Lions in the Barnyard
I think this is Myrtle’s last winter. She is hacking, which is tempting to think is a bronchial issue from the damp cold weather. As it’s not responding to treatment, however, I suspect it’s a sign she’s having difficulty clearing her cud because her teeth are going. She is, at minimum, a ten year old […]
In the Night Corral
Insomnia has been with me all my life, a relic of lying awake keeping wary vigil over my alcoholic father. I have developed strategies and drawn myself maps to navigate sleep, and some of them work sometimes. Like most adaptations within a living system they have to be adjusted constantly. They can’t be set once […]
Lions in Mendocino
I was awake at 5am, feeding thin sticks into my newly kindled fire, when my phone pinged. My neighbor was asking for help. A mountain lion had attacked their goats, and they wanted to know if I could bring my medical bag. I headed out the door and walked through the blue predawn to their […]