Rabbits and Vaccines

We have rabbits living in the yard.  There is one adult that lives under the giant trees, and likes to sit in the yard and eat grass.  I walked by him yesterday, froze, and did a side step to move away from him.  He didn't bolt, just sat there and looked at me.  Really, he's too comfortable being out in the open.  Anyway, we were down stairs yesterday and I raised a pleated shade to let light in to the room.  There, in the window well, was a baby rabbit looking at us.  Window wells provide emergency egress from rooms that are below grade.  It's a common building style in Spokane, along with concrete curbing in peoples' yards.  Ours are about four feet deep.  No way was the baby rabbit getting out.  We went out, threw a towel over him and scooped him up.  This morning, on a whim, I went down stairs to check the window wells.

He's adorable.  We don't know if it's the same rabbit as yesterday, or if there are multiple bunnies falling in the window wells.  This time we moved him farther away.  However, I saw a baby creeping around the foundation of the house this afternoon.  It's my theory that they creep along and then fall in the window well.  This may be an on going thing.  Next it will be he baby quail needing to be rescued.

Here is the new rhodie we planted.  He arrived with buds, and they've opened.  It would have been nice if he'd bloom with the other rhodies, but no.

Morning sun on the new red twig dogwood and a large decorative boulder.

 From this NYT article, we learn the following about Senator Feinstein.

Ms. Feinstein’s frail appearance was a result of several complications after she was hospitalized for shingles in February, some of which she has not publicly disclosed. The shingles spread to her face and neck, causing vision and balance impairments and facial paralysis known as Ramsay Hunt syndrome. The virus also brought on a previously unreported case of encephalitis, a rare but potentially debilitating complication of shingles that a spokesman confirmed on Thursday after The New York Times first revealed it, saying that the condition had “resolved itself” in March.

Characterized by swelling of the brain, post-shingles encephalitis can leave patients with lasting memory or language problems, sleep disorders, bouts of confusion, mood disorders, headaches and difficulties walking. Older patients tend to have the most trouble recovering. And even before this latest illness, Ms. Feinstein had already suffered substantial memory issues that had raised questions about her mental capacity.

Admittedly I am not yet 89, but the thought of Ramsay-Hunt or encephalitis were enough to finally get me to go get the Shingrex vaccine.  I had the original shingles vaccine years ago, and suffered a pretty good site reaction for about a week, and so was not interested in a vaccine that was known for significant side effects.  However, I was now motivated.  It's three hours in, and thus far nothing terrible has happened.  Apparently tomorrow will be the no good, terrible day. 

It's warm here, and humid.  We have an air quality alert due to smoke from the fires in Alberta.  Maybe it will rain and knock it down; between the pollen and the smoke my eyes are suffering.

Other than this, I have zippity doo-dah to say.