Welcome to the Garden Spot: Sending You our Holiday Wishes for A Joyous Season

Some time ago, Sundance fell. We don't really know when or how, but he was badly hurt and lame in his right hind quarter. Jennifer sought the veterinary clinic and the round of tests and exams began, followed with attempts at physical therapies. The diagnosis was a broken pelvis. The vet felt that he would heal with stall rest where he was confined for six weeks.

Months of lameness followed. It was painful to watch him as he'd take his daily walk to the front pasture. Some days he wouldn't even attempt the walk. Other days he'd only go half way. He was put on Prevacox, a arthritic anti inflammatory for dogs, but it didn't seem to help much. He went on CBD oil and we thought that he made some improvement then we changed brands and he had a set back. Jennifer tried acupuncture, chiropractic, and massage therapy but the cost became a burden and didn't seem to be working. Last summer he was so crippled that the end was inevitable . Both the veterinary and the farrier' recommended putting him down. The vet prescribed short term a powerful pain reliever that would hard on his stomach to make him comfortable until the decision could be made.

Sundance's movement began to improve slightly. He still was terribly lame, but he didn't seem to be in pain, nor did he show signs of stomach distress. Now months later he has improved noticeable. Jennifer found a therapist who does an electromagnetic treatment combined with massage; thus the white hose that you see over his back delivers the electric current. It seems hocus-pocus, unless you've had any chiropractic work done, you will understand the concept of using electric current to open pores to improve blood flow, especially to the injury. Along with the magnetic treatment, Nicole does massage on the sore muscle tissue. He really is sore all over because he has to compensate for the damage done to the hind quarter.

Finally after several treatments, Sundance shows improvement. He will always limp, but now his gait seems more fluid, easier. The old boy still has spirit and would love to run out to his favorite grazing spot, and he tries. It is that effort that lets us know that he feels better and that his treatments are bringing him some relief.

Jennifer is very thankful that she has found Nicole who patiently and lovelingly works on Sundance. At first he refused to recognize that she was trying make him fell better, ignoring her. Now he seems to welcome her therapy. Horses have a way telling us what they are thinking.

Realistically we know that one day that very hard decision will have be made, but this 24 year old boy is going to be around a while longer, a lot longer, we hope.

His ears are forward. He's enjoying his massage.

When the sun goes down, the lights come on. We've put lights on our trees along the front road most years that we have been here. The trees are out growing their 3 strands of lights. We added lights to the fence, too. Two 400 light strands--the length longer than a football field.

The lights are hard to photograph at night, too; thus the blurry effect that I rather like.

We had a little visitor and I do mean little. Some how a nuthatch found his way inside. Actually it was pretty easy; we left the front door open. So there he was at the window looking out, wondering, I'm sure why he couldn't penetrate the glass.

He was rather tame. The Head Gardener was able to get him to sit in his hand.

Thinking that he really friendly, we decided to take more photos and then the little guy flew through the kitchen into thelivingroom and right into the back patio door that he hit full force and knock himself out.We worried that he had fatally injured himself. He sat motionless looking dazed and injured, but we put him in a spare bird cage and waited for him to come around.

By bed time he had recovered and was ready to fly.

We released him in the morning. All the HG had to was to open the cage door and he zoomed right out.

We're all lit up inside, too. We exchanged the everyday lights out of the chandelier, replacing them with colored lights. We don't get much light, but I love the effect.

The village is all set up. Several years ago I wrote my favorite post on the village. You can revisit it here:

My Town

Just playin' around.

I went with the traditional colors this year instead of my favorite pink tree, using the multicolored lights on the tree and the vintage decorations that represent a hundred years of family memories with ornaments from grandmother's tree, my mom's tree, and our first tree in 1974. I've collected those battery operated candles that are self timers. They light for 5 hours then go to sleep. They are so realistic and so much safer.

Even though I scaled back in decorating, I did decorate the tree for the kitchen dedicated to the birds.

This village looks pretty much the same. I'm getting better and setting it up after all of these years.

Some of my friends are not just scaling back, they are done with Christmas. No decorating. No gift buying. Maybe some gift cards. I'm getting slower this year. I have yet wrap a single package; nor have I baked a single cookie. We just don't need the sweets tempting us as we watch our sugar intake and weight. I still have the spirit and love the holiday season.

I've got a busy week ahead.

This year's village. It looks pretty much the same as it always does.