Sweet 16! Today, September 18th, is Jackie's birthday and we've had chocolate cake for breakfast and look forward to Chinese food for dinner. (Meantime she's begun another day at fashion school. But after our dog's recent drama, and Jackie's hands-on response, I think she'd make a great veterinarian! Read on, in today's French infused story column….
un épillet (ay-pee-leh)
: foxtail or grass seed
Ever found an épillet on your dog? Comment here.
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Audio File and Example Sentence: Listen to Jean-Marc Download MP3 or wav file
Lorsqu'un chien se met brusquement à se secouer les oreilles au printemps ou en été, penche la tête, refuse qu'on le touche… il y a probablement un épillet là-dessous !
In spring or summer, when a dogs begins abruptly to shake its ears, lower its head, and refuse to be touched… there is probably a foxtail there beneath!
A Day in a French Life… by Kristin Espinasse
On Monday I picked up Jackie from the bus stop and enjoyed a lively conversation with our soon-to-be 16-year-old. Driving home, we talked about motivation, about keeping on top of things, and how all this helps in pursuing one's dreams. It was refreshing to see how receptive Jackie was, vs. our sometimes draining dialogues which make me feel like such a nag, and leave my testy daughter feeling guilty, too.
Despite the renewed mother-daughter complicity, our life is good outlook was challenged sooner than expected. Arriving home, Jackie agreed to feed the dogs and help bring in the laundry on the line and fold it. Instead of grumbling, she approached her daily 15 minute chore (part of a new routine this school year!) willingly.
"That's my girl!" I cheered, "and thanks–I really appreciate it!" Even Braise, our golder retriever, was in a good mood, and we laughed as she jumped and danced while waiting for her croquette dinner to be served.
Then suddenly Braise fell to the ground and began yelping in pain. We watched as she mowed her head across the gravel, her cries growing more insistent. When we got her to stand up, she couldn't walk a straight line, but advanced crookedly across the yard–all the while lowering her left ear. And when she suddenly began shaking her head, as dogs do their bodies, after a bath–we realized something was amiss.
My heart sank with the realization that this could be it–the dreaded "death torpedo" pet owners fear: those nasty grass seeds, or foxtails, that catch in a dog's coat and travel up and into the ear or eye or nose. I heard all kinds of horror stories–that once inside, they travel to the brain or the lungs, killing the animal!
Jackie was posed and calm as she held Braise close and instructed me to have a look inside our dog's ear.
"OK, OK! Here we go….." the least I could do was to mirror my daughter's composure; just as important, we didn't want to be a ball of nerves in front of our suffering dog.
Indeed, animals are so sensitive–and intelligent. In contrast to the wild cries and head shaking pain, Braise remained as still as a monument, modeling a quiet bravery that hinted at the delicateness of the situation.
"It must be excruciating, the pain!" Jackie remarked, as I peered into Braise's ear, pulling and prodding to get a closer look. But all I saw was dirt–the kind I should have been regularly cleaning out. Now guilty feelings intermingled with all the worry.
As the moments passed, without another complaint from our dog, we nurtured a growing hope that maybe whatever had "gotten" her had somehow disappeared.
"Maybe it was only the beginning of an ear infection?" I said to Jackie.
"Peut-être," Jackie hoped, and we held our breaths as we slowly released Braise from our grip.
Our brave patient took a few uncertain steps, as though she herself were nursing the same espoir. Only she didn't make it far before she fell over, beside the withering lavender bush.
Seeing Braise disoriented like that, we were sick to our stomachs with worry. We watched helplessly as Braise plowed her head across the gravel, her muffled cries rising in her dusty wake.
Something was horribly wrong.
"Jean-Marc!" I shouted up to the second floor, where Jean-Marc was working in his office. A moment later four of us were careening down the road, to the veterinarians. Jean-Marc had asked Jackie to stay behind, but our daughter insisted Braise needed her comfort and assurance.
Quelle chance! The vet was still working at 7pm, and she welcomed us into her office.
Jackie and I tried to heave Braise onto the steel examination table, when Jean-Marc waved us aside and picked up our clinic-phobic dog. "Allez, hop, up you go!" I could see Braise's hair falling in a sheer layer across the steel surface beneath her–so terrified is she of doctor's offices.
When the vet warned that our dog must remain completely still, Jean-Marc steadied her in a head lock and I hugged her body tight. Jackie murmured assurances: Bravo! C'est bien, Braise! T'inquiète pas, mon chien! C'est bientôt fini!
We all watched as the vet directed the special tweezers into Braise's oreille. She too was impressed by Braise's bravery. "Most dogs would go crazy about now."
"She wants us to help her," I said, remembering back to the scene at home. Braise would have let me stick forceps in her ears, so desperate was she; her quiet obedience was such a contrast to her throbbing pain, making her message loud and clear: do what you need to do to fix this! Her composure was remarkable. It was as though she had gone to another place in her brain–doggy nirvana–where she was waiting out the traumatic moment.
"Voilà!" The vet pulled out the so-called torpedo of death, and cleared up one or two idées fausses, or rumors, in the process. "It is rare that this would kill a dog, she said, offering the bit of broken foxtail for our viewing. "But they can be dangerous. It's not just the ears they menace, they are often found in between the fingers and toes… " (This helpful tip was followed by a demonstration, in which the vet collected a dozen more broken foxtails from between Braise's paws!)
"The danger here," she said, is when they pierce the skin and travel through the body… sometimes puncturing the lungs!"
The vet encouraged us to cut back the grasses on our property and to check our dogs every day. It would be extra work, given we have two large and furry golden retrievers, but I could just add that to the kids chore list. And of course, I would do my part, too. Living here in the countryside, it would take a family effort to keep back those lurking torpedos… but the good news was, we now had a wonderful new veterinarian, just around the corner.
***
To comment on today's post, and share your own experiences and insights into today's word or story, click here. Thanks for sharing today's post with an animal lover.
"Torpedoes of death" — it's a chilling term, but I learned so much from Carla Jackson's article on Hordeum murinum or "Hare Barley" and how it menaces man's best friend.
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More Photos from France
If you can't make it to France just now… we've got you covered: enjoy these virtual tours of some of my favorite villages in Provence and beyond.
Matchy matchy. A blue door coordinates with a whimsical bag…
Roses and "grignandises" — or sweets and temptations from Grignan.
Always room for another pot of flowers…
Time to put Grignan on your bucket list.
Roof tops, or toits, and a blue horizon.
Don't steal the café sugar. You never know who's a tattletale. Story here.
The village of Grignan is known for its famous resident (Madame de Sevigny) and for its roses–but don't tell that to the valerian flowers, which shout their presence from the very rooftops.
Another Grignan resident.
I will add more photos to this collection. Please click here and see when the next postcards from Grignan are posted.
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Happy Birthday Jackie! And so happy to hear Braise is now fine. So nerve-wracking…..
Happy Birthday Jackie! And so happy to hear Braise is now fine. So nerve-wracking…..
Happy Birthday to your lovely daughter !
I remember a similar experience with my cocker spaniel, Raq & rushing to the Vets with him The seed was in his leg; I hadn’t realised, or indeed known about the danger of these seeds before.
Your photos have made me make a note of this region for a caravan holiday next year . We have just returned from a month in the Loire, having visited six chateaux !!
Happy Birthday to your lovely daughter !
I remember a similar experience with my cocker spaniel, Raq & rushing to the Vets with him The seed was in his leg; I hadn’t realised, or indeed known about the danger of these seeds before.
Your photos have made me make a note of this region for a caravan holiday next year . We have just returned from a month in the Loire, having visited six chateaux !!
Happy Birthday to Jackie! A true Sweet Sixteen… 🙂
And I do believe that I am in need of a photo to know that Braise is back to her wonderful self. My oh my. Thank goodness you were able to get her taken care of so quickly. Kristin, one of my Mom’s Goldens had a foxtail that did make it to the lung and had to have emergency surgery. He never really recovered as he was already at an advanced age. So they really are to be taken seriously. Bravo to Jackie for remaining calm as well. She is not only beautiful but mature for her age!
Happy Birthday to Jackie! A true Sweet Sixteen… 🙂
And I do believe that I am in need of a photo to know that Braise is back to her wonderful self. My oh my. Thank goodness you were able to get her taken care of so quickly. Kristin, one of my Mom’s Goldens had a foxtail that did make it to the lung and had to have emergency surgery. He never really recovered as he was already at an advanced age. So they really are to be taken seriously. Bravo to Jackie for remaining calm as well. She is not only beautiful but mature for her age!
Happy Birthday to Jackie! Sweet 16 is a wonderful time in life. Glad the vet was there for all of you. Is Grignan the village near Valreas? We went truffle hunting there last November.
Happy Birthday to Jackie! Sweet 16 is a wonderful time in life. Glad the vet was there for all of you. Is Grignan the village near Valreas? We went truffle hunting there last November.
I remember the fox tails from our Southern California days and trips to the vet. Our sweet cat, Kathleen, had one lodged in her eye. She was such a trooper when the vet worked on her. She was a very lucky girl that there was no permanent damage. Our springer spaniel, Maggie, was also taken to the vet to remove one from an area I won’t mention out of respect for her vanity and pride. These devils can be so dangerous. Yes, cut back the grass and spare your pets.
I remember the fox tails from our Southern California days and trips to the vet. Our sweet cat, Kathleen, had one lodged in her eye. She was such a trooper when the vet worked on her. She was a very lucky girl that there was no permanent damage. Our springer spaniel, Maggie, was also taken to the vet to remove one from an area I won’t mention out of respect for her vanity and pride. These devils can be so dangerous. Yes, cut back the grass and spare your pets.
So happy that your girl is OK. Happy birthday to Jackie–she becomes more beautiful daily.
Mary
So happy that your girl is OK. Happy birthday to Jackie–she becomes more beautiful daily.
Mary
Happy birthday, Jackie! So happy to hear Braise is well, what a scary experience. Dear Braise, you are so brave!
Happy birthday, Jackie! So happy to hear Braise is well, what a scary experience. Dear Braise, you are so brave!
Bon anniversaire to your beautiful daughter! And what a frightening story. So glad Braise is okay. And what trust she obviously has in all of you. A sweet rescue story indeed.
Bon anniversaire to your beautiful daughter! And what a frightening story. So glad Braise is okay. And what trust she obviously has in all of you. A sweet rescue story indeed.
Oh, yes I already found a “spigau”, provençal word for épillet as you know, the “au” being pronounced like (is my English correct here ?) “loud”. It was rather deep in one ear of my female Boxer and, as you can understand, we rushed to the Vet’s ! She did too because – and I don’t really know WHY ! – she adores to go there…! She always did. Bizarre, isn’t it ?!
As for Mme de Sévigné (not Sevigny) she is well known for the wonderful letters she wrote to her daughter, Comtesse de Grignan, but known too because she was a descendant of the famous Jeanne de Chantal, co-founder of the Order of the Visitation.
And… a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY to your lovely daughter (future top model, no ?).
Oh, yes I already found a “spigau”, provençal word for épillet as you know, the “au” being pronounced like (is my English correct here ?) “loud”. It was rather deep in one ear of my female Boxer and, as you can understand, we rushed to the Vet’s ! She did too because – and I don’t really know WHY ! – she adores to go there…! She always did. Bizarre, isn’t it ?!
As for Mme de Sévigné (not Sevigny) she is well known for the wonderful letters she wrote to her daughter, Comtesse de Grignan, but known too because she was a descendant of the famous Jeanne de Chantal, co-founder of the Order of the Visitation.
And… a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY to your lovely daughter (future top model, no ?).
Bon Anniversaire chère Jackie! I too am a septembre bébé
mai loooong past 16. Enjoy enjoy!
So happy sweet Braise is well.
Bon Anniversaire chère Jackie! I too am a septembre bébé
mai loooong past 16. Enjoy enjoy!
So happy sweet Braise is well.
Joyeux anniversaire, Jackie!
Joyeux anniversaire, Jackie!
A very scary story, Kristin. Luckily, Braise is much more sensible than either of our dogs would have been.
I’d never heard of those things — I sure hope they don’t grow around here.
A very scary story, Kristin. Luckily, Braise is much more sensible than either of our dogs would have been.
I’d never heard of those things — I sure hope they don’t grow around here.
Bon Anniversaire to beautiful Jackie! I join the group who have September birthdays. May the year ahead be filled with fun, suprise adventures, and much happiness as you follow your fashion passion.
Bon Anniversaire to beautiful Jackie! I join the group who have September birthdays. May the year ahead be filled with fun, suprise adventures, and much happiness as you follow your fashion passion.
Cheers Jackie on Sweet 16! And so glad Braise is well. My dog Harley had a run-in with foxtail. I never saw the disorientation, but a very swollen upper lip. The vet removed part of his pituitary gland thinking that was the culprit, but the swelling did not go away. A second surgery found the foxtail and voila – life was good again.
Cheers Jackie on Sweet 16! And so glad Braise is well. My dog Harley had a run-in with foxtail. I never saw the disorientation, but a very swollen upper lip. The vet removed part of his pituitary gland thinking that was the culprit, but the swelling did not go away. A second surgery found the foxtail and voila – life was good again.
Wow, Happy Birthday to Jackie! Tara just celebrated her 21st birthday. She posted a blurb on her Facebook that read “Getting my drink on” but the photo accompanying the post was a picture of the juicer and the book “The Joy of Juicing” I had sent her for her birthday! Whew….but I’m sure some real drinking went on! 🙂
Wow, Happy Birthday to Jackie! Tara just celebrated her 21st birthday. She posted a blurb on her Facebook that read “Getting my drink on” but the photo accompanying the post was a picture of the juicer and the book “The Joy of Juicing” I had sent her for her birthday! Whew….but I’m sure some real drinking went on! 🙂
Happy Sweet Sixteen to your beautiful daughter, Jackie. My heart was in my mouth while reading about Braise’s terrifying experience. So relieved that everything worked out — and Jackie is to be commended for her calm and gentle composure!
Happy Sweet Sixteen to your beautiful daughter, Jackie. My heart was in my mouth while reading about Braise’s terrifying experience. So relieved that everything worked out — and Jackie is to be commended for her calm and gentle composure!
Happy Birthday, Jackie! My Mom’s was yesterday, and she would have been 90. Now that I know you’re a Virgo, I’m sure you will excell at what you do ( fashion OR Vet!!!!I hope for Vet, there aren’t enough good ones for all the animals in need!)
So happy Braise is OK, and what a good girl she is!
Love the pix of Grignan, thanks for the tour, Kristi!
Happy Birthday, Jackie! My Mom’s was yesterday, and she would have been 90. Now that I know you’re a Virgo, I’m sure you will excell at what you do ( fashion OR Vet!!!!I hope for Vet, there aren’t enough good ones for all the animals in need!)
So happy Braise is OK, and what a good girl she is!
Love the pix of Grignan, thanks for the tour, Kristi!
I was unable to click on Carla Jackson’s article regarding “Hare Barley.” I am interested in learning more.
Thanks,
Carol
Happy Birthday Jackie!
I was unable to click on Carla Jackson’s article regarding “Hare Barley.” I am interested in learning more.
Thanks,
Carol
Happy Birthday Jackie!
Happy Sweet Sixteen, Jackie! Hope it’s a joyful day for you…and a stellar year. Great way to begin, knowinbg that you and Mom solved Briase’s problem so calmly and competently. Thank heavens all is well again!
Hugs to you all,
Abby (one of your many longtime fans!)
Happy Sweet Sixteen, Jackie! Hope it’s a joyful day for you…and a stellar year. Great way to begin, knowinbg that you and Mom solved Briase’s problem so calmly and competently. Thank heavens all is well again!
Hugs to you all,
Abby (one of your many longtime fans!)
Thank you very much for the birthday wishes for Jackie. She is very happy! And Happy Birthday to all you September babies! Almost everyone I know and am related to is born in Sept! Mom is up next…
Geraldine, Yes–Grignan is very close the Valréas–truffle galore around those part!
Elisabeth, wonderful to have the Provencal word for foxtail: spigau.
Carol, thanks for the heads-up. Here is the link to Carla Jacksons article about the grass torpedoes http://anewscafe.com/2009/07/08/carla-jackson-prickly-torpedoes-of-death-masquerading-as-innocent-grass/
Thank you very much for the birthday wishes for Jackie. She is very happy! And Happy Birthday to all you September babies! Almost everyone I know and am related to is born in Sept! Mom is up next…
Geraldine, Yes–Grignan is very close the Valréas–truffle galore around those part!
Elisabeth, wonderful to have the Provencal word for foxtail: spigau.
Carol, thanks for the heads-up. Here is the link to Carla Jacksons article about the grass torpedoes http://anewscafe.com/2009/07/08/carla-jackson-prickly-torpedoes-of-death-masquerading-as-innocent-grass/
Happy Birthday Jackie! Happy Sweet 16! What a beautiful photo of a beautiful young woman! So glad to hear that Braise is okay. Whew!
Happy Birthday Jackie! Happy Sweet 16! What a beautiful photo of a beautiful young woman! So glad to hear that Braise is okay. Whew!
Happy birthday to Jackie! So happy Braise is doing well again, sounds like a terrifying time!!
Happy birthday to Jackie! So happy Braise is doing well again, sounds like a terrifying time!!
Jackie, I hope you’re having a super-blessed birthday! Nearly in tears over Braise’s story. It’s awful seeing your beloved furry family member suffering. So grateful you were all able to help her and she’s well. Yay, God! 🙂
Jackie, I hope you’re having a super-blessed birthday! Nearly in tears over Braise’s story. It’s awful seeing your beloved furry family member suffering. So grateful you were all able to help her and she’s well. Yay, God! 🙂
My heart stopped when I read about Braise and Jackie’s stunning calm. What brave girls they were.
Happy Birthday Jackie! Every time I see your beautiful smiling face, I think how very suited you are for fashion. Hopefully we will see some of your work down the road. Looking forward to it. Happy Birthday Jules, just in case I miss that day… Hugs!
My heart stopped when I read about Braise and Jackie’s stunning calm. What brave girls they were.
Happy Birthday Jackie! Every time I see your beautiful smiling face, I think how very suited you are for fashion. Hopefully we will see some of your work down the road. Looking forward to it. Happy Birthday Jules, just in case I miss that day… Hugs!
Dear Jackie, Lots and lots of good wishes on your 16th birthday. May all your dreams be realized and fulfilled.
Dear Jackie, Lots and lots of good wishes on your 16th birthday. May all your dreams be realized and fulfilled.