Month: July 2024

  • EPISODE 1089: Marjorie captjres the last day of July in 2024



    EPISODE 1089:   Marjorie captures the last day of July in 2024

    alan skeoch
    July 31, 2024

    NO WORDS ARE NECESSARY…except a few below…see if
    you can find Woody hunting for the “thing” that stole the tomato.


    “Went to pick first red tomato 🍅 Something stole it last night -skunk “
    Marjorie












































    Sent from my iPhone


  • EPISODE 1088 QUEEN ANNE’S LACE FIGHTS FOR THE SUN AND WINS

    EPISODE  1088  QUEEN ANNE’S LACE FIGHTS FOR THE SUN AND WINS


    alan skeoch
    July 27, 224

    This yaar we let most of the  garden battle with weeds…Two weeds won the war.


    Borage takes control of most of our garden this year.

    BORAGE   SUMMARY

    Borage oil should be diluted and applied topically. Borage supplements may cause mild side effects, including digestive problems. Those with liver issues and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should avoid borage.

    Borage is a medicinal herb that has been associated with a number of powerful health benefits.

    In particular, borage has been shown to decrease inflammation, improve skin health, and decrease symptoms of asthma.

    However, it’s important to use supplements only as directed, select products that are free of PAs, and consult a healthcare professional before taking them, especially if you’re taking any other medications or have underlying health conditions.









    A familiar sight in meadows and along roadsides all summer long, Queen Anne’s lace is a very pretty wildflower. Native to Europe and Asia, Queen Anne’s lace is invasive in North America and some may consider it a weed. The leaves are delicate and thready, somewhat fern-like in appearance. The flat flower tops are a creamy white disk of tiny flowers, and look a bit like wild yarrow at a distance. The flowers are also similar to the flowers of goutweed, aka bishop’s weed (Aegopodium podagraria).

    While it has a place in the landscape as a source of food for pollinators and makes a long-lasting cut flower in a wildflower arrangement, Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota) is essentially a common weed. It is also commonly called wild carrot, as the root looks like a slender pale orange carrot and has a carrot-like scent. The young root is edible and can be eaten like a carrot, raw, in a salad, or cooked in a soup.

    WARNING


    A familiar sight in meadows and along roadsides all summer long, Queen Anne’s lace is a very pretty wildflower. Native to Europe and Asia, Queen Anne’s lace is invasive in North America and some may consider it a weed. The leaves are delicate and thready, somewhat fern-like in appearance. The flat flower tops are a creamy white disk of tiny flowers, and look a bit like wild yarrow at a distance. The flowers are also similar to the flowers of goutweed, aka bishop’s weed (Aegopodium podagraria).

    While it has a place in the landscape as a source of food for pollinators and makes a long-lasting cut flower in a wildflower arrangement, Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota) is essentially a common weed. It is also commonly called wild carrot, as the root looks like a slender pale orange carrot and has a carrot-like scent. The young root is edible and can be eaten like a carrot, raw, in a salad, or cooked in a soup.

    WARNING

    Queen Anne’s lace spreads aggressively by reseeding itself. It adapts easily to poor soil conditions and tends to grow where many things won’t. To cut back on the spread, it’s a good idea to snip off the flower heads before they go to seed. The plants can also be dug out by their taproots before they go to seed.Queen Anne’s lace spreads aggressively by reseeding itself. It adapts easily to poor soil conditions and tends to grow where many things won’t. To cut back on the spread, it’s a good idea to snip off the flower heads before they go to seed. The plants can also be dug out by their taproots before they go to seed.


    Can you find  a  flower made of iron?

  • EPISODE 1086: LETTER TO A THIEF

    EPISODE  1086:   LETTER TO A THIEF


    alan skeoch
    Jully 22, 2024

    Newspaper clipping — after robbery — hard to read I know

    THE ROBBERY 
    “Never be hostage to fortune, Alan.”  said Evan Cruikshank  a few days after the robbery. 
    Little consolation  initially.  The theif was bold as brass.  He (or she) took it easy …even
    took time sort the dishes only taking the best. Same applied to the furniture.  Onlythe best was
    taken.  Most embsrassng to me was the fact he (or she) backed my trailer top to the
    front door of the farm to make the loading easier.

    That happened decades ago.   Today I found an old newspaper clipping written after the robbery
    titled LETTER TO A THIEF.   Maybe he would feel a bit guilty.
    Fat chance of that.  Fat  chance of guilt that is.   The thief did respond though sending a letter 
    telling me to shut up or he (or she) would set the house on fire.  Now that scared me.
    I shut up.   Kept my funny remarks to myself.

    FUNNY REMARK

    The thief stole the big round dining room table…huge thing made of  oak,… expandable, fine
    carpentry.  I thought the thief would want the history of the table to help him sell it  (must have been a
    man or a  big woman  or both)  

    TEETH MARKS

    “You may have noticed the deep scratch marks in the table.  They are not  scratches.  
    Those marks were made by Andrew’s teeth on his birthday party.   Marjorie had stuffed his
    cake with wrapped coins…nickles, dimes and quarters.  Unfortunately Andrew got a piece 
    with notihng in it.   So he threw a tantrum and bit the table.  The teeth marks are there.
    A kind of provenance as the art dealers say

    SILVER LINING

    Remember how  this story opened.  i.e. “Never be hostage to fortune” In short “Never
    let things  own you.”  A sure recipe for unhappiness.
    Well we had a choice after the robbery.  Sell the farm or restore the farm.
    We chose to gut the old farmhouse of 1870’s vintage.   The thief had already
    done part of the work.  

    Would I shake hands with the thief?  Maybe I had already done that and
    did not know it.

    alan




  • Fwd: EPISODE 1081 MORGAN SKEOCH, EDINBURGH VETERINARY SCHOOL 4TH YR PLACEMENT IN ONTARIO.SUMMER 1024…how to remove An eyeball



    Begin forwarded message:


    From: ALAN SKEOCH <alan.skeoch@rogers.com>
    Subject: Fwd: EPISODE 1081 MORGAN SKEOCH, EDINBIRGH VETERINARY SCHOOL 4TH YR PLACEMENT IN ONTARIO.SUMMER 1024…how to remove n eyeball
    Date: July 20, 2024 at 3:15:18 PM EDT




    Begin forwarded message:


    From: ALAN SKEOCH <alan.skeoch@rogers.com>
    Subject: EPISODE 1081 MORGAN SKEOCH, EDINBIRGH VETERINARY SCHOOL 4TH YR PLACEMENT IN ONTARIO.SUMMER 1024…how to remove n eyeball
    Date: July 16, 2024 at 11:42:44 AM EDT
    To: john Wardle <jwardle@rogers.com>, Marjorie Skeoch <marjorieskeoch@gmail.com>, Morgan Skeoch <morgan.skeoch@googlemail.com>



    EPISODE 1081   MORGAN SKEOCH, EDINBURGH VETERINARY SCHOOL 4TH YR  PLACEMENT IN ONTARIO.SUMMER 2024…how to remove an eyeball

    alan skeoch
    July14, 2024




    “WE know  she is old and some  people would have her put down… but we love her. Can you help?”
    ‘Her eye is a problem….detached lens .The eye will have to be removed.  We can do that.”
    “Will Babs be hurt?”
    ‘No.  Babs will be sedated,   We know the  procedure.”


    Those who have never owned a horse will never understand the horse to human bond.

    “Putting her down is out of the question.  Sedate her now;  “


    ENTER Morgan Skeoch, 4th year student at the Edinburgh Veterinary School in Scotland.

    observing the work of a veterinary surgeon in Ontario, Canada.


    ‘Grandpa, today we removed an eye from  an 18 or 19 year old Appaloosa mare”


    PROCEDURE AS DESCRIBED BY MORGAN SKEOCH

    “Sedation is injected into the jugular vein and must be checked periodically.
    (Detomidine + Torbugesic  + Xylazine )
    Once sedation drip takes hold  we made sure her head was in position for incisions around the
      eye   Then a ring block was marked along the Proposed incision route. Four retrobulbar blocks (local
    anaesthetic)were injected behind the eye. Eyelids were sutured together and an elliptical incision was cut
    around the eyelids to the level of the conjunctival sac.  Then blunt dissection was done around the 
    eye towards the back, breaking any attachments . Careful dissection of the optic nerve to be sure 
    it does not affect the other eye … the two nerve ends communicate so care must be taken.
    Then the eyeball is removed and gauze is inserted in the socket to staunch the bleeding.Once staunched the gauze is removed 
    The  incision site is sutured up in  a continuous fashion for 2/3 of the length. Individual sutures complete the incision
    to allow  for quicker and simple removal if a problem occurs post surgery.  The mare (Babs) is then bandaged and taken off sedation.”


     (Morgan Skeoch, July 2024)

    “What was your role Morgan?”

    “I had to keep the horse standing and performed TPR (temp, pulse, resp.rate) every 15 minutes.  If she wanted to lie down I pushed her to keep her up.  I was part of the

    procedure…small part but important part.



    What is the average lifespan of a horse?
    • The average lifespan of a horse is between 25 to 30 years, although it varies between breeds. It’s not uncommon for horses to live beyond 40 years of age and the oldest horse ever, Old Billy, lived to the age of 62. With better nutrition and care, the average lifespan of horses has increased over time.

    alan skeoch

    july 10, 2024




  • EPISODE 1085: HORSE SHOW JULY 2024 NEAR ROCKWOOD, ONTARIO WITH MORGAN SKEOCH

    EPISODE 1085:   HORSE SHOW JULY 2024 NEAR ROCKWOOD, ONTARIO       WITH MORGAN SKEOCH

    alan skeoch

    july 18.2024


    Morgan Skeoch, our granddaughter,  in her fourth year at Edinburgh Veterinary School, Scotland,
    currently doing a summer placement  in Ontario