Many know I do not go to the Dr. for anything unless it is absolutely unavoidable. This article contains some interesting information regarding the multi million dollar heartworm preventative industry. I’ve been dosing my Maggie with Heartgard at about $35.00 for a six month supply. I like the idea of saving money, eliminating the unnecessary blood test, and most of all reducing the frequency of exposing Maggie to the toxic heartworm preventative. Check it out: Terrierman’s Daily Dose -.
These guys will be happily strutting around in my pasture today. I don’t think they realize just how lucky they are. Wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving!
How many times in our lives do we think we deserve more than we were given? We are settling for Joe, when Johan is out there waiting for us. You see, Joe and Johan are not the same.
What happened to all the fun? Youthful smoke mellowed days of partying with friends and letting the sun bake your skin to a deep golden bronze while blasting Zeppelin at ear-piercing decibels. Reckless and carefree without the slightest thought of future skin cancer, potential liver damage or permanent hearing loss. Living with no rules, no regard and no regrets. Thinking only of yourself.
And by the way, what happen to my fairy tale? The one where I find the perfect Mr. Right, we make our fortune, live in a beautiful home and have the perfect life. Where is my piece of the pie? Are the times to Carpe Diem really over? Is this all I get?
I struggled with publishing this post, feeling apprehensive about showing this negative side of myself. Then I realized feeling discontented with life is no new thing. From the Bible to Shakespeare to Steinbeck to the Hollywood big screen, many have lamented over the cards they have been dealt. In the movie The Family Man, Nicolas Cage plays Jack Campbell, a successful Wall Street Executive bachelor who gets to see what his life might have been like had he given up his perfect life and stayed with his old sweetheart. Much like George Bailey in It’s A Wonderful Life, Jack encounters an angel on Christmas Eve who offers him the opportunity to see life from another path. After a shocking wake up call on Christmas morning in middle class suburbia, wearing Walmart sweat pants and surrounded by all the other mediocre trappings of normal family life, Jack flees back to the city only to discover his former perfect life is nonexistent.
Upon returning to his bland middle class life, he encounters his now wife Kate who rips into him for leaving his family on Christmas day, letting him know how frantic she has searched for him. Jack replies “Look, you don’t understand. I woke up this morning here. And this is very strange because… this isn’t my house… And those aren’t my kids… I’m not Dad… You’re not my wife.”
Sometimes I look at my own life and think what happened to me? As I am surrounded by the cracking plaster on the 50 year old walls of our country home. The badly patched hole in the ceiling, the unfinished crown molding and the wood floor that still lacks a threshold. The leftover casualties of the countless DIY projects my husband eagerly starts, but never seems to finish. I look at the lines on my 50 year old face, the gray in my hair and I do not recognize my own reflection in the mirror. Who is that person looking back at me? I look at my daughters, now in their twenties, and think that’s who I am. I should be out living it up!
I’m not this older woman looking back at me. Frazzled and twenty pounds overweight, trying to manage my household while working and caring for my own elderly parents. As I am dealing with my parent’s multiple medical issues, doctor’s appointments, bills that need to be paid and trying to determine how to handle the next ball I’ve been given to juggle; I see my family go about their daily lives and I want to scream “I need to be taken care of!” “I’m hanging on by a thread here!” “Dear God, please give me another life!”
Then a somber reality hits me like a ton of bricks and just like George Bailey and Jack Campbell, I realize I would be nothing without them. An empty shell. A dried husk. A tumbleweed blowing in the wind. They are my roots. My anchor in the storm and my nourishment after the rain. They are my Zuzu’s petals. My reality and my reason for being. They are my destiny.
So I shamefully fall to my knees and ask forgiveness for being so selfish. Then say a prayer of thanksgiving for all that I have. I get up, wash my face, then wash the 8,968th load of laundry and smile as I ask “What are you hungry for tonight?” Because the simple fact is I am blessed beyond measure and cherish the life I’ve been given.
When it’s all said and done, I still choose us and it is a wonderful life…
Most spider bites are harmless and require little or no treatment, except perhaps an antiseptic swab or anti-itch cream. However, there are four types of spiders commonly found in much of the United States whose bites can have more drastic effects and infections. The four spider bites most individuals need to be especially wary of are those of the black widow, the brown recluse, the hobo spider, and the yellow sac spider.
Brown Recluse Spider – Wikipedia
The brown recluse spider is native to the United States and found mainly in the central Midwestern states southward to the Gulf of Mexico (see map). It is also called the fiddleback spider due to the dark violin shaped marking appearing on the spider’s back. 
At our country home, we’ve had our share of insect bites and I’ve been bitten by a brown recluse spider twice before. Both times the bite grew to golf ball size, became infected and required a trip to my Dr. for wound debridement and a round of antibiotics. In both instances, I was left with an ugly dark-colored scar.
About a week ago, my 21-year-old daughter Caitlin showed signs of being bitten by a brown recluse spider. The spider is not aggressive and will only bite if it feels threatened. They like to hide in dark snug places and will crawl into clothing left on the floor, and occasionally will get into your bedding.
Brown recluse spider bites often go unnoticed initially because they are typically painless bites. Symptoms usually develop two to eight hours after a bite.
Victims may experience these symptoms:
Initially the bite site is mildly red and upon close inspection may reveal fang marks. Most commonly, the bite site will become firm and heal with little scaring over the next few days or weeks. Occasionally, the local reaction will be more severe with reddening and blistering, sometimes leading to a blue discoloration, and ultimately leading to a necrotic lesion and scarring. Signs that may be present include:
Caitlin initially presented with reddening of the skin, severe pain at bite sight, severe itching and mild blistering. After doing some research, I decided to create the following home remedy:
Aspirin
Vodka
Baking Soda
Gauze Pad
First Aid Tape (for sensitive skin use the paper type)
I melted 1 aspirin in 1 teaspoon vodka. Then added enough baking soda to make a thick (toothpaste consistency) paste. If the paste is too thick, add more vodka. Gently apply a thick coating of the paste on and around the spider bite. Cover the area with a gauze pad and tape in place with first aid tape. I repeated this treatment morning and night for about three days. Within the first 8 hours the pain and itch had greatly subsided. By the third day, the bite had opened and the venom began to ooze out in a clear/bloody discharge. (If at anytime the bite showed signs of infection, I would have promptly taken Caitlin to our Dr. for treatment.) The bite was still somewhat red and you could feel a lump under the skin about the size of a large marble, but there was little to no pain. Once the bite opened and drained, I stopped using the paste and started using triple antibiotic ointment.
Now, a little over a week later, the wound is completely healed and doesn’t show any signs of scarring. I’m sure this remedy would work on most painful insect bites.
Disclaimer: You can use home remedies to treat spider bites, but if bitten by a poisonous spider, it is highly recommended that you also seek medical attention to treat the spider bite before your symptoms get worse.
My beautiful girls, perfectly captured by an amazing and insightful Texas artist and photographer. To see more of Matthew’s work, please visit his website by clicking ENTER below.
“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”
― Mother Teresa
Being a big old hippie at heart, I’m all about peace and love. I have been so blessed on this new blogging journey and I sincerely want to send out a great big THANK YOU to all the wonderful and talented writers and artists I have had the opportunity and honor of getting to know, and ultimately calling my friends. These amazing people have graciously chosen to follow and support my eclectic little blog by leaving encouraging comments and even nominating me for various awards.
In recognition and affection, rather than passing on an existing award, I’ve decided to create my own Share the Love Award. I’m a nonconformist (shocker) and hate following rules; therefore, there are no rules to follow in accepting this award. Feel free to pass it on if you want to. I just wanted to say thank you and let you know how much I appreciate your talent, support and endless encouragement.
If anyone reading this post does not already follow these amazing people, please check them out and Share the Love! I promise you won’t be disappointed. Drum roll please… and the nominees are:
Cara at This Little Light and Awakening Foster Kelly
Dor at Virginia Views
George at The Fuzzy Photo and She Kept a Parrot
Pauline at Newfoundland Traveller
Michael at The Blissful Adventurer
Bente Haarstad at Bente Haarstad Photography
Jonell at The Coastal Crone
Stefan at Maxima
Kellie at Food to Glow
Mark at Tracks in the Dust
Thanks again for making my life a little more colorful, my friends!
Sunfire sparkling on the Pedernales River
Soaring a red-tailed hawk on the wing
Cedar and Cypress perfume dance on the water
Bull frog on the bank calling out to his love
Fireflies flicker in the wildflower valley
Cicada chorus singing their lullaby song
Whippoorwill lamenting a nightbird’s serenade
Hill Country Sonata playing my memory’s tune
Bending my heartstrings like a sweet lover’s touch
And calling me back to those hills that I love
