Pigeon House With Flying Elephant & Humpbacked Pig

...and magpie.

oticed these while turning into Trees Road in Mount Merrion, on the way to take Lola for a run in the Deerpark playing fields. So I turned into that cul-de-sac on the right near the top of the hill and pulled up near the church car park, as I knew this is where I'd get some of the clearest views across the city (albeit wedged between houses and trees). An elderly man in glasses and a trilby remarked as he passed by: 'A cloud photographer.' Very true.

Threw some balls for Lola as dusk fell. Between sprints, she rested, couchant, her breath and whole body steaming in the blue light. Afterwards I brought her to the vet for her shots. The young vet and (assistant?) Clodagh both admired her, handing her treats. She was slightly reluctant to take any from the vet who had just speared her in the arse, but succumbed eventually.

The vet then alarmed me with news of a lung-worm virus: often almost asymptomatic till the late stages, when it can cause strokes, etc. Carried apparently by 70% of snails and slugs, and the dog needn't eat the critters to contract it as it's airborne, so a mere slug's or snail's breath away from any sniffing dog. Treatment isn't expensive, but I want to learn a bit more before I decide to subject our dog to a lifetime's worming treatment.