Arid Adventures with Astrid

We've officially found ourselves in a tad bit of a drought over here in our corner of the world. It slowly started about 3 weeks ago, when we last had rain, and right around when today's photos were taken.

The grass was still a vibrant enough green here in these photos, but it's gotten duller and dryer by the day since then. Of course, the 90°F temperatures aren't helping.

The creek there is also much dryer now than in these photos from earlier this month, which makes me feel for the wildlife that depends on and enjoys the natural water source.

There's a small chance we'll get a tad bit of rain this week, but our meteorologists are now saying we shouldn't get our hopes up. We'll take anything we can get, Mother Nature. We've certainly not reached critical drought levels, as other places have, but it's a common topic among locals as well as on the news. As I mentioned above, I mostly worry about the wildlife when it's hot and dry outside. That is just one reason why for years now we offer as fresh of water as possible in a bird bath in our yard, as well as with a little fountain my dad helped me build.

How's the weather for you friends of ours? We hope you've getting sunshine, but that it's not too hot and not too dry.

Happy Wednesday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

I've been going through old doodles trying to find some that I would like to recreate, and this is one of them that I would like to draw again in one way or another. Just an Eeyore pup and kitty Tigger friend, because why not.

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Tip of the Day

Our food talk continues today with a little something known as fiber. Fiber is a very important nutrient that, for one, aids in digestion for not only us humans but also kitties and pups. In terms of digestion, fiber can play more than one role. Depending on the circumstances and the particular type of fiber consumed, it can assist with both constipation and diarrhea. That's not all, though, as fiber can also play a beneficial role in weight loss. Fiber can make food more bulky, and in turn can help a kitty or pup feel full, which can then lead to less gorging and therefore aid in weight loss. Still, though, fiber's roles in a cat or dog's health does not end there. Studies have also indicated that high fiber diets can benefit those with diabetes, such as by helping to control blood sugar. For all of these reasons and more, be sure to educate yourself on your furbaby's fiber intake and overall health and diet, and of course discuss options with your veterinarian.