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Monday, April 18, 2011

Up and down

K and I had a mountain bike ride that mixed snow and dirt, clouds and sun, and sleepiness and energy. Here was one of K's down moments, while she guarded my back as I checked a wildlife camera. I truly appreciate her doing this guard duty when I'm checking cameras that mountain lions visit regularly.
Then, as we rode under the steelshot gray skies, I spotted a partial rainbow over the mountains. You can see it to the right of K in the photo below.
In the warm weather since our big snow, the flowers have had a spring party. Pasqueflowers are popping up everywhere.

But, I've never mentioned that K has a vendetta against Pasqueflowers. Because they're our first flower of the year, I tend to fawn over them, getting down on the ground to look at them closely and photograph them. K doesn't like me paying so much attention to anything besides her.

So, she beheads them. Literally, as she runs past one, she bares her razor sharp teeth and bites off the flower. She spits it out in the grass and runs onward, pleased with her destruction of these flowers that distract me from focusing on her. As you might imagine, I completely freak out, telling her that she should never again behead a beautiful Pasqueflower. My lectures have never had much effect on her, and the Pasqueflower destruction has continued.

So, today, I tried a new strategy after five springs in a row of K beheading Pasqueflowers. I had her lie down next to one while I photographed it. I gave her tons of treats as I looked at the spring flower. My hope was that she'd start to see Pasqueflowers as a good thing in her world - they cause her to get a lot of treats! I'm sure that we have a long way to go... but, for today, she didn't behead any of my favorite flowers!
After I left K at home, I went out for a leisurely ride, stopping to enjoy the small signs of spring along my route. As I passed a small willow tree, a buzzing sound overwhelmed me. I screeched to a halt, and I saw that the willow catkins had begun to produce pollen. Fortuitously, or due to the incredibly precise timing of nature, bees had emerged for the first time this spring and were hovering all around the tree, diving into the pollen dust like a dog dives into a bowl of ice cream.
The willow was a literal beehive of springtime activity. I smiled.

A little later, I spotted my first Aster flower of the year. I don't know what species it is but it's a tiny one, and always blooms very early in spring.
Those two small things, the willow tree and the aster flower, made me smile throughout my ride.

Unfortunately, I arrived home from my ride to discover that K has a full-blown urinary tract infection. These infections invade her body regularly due to a congenital defect. Using preventive measures, we've reduced their frequency to about once or twice a year. She now has antibiotics and pain medications in her system and seems subdued but less uncomfortable. That's a good start.

20 comments:

  1. Hehehehe...Uh, I hads to laugh at K beheadin' da flowers. I mean, it ain't funny furs you but, da vision I hads of her doin' dat was priceless!
    I hope hers is feeling betters withs da drugs. It's no fun to be sickie especially withs Spring arrivin'.

    Puddles

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  2. That is too funny about the flowers. When we first planted flowers here they would get beheaded and we were sure it was hooligans until we spotted some deer eating them.

    Nice to have a lab watching your back.

    Mango Momma

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  3. Lovely photos! That's so funny about K beheading the flowers. :)

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  4. I like your approach to the flower destruction dilemma. I bet those treats will help change her attitude. I'm happy you're finally seeing some signs of spring. Some of that grass I saw sure was green! I hope K's infection clears up quickly. P.S. - I'm so glad we've reconnected. Moving to WordPress was a challenge. It's a good thing I like challenges. :)

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  5. Smart K - get rid of anything that interferes with Mom paying attention to ME!!! Hope the treat trick works. But sorry about the UTI - hope it responds quickly to the meds and your loving care.

    Missed yesterday's posts, interesting correlation between her thyroid and fear, never would have thought of that.

    Good to see all those wonderful signs of spring there. Here it is rain, more rain, t-storms, and the risk of bad stuff. But this too shall pass.

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  6. We are going to try the bite the flower and run trick
    Snuggles
    Benny & Lily

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  7. I don't picture K as a flower deheader at all! LOL!
    The pictures of Spring are beautiful and brought a smile to my face!

    Hope K feels better soon:)

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  8. I'd never peg K for a flower beheader! It just doesn't seem like her nature at all, but I know we all have our nemeses. Just tell her I said no flower could be as pretty as she is!

    I'm sorry about the UTI. Those are miserable for everybody. I know she has to be on a very restricted diet, but can she drink cranberry juice for relief?

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  9. K is sooooo khlever!

    Sorry about her UTI's return -

    I had shared some of your preventative measures with a transport pal (LAB fan) -

    Paws crossed for K!

    Nice rainbow shot!

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  10. Hey there KB
    I'm sorry to hear about yet another 'downer' for K. Hopefully this time, it will be a quick recovery.
    You know, I think I vote that you are the world's best 'Macro'-photographer! Those pictures are INCREDIBLE! You should publish a coffee-table book.
    Sending lotsaluv
    MAXMOM IN SOUTH AFRICA

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  11. Oh no K! Hope the meds do some quick work.
    Your wildflower closeups are wonderful! The photo and story of K and the Pasqueflowers! Sounds like this spring you have a great plan for K...she'll love these flowers in no time :)

    Sweet hugs,
    Sierra Rose

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  12. Poor K. She is looking very aristocratic in the top photo.

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  13. sorry to hear about the infection.
    lovely to see your flowers, you are so far ahead of us in Spring!

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  14. Do I need to send Lucinda to have a "talk" with K? Those beautiful Pasques beheaded! Your photos are fantastic - love the rainbow behind K. Finally got rain here in the city - we needed it. Hope K's bladder feels better soon - I've had those infections and they HURT.

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  15. Hi Y'all,

    K, the object is to smell the flowers, not behead them. Your Human will take all kinds of pictures with you checkin' out the blossoms.

    Works for me.

    I had a UTI once. It wasn't any fun and I felt miserable. Fortunately the meds had me feeling my old self quick. Hope you're feelin' great really quick.

    My Human hasn't seen those beautiful blooms before. We loved the pictures.

    K looks so serious while she's on guard.

    Thanks for stoppin'.

    Y'all come back now,
    Hawk aka BrownDog

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  16. The early wildflowers are always a treat. Gorgeous photographs!

    So sorry about K. Hope it clears up soon without any problems.

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  17. Nasty UTI...hope K is feeling better now! Treats seem to be the answer to K's decapitation mode...keep up the beh. mod.and tell K not ot be so jealous!

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  18. I love the photo of the flower and the bee. Had to sit and gawk at it for awhile. My Latte has some sort of skin infection and is on antibiotics for that. Hasn't seemed to slow her down at all. Hope her itchiness ends soon and K is also recovered.

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  19. I hope K feels better now.
    Do you know what? I bite the heads off little itty bitty daisy like flowers in my grass,
    I am not supposed to,, but sometimes I sneak a few
    Your photos are so beautiful
    love
    tweedles

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  20. UTI's are the pits...Arwen was plagued by them about a year ago until we realized her urinary sphincter was weak and put her on meds to compensate. Lots of trial and error, but now she's as right as rain (bad analogy, I suppose)

    The flower decapitation is pretty funny, albeit sad. I think your treats trick will work though!

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