As we each come to terms with the way of life that we now have to face with this extraordinary turn of events, there is an overwhelming sense of fear. What will happen to my job, how will I pay for the basics, and what will we eat? Let us face the fear together in an enormously productive and simple way – let’s each plant a vegetable patch. This provides us not only with food for all our family (our pets included of course), but to garden is possibly one of the most therapeutic things one could do.
Gardening enables you to live for the moment and find necessary peace as you can see colour and natural shapes around you, hear the birds and insects, feel the texture of the ground and soil, smell the earthy nourishment and sweet scent of flowers….and eventually taste what you have produced knowing it is full of essential goodness.
If you have no access to a patch of garden, start on a windowsill or patio with potted herbs and sprouts. Maybe find out who gardens at your local allotment, and if they happen to be elderly and are self-isolating, offer to maintain it for them and share the produce.
We are moving into summer with longer daylight times and warmth around the corner. With schools and universities now shut, this is the perfect time to plan your vegetable garden as a family and spend some quality, valuable moments together.
What nutrients can we grow?
The vegetables that we are mentioning are particularly important for your dog, but we would benefit from eating them all too!
Fast growing lettuce, carrots, green beans, runner beans, peas and turnips
Beetroot where we use the whole plant – including the valuable greens that are full of nutrients
Cabbage, broccoli, swiss chard and kale – all so full of calcium
Sweetcorn that grows so fast as the weather warms up
Sunflowers not only for their beauty, but their valuable nutrient rich seeds
Leafy healthy spinach and rocket
Quinoa can even be grown as explained here – A rewarding and nutritious plant to grow
A fascinating article
This enlightening article published in the New Scientist May 2020 may change the way we think about what food choices we make for our pets and ourselves
Abiding by a client’s wishes
I felt all their pain – the euthanasia was so very poignant as Pippa licked her owner’s nose as she was being told how much they loved her
Turmeric latte after park run
As vets we deal so much with death and illness and not being able to make your own loved ones better when we know how to make animals better plays heavily on us as professionals
Mindful eating
No thought for what I was eating or how much….and never actually tasting the sweets or chocolates or biscuits I was bingeing on!
Salted caramel easter egg
A long emotional day at work today….couldn’t resist the reduced easter egg at Tesco garage!
A very sad day with 3 deaths
I also had 2 very moving euthanasias of 2 Staffies today
