We're Back

The holiday's over and the journey successfully completed, car unloaded, bags unpacked, laundry started and I'm at the point it's all a dream. We arrived back in Tucson yesterday just ahead of a monster monsoon storm with the accompanying high heat, strong winds and pounding rain. It really brought to mind the significant difference between the Oregon coast and the Arizona desert - other than the obvious of course.

Ona Beach, Oregon's normally cool, often foggy summer mornings are but a distant memory this morning as we (fur boys and moi) endured a hot, muggy, buggy and dirty morning walk. They weren't very impressed and neither am I, especially after our quick trip to the Veterinarian's last night. You see, the other difference between Oregon and Arizona is this:

Pacific Tree Frog - sweet, pretty, often green, very tiny, totally innocuous and according to Wiki, the only frogs that go "ribit". We took this photo of it sitting on the gas barbecue in the back yard at Rose Cottage. Can you believe how tiny it is?  That's a regular ballpoint pen in the foreground. 

Sonoran Desert Toad - ugly, brown, warty, about the size of a baseball, poisonous and according to the Arizona Desert Museum, the toxins are strong enough to kill a full grown dog. According to Firefly Forest,"Dogs are at especial risk from Sonoran Desert Toads and can quickly exhibit potentially fatal symptoms of toad poisoning (excessive salivation or foaming at the mouth, head shaking, red or irritated gums, drunken gait, confusion, weakness or complete collapse, heart arrhythmia, vomiting, diarrhea, and pawing at the mouth). Seizures and death can occur in dogs within 30 minutes from a Sonoran Desert Toad poisoning. "

Finnigan decided to check one out on our before bedtime walk which caused some quick action and ended our month's vacation with a big bang! We washed his mouth out with water several times then took him to the Veterinarian's for a check up.

Thankfully he's fine, but he's ready to pack his toys, grab his favorite plastic bone and high tail it back to Oregon, pdq. Smart dog, eh? 

Unfortunately a  trip north isn't in the cards for us today because we've way too many other things on our list to do including but not limited to restocking the pantry so we can get back to our normal every day post on this site. 

Thanks for your patience everyone! See ya' tomorrow. It's been a great vacation but the party's officially over!

Comments

[Lea]

Welcome back - we're back home, too... Why do vacations have to end so soon? Thankfully we came home to happy and healthy furry friends! Whew - craziness with those frogs! I am trying to visualize washing out a dog's mouth...

[June]

Lea - so glad you made it back home too! Re the Finn/Toad episode, we just put him in the sink, held his mouth open and used the kitchen spray until Big Guy had a great idea to use a large syringe. That worked much better. LOL

[Nancy]

Welcome home. I missed you and your blog.

[June]

Thanks Nancy. We had a great vacation but it's time to get back to normal (whatever that is).

[pam]

I had no idea there were poisonous frogs!!!

[June]

Pam - I was surprised too. Good old Arizona isn't just the Grand Canyon State. It can also boast of tarantulas, scorpions, huge bugs, killer bees, rattlers and poisonous toads (and I'm sure I must have left something out). LOL In our 10 years here this is our first encounter with the toads. The one that Finn picked up was one of two; the second was at our front door.

[Lorraine]

The big omen in the sky....means you have to come back to Oregon sooner rather than later. I am kind of in the dumps now that I can't stop by for a visit. I am so missing my “sista” and my “bro” not to mention the "fur friends" :(

[June]

Lorraine - I love how you think! Missing you too!

[Tom]

June, the Pacific Northwest misses you, but will keep things cool until your return.

[June]

Tom - only 11 more months. Sigh!