eagerly awaiting the first day of fall

It's been crazy here the past few weeks. A logging truck hit my parked truck (thankfully I was not in it!) and the next day two of our cats were diagnosed with cytauxzoonosis, which is a tick-borne disease that originates in the bobcat. Thankfully the protozoa don't infect other animals or humans, but the survival rate for the disease is less than 60% and the only treatment that works is done by our local vet school ICU, so off Pixie and Mystic went for 7 and 5 days each.

We visited daily and when they got well enough to finish their 10 days of treatment at home, we gratefully took over the every 8 hour medication schedule including heparin injections. 

They are finished now and doing really well. The whole cat and Corgi crew are now wearing Seresto collars in spite of my concern over the chemicals. Cytauxzoonosis is truly scary - very quick onset and it goes downhill very very fast. Just so you know, if you have bobcats around, the first symptoms are lethargy and loss of appetite, very sudden high fever, and jaundice, which tends to be a later symptom. 

We are so relieved our two sweet cats did so well with their treatments, and grateful our local vet worked us in on a busy Saturday morning and nailed the diagnosis so very quickly. 

Today was the first day in two weeks that I didn't have a long list of things to do. So I marched out to the barn and tacked up Keil Bay and we got back to our riding, which has been off the schedule for several months now, mostly because of heat and biting insects. But our days are cooler, the horse flies are getting sluggish, and it was time.

We walked and walked and the donkeys tagged along behind us. We finished up with a very little bit of trotting to make sure everything was working well, and it was, so we'll build things back slowly and hopefully by first frost we'll be fully back in gear. 

I do not know what to make of the fact that Keil Bay is 25 years old, still. He had his chiropractor here a couple of weeks ago and she said he was almost totally clear. He enjoyed what she did, but it wasn't much! I felt so happy to swing my leg over his back this morning and settle into the saddle. We rode in his bitless bridle and the wind blew his long mane and all the years we share between us melted away. I could be 15 and he could be 5. 

But we're both glad we're not, I think. :)

I hope everyone is happy and healthy and ready for a new season! 

just say no to Clinton Anderson's aggressive training methods

What people do to animals says more about them than anything else. 

If you have a horse you can't handle, for the sake of all that is holy, find someone who understands horses and their behavior. Find someone who embraces enlightened horsemanship and progressive methods.

CA is not that. CA doesn't know HOW to be that.

If you can't find someone who utilizes respect and kindness, humane methods and a calm demeanor, get in touch. I'll do my best to help you find someone.

Don't let anyone who views horses as the enemy near your horse. You both deserve better.

August on the hill

We've had a wild week here. Husband was in the mountains taking landscape photographs and the gravel road beneath the Honda Element collapsed. He rolled 40 feet off the edge and was amazingly saved by the tree saplings which slowed the vehicle and a tree that stopped it, although upside down.

The seat belt held him safely, several windows were broken out, and he was able to climb out and get back to the road where a kind passerby took him to the nearest town for help.

The Element had close to 250k miles and it has been an amazing car. It's gone now and we're looking for the next vehicle. 

The morning after all of the above happened, I woke up to my entire herd on high alert in the front pastures. I went out to check on them and didn't see or hear anything. About 15 minutes later a neighbor's entire herd (four horses, a pony, and two goats) came galloping up our driveway. For about twenty minutes it was total chaos here. My five and those seven were all running and snorting and squealing and the neighbors who own them were not answering their phone. 

Fortunately another neighbor and her husband helped and the herd got home with no mishap.

Today, my brilliant teens are discussing quantum mechanics and calculus and piano and college. Husband, thankfully safe and sound, just brought home a new round bale of hay, photos of newborn piglets. It is mercifully cool outside, overcast and still cloudy, and the needed rain has come to an end. 

Summer's nearing its end. I'm getting ready to plant the fall garden and have four elderberry bushes to plant along the front fence.

And oh! I have forgotten to mention that we've joined in a county-wide solar purchase group and are waiting for our solar assessment for the house and barn. I'm really excited about the possibility of getting the barn entirely off the grid. 

Surprised By An Elephant/ July column is up at Talk2TheAnimals

You can go here to read it:

http://talk2theanimals.net/surprised-by-an-elephant

FREE BOOKS!! donkeys and the writing life, how could you go wrong?

Through Wed. July 30th, two of my books are free on Amazon:

Little Shoppe of Colors, 1, Search For Fox Hunting Red, is an adorable picture book for children of all ages who love donkeys and the adventures they take. Of course you all know who inspired it! Get this now and be ready for books 2 and 3 when they come out. My illustrator is amazing and it's entirely due to her skill that these stories come alive. 

http://www.amazon.com/Search-Hunting-Little-Shoppe-Colors-ebook/dp/B00ATFMXPG/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1406552982&sr=8-6&keywords=billie+hinton

Don't Miss The Magic is my book of essays on the writing process, and it gives tips for not only writers, but creative artists of all kinds. Some readers have said it is a book for people in general. 

http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Miss-Magic-Writing-Process-ebook/dp/B009QO0BYQ/ref=la_B004KI0QS4_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406553255&sr=1-1

As always, if you do download these and enjoy them, reviews are most appreciated. 

And if you want to get on my newsletter list, look to the sidebar on the right and click to sign up. I send out regular (monthly or less) updates with news about my books and my writing here on November Hill. I would love to have you join me!