My New F-word--F...Foxtail

Also could be titled "Yet Another Reason I Don't Get to the Loom". I trimmed border collie, Rusty's, feet this weekend. I was late in the season and his toes were packed with foxtails. I was able to pull most out, but there was one place that was oozy and I couldn't find a foxtail with my non-medical equipment (tweezers). I waited until Monday and took him to the vet. While he was on the table the oozy spot squirted out the foxtail and we were going to let it go at that. The vet, as any good vet would, suggested checking Rusty's ears. He hadn't shown any signs (shaking head, etc), but he sure wouldn't let us hold him well enough to look in the left ear.  So I left Rusty to be knocked out for a better look. The little foxtail on the left below therefore cost me $200. Two days later the foxtail on the right cost me $50 (lots of shaking his head, but able to pull it out without the sleeping drugs).

For those of you whose dogs live in utopia and don't know about foxtails here is what they look like:

And this is a whole field of them. The vet recommended that we landscape our yard so that we don't have foxtails. Ummm...that would be another thing that has been on the list--not "landscaping", but planting some bushes and turning the dog paths into paths with some kind of surface that doesn't turn to mud in the winter. I did go out with the weed eater and try to zap the foxtails growing in the yard around the house.

As I was weed-eating  I noticed the pomegranite trees. I love pomegranites--not just to eat, but the whole cycle of the flower.

Here is a flower that has just lost it's petals and you can see the part behind the star-like points will become the pomegranite. Those are flower buds that haven't opened around it.

This one still has one petal but is already starting a baby pomegranite.

These pomegranites will be included in the fall produce baskets for Gourmet Farm Club members.  See the following link:   http://www.meridianjacobs.com/exec/eFarmClub.asp