Nature Friday - Peak Sunflower - by Phod

 Dear pals,

I am sorry to have to bore you with this post. Lady's sunflowers have opened and you know how she is.

Lady planted seeds from several different types of sunflowers

You know Lady showed them growing bent up? Well some creature ate them!

Is this good enough Lady, can we move on?

Thanks to Rosy and Sunny for hosting this event.

Your pal, Phod, who doesn't want to pose. 

More About Staying at The Pet Sitter's

 

After the first rough 24 hours, where all the things were tried, for the most part the dogs settled.

They even tried a thunder shirt!

Phod still had his pacing moments, but he was much better, especially by the last day. 

Hard to buy his sob story

Lee was a rock star. Other than a few accidents, there were no issues with her.  It is funny how with age, my former problem child is my easier one in so many ways. 

When we arrived to pick them up at 10 pm on Friday (thanks flight delays), they were both happy, but Phod was beside himself. He was jumping for joy the best his old body could! I do think he would have settled more with more time. He was a little embarrassing.  At no point was I concerned about his wellbeing. 

Looking at him, I am not buying the this is terrible

The drive home was far less eventful than the drive there. There were no bodily fluids.

Lee and Phod would like to add their experience to this post. 

Lee: It was better than jail and there was this other dog's beds I could take and he did nothing about it. 

Phod: Lady and Man left me for 87 million years and I was sure I was going to die so I had to freak out and carry on. Then the pet sitter joined me in freaking out and we stayed up freaking out all night and I was so tired and I tried so hard not to sleep. I did not enjoy the snuggles or anything. It was terrible. 

Wordless Wednesday - Walking with the Pet Sitter

 

Travel Tuesday - 49 hours in Thunder Bay

Note: This post contains pictures of real furs that some readers may not enjoy.  

Last week, between Wednesday and Friday, we were in Thunder Bay, Ontario, for just over 48 hours to attend a dear friend's wedding. Neither the Man nor I had been there before and we wanted to make the most of our limited time.

We arrived just after lunch on Wednesday after a non-eventful flight. We arrived and went to the car rental place, to find out, there was not a car for us. We had used a 3rd party booking site (that we have used before). Turns out there was a conference of some kind going on and this city of just over 100 000 had no cars. In the end, one of the 4 car rental places had ONE car. We got the last car. Of course it was the expensive SUV, but it was a car and we took it, and as you will see over the next few weeks, we put it to good use!

The second challenge was driving said car. It had a very different gear shift that took the Man some time to figure out.

After a lunch of tacos, we headed to Fort William. 

Fort William was a very important place during the fur trade. Owned by the North West Company, it wasn't a military fort, rather the half way point along the trading route. It was a trading post. While the fort had only 20-30 people living in it during the year, in the summer for several weeks, it hosted the Superior Rendez-Vous. Because traveling across Canada (and some of the States) would be impossible to do within the summer, the company had their suppliers meet in the middle. The Voyageurs from the east, mainly Montreal would canoe to Fort William with European items. These voyages would take 2-4 weeks. The Voyageurs from all over the North and West, would come with the furs on journeys that lasted 2 weeks to 3 months, one way. At the Rendez-Vous, the Voyageurs changed cargo, receive medical care and then head back. Most Voyageurs from the east, did 1 season and those from the West often did 3 year contracts. While most Voyageurs were young men, some made life long careers, becoming guides and translators. The Rendez-Vous was the place that the company shareholders were able to meet and conduct most of the company business. 

For those not familiar with what a Voyageur was, they were independent contractors (usually European in decent) with the trading companies. They would be responsible for transporting goods for the companies. The trades were already done. They were the transporters, much like truckers, but with canoes.  They were often French, as there were many French labourers during the fur trade. 

The Fort is a re-creation, the original which was about 14 km away, was destroyed. They have staff, who take on different characters from 1815 (based on historical records of real people) who conduct great tours to teach about this part of history. I have been to many, many historical sites and must say, this was very well done. 

I admit, I have very conflicted feelings on the fur trade and the settlement of North America. However, I am also able to reflect on this as history and how it was. I in no way condone much of what was done. 

Samples of furs - all furs were donated

That is a Timber Wolf Fur

When portaging (carrying items between water sources, or around falls) the Voyageurs would carry 2, 90lb containers like this.

I realize looking at my pictures, beaver was the most important fur, and yet, I didn't take pictures. All these furs would have been shipped back to the UK to be made into clothing - beaver hats, fur coats, lining of boots etc. 

You can't bring large groups of men, who have been rather isolated most of the year,  together without having a Gaol (jail).

There were no European women at this site. The only women were Indigenous. Many of the European men married Indigenous women. 

The farm has also been recreated. Even with a small number of people, supplies were needed. 

As many of the owners were Scottish, mutton was an important part of the diet. 

Pork was also an important part of the diet. 

We laughed watching this young man try and catch this sheep. He was trying to catch her to remove some burrs from her wool. 

Being around the furs all day, I so wanted to do this, so I was excited, after our tour when there was no one around and I could do this. 

And this

After some fort fun, we headed to our hotel. We stayed at the Courthouse hotel. The old court house has been converted to a hotel. 

After settling in, we walked to a Smoke House for dinner before retiring early.

Come back next week for the only full day in Thunder Bay!

Mischief Monday - The Terrible Adventure - by the Lady

Last week, the Man and I had to be out of town for a few days for a wedding. We were able to secure a place with a person we know who is doing pet sitting's in her home. We were doing this as a short test run before a longer trip later this fall.

The only real draw back about this place, is it over an hour from our home. Tuesday night after work, we got into the car, and drove.The drive was a bit of an adventure.

First, they had trouble sharing the seat. This has never happened. 

Move your butt

Next, Phod threw up on Hailey.

I want this side

If this wasn't bad enough, he had been eating poop. So yes, he threw up poopy vomit on her. Fortunately it was close to where we were going so we didn't have to smell it too long. Later, when cleaning the car, it appears Lee may have also had a poop.

This is how they were sitting when Phod threw up on her. And she didn't move. She held her place in the car. 

We arrived safe and sound and a little dirty. The dogs were excited and explored the main floor, the outside and happily met the couple's dog Laddie. We stayed a bit and then we drove home (as our flight was the next morning).

The first night and for the first 24 hours, Zaphod Beeblebrox refused to sleep. He ate, and drank and did all his business, but he panted and paced around.

The dog sitter was so kind and loving and the exact person you want to leave your dogs with and she stayed up with him all night. She was very concerned about him. We reached out to our vet, who said not to worry. It was a short time, and next time we can get some anxiety meds. (We remain hopeful she will take them later in the fall). 

We also came up with a plan to keep Lee and Phod on the main floor, and not sleep in their room. This plan worked much better for everyone and when the petsitter's husband came down the stairs the next morning, neither dogs woke up. 

This is how Lee did. 

My problem child was an angel. 

Come back on Thursday to hear how the next 2 days went. 

Nature Friday - I Will Not Pose - by Phod

 Dear pals,

First I thank Rosy and Sunny for hosting this. I much prefer when Lady does not try and include me in the nature pictures, but here we are.

Lady wanted me to show you how her sunflowers were doing. As you know, they were a little damaged after hurricane Debby. 

Lady says nature is amazing, look what the bent stalks have done:

They are close to the ground, but they have grown up so that Lady should get some more flowers this week.

Don't want to stop and pose

Good smells here

more miracle growing

The prize

I hope you enjoyed the sunflowers and I am sure there will be more of them. Lady grows these from seeds every year. It is the only gardening she really does, so she is proud of them.

your pal, too busy to pose, Phod

Hay Hay

Wordless Wednesday - Happy