It's hard to believe that it's been more than a month since Bertie the black cat disappeared. We looked for him for nearly a week before Walt happened to find him lying in some tall grass out near the pond. He had died but he looked like he was just curled up asleep. We picked him up, carried him back into our yard, and gave him a proper burial. Below are some photos of him that I took in May 2011, when he had only been here for a year.
It's also hard to believe that it's been nearly 6 years since Callie the border collie had to be put down because she was hopelessly paralyzed. It was also Walt who found her, on a Saturday afternoon in June 2017, lying on the floor downstairs and unable to get up. We tried emergency treatments but nothing could be done. It was especially sad because she had a smile on her face and was eating kibble and drinking water right up to the end. She didn't seem to be in pain but she couldn't wag her tail. Above are a couple of pictures I took of her in May 2013. In one of them she's in front of our house. In the other we were out for a walk in the vineyard.
Our lives were richer thanks to the two of them — even though they never did get along together.
I believe it is the unconditional relationship domestic animals provide us with that makes saying good bye so hard, if not harder than when we loose a relative or friend ? To this day I never replaced my dog.
ReplyDeleteI can tell you the names of the pets I've had for all of my life. They are a real part of our lives. The first photo has a nice view of your place.
ReplyDeleteMe, too, Evelyn!
DeleteAnd me three. I can seven dogs I've had over the course of my lifetime, and one cat.
DeleteOh, they were so dear!
ReplyDeleteShared memories of those happy pets.
ReplyDeleteI don’t know why Callie always tried to bite Bertie. Was she trying to “herd” him?
ReplyDeleteIn my long life I had two pets, a black cat, and a black Grœnendael. My father had the black cat euthanized because I played with it instead of doing my homework and, years later, my black dog was poisoned because he was barking too much. I miss them both!
That's sad about losing your black cat, chm. My parents gave my first dog, Sammy to a shut in child (maybe they just told me that) because he bit people.
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