Lily, My Dog Friend

Lily, sweetness and love covered in curly hair.

It happened quite by accident, the idea of a little house dog.  We always had outside (barn) dogs and they were always big.  They roamed our yard and pasture freely, chased balls and slept in the flowerbeds.  They were wonderful.  A house dog was a different story AND a little dog was unheard of on our farm!  The reason for this decision was because I wanted some company, our children were leaving the nest, too busy for mom and I needed to still be that mom, so our Lily came to be with us in November 1996.  She was mostly poodle but pronounced a Yorkie/Poo when we went to look at her.  Dark gray mostly curly hair and floppy ears, I was in love the moment I saw her cuteness.

On Monday, June 2, 2014 our journey together on this earth ended.  I called to the loved critters that left before her, the horses and Jessie who left us last summer, I ask them all to gather and greet her.  I could see her washing Jessie's face, something our lab finally resigned herself to enjoy.  Lily was always the mother in our dog family.  

Lily and Gabby going for a ride.

I spent my last hours with Lily, offering choice bits of bacon, loving and hugging on her.  Wanting to protect her and keep her with me always, and yet knowing it was becoming more and more difficult for her to manage.  

She lived a great life here in this family, she was my constant companion, she got to go for rides in the car, she loved camping with us and the horses.  When camping, she always knew when it was time for bed and we would find her in the middle of our sleeping bags, ready for the night.  She played with toys and stole dropped baby booties for attention.  She went to the barn when we fed horses, always looking for dropped horse feed and somehow managed to avoid horse feet that stomped flies.  She loved stealing hoof trimmings when the farrier was trimming feet, only to vomit them up hours later in the house.  I loved her happy little trot down the sidewalk, it was as if she had springs in her legs.  She had one litter of three puppies, we kept one, Gabby and she is sixteen now.  She and Gabby were a good team, they did everything together.

Lily learned a few little tricks, she could sit and beg, we all thought that was adorable and of course she was rewarded for that.  She and all my dogs were taught to sit and stay, one Christmas Card we had seven dogs posing with little Santa hats on that I'd made, they all would sit and stay for me, it was so fun capturing this picture.  Guest dogs included Midnight and Butchie.............  sadly the only one left is our little Gabby girl.

It is difficult to factor the right time to let her go, her dignity and grace are considered.  She wasn't happy, she would get lost in once familiar places, she would wait for me to rescue her, help her outside and back inside, to find the water dish, to serve her a tempting meal where she slept.  Cleaning up accidents and keeping her beds soft and clean.  I did it with compassion and love and yes, sometimes even with frustration.  But I loved her with all my heart and will miss her always.

Lily, 1996 -2014

She is buried near the studio, a special area that I can see from the house or the porch at the studio.  A stack of prayer stones, Hostas planted and a little wind chime. 

Postscript:   After placing the prayer stones and attending to other details, beside the stones I found a small grey feather.  I felt it was a gift from her and acknowledged it with a tear.  This entire summer, everywhere I go, I find small grey feathers.........   She and I are are still connected.