Wednesday, August 17, 2022

Spider And A Lot Of Other Stuff And Pictures For John Gray

 


This week's photo of Spider Woman, taken from a different angle. 

Phew! I did something today that gave me a bit of a sense of a reprieve from an anxious situation coming up. My annual meeting with the brilliant and personable Dr. Zorn was scheduled for August 23, which is next Tuesday. I have been quietly freaking out about this since July 1. I got my text reminder yesterday and it said that I had been scheduled to see his ARNP instead of him and it upset me. It's not that I don't trust ARNP's. I do. In fact I think that in many cases, you're better off seeing one of them than a physician. 
BUT, in this case, for an annual exam, I want to see my doctor. The man I've come to trust for many reasons, the one I feel most comfortable with. I NEVER go see him for any reason besides this yearly thing because honestly, I just don't get very sick. I mean, when I broke my ribs, I went and got an x-ray but that didn't involve going to his office and when I got appendicitis, it was on a Saturday and the office was closed and I went to an ER and needed immediate surgery so again, he wasn't really involved. 
Initially, I just sent the reply "confirm" to the reminder text because well, hell, let's just get it over with, right? But it nagged at me and I talked to Jessie about it and she agreed with me and said that I should call the office and reschedule when I can see him
And so I did. 
Honestly, they have the most wonderful, nicest lady who handles appointments. She's just so warm and understanding and she gave me an appointment with him AND IT'S NOT UNTIL THE END OF NEXT MONTH and you know- a comet could hit the earth before then, eliminating not only the need for that appointment but for every fiddly, diddly human problem on earth. 
I try to be optimistic about these things. 

Mr. Moon and I went to Monticello today to early vote. It was a little like a date. We held hands on the way in. That's a date, right? 

I took another hideous walk this morning. I really should get out earlier than I do but I'm not sure it would make that much difference. The temperature would be a few degrees lower but the fucking humidity would be the same and it would still be horrible. But it does fulfill my need to suffer daily as I have so often said, and my soul always feels a little lighter after I'm done. These are not long walks, y'all. Two, two and a half miles at a decent pace. I walk as fast as I can to get it over with. 

All right. Let's talk about chickens. As of this morning, we had six hens, Liberace, and one young one. I think the young one is a hen. We still have Dottie and we still have tiny Violet. She was on the nest again today. We have the grey chicken Gracie and a few others. Last night we got another teen-aged possum in the trap. There is a place in the trap where you can put a live chicken as bait and the fox will not be able to get it once it, too, is in the trap. We may end up having to do that but I really do not want to. As you can imagine, it would be horribly traumatic for the chicken, not only to be in a trap with a fox, but also being caught. But we have certainly been enjoying the motion-sensor camera recordings we're getting. I knew there was a lot of wildlife around here, I just did not realize how much. I do not know what we're going to do. One would think that keeping the chickens shut up at night would be enough but the fox seems to also hunt during the day. 
Needs must, I suppose. 

And so it goes. I took the trash, I watered the porch plants. I picked and shelled peas and they are cooking now. 

I commented last week on a post of John Gray's that his staircase in Wales looks a great deal like my staircase in Lloyd, Florida. He asked for a picture of mine and so here we are. 



As I said in my comment to him, they are not twins but very close cousins which is rather odd as we live so far apart. I am sure that there has been fanciness added to my staircase after it was originally built. Although my house is over 160 years old, his is much older, I am sure. 
Still, it is nice to think that we bloggers can share so very much whether experiences or hopes or dreams or staircases. 

Love...Ms. Moon



36 comments:

  1. I love the way that banister curls up. Lovely workmanship and so elegant.

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    1. It is, isn't it? A true craftsman did that, obviously.

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  2. That spider ... ugh! I suspect you go out and have a lovely little chat with her ...see how her days is going! 😲
    Can you get a chicken you don't know to use as fox bait?
    That staircase is beautiful! I don't think John's is that ornate.

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    1. We only speak when I'm watering the plants.
      I don't think anyone I know would lend me a bait-chicken. Interesting idea, though.
      John's isn't that ornate but the colors and shape remind me of mine.

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  3. That's a staircase to glide down in a big foofy dress.
    Red. With a fancy lace shawl trailing. Except if you did .a couple of cats would probably hitch a ride.

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    1. So true! We have actually held a few weddings here and one bride did pose on it. I love your image.

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  4. Lovely staircase.

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  5. Thank you for put a warning in the title of the post that will be a spider. I close my eyes and scroll past. How you feel about doctors is how I feel about spiders:)
    That is a gorgeous staircase. I didn't realize your house was two stories or that old. There was nothing around here but a Fort and maybe a few cabins that long ago.

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    1. You're welcome. I realize that we all have our phobias and many people's are spiders.
      Yes. Florida does have some fairly old houses. I am so lucky to live in one.

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  6. That's too bad about your chickens. Nature has its ways. I hope you can resolve the problem without traumatizing any chicks. I get what you said about preferring to see your doc over an ARNP. Which is funny as I'm an RN (BSN). You're right. Sometimes you're better off going to the nurse practioner, though in my case my Doc is wonderful and if it's something I'm quite concerned about.....I want to see him. Did you mention in one of your posts you went to nursing school? Good luck with the foxy situation.
    Paranormal John

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    1. Yes, I was a BSN as well. I've let my license lapse. And I would gladly go to the ARNP for something like a wound or a flu but for my annual, I want the Doc who knows me so well.

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    2. Yes, I totally agree with you. ARNP's are well trained and often listen better than doc's do. That's what we're trained to do. My experience with NP's has been excellent. If it's something I feel is of considerable concern, I want my doc. He's an excellent listener and superb practitioner. I got lucky! I meant to mention I LOVE your staircase. Love the pics of your home. Envious as this is someone who lives in a cookie cutter condo. Retired, but put my license in 'retirement'. It can sit. Next job is a 'greeter' at Walmart!
      Paranormal John

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  7. I wonder if the fox problem will ever be resolved. I hope!

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    1. I am afraid that the issue will be resolved when the damn fox has killed and eaten my last chicken.

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  8. Such a fancy woman spider! She is highly attractive.
    I prefer Nurse P's , they have more curiosity and time.
    They are more personable too. BUT I never use them unless something is bleeding or a bone is sticking out. I do not recall ever having a physical. I understand familiarity though, and seems that your doctor and you have a long time relationship. Rare!!

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    1. n some ways, the fox is an easy predator to protect against. However, in my experience, it only takes one slip-up—one forgetful moment or evening where you forget to lock up the coop that the fox sees and seizes its opportunity.

      In the interest of keeping your yard or pasture area a low-target zone, mow grass regularly and keep brush cut back to reduce the cover that foxes use while hunting. If your birds pasture some distance away from your home or any other regularly occupied human dwelling, make use of tall fencing with a buried perimeter. Better yet, enlist a guardian animal, such as a livestock guard dog, to protect your flock. Our family’s Retriever-Shepherd mix, Winnie, is hardly considered a guard dog breed, but she is big and loud, and she keeps predators away every time.

      Finally, note that electric fencing, in my experience, doesn’t seem to deter foxes very much: They’ll either slip between the lines or jump over it. They will also learn when it’s on and if and when it’s ever turned off.

      If foxes frequent your area or you know there’s a den nearby, pull out all the stops: Bury hardware cloth perimeters around the coop and run and lock your birds up each night when they retire for the day. In my personal flock, I’ve learned that these are the best precautions against the family of foxes that live on our property—once we moved out and non-dog-owning tenants moved in, they caught a glimpse of seven foxes playing in the backyard, feet from where our chicken coop stood! And as mentioned earlier, let your birds free-range with company only: Leave a chicken-friendly dog outside or be outside to watch them if you know that these predators are prevalent.

      Remember, foxes are clever and they’ll strike when your guard is down. They’re smart, and they learn quickly: Once they’ve had a taste of chicken, they’ll be back for more, again and again.

      This article first appeared in the November/December 2015 issue of Chickens magazine.

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    2. I love the fact that there even is a magazine called "Chickens."

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    3. I just can't keep my chickens penned up all day. For me, that would be torture. Perhaps not for the chickens but for me! And I'm sure as hell not getting a livestock dog or any other sort of dog for that matter. And so I guess I better just be ready to lose all my chickens because that fox definitely has a taste for them now. Fucker.
      Steve- there are so many people who keep chickens now.

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  9. that staircase......oh my. A thing of great beauty! Yours and Johns! Spider is gorgeous too....her web looks very *abstract* to say the least. And glad you got your appt. re-scheduled :-). for a while! fox.......oh, fox. Please go away. They are wily and hard to trap for a reason.......apex predators. so sorry.........
    Susan M

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    1. I think that Lady Spider had just caught some prey and wrapped it up and hadn't had time to repair her web. I'm sure she has it all back in order now. But good eye!
      I am really just now realizing how foxes got their reputations as being so wily and sly.

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  10. Lol I love the sweep of your staircase and always wanted one…I commissioned my staircase in 2006
    So it is in fact 16 years old

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    1. I think mine is original to the house but the trim, I believe, is much newer.

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  11. It's a beautiful staircase with a gentle curve to the right instead of a landing and an angle. My favourite staircase is in the main branch of my bank in the city, I don't think I'd be allowed to take a photo but I could ask.

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  12. That is a staircase worth buying the house for. I would love a staircase like that. Sadly I only have 5 steps so that isn't going to happen any time soon!
    I do hope you can fix the fox problem. And have you worked out what you will do with the damn thing if you ever catch it?

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    1. Strangely enough, the staircase wasn't my favorite thing about the house. I think just the presence of the house is what I love. But it is pretty.
      If we catch the fox, he/she will be transported far far away.

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  13. Such a fancy staircase! Your home has such character! Mine was built in the 1970s and since I am in a subdivision, there are quite a few models exactly like it! Not fancy, no character, but Home Sweet Home anyway!

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    1. These old houses certainly do have a lot of character and quirks, too, for that matter. But whatever a home looks like, it's where the heart is, right?

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  14. Thanks for the rundown on the chickens. I agree with you about putting a chicken in the trap as bait. That chicken would have PTSD! I hope you don't have to go that route, but I understand you've somehow gotta get this situation under control.

    Two and a half miles is a pretty long walk, it seems to me! I mean, it's not a hike, but it's long enough to be healthy.

    I love your fabulous staircase.

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    1. In this weather, two and a half miles is more than enough for this old woman.
      Come visit my fabulous staircase again soon!

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  15. 37paddington:
    Such a poetic staircase.

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  16. Those stairs are so gorgeous. I do love the little glimpses into other lives that blogging allows.

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  17. I gasped out loud when I saw that beautiful staircase! So so gorgeous

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.