Sunday Musings

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

With Earthquakes, tsunami's and a virtual torrent of news battering our news screens in real time it's hard to absorb all the horror which is why I find myself checking in here from time to time.  A sanctuary where I can focus on new friends and all things Doodle.  My passion for dogs, and these dogs in particular started when I was a small child.  My first puppy was a Doodle type.  We called him a Terroodle as we didn't know who his daddy was.  He had that curly poodle coat and the loveliest disposition.  Gentle and very bright.  I got my love of animals and dogs in particular from my Father.  My mother tolerated every animal I brought home and this included rabbits, who ate the carpet.  A sheep and donkey who I found straying and who ate all her beautiful flowers from our prize garden and a Tortoise, numerous guinea pigs and of course dogs.  In fact our house was like a mini Rescue Centre/Zoo!  The local Police would bring any strays that were brought to them before they went to the rehoming centres.  One dog they brought me gave birth to five puppies a week after she arrived.  I remember my aunt remarking that she must have had puppies before as she knew exactly what to do!!  I could hear my desparing Mother whispering under her breath about how stupid a remark that was.

 

It was in truth my mother who was the real hero in our childhood.  A childhood that was shared with animals. She, herself could take them or leave them but what she did do was recognise my love of them.  She stepped back and allowed our home to become a multi pet farm.    Mum was killed in a car crash in Canada in 2007 and I miss her every day.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Your mother sounds amazing.  I enoyed your post.  Look forward to seeing photos of your newest zoo member :)

[Camilla and Darwin]

Your mother sounds like she was a wonderful woman. What a wonderful way to grow up too, surrounded by animals. Lovely post.

[Kate]

What a great mental picture I have of you in your own private zoo! Your mother sounds like she was amazing. On top of everything you wrote, she clearly raised a kind and empathic daughter. Thank you for a wonderful story to end the weekend.

[Carol and Banjo]

Sounds like Mum raised a very special daughter.....how sweet and wonderful for you to share this with us Nicky. Thank you.  : )

 

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Nicky - thanks for sharing these memories of your mom - I'm so very sorry that she is gone - she sounds very special.  The really wonderful thing about life - even though we all suffer the loss of loved ones - the memories live on forever when we share them!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Your mother sounds like a very special woman....thanks for sharing.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Thanks for all the lovely comments, I will watch 'One True Thing' during the week (what's a few more tears? They are a fact of love)

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Oh Nicky, I am tearing up reading this...what a beautiful tribute to your mother! She sounds like she was a wonderful, loving mother. I don't know if you like movies, but one of my favorites is called One True Thing with Meryl Streep and Renee Zellweger. A little different in the daughter did not appreciate the mother growing up, but comes to realize what an outstanding woman she was and how she was the backbone of the family...I will warn you...a tear jerker. This is just lovely...thank you for sharing!

[F, Calla & Luca]

What a lovely musing. So sorry about your mother, though. My father once brought home a chicken he found along the highway that he supervised. There was no cage and that chicken shared the bedroom my sister and I slept in, in an apartment in Manhattan, for about two days. H e realized this was not a good plan and told us the chicken was taken to a farm. We were suspicious.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

I looked out my bedroom window early one Sunday morning to be greeted by the sight of a Donkey and a Sheep wondering down the centre of the main road opposite our house.  They were great friends, inseparable as it turns out,  so I brought them to our house by making a makeshift halter for the Donkey.  His friend the sheep just followed.  I woke my parents and told them about the new visitors  who stayed for over a week in our front garden where they demolished all the flowers and shrubs.  Mum went to a nearby farm and got a bale of hay for them which kept the happy until they were re-homed together about a week later.  I think I was aged 10/11 at the time.