenient.  Not that I would have it any other way.  Mr. PJ is a good dog and means well.  His only problem is that he has not learned the ropes yet of how to be a true Bayou Dog.  With his age, it probably will not happen...you know..."You cannot teach old dogs new tricks".  That saying is very true in this case.  He does not even attempt to change his ways to suit mine.

  Ms. Ez, the (true) Bayou Dog, (RIP) always loved fishing.  She would sit for hours and literally watch the lines.  I could toss out the baited line and tell her to watch it for me and she would.  If a fish nibbled on the bait, she would get up, dance a little jig and let out a single bark.  She knew that a fish was on the end of that pole and she wanted it on the pier.  I think if she had her way, she would have tried to reel it in herself.  Mr. PJ, on the other hand, does not have a penchant for fishing. Oh, he loves the pier but only as a napping spot where he can soak up a bit of sun.  He has yet to eat his first minnow or even notice when we are reeling in "the big one".  

Ms. Ez

Mr. PJ

  The other day, Mr. PJ went one step further to prove he is not into this fishing thing.  He decided to plop himself down right on top of my pole!  If a fish had bitten on that line, I would have never been able to catch it.  No matter how many times I tried to urge him to vacate the premises, he refused and sat steadfastly on top of my pole.  I guess he was trying to explain to me that I did not need to set the pole down on the pier while I was throwing the net to catch more bait.  Sorry, dog, that is the way I fish. You nap elsewhere from now on!

Encountering the WILD!

  Mr. PJ, the dog that has come to stay with us a while, is a funny sort of critter.  Perhaps, I am just used to the way Ms. Ez, the Bayou Dog used to be.  When Ms. Ez was still alive and roaming the place she never met a critter that she did not like.  She was always trying to make friends with any and all wild things.  To her, they were just another "play friend" and she loved them.  Sometimes, this was not the best of ideas so I had to coax her not to befriend things like moccasins, alligators nor coyotes.  It mattered not to her that they could potentially harm her.  She just saw the opportunity to make a new friend so she tried.  There was the time when she found a baby possum and so wanted to adopt it.  We discouraged that since the possum was fully capable of being on its on and was better off being wild. Another time, she tried to play ball with a turtle.  The turtle did not appreciate a baseball being shoved at it so, once again, I discouraged the actions.  Ms. Ez befriended a pair of baby mockingbirds that I was fostering and became their protector.  The list goes on and on.  But Mr. PJ, on the other hand, is not too overly fond of the wild things that roam the Bayou.  He loves to watch them but does so from a distance.  

  The other day, Mr. PJ came running down the hillside to join me on the pier.  I watched as he loped down the board path then came to a dead stop by the base of an oak tree.  He seemed to be a mite jumpy so I figured I had better check out the problem.  As I drew near, the old dog jumped back a bit.  Uh, oh!  Perhaps a snake was coiled up near the roots of the tree.   I hustled over to where the dog was and found him a jittery mess!  Then, I spied the culprit.  A skink was by the palmettos near the tree trunk and the dog had invaded his space.  The lizard was not backing down and kept jumping at the dog.  PJ was not the happiest camper on the Bayou at that moment!  He did not know what to make of this striped thing jumping at him.  

  After a few moments of me trying to convince Mr. PJ that the lizard would not hurt him, the old dog skulked off to eat some cogon grass.  The skink took the opportunity to crawl up on a branch to sun himself.  Nice going, lizard!  Ok, Mr. PJ, we have to practice this good critter/bad critter thing a bit! You need to know that there are critters out here that can be friends.

Just Not Sure

  Sometimes it is really hard to teach an old dog new tricks.  Mr. PJ has come to stay with us on the Bayou while his family is on a tropical island somewhere out in the middle of the ocean.  The old dog was not allowed to go so the next best place seemed to be here.  I do not mind.  He is a good dog and I fully enjoy his company.  He is just not a Bayou Dog.  He is working on it but is just not there yet.  Maybe these new tricks are a tad too much for him at his age. 

  While he loves being able to run the hillside and take snoozes in the sunshine on the pier, the critters of the Bayou have him befuddled.  He is familiar with squirrels and rabbits but throw a nutria or otter in the works and he does not know how to respond.  At least, he has not had to come face to face with either, as of yet, but he has seen (and heard) them in the marsh.  His response is one of curiosity but also a bit angst.   Yesterday, Mr. PJ was introduced to a mullet. The fish was caught in the net along with four of its siblings.  They were flopping about the pier while the old dog slept.  One mullet flippity-flopped a bit too close to the dog's nose when he suddenly jumped to see what was making all the racket.  I guess he was still a bit dazed from his nap because, of all things, he decided to lick the fish.  Well, now!  That brought a look of disgust to the dog's face!  Not only was this thing noisy, rowdy and slimy, it tasted funny!  

  Seeing the reaction of PJ with his first encounter of a mullet made me giggle.  He is not a Bayou Dog, just yet, but is sure trying.  Our old dog, Ms. Ez, would have made short work of any fish if we would have allowed it.  Her favorite snack was the live menhaden that we use for bait.  She could hardly contain herself when she would see a net full of the minnows being hauled onto the pier.  If I said the word, she would jump on the chance to dine upon a few dozen of the little fish.  Yep, she was a true Bayou Dog!  Mr. PJ has a way to go yet.  He is just not too sure of some of the things around  here!

Not There Yet

  Mr. PJ has been around the Bayou on visits over the past decade or so.  My son and daughter-in-law brought him along on their visits so he is pretty much used to the place...as far as the layout, rules and attention.  He is not used to being a photographer's (and I use that term loosely) dog.  While I may not be the best with the camera, I do enjoy photographing the wildlife here.  The Bayou, woods and hillside offer so many opportunities.   For years now, I have had the camera handy at all times.  When Ms. Ez, the old Bayou Dog, (rest her soul) used to take hikes with me, she knew the routine.  No matter where we were, what she was doing or when it was, she knew if the camera was turned on, she was to freeze in step.  As soon as she heard the button activate, she was as good as a statue.  Many a time, she was in mid-step but would never even put her paw to the ground.  Ms. Ez was a wildlife photographer's dream dog.  Never once was an animal frightened.  Never once did she give chase.  Never once were critters hiding before I even saw them.  She was good.

  While Mr. PJ is well-behaved, he still has not mastered the "statue".  He just keep lumbering along at his same pace.  Earlier this week, a gorgeous egret stood on the mudflats.  I eased my way to the edge of the marsh, turned on the camera and prepared to photograph the bird.  Mr. PJ had not learned the routine so he did what we always do.  He headed down the pier.  While that was not wrong and I could not scold him, it did put a kink in the picture-taking.  The egret saw that big dog and took flight before his second step on the pier!.  I am not even sure PJ saw the bird.  He just kept walking like a dog on a mission.  Granted, I had not asked him to "wait" nor given him the command "stay".  I was so accustomed to Old Ms. Ez automatically knowing that it never occurred to me that I needed to do such.  PJ and I have a lot to learn.

  The next day, a lone pelican sat on a pier post.  As many photographs as I have of pelicans, they are still some of my favorite subjects.  Again, I turned on the camera, pointed it and got a sort of sad picture of the bird in flight.  Mr. PJ just kept lumbering down the pier.  I HAVE to learn to tell him to wait!  My pelican will be back so PJ and I need to practice!.

  This morning, the same thing happened.  I forgot, PJ did not know and another missed photograph.  A small rail was chattering in the marsh.  I got a bit excited as I recognized that call!  This was a mother rail and she had her little ones somewhere nearby.  In my rush to get a good spot to get pictures, I once again omitted to inform Mr. PJ to stay.  I settled in on the old skiff to wait for the family of rails to make an appearance.  PJ, on the other hand, had spotted the otter pups and excitedly made a beeline for his usual otter-watching perch on the pier.  I caught the tailend of the mama rail. 

  Both PJ and I need to get better at this deal.  Teaching an old dog some new tricks is not easy.  Soon, though, I will learn!  I will remember to give the command!  He will soon start to associate my command with the tinkling sound of the camera and will automatically become a statue.  He is just not there yet. I am just not there yet. I was spoiled by Ms. Ez's ability to learn these things on her own without any coaching from me.  Still, even with all of the missed shots, I adore this old dog.  It is great having a hiking buddy again.

Mr. PJ

  I am fostering my son and daughter-in-law's dog for a while since they are being transferred and cannot take him with them.  It was a heartbreaking decision for them to part ways with the pup since he has been a part of their family since the start.  PJ has come to visit the Little Bayou House often over the years and it only seemed natural that he come to stay for a while. He is familiar with the place so there is no big change other than not having them here.  He looks for them often and if he hears their voices, he starts to whine.  He misses his family terribly so I try my best to dote on him.  Not that this will ever replace their love or his love for them, but perhaps it will make the transition a bit easier.  Personally, I have adapted well to having another dog in the house and can see no reason why this shall not work.  Hopefully, once this move is over, they all can be reunited and be one big, happy family again.

  In the meantime, Mr. PJ is learning to be a Bayou Dog.  My sweet pup from several years ago, grew up knowing what was to be expected.  Ms. Ez knew not to go near the marsh because of the dangers lurking therein.  She knew to stay near the house and not venture down the lane to the road.  She knew who was a friend and who was a stranger and let me know with a different bark for each.  Mr. PJ has a bit to learn but since he has been here many times before, he is aware of a lot of the "rules" all of which are for his own well-being.  

  One of the things that he did not have to learn was to appreciate the cooling breezes that can be found on the end of the pier.  After a long, hot day, he and I will make the slow walk down the board path to the end of the pier.  There we share a quiet time and a bit of breeze. It is comforting to me to have the old dog there.  I missed that after Ms. Ez passed.  Now sweet PJ is filling a void for me. 

  This afternoon, PJ was interested in the water.  The tide was far out from the shoreline and the waves were washing in with a gently slosh. Shorebirds were taking advantage of the low tide and were scooping up little shrimp.  A lazy nutria was gnawing on the marsh roots and two otters played under my brother's pier.  The old dog watched all with great interest.  He did not become alarmed but rather calmly observed.  He is learning to be a Bayou Dog and learning what is a danger and what is merely life of the Bayou.  Good Ole PJ!  I think he is beginning to feel at home here. We are going to get along just fine.  Mr. PJ and I are going to get along just fine.

Doggy Therapy

  As I sat here tonight pondering a multitude of things, the sound of "Taps" wafted  across the Bay.  Keesler Air Force Base plays this at nine o'clock every evening.  In the past, I was always glad to hear the sound as I find it calming. For the past few months, however, the sound sometimes stirs a bit of heartache.  Ms. Ez, the Bayou Dog, drew her last breath at the very moment the music started on October 21st of this past year.  In those few months, I have grown somewhat used to not having her bounding around the yard while on our hikes.  Suppertime comes and goes without me filling her large red bowl.  Nighttime passes with out her whining while chasing squirrels in her dreams.  It is different but I have become accustomed to the vacant spot.  Ms. Nycto, the young Bayou Cat has taken to being a bit clingy and insists on sleeping near my feet each night. That brings a bit of comfort.  Still, it is hard to imagine a cat ever being the fine hiking partner that Ms. Ez was.

  Then, there are times like tonight.  When I heard the music loud and clear, a sudden pang of loneliness hit me.  I miss the familiar thump of the old dog's tail on the hardwood floor. I miss her big brown eyes staring at me wistfully while I sip my tea.  I hate to say it but I even miss the drool that seeped from the side of her mouth as she snoozed with her head on my foot.  Yep, nothing like a soggy. drool-soaked sock to bring back fond memories!

  I ponder just how old PJ, the sweet "city" dog who is coming to visit with the grandlittles, is going feel when he finds no Ms. Ez here to greet him. They were the best of friends and did so well together on our hikes.  I wonder how I will feel having another dog in the house that is not Ms. Ez.  I will say that having him here will most likely help me to resume the daily hikes that have been lacking for the past few months.  It will be good....it will be good.  I guess you can call it "Doggy Therapy" and it might just be what I need.  Yeah, I admit that I really did like that old dog and it is taking a while to get totally used to not having her here so maybe a bit of Doggy Therapy will help.

Golden Moments

  It may seem to be a strange habit to some folks, but I search for all of the golden moments that I can find.  There are precious times in each day.  It is my goal to find and savor the golden moments that occur. Here lately, it seems that we are all too wound up in our lives to even sit back and reflect on just how good things are.  Not me.  I try to open my day each morning being thankful that I am alive and doing well.  Likewise, the day's end is met appreciating what I was given during the day.  This is a way of understanding that good times/bad times are all fleeting and to find a bit of happiness anywhere is a true blessing.  I find mine here on the Bayou.  Moments that make you appreciate life are what I call the golden moments.  I find a good many of these occurrences at sunrise.  It seems that there is a certain serenity at that time of day.  

  We have had very few days in the past month that I was able to get out to the pier to watch the sun rise above the pines or, for that matter, make an appearance at all.  Rainy days seemed to have been the norm so far for this winter.  Yet, there was one morning that was deemed most perfect.  It was full of those golden moments.  As matter of fact, the entire morning was golden.

  I arose before dawn and headed out to the pier. Without Ms. Ez, the old Bayou Dog, there to guide me, I had to tread carefully.  She would always nudge me away from slippery slopes so I would not fall.  Boy, I miss that dog!  Still, I did make it to the pier in time to watch the sun peep out of a bit of fog.  As it did, the entire Bayou and Bay were filled with a golden wash.  It was gorgeous!

  As I sat there staring out at the different waterfowl as they tried to find breakfast, I thought how that old dog would have loved this.  My golden moment was not just the sunrise and beauty around me but thoughts of my departed friend.  Ms. Ez was a golden moment.  Boy, I miss her.

It is just not the same

  Mark and I headed to the pier this morning right at daybreak.  It felt strange not to have the old Bayou Dog tagging along beside us.  We stood looking out at the sunrise.  We did not speak.  There were no words to be said that could make this any different.  She needed to be there.  We stayed but a few moments then turned and slowly walked back to the Little Bayou House.  Although it was a gorgeous sunrise, the thrill was just not there.

  With another clue hunt scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, things needed to be set in order.  I busied myself with redecorating some areas and re-situating clues.  This helped the day pass much quicker but, for the life of me, I kept imagining that Ms. Ez was right there beside me. Several times, I actually found myself waiting for that gentle nudge that she would give me when she wanted attention.  It then occurred to me that she would always be there.  I needn't fret.  She may not be there in her physical self, but my memories would always seek out that camaraderie that we shared.  A smile spread across my face.  Well, Ms. Ez!  You have etched yourself in my brain and there is no denying that.

  The rest of the day went smoothly.  I hummed a little tune.  I occasionally looked for the dog.  Yes, I even talked to her.  But, I did not feel bad about doing so.  She was with me for ten years.  It is not easy to forget a friendship like that and I certainly should not be expected to "get over her" in a couple of days.  Nope....ain't happening! So....Ms. Ez!  This sunrise is for you!

Goodbye to a Dear Friend

  Ms. Ez, the Bayou Dog was a fine friend. For the past week, the old dog has been very ill.  Trips to the vet and to the Pet ER did nothing more than make her comfortable.  I am wholly grateful for that as her remaining time was at least close to being pain free.  While the doctors have yet to be able to diagnose her situation, I have almost come to the conclusion that she ate another mushroom and this one was not a good one.  Her symptoms led the doctors to believe she had complete liver failure and the beginnings of kidney failure.  Although her remaining time with us was short, it was filled with more love than could possibly fit in such a short time.  We did everything we could to make her happy and perhaps return a little of the happiness that she brought into our lives.  

  On her final day, she actually rallied a bit and was able to walk about the hillside.  She literally begged to go to the pier.  Like it is mine, that was her favorite place.  She labored to make it all the way to the bench but she was determined and would not let me carry her.  The old dog would occasionally lean against me for support.  Once there, she basked in the bright sunshine and seemed perfectly content as we watched the seagulls and pelicans. 

  Later in the afternoon, Darling Daughter came by and sat with Ms. Ez. This was a special treat for the dog.  Her tail thumped against the floor the whole time.  All was good.  Ms. Ez had such a contented look on her face.  The love between the two was evident. Elizabeth was the one that had rescued Ezzy from certain death when she was a wee pup.  It was only fitting that they had time together to share love that spanned the dog's entire lifetime. Afterwards Ms. Ez rested.

  At dusk, I could tell that things were not good.  I tried to let her out for a final time but she fell against me on the steps.  I carried the 55 pound dog back inside.  She was heavy but my heart was heavier.  I knew she would not see the next sunrise.  My sweet friend was leaving this world. I sat on her bed with the dog on my lap.  Mark sat with her stroking her soft ears.  He told her how much she meant to us and how we had been blessed that she came to be part of our family. Once again, love was shared between animal and human. 

  Right at eight o'clock, Son came to have some quiet time with her.  By this time, her breathing was becoming labored and it was evident that the pain was starting to grow. We held her.  We stroked her fur.  We consoled her with loving words.  At nine o'clock on the dot, she took her last breath in the arms of both me and Son. The very moment she drew that last breath, Keesler Air Force Base played Taps.  I thought of how this, although pure coincidence, was so touching.  Ms. Ezzy had a habit of seemingly standing at attention when the Base would play the National Anthem.  She would automatically stop whatever she was doing and stand facing the direction of the music.  For the entirety of the song, she stood not moving.  As soon as it was over she would leap up and prance about a bit.  I always was amazed at this but now, Taps seemed somehow fitting.

  Goodbye, my friend.  The hikes to the pier at sunrise will not be the same.  I am sure that I will be at a loss for a while without you but I am thankful that you are not suffering.  Godspeed, Little One.  You were a loyal friend indeed.  I will so miss you.

This cannot be comfortable!

  The old Bayou Dog is still battling whatever ails her.  The pet hospital called me last night to do a check on her.  We had a long conversation about what to look for as she deals with the illness and what to expect if she is not strong enough to fight.  It is hard to think things may not heal in the old dog but it may be a reality.  The medicines seemed to help some but as the veterinarian said, she is one sick dog.  It is his thought that she ingested either rat poison or some other lethal substance and it has damaged her kidneys and liver.  I do not doubt this as the dog seems to be having symptoms of both.  It is hard.  At least the medicines have eased her pain.

  Last night and then again today, she has insisted in snoozing in the most unusual position.  I am not sure if this relieves some of the pain or if she is just too exhausted to move.  Her body will be on the fine orthopedic mattress and her shoulders and head extended out onto the hardwood floor.  This seems as if it would be most uncomfortable but obviously not. She was like this before I took her outside for a few minutes and then returned to the position as soon as she got back on her bed.  Must be something to it.

  Ms. Ez, the old Bayou Dog, is right at ten years of age.  She has been with me since she was a mere five weeks old.  My daughter rescued her from being "knocked in the head" by the owners.  These folks refused to have their female dog spayed and she had sixteen pups.  Ms. Ez was the runt and they were going to get rid of her.  Nope!  Elizabeth snatched the tiny puppy from their hands and brought her home.  Here she stayed.  And here she will stay for the rest of her days...however long (or short) that may be.  

Worried....just worried.

  I do believe that I am in for a long night.  I am not complaining as it is important...for me, I guess...for Ms. Ez, I am sure.  She is sick...very, very sick.  The poor old Bayou Dog has some major problems but we are just not sure what is ailing her.  I will be by her side for the duration, though.

  Mark and I were headed to the pier before daybreak and, as usual, the old Bayou Dog wanted to join us.  Mark opened the door and she leapt to her feet.  She was eager to be out in the cool morning air.  "Uh, oh!  Wait!" I probably startled both husband and dog with my screech!  "SHE'S BLEEDING!"  This did not bode well at all.  Her bed was splattered with blood stains as was the floor and she was leaving a trail behind her.  I pulled her to me and checked.  Yep, blood was coming from her mouth. Poor Pup!  It was going to be a couple of hours before I could call our local vet and this bothered me.  Still, she bounded down the hillside to do her business and then was eager to go to the pier. She did NOT look sick but that blood just kept oozing out the side of her mouth.  Once on the pier, I was able to check her mouth a bit closer. Sure enough on the inside of her cheek there was what appeared to be a cut.  Hmmm...not sure where that came from.

  When I finally got in touch with the vet's office, they agreed to see her at 11am.  Wow, that was a long time but when the time came, she was excited to ride in the truck with Mark.  Ten minutes later, he called me with the news. "I am on my way to the pet hospital.  She needs more attention than the vet can give her."  Two hours, eight phone calls and nigh on $700 later, Mark brought her home.  She had stitches but that was not the troublesome part.  Her blood was not clotting.  She was one sick pup that could get a lot sicker.  The illness is worrisome because no one knows what is causing it.  The doctor suggested that she might have eaten rat poison but I feel there is no way possible for this to have happened.  She is always with me other than her quick run down the hillside AND we do not use rat poison.  

  This afternoon has been spent being a nursemaid to the old dog.  She needs the comforting that I give her and I need to feel that I am doing whatever I can to help her.  My night will be spent on the floor next to her encouraging her to rest, stroking her fur for comfort and popping pills into her mouth....and praying that whatever comes, I will be ready.  Get well, Ms. Ez.  We have a lot more hiking to do!

  Thank you, Mark, for being there for our old dog.  Thank you for understanding that not only did she need this care but I needed it for her.  You are my hero!

The "Do-Nothing" Day

  This was one of those days that warranted doing nothing...nothing at all.  Too bad that did not happen.  I was up bright and early peeling shrimp.  Mark had brought in another sixty pounds.  At least I did not have to head these..only peel.  As I whipped the peels from the critters, Son washed and bagged them for the freezer.  I informed Mark that this is the limit!  There is absolutely no more room in the freezers...yes, freezers.  I have four chest-type freezers plus the two small freezers above the refrigerators filled to capacity.  I cannot...will not...shall not need any more shrimp...nor shall our kids.  Seafood abounds in the Gulf so it does here as well.  Besides, I am tired of dealing with the stuff!  I never thought I would ever say that but I am.  At least until the shrimp move into the Bayou.  Then, as little as I need them, you will most likely find me on the pier throwing the net. 

  But, like I said, this day warranted being idle if for no other reason than it was hot.  It was far too hot to do many chores and definitely no outside work but I get real antsy sitting inside.  About one o'clock in the afternoon, Ms. Ez and I headed outside.  We wandered about the hillside for a bit when I noticed she was panting rather hard.  Mark had taken her for her annual checkup earlier and she received her shots so I imagine she was feeling a tad under the weather.  Well, that ended our hike. I made my way to the benches under the oak trees.  There we could sit in the cooling breezes from the Bay.  Ms. Ez eased herself up on one bench while I sat on the other.  She loves to rest on the old benches because it puts her high enough to see out over the water.  I rested my hand on the old dog's head and thought of how she has been around for quite some time.  We got her right after Hurricane Katrina. The family that had Ms. Ez's mama was going to kill some of a litter they allowed her to have.  Elizabeth could not stand the thought of that so she rescued the runt of the bunch.  Elizabeth named her Esmeralda. (I shortened this to Ez as it was easier to call.)  I have cared for this dog since she was a wee pup.  

  After a bit, Ms. Ez nodded off into a deep sleep.  She seemed to feel better and I guess that is one way to beat the heat.  Me?  I just sat beside her and continued to rub her ears.  Poor old dog.

Share and share alike!

  As a rule, tempers flare more often during the heat of the summer. There is just something about being miserably hot that also makes us "hot under the collar".  On the Bayou, we have more than our share of hot days and add to that extremely high humidity, well, you get some pretty uncomfortable days.  Now take two beings that are not extremely fond of each other and throw into the mix and that can spell trouble. This is why I found two of my critters in an rather unusual situation today.

  I walked into the living room on about one o'clock in the afternoon, to find Ms. Ez, the Bayou Dog, and Ms. Put, the Bayou Queen, sprawled out on the floor just inches from each other. On any other day, the two simply tolerate each other.  I am sure Ms. Ez would not mind being friends but the Bayou Queen simply does not abide by commoners. She would just as soon bite or scratch the "nothings'" heads clean off as look at them. The intolerable heat had made the two adversaries become mutually tolerant of one another.  This was the only space in the entire house that had a nice breeze and each wanted their share.

  I enjoyed the truce while it lasted.  Once Ms. Put realized that I was in the same room, she demanded that I open the door to let her escape. She put on airs and pretended to be miffed that she had been forced to share accommodations with a mere dog.  Ms. Ez, on the other hand, let the Queen pass undeterred.  As matter of fact, the old dog did nothing but thump her tail a few times and went back to snoozing.  

  Yep, it is only the first part of June and the heat has already changed attitudes here on the Bayou.  Hopefully, all attitudes will stay as peaceful as these two.  I guess there is really no reason to go fighting like cats and dogs....errr...well, you get the idea.

Self Help by the Bayou Dog

  I am beginning to wonder if Ms. Ez, the Bayou Dog, is smarter than I realize.  Sometimes she can do things that make me scratch my head and question whether she has any brains but then she will turn around and do something ridiculously brilliant.  At least brilliant for a dog who is not supposed to understand health issues and medications.  

  I have been drinking a lot of herbal tea as I try to ward off any colds, flu or sinus infections.  These things have all been making the rounds through family and neighbors but, so far, I have been fortunate.  I have remained healthy throughout the winter.  Whew!  My herbal tea is infused with a healthy dose of ginger root, whole cloves and star anise. All of these are remarkably helpful in fighting any of the above mentioned illness.  I usually drink several cups of tea each day.  In the late evening, I will bring the tea into the living room and set it on the coffee table to cool.  I might leave it sit there as I do a few more chores such as carry in an armload of firewood or stoke the fire.  Never once have I had a problem leaving it there.  Nothing has ever bothered my tea!

  I have always been proud of the old dog as Ms. Ez has never touched any food items that were not placed in her bowl. Look at that face! Would you ever dream that she might touch food or drink that was not designated just for her pleasure?  Yesterday, I had placed the tea on the coffee table like any other day and turned to stoke the fire.  While my back was turned, I heard lapping.  Huh?  I reeled around just in time to see the dog lapping up my herbal tea!  What had gotten into that goofy animal?  As soon as she noticed that I was watching her, she slunk back to her bed by the door.  She knew that she had crossed the line with this antic!  All in all, she drank over a cup of the delicious, warming tea.

  This trick of Ezzy's got me to thinking.  For the past few nights, I have noticed that she seemed to be a bit congested.  Last night, after her taking a goodly sized dose of my tea, she had no problem sleeping through the night.  There was no sniffling at all!  Did Ms. Ez know that the tea would help her?   I am not even sure that those ingredients are on the "safe" list for dogs but she evidently seemed quite sure that they might help her feel better.  I think I will have to ask her vet.  If none will hurt her, I might have just hit on a way to doctor the dog!  (Or, perhaps I should say, Ms. Ez hit on a way to doctor herself and, perhaps, I should not have scolded her!)

Visiting "Mom"

  Several years ago, I successfully raised two orphaned baby birds.  It had always been my intention of releasing the birds once they reached an age that they could fend for themselves.  Instead of constantly keeping them caged, I encouraged the birds to be outdoors.  They romped in the grass under the watchful eye of their "Mama", the Old Bayou Dog.  Ezzy would protect the little ones from any danger and when they felt threatened, they soon learned to race toward her. Nothing was going to hurt those babies!  Ms. Ez loved her little ones and they so loved her.  Then came the time when the baby mockingbirds were old enough to venture out on their own.  At first, Ms. Ez tried to search for her lost wards but after a bit, she learned the hard way that the time had come for the dreaded "empty-nest syndrome". The old dog moped a bit but soon moved on to other babies such as an orphaned possum.  Ahh, yes!  Her life had meaning once again.

  Today, I was out seeding the hotbed with peppers, when I heard Ezzy whine a bit.  I turned to see her wagging her tail and looking up in the nearby dead black gum tree.  Uh, oh....not another orphan!  My eyes followed hers and soon realized that she recognized a visitor.  Up in the tree was a mockingbird!  Either Shelby or Knox (the names attached to the two baby birds) had come back to visit their "Mom"!  As I stood there watching, the bird flew down to the wicker chair just inches away from the dog's face.  There the bird chirped some soft "words".   Ezzy whimpered and nosed closer.  I could not believe my eyes!  These two were trying to communicate!  I do believe that the bond was still there! I tried to slip past the duo and grab my camera but had little luck.  The mockingbird flew back up to its perch in the tree and Ezzy pranced about happily.  

  The mockingbird stayed in the garden area for the rest of the day.  Ms. Ez was not about to leave either so I just let the two of them be.  I guess "Mom" and "child" needed some time alone to catch up on all that had happened in recent months.  Later, I did notice that the bird decided to roost in the jasmine vine for the night.  If the two interact tomorrow morning, you can bet that I will have the camera ready!  This was one of the most heartwarming scenes that I have ever witnessed. Now..all you human kids out there.....GO CALL YOUR MOM!  If animals can visit their mothers, you surely can visit your mom, too!  It would make your mom's day so much brighter!

The Unhappy Camper

  Poor old Ms. Ez has not been doing so well this week.  Somehow the old Bayou Dog has injured her front paw and has to hobble about whenever she wishes to walk.  This is hard on a dog that is so accustomed to bouncing wherever she goes.  Now it is a painful experience to go down the steps and out to do her business.  She normally races down the hill to the far side of the yard every morning but this morning she stared at me with those big brown eyes almost begging not to go.  I relented and let her have access to the rose garden. There she would not have to roam several hundred feet just to find the perfect spot.  I figure that a shovel would take care of anything she left behind and the shorter distance might help her a bit.  

  The source of her injury is still a big question.  I can see no lesions on her paw just a good bit of swelling and a lot of redness.  It is possible that she stepped on a yellow jacket and received a nasty sting.  Ms. Put, the Bayou Cat Queen, suffered a similar fate just two weeks ago. Hers was a sting on the cheek which made it difficult to eat.  Several days later, she was fine.  Another possibility with Ms. Ez, is a spider bite. She has a tendency to bound right through tall grass and underbrush so any critter lurking within might have defended itself by clamping down on her foot.  A spider bite might be a bit more troublesome than the bee sting but that, too, will heal.  

  The paw will be watched and treated with antibiotic ointment for another day.  If no improvement is seen, a visit to the veterinary office shall be in order.  Ms. Ez is not one bit happy being confined to her bed. She longs to be out chasing squirrels and following me about the hillside.  Why!  Even our treks to the pier have been put on hold because of this injury.  She is not a happy camper...not at all.

They're Back! (And I am not happy!)

  Sometimes I wish that I was an expert on identifying mushrooms.  I am quite sure that some of the ones that pop up here and there on the hillside are edible.  I am just a tad uneasy about trying anything that I cannot positively identify.  For instance, there is a whole cluster of the fleshiest-looking mushrooms growing down near the pier.  I figure that they must be somewhat edible simply because the squirrels and rice rats nibble on them and I have not found any dead rodents lying about the place.  I have seen the squirrels tote the huge things up trees.  Why else would they bother carrying something that probably weighs more than they do?  I am tempted...tempted but still uneasy and I have another reason not to taste these fine specimens.  I am quite sure these would be the most unappetizing mushrooms.  Reason being, they smell bad..really bad..well, horrible.  Not so much when they first pop up out of the ground but a bit later when they start to wane. It is then that they acquire an odor not unlike three-day-old roadkill. 

  While out and about this afternoon, Ms. Ez decided that she should nose about on those very same mushrooms.  NOPE!  NO WAY!  NOT HAPPENING!  I am not having another night of a violently ill dog like a couple of years ago.  She had eaten some mushrooms down by the old oak tree and they just about killed her.  Son and I spent the entire night dosing her with herbs and pumpkin.  It worked, she lived and all was well.  Also...NOPE!  NO WAY!  NOT HAPPENING!  She was not going to roll in those stinky 'shrooms this time!  I had no desire to be in the same proximity of a foul-smelling dog.  Yep, she has done this before on several occasions and it is not something I wish to have repeated.  It takes several washings before that stench is overcome.  

  I yelled at her to "Leave those things alone!"   With that she barreled back up the hillside looking a mite sheepish.  I took a sniff and was wholly relieved to find that there was no vile stench emanating from her!  Whew!  I think we caught this in time!  For the next couple of weeks, I will have to keep a constant watch on the dog while we are out hiking.  She manages to find some of the most disagreeable things!  No wonder I like the cats so much!  They do not like to be smelly!

Scurry away, Little Rabbit!

   Ms. Ez, the old Bayou Dog, doesn't run or frolic near as much as she used to in the past.  As she ages, she is content to tag along behind me as I take my hikes.  Whereas we used to play fetch for hours on end, she now tires easily after about ten tosses.  Of course, when she chases the ball, it is at a breakneck speed both downhill and back uphill. After less than a dozen throws, she is exhausted and must head back inside to her bed.   She and I have resorted to leisurely hiking the hillside.  I have noticed that she even ignores the squirrels a good bit of the time.  This is something that she used to love doing but now, it is more of a chore.  I think the critters all realize this as they scamper to the nearest tree just to humor the old dog.  So goes the afternoon hike.

  One of the critters that we usually encounter as we make our way down the hill to the pier, is a tiny rabbit.  This little bunny was born early in the spring and is now fully on its own.  I guess our daily hikes have become so mundane to the rabbit that it has come to expect our visits.  It does not race away any longer and rarely even makes the effort to move off to the marsh.  Yesterday, I started tossing the ball to Ms. Ez.  She did her best to race down the hill to capture the bouncing ball before it reached the marsh.  Just out of curiosity, I kept tossing the ball nearer and nearer to the bunny.  Before long, Ms. Ez was practically stumbling over the rabbit during her chase.  Not once did the bunny hurry away.  It just kept munching grass.

  This lack of fear worries me a bit.  If the little rabbit has grown this accustomed to the big, lumbering dog, what about the coyotes or fox? Would the little bunny have sense enough to scamper to the safety of the marsh or would it just stand there assuming that the predator is just another Bayou Dog?  Oh, Ms. Ez, what have we done? Bunny, Bunny! Wise up!  Scamper away to the security that the thick marsh offers you! Do not become dinner for the coyote!