The Full Buck Moon...

 

The Full Moon names used by The Old Farmer’s Almanac come from a number of places, including Native American, colonial American, and European sources. Traditionally, each Full Moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred, not solely to the Full Moon.

The Full Moon in July is called the Buck Moon because the antlers of male deer (bucks) are in full-growth mode at this time. Bucks shed and regrow their antlers each year, producing a larger and more impressive set as the years go by. 

Several other names for this month’s Full Moon also reference animals, including Feather Moulting Moon (Cree) and Salmon Moon, a Tlingit term indicating when fish returned to the area and were ready to be harvested. 

Plants are also featured prominently in July’s Moon names. Some of our favorites are Berry Moon (Anishinaabe), Moon When the Chokecherries are Ripe (Dakota), Month of the Ripe Corn Moon (Cherokee), and Raspberry Moon (Algonquin, Ojibwe). 

Thunder Moon (Western Abenaki) and Halfway Summer Moon (Anishinaabe) are alternative variants that refer to the stormy weather and summer season. 

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OK, maybe more than you wanted to know about the naming, but here's what it looks like...

 The yellowish color is because I shot this as the moon was just coming up over South Mountain, so a lot of the atmosphere to shoot through.  As the moon gets higher, it will appear whiter and brighter.

Taken with Sony A6700 mirrorless camera with a 210mm lens, ISO 800, manual exposure: 1/1000th sec, F6.3. 

  

A Turn Down Day...

 

If you said, "The Cyrkle, 1966, from their album Red Rubber Ball," you get 20 bonus points.  Nothing on my mind... yeah, more lyrics from the song.

It was that kind of day; resting up after yesterday.  The Tylenol and Ibuprofen helped, but the jaw pain would come and go.  Mostly, it hung around.

I didn't leave the house... and I feel the cabin fever building.  Joan made us breakfast (soft: scrambled eggs).  Got a soak in the hot tub before the heat of the day really kicked in.  Joan got us some take out for lunch.  I fed the cats.  Late this afternoon, Joan asked if I felt up to playing some music for her... "Anything for my Honey," but I felt it in my jaw while singing (without much gusto).

Getting towards the end of the day, it feels like I'm getting beyond the hurting. 

Done!

 

The root canal procedure.  It took a little longer than the endodontist anticipated - seems that this tooth has 3 roots (which I already knew), but it has 4 canals.  Yes, I am an over-achiever. 

This was better than the two previous root canals I've had, by a long shot.  The dentist and his assistant worked like a well-oiled machine.  There was very little talking between them, other than him asking for a particular millimeter drill bit and letting her know when he wanted suction.  It was confidence inspiring.

The only pain was during the last shot, into the roof of my mouth, to finish numbing the area, before the actual procedure.  Plenty of pressure during the procedure, but no real pain.  And, now that it is done, my jaw is aching - to be expected after having a block in there holding my mouth open for over an hour.

On the bright side: the crown is fine (they have to drill a hole in it to get to the roots).  It didn't crack and there was no other tooth issue underneath it.  They repaired and sealed the hole in the crown - it should not need any further treatment.

They sent me home with instructions: do not eat on that side for a week, but I can eat whatever I want.  Expect "discomfort" (that means: pain) for 3 to 4 days, with the pain being commensurate with the pre-procedure pain... which, in my case, was pretty darn nasty.  Take Tylenol and/or Ibuprofen for the pain.  Finish taking the antibiotics prescribed by my dentist.

Joan came along, in case I needed her to drive home.  That turned out to be a good decision - after being with my head lower than my body for an hour, I was a little woozy when I first got up out of the chair. 

Glad to have it done.

 

Security...

 

I have been accused of over-sharing.  I won't mention by whom.  So, anyway, I was in the bathroom this morning...

"No one wants to hear this, Jim."

Thank you for your input.  I think it is important to establish some background: we have had a cat in the family for 45 years now.  No, not the same cat - a series of cats.  Cats are curious by nature, and they have often followed us into the bathroom.  Anyone with a cat will confirm this.

That said, the two male cats we have had (Murphy, and before him: Rufus) have always provided "security" while I am in the bathroom.  They station themselves at the bathroom door, facing out, and making sure no one attacks me while I am in a vulnerable position.  When in the shower, they will usually move to right in front of the shower door, again facing out.

It obviously has been successful, as I have never been attacked while in the shower or on the toilet.  Still not over-sharing here.

So, while I was in the shower today, Murphy took his post, keeping me secure...

 At one point, he was joined by little Stella...

 I am happy to announce that it was another successful security mission.  Little Stella can be an instigator; she was trying to get Murphy to play/wrestle with her.  Staying with his duty, he batted at her.  I said, "Murphy, don't be rough with your sister."

To which he replied, "You like her best."

I reminded him that I tell Stella "No!" when she bites him on the ear.  And then I added, "My favorite is the one of you who is the best behaved at the time."  He wasn't so sure about that.  "You are both the favorite - you are my big handsome boy and she is my sweet little girl."

"OK, as long as I am the favorite favorite."

See, no over-sharing... even with a bathroom based post.

I love the smell of...

 

... root canal in the morning!  An appointment with the endodontist this morning.  If you aren't familiar, an endodontist is the person that specializes in root canals and other medieval torture procedures.  It is of Greek derivation, meaning: really expensive tooth stuff.

This is the guy my dentist said he would go to if he needed a root canal.  Easy to say when you don't need a root canal.  Damn, I seem to be saying "root canal" a bunch.

This is for a "consultation."  $200 to talk about what they're gonna do.  No idea if or when they're actually going to do something.  In the meantime: yeah, it still hurts.

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This morning's visit was just the consultation.  It all went as expected and they set me up with an appointment a couple weeks down the road to do the actual root canal.  I asked about being on a wait list and told them I could be flexible.

We were home by 9:45.  The endodontist's office called at 10:15 - they have a cancellation for tomorrow... "Would you like to take that appointment?"

"Absolutely!"  No point in dragging this out.  I am still on antibiotics, but healing - way better to get this over with sooner so I don't have to start over with the hurtin' again.  Hmm, that sounds like a country song... "Oh, baby, you make my heart hurt like a root canal."  I may be on to something.

 

 

Needed Rest...

 

No, still not me.  I haven't slept good since this jaw thing.  But, I have a couple fine looking felines, and today it is Murphy's turn in the spotlight.  This handsome boy sleeps hard.  When he is really zonked, his mouth hangs open and his paws curl.

It's another "he said/she said" kinda thing.  Well, his photo and her photo kinda thing.  Joan's photo...

Yes, I want to run my hands through that luxuriously furry belly, but I don't want to disturb him. 

And, my close up photo...

 I wish I could sleep like that.

 

Still Flirty...

 

No, still not me.  After all the hurtin' posts, I was ready for some kitty content.  This evening, Stella was entertaining us with her flirty poses.  From Joan's phone...

 And from my phone...

 Such a little cutie!