Fleas, ticks, heartworm, and tires

I headed out this morning with a list of errands to run.  The tire place was my first stop.  Being a Saturday, it was very busy.  So, I made an appointment to have the work done tomorrow at 10:30.  That sure beats waiting around four hours for them to pull the car into the shop.    This guy didn’t think I needed four new tires like Wal-Mart did.  They’ll also check the alignment, and rotate the tires.  I do know I’ll need to replace at least one of them.

 

Next stop was the Pet Connection.  I wanted to get another year’s supply of heartworm meds, and flea/tick treatment for Emma.  Other places I’ve been required that she has a well dog check-up and heartworm test usually to the tune of at least $100.  I’ve never quite understood that requirement.  She’s been on the heartworm pills year round for three years.  Seems to me if she needs a test to see if she has heartworms, that means the meds don’t work in the first place.  Thank goodness that at this vet’s place all I had to do was prove she’s been on continuous medication.  I, of course, had brought all of her records along with me.  $240 later, I walked out with a year’s supply of both meds.  I’m thinking maybe Emma ought to get a job to help pay for that kind of stuff. 

 

Back at the ranch after another stop or two, I took Emma out for a walk around the Dees Trail.  It’s been several days since we’ve done this trail, and things change quickly around here.

The yellow pitcher plant leaves are maturing.  Doesn’t that look like red veins of blood developing?  I just think these plants are so interesting.

As the yellow pitcher plant blooms begin to fade, a new variety of pitcher plant is sending up blossoms.

The blossoms of this variety are red, and their leaves are more flat.  (Is that called spatulate?)  The leaves will change their appearance as the spring moves on, but I’m not sure I’ll be here long enough to observe that.

I got a better picture of the candyroot today.  The color of the blossom depends on how much moisture there is in the soil.  Orange blooms indicate a more moist soil than the yellow blooms.  Perhaps you’ll remember that the roots of this plant smell like peppermint; hence the name.

I spent yesterday giving the new volunteers a tour of all the trails, and showing them the pens where the captive raised cranes are released back onto the refuge.  I haven’t been back to this cypress swamp area since the trees have greened out.  We didn’t see any cranes, but there is a pair nesting at the top end of this wetland.  We only stopped briefly so as not to disturb them.

 

Thanks for stopping by…. talk to you later,  Judy