Here he is on a June day, guarding the onions in the raised bed.
He will guard anyone and anything . He sees off passers-by in the lane and guards house plants against the nibbling of cats. He guards bags of shopping on the kitchen table from the tabby who wants to steal fresh bread. He grumbles at the birds on the bird table .He leaps at the window and roars at the young fox who dares to trot across the lawn at dusk.
To those who do not know him, he is a growling, grumpy, fierce old dog. And yet..... he is my most faithful friend. Wherever I am in the house, he is there beside me. If I go to the garden without him, he cries at the window. Whatever I do, he is at my side and underneath my feet. If I am reading, he is curled up by my chair. If I am cooking, he is there, waiting for crumbs to drop into ever hungry jaws. If I am here at the computer, he is on the old sofa behind me, sighing and snoring until I am ready to be with him again.
Dear dog, who was the playmate of my sons in their teenage years and who lights up with happiness if they come home again from their new lives, from far away. Stiff in his limbs now, but still loving his garden, field and Forest walks beside Old Dog, his lifelong friend. Grey around his eyes now, but bright still in his collie mind that understands so many human words and unspoken thoughts.
Eleven years old today. Happy Birthday Whisper Dog and hoping there will be many more!
Whisper and Old Dog resting by the wild pond.
2 comments:
I hope you baked him a nice cake! He is a lovely dog, so very faithful. A magpie shadow . . .
Love it - I have to type "unwelly" now!!
Our Border Collie died on Christmas Eve 2008. Although we have maintained our decision not to have another dog at this time, I still sometimes think I see him out of the corner of my eye. Collies, even more than most dogs, are aware of their owner's every move.
Post a Comment