Muddy colors

Fall is slowly coming to Western North Carolina. I don't think the trees are ready to give up their summer color just yet. I love how the tips of a branch will be bright red or yellow while the rest of the tree is stoic green. We drove along the Blue Ridge Parkway the past weekend to see the colors in the higher elevations. The day was overcast. Even along the parkway there was lots of green in the landscape. The yellow, red, golds were there, but muted. I think the long drought has had an effect on the fall colors, too.


Our poor pond is still a muddy puddle. At least there is some water for the wildlife.

Fall color peaking through the green

The night time temperatures in the lower elevations of the Western North Carolina mountains are cooling signaling the trees and vines that fall is here. I wonder how the colors will be this fall with the low rain fall of the past summer. The few leaves that have turn stand out against the green leaves and dark trunks.

Sky's hurt paw

Sometime Monday afternoon Sky tore her dew claw on her left front paw. I do not know how she tore it. She came inside around 6 P.M. and I noticed she was licking her left front leg a great deal. She let me look at it. The claw was at a funny angle and I could see the quick of the claw. Since it wasn't bleeding we decided she could wait until morning to see the vet.

We have a wonderful veterinarian who is part of a equally wonderful clinic. The vet we usually see was not in on Tuesday, so Sky saw another doctor of the practice. They gave her a local anesthetic and removed the damaged claw. She was a good girl and polite to everyone there. She was very happy to get home and relax a bit. She came home with her paw wrapped in a teal bandage with stars.


You could tell it hurt her. I really like that the vet always manages pain in our dogs. I think some neglect that. Animals tend to be stoic and not show when they hurt. That doesn't make the pain less. Pain medication was sent home with Sky. It seemed to help as she did not mess with her bandage much. It was wrapped tightly to stop any bleeding. The vet hoped she would keep the bandage on until morning.


Sky is a great patient and kept the bandage on and did not mess with it. We removed it and put a clean pad and bandage on. She is feeling better, but still isn't up to chasing her ball. The claw will grow back, but it is going to take some time.