Virtual Brush Box

Because in an alternate, non-colic timeline, Friday posts are about photography. While taking photos of the dogs, I had an inadvertent educational session concerning my phone. I dislike inadvertent educational sessions. [Rubber Ducky Day 2020, process notes]

Did you know that camera phones have focus lock?

Mine does.

Did you know that focus lock shows up as a big yellow circle on the screen?

I do now.

The dog dude of the family washed both dogs while I documented the process, which is a fancy way of saying I took photos while he did all of the work. So my mind was on taking photos quickly and staying out of the way. I noticed that the photos were dark but I figured, ‘Meh, we’re indoors. It’s gonna be a little dark. I don’t want to take time to check how the photos are turning out. What it that yellow circle doing over there?’

GONG!

Got rid of focus lock. Room was plenty bright. Missed most of Jasmine’s bath. Phooey.

[The Dogs Have A Spa Day]

Onwards!
Katherine

Bath time! Rose is dubious.

A separate room.

Everything you could want, at waist level, with warm water.

Your ride is here.

A clean Jasmine

Jasmine had citrus for degreasing and Espree for whitening. Rose had the same with a dash of oatmeal.

Soapy Rose.

Rinsing Rose.

Drying Jasmine.

More drying, Rose this time.

Industrial grade hair trap.

A pedicure and we are good to go.

Onwards!
Katherine

Explanation. We have a horse on stall rest following colic surgery. This has taken over the blog. Mostly. [Begin, Phase III]

Week 8 post surgery
Week 2 of paddock rest

Horse is injured. Feed more! He needs strength! He needs to gain back the weight he lost!

Horse is confined. Feed less! Extra calories will bubble out his ears! Limit the stall frolics!

Onwards!
Katherine

The night photos are from the Babylon, Chaos, & Muses Parade. The day photos are from Endymion. Photos by Michelle Duplichien.

Borders & watermarks added. Thank you, Michelle!

Rabbit Hole

Uptown Messenger: Rolling tonight: Watch the weather ahead of Babylon, Chaos and Muses, February 16, 2023
Mid-City Messenger: Here’s what you need to know before Endymion rolls, February 18, 2023
Human Society of LA: Mardi Gras Horse Adoption

Past Mardi Gras Posts

[Mardi Gras Beads III] 2022
[Mardi Gras Beads II 2021
[Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler] 2020
[Throw Me Something, Ma’am, Guest Photos] 2019
[Mardi Gras Parades, A Guest Post] 2018

Generous Previous Guest Posts

[Travel Posts & Cat Photos & More by Michelle D.] List of links

Onwards!
Katherine

Explanation. We have a horse on stall rest following colic surgery. This has taken over the blog. Mostly. [Begin]

Eighth week post surgery
Two weeks at clinic DONE
Four weeks of at-home stall rest DONE
One week of paddock rest DONE
Starting week 2 of four weeks of paddock rest
Still to go, four weeks pasture rest

Everyone is fine.

We had our first post-surgery medical incident. Milton nicked the front of his rear pastern while rolling. Hopped right up. Alarming amount of blood that stopped quickly. No discernible effect to belly, which was closely inspected.

Tapped one foot with the other while on his back flinging his feet about? Stepped on it while getting up? Stiff in his abs & hind end so he couldn’t get the leg out of the way in time? Who knows.

Foot was fine. Minimal swelling. No further bleeding. Bandage overnight to keep it clean.

I thought he was in a mood all morning. Sort of how when you are ill, you get tired, and you don’t handle setbacks as well as you do when you are 5 by 5. I could have been projecting.

In the afternoon, he pulled his minder all over the field.

Milton is fine. His people are a wee bit traumatized.

Onwards!
Katherine

Explanation. We have a horse on stall rest following colic surgery. This has taken over the blog. Mostly. [Begin]

Finishing week 7 post surgery
Finishing week 1 of paddock rest

… and as soon as I brag on Rodney, he makes a liar out of me.

Or does he?

In yesterday’s post, I said that Rodney does not go out of sight of the barn. [SRC 18 Feb, Listening To Milton]

I drafted & scheduled the post on Friday afternoon. No sooner had I done so, we let Rodney out & he wanders off. Milton alternated between eating bites of alfalfa and staring into the distance in full Giraffe Alert Mode.

We could see Rodney off by the ring. It’s not clear if Milton could see Rodney or if Rodney was hidden by the trees from Milton’s viewpoint. Either way, this was as far as Rodney has gotten from the barn since Milton has been home.

Eventually, we couldn’t stand it & yelled for Rodney. He came galloping back. Ran hither and thither a bit. Milton had cookies shoveled at him while this was going on. Finally, Rodney zoomed into the barn. I’m here! I’m here!

Possibility. Rodney has been excellent about staying with Milton. As Milton feels better. Rodney is willing to go farther away. A random artifact of timing? We are being anthropomorphic? Or there are elements to herd dynamics that we, as non-herbivores, do not understand?

Onwards!
Katherine

Explanation. We have a horse on stall rest following colic surgery. This has taken over the blog. Mostly. [Begin]

Week 7 post surgery
Week 1 of paddock rest

One of the the daily activities around here is to give Rodney time out in the pasture. Fortunately (!!), he chooses to stay in sight of the barn and therefore in sight of Milton. Between this and being bribed with a flake of alfalfa in a slow-feeder haynet, Milton endures the abandonment.

Rodney generally wanders back in after an hour or so.

While he is out, I either do chores, or sit in the run-in area and read. Since the entire goal of the project is to keep an eye on Milton, I should sit were I can see him, right? However the most comfortable place to sit is leaning up against the wall of the stall. The one place I can’t see his fluffy gray butt.

I have discovered that while I can’t see Milton, I can hear him. Sitting on a stool and leaning against the stall wall means my ear is only a few feet from Milton’s snoot munching away on the other side of a plank of wood. Since he’s eating yummy alfalfa, the rhythmic chomping doesn’t stomp. Or it shouldn’t. If I does, I can stand up and make sure Milton isn’t stressing.

Sound. The underappreciated sense.

Onwards!
Katherine