Bruce of Oakport - October 2010

I've taken Bruce to the West Fargo Animal Hospital a few times now: feline leukemia 2nd vaccination, rabies and distemper boosters, fecal exam, etc., and things appear to be going well. Then I notice that when I set the dry cat food out for him, he doesn't eat much. Next I notice that he brought a mouse to the front door, but only could eat a bit of the neck... that lower canine tooth that Heather noticed was broken must be giving him trouble. I consult with Heather and she relays the info to her DVM, who prescribe pain meds, because this must hurt him a lot.



A diagnosis of abscessed canine is determined, and an estimate for extraction (plus blood work, x-rays, ultrasonic teeth cleaning, anesthesia, blood profile, soft food, etc.) is presented: $543.86. Wow... let me think about this a minute... a stray cat ...hmmmmm. My dearest Burton says, "It's only money. The poor cat... lucky he came to our door back in 2008. You've got a connection with him now and I guess we better help him out." ...So 9 Nov 2010, I dropped Bruce off at WF Animal Hospital, where he spent the day (and I was at school, etc.). They extracted his tooth, put him on antibiotics, the rest of the pain meds (Tramadol) and soft food for 7-10 days. So I took him back to our house, and tried to keep him comfortable, supplied with soft food, pain meds and antibiotics for the next several days. By the 2nd or 3rd day, he needed/wanted to go outdoors to his familiar environment, so I let him out and he returned in the evening. 22 Nov we got 12.5" of snow; Bruce decided he rather enjoyed our warm home and he could forgo living outside since we also provided food and a litter box. (to be continued)

Bruce of Oakport - July 2010

Bruce sleeps on our porch most warm nights, and he prefers to drink from my plastic watering can. He usually hunts at night and if we hear a loud meow around 11 or midnight, he has proudly brought a bunny or mouse to the door. Daytime is when he gets squirrels, chipmunks and birds, and he devours them... every piece and part. I got to thinking that since he lives outdoors, and fends for himself, he probably needs to be dewormed from all these wild creatures he eats. Heather brought the dewormer and got him to eat it in some pieces of cheese.

I had to insure he is not rabid either, since he wears no tags or collar and is a neighborhood stray. Heather made an appointment for him at the WF Animal Hospital, brought us a pet carrier, and 27 July I brought him in for a check-up. He was 14.8 pounds, got feline distemper and rabies vaccinations, and a wellness exam. The exam showed he did not have feline leukemia, but he has FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus). FIV is the cat version of HIV, and thankfully cats can not transmit it to humans; however, FIV positive cats can give it to other felines through deep bites. The doctor recommended to limit spread, we confine the cat to indoors or put him down. Well, he hated being in a pet carrier for a 20-minute car trip, so I knew keeping him in my house was probably not going to work. Also, because I don't like having a bunch of dead rodents or birds in my house. I decided I would feed him morning and night, let him sleep on our porch, and try to make him as comfortable as possible. (to be continued)

Magnus' 1st Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving 2010 at Great-Grandma Arleen's house. Magnus Lee showing off his bottom chompers; a second top tooth is making its way through, so he wants to chew on everything. We had a nice meal and visit and stayed with Arleen one night. Saturday, Jason, Marta and Magnus came to our house for the night, picked up their 1/4 beef we had ordered together and headed for home Sunday evening.

Bruce of Oakport

This is "Kitty," who first arrived at our door on 10 Nov 2008, the day I euthanized our German Shorthaired Pointer, Stryker. From inside the house, I heard a motor running, and finally discovered it was a white, tailless cat on our front porch, purring loudly. He was very friendly, and looked hungry despite his overabundance of fur. I opened a package of tuna for him, which he gulped down with delight. We parted ways and I didn't see him again.

From time to time in the summer, I would see him in the neighborhood, and I would give him some attention (and maybe more tuna). I don't know who owns him or where he lives/sleeps, but he is not afraid of me and actually enjoys the attention.

Heather and Garett returned home from Sheppard AFB,TX, in December and by 3 Jan Garett had flown to IL for four months more of USAF training at Scott AFB. He completed his phase two of training and got back home 1 May. He had been home for awhile, and one night Heather and I were outside and heard a cat fight in the woods across the road. I had a hunch it might be that white cat, so we walked to the edge of the road, and I called, "Kitty." Sure enough, out of the woods bounded the white cat, and another cat (long tail, brown striped markings) stood looking at us when I shone a flashlight in his direction. I told Heather I see the white cat occasionally, and he is very friendly. He followed us to our yard and up on the porch, so she checked him over, and discovered that he is a neutered male. Someone must have owned him! Heather and Garett started calling him "Bruce," and I put food out for him on our porch - morning and evening - and he comes to eat. (to be continued)

Minnesota's state flower in bloom!

The pink and white lady's slipper (Cypripedium reginae), also knows as the showy lady’s slipper, was adopted as Minnesota's state flower in 1902. Found living in open fens, bogs, swamps, and damp woods where there is plenty of light, lady's slippers grow slowly, taking up to 16 years to produce their first flowers. They bloom in late June or early July. The plants live for up to 50 years and grow four feet tall.

A century ago, the showy lady’s slipper was a favorite adornment in rural church altars during the summer. Since 1925 this rare wildflower has been protected by state law (it is illegal to pick the flowers or to uproot or unearth the plants).

I took these photos Sunday afternoon, 13 June 2010, on the Johnson family farm in Clearwater County, near Clearwater Lake. I had never noticed them growing in this area before, but the colorful blooms couldn't be missed Sunday - wow! I was so excited because I absolutely love the lady's slipper - gorgeous blooms!

We made the trip north for Burton's cousin's funeral on Saturday. His cousin, Dale TeHennepe, age 69, was diagnosed with cancer about a year ago. We also helped Burton's mom, Arleen, celebrate her 82nd birthday Sunday, 13 June. We made her several good meals, brownies and angelfood cake with fresh strawberries and whipped cream.

It was a cloudy, rainy weekend over a wide area. Burton hoped to clean out our boat, but didn't want to work out in the drizzle, so found another clean-up project in the shed.

Magnus' 1st trip to the Johnson farm

Pictured are Grandpa Burton with a wide-awake Magnus and Grandma Paula with a sleeping Magnus.

Little Magnus made his first trip to the Johnson family farm in northern Minnesota last week! Although he didn't go 4-wheeling, swim, canoe or explore the wooded banks of the Clearwater River, or meet any creatures (fox, deer, beaver or birds), we know that in a few short years he will do exactly that. His Grandpa Burton, Daddy Jason, Uncles Brian and Garett and their friends have all experienced the beauty and excitement of "The Farm," and the river that winds through it. Jason, Brian and Garett will show Magnus where they pitched tents, built campfires and camped overnight on the river's edge.

Since Magnus is only a month old, he won't be camping for a few years, but it will most likely be an event he will look forward to and also remember fondly. Uncle Garett brought several of his buddies to the farm for snowmobiling, 4-wheeling, swimming and exploring the river, but we blinked our eyes and Garett grew up. Since December 2008, he's been training with the USAF, so has not been to the farm for a long time. Garett will be home in less than three weeks, and will finally get to meet his nephew; plus it's nearly the start of summer, so no doubt there will be some activity just below the Johnson farm home... in and around the river.

Pilates Workout Benefits

Pilates has evolved from the original principles and rehabilitation techniques developed in the 1920s by German-born Joseph Pilates (1880-1967). According to Balanced Body® Pilates, this time-tested workout is a safe, sensible exercise using a floor mat or equipment, which will help a person look and feel their best, no matter what their age or condition.

Pilates work originates from the “powerhouse,” or abdominal strength, and requires core principles of control, concentration, centering, precision, breathing, and flow of movement. Joseph Pilates’ original therapy work for bedridden patients (during World War I) used machines to help those whose bodies were not strong enough to support the exercises. Today, simply using a mat and band – no intricate apparatus – is the ultimate Pilates’ challenge (Siler, p 48). Fitness needs to become a way of life, and exercise is beneficial in many ways, including a strong body, flexibility, and a positive outlook.

A 50-minute advanced Pilates workout can help a person burn between 255 and 375 calories. Comparatively, jogging for 50 minutes burns about 550 calories (Barr). Pilates can also strengthen abdominal and oblique muscles, improve overall flexibility of the back, hips and hamstrings, and give you an aerobic workout.

Following six weeks of United State Air Force Basic Military Training in Texas, I returned in great physical shape and started high-impact aerobics workouts to maintain my fitness level. Over time, my workouts changed, and I incorporated low-impact aerobics, speed walking, and yoga. Currently, my exercise routine consists of advanced Pilates and walking. Pilates is all about the mind-body-spirit connection, and I realize that staying active has helped me eliminate back and joint pain, heart disease, obesity, and despair. Another great benefit of Pilates is that the whole-body toning and strength you maintain make activities of daily living easier: carrying groceries, house cleaning, gardening, self-care, and leisure.

The resistance band is a useful addition to the Pilates workout; it provides greater resistance for the exercises, allowing muscles to be worked deeper. Explaining resistance band use, Winsor Pilates president Mari Winsor says, “Move slowly through the exercises, really feeling the resistance of the band. The more resistance you provide, the greater the challenge” (Dvorak, p. 48). I would never invest in a costly Pilates Reformer, so I found the inexpensive resistance bands, coupled with Pilates DVDs, to be an extremely portable and economical alternative. For those who do not want to go to a health club or fitness center and pay a membership, a great option is to purchase a mat, resistance bands and workout DVDs. The caveat here however, is that a person must have the inner motivation, desire and discipline to workout at their home or apartment.

Incorporating Pilates in one’s life will strengthen major muscles; improve flexibility; sculpt a strong, streamlined physique; work the core abdominals; enhance joint mobility; target the upper and lower body, and focus the mind and body. All these benefits for a small expenditure make this a priceless investment in one’s life and well-being.


References

Balanced Body® Pilates. Retrieved March 26, 2010, from http://www.pilates.com/

Barr, N. (September 2009) Yoga vs. Pilates: Stretching the truth. O, The Oprah Magazine. Retrieved March 26, 2010, from http://www.oprah.com/omagazine/Is-Yoga-or-Pilates-Better-for-You

Dvorak, M. (2007, July/August). Let Mari and Daisy bust your butt. PilatesStyle. 4, 47-54.

Siler, B. (January/February 2010). Apparatus not required: Take the Pilates mat challenge. American Fitness. 28, 48-50.