Salamander
Fire Walking

I got an emergency call from the cat shelter last night. A cat we had just taken to the pet supply store that displays some of our cats for adoption was vomiting pink fluid. I got the call too late to get to the store before it closed, but I was there first thing this morning when the store opened. The cat had vomited additional amounts of lightly sanguineous fluid overnight. Heart rate was normal, temp was normal, cat was mildly dehydrated and lethargic. I ran the cat over to a nearby town so that the veterinary clinic we use could evaluate. My initial guess is either parasites or a foreign body, but the cat's medical charts did not arrive with the cat so I know nothing of it history.

After I delivered the cat to the vet clinic, I decided to drive back to the store and do the rest of my Thursday checks. I ordinarily go over in the evening, but I was in the neighborhood anyhow so it made sense to get everything done at once. I hadn't had breakfast yet, or even coffee, and my stomach kicked into high gear about three miles from the store. A series of small handmade signs in the grass along the road caught my attention: "Homemade scones", "Expanded breakfast menu", "Karen Ann's Tea Room". The Prius didn't bother asking permission, it just drove on into the parking lot.

The waitress opened up the menu to the tea list and suggested I start there, since there were over 50 teas to choose from. I grinned and said if they had Russian Gold I could cut straight to the breakfast menu. The poor girl actually looked dismayed. Apparently they pride themselves on their tea knowledge, but I'd mentioned a tea she wasn't familiar with. She asked me to describe the tea, so that she could perhaps suggest a few alternatives. When I told her it had a lapsang souchong base she immediately brightened and suggested their Morgan tea. I supplemented the tea with a "yogurt parfait" that had layers of yogurt, granola and fresh, sliced strawberries. I also ordered the raison scones. They came with Homemade Devonshire cream
When I joked that I was prepared to bring my lap top in and spend the day, the waitress informed me that they did have internet access, and did I want to stay for lunch as well. I have a new home away from home. (No, I did not stay for lunch too, but only because I had to check the rest of the cats.)

After fast was brecked and cats were checked I felt adventuresome. The day was clear and in the low 70's, and it seemed a shame to waste the day inside. I've been going by a local nature preserve for years and have only stopped by a few times, never exploring for more than fifteen minutes. Today I pulled into the lot and set out onto the trails. My intention was to write about it in this entry, but I need to go back with my plant guides and I need to take more pictures. It is a place that I want to spend much more time at.

It's been a very good day.