A few weeks ago as I sat reading I smelled something hot, but it was right after a smoky car went by so I didn’t give it anymore thought. A few minutes later I hear the collies by the back hallway acting up.
Then I hear it, Thor giving that trumpeting collie bark when something is wrong. I come into the kitchen abpnd the collies are looking into the back hallway and Thor is going ballistic by now.
Then I see the glow on the wall and knew something was on fire. I ran and saw the air fan we have on a metal fan stand is on fire. The motor is on fire and the plastic guard on on side is engulfed in flames.
I run to it, flint open the screen door and yank the plug and carry it out holding the stand and put it outside and run back and grab water and put it out.
Oh for the days of metal fans that if the motor Shorted and burned up the fan blades and metal guards would not fuel the fire and contribute to a disaster.
But, all is well and Thor is the hero. I am proud of him for he showed no fear and was in the front in the hallway sounding The alarm looking for a way to stop something he didn’t understand.
A week ago on Friday morning just before 7:30 am Ginger took her last breath and left us for her great quest for Universal Dictator. It took me a week to finally bring myself to write this.
with her passing, the end of era has come to the meadow. Ginger is the granddaughter of big Hallie. She was here with Trevor, Lad, Smoke, Anya, Sadie, Teddy, Ellie, Branwen, Skylight, lil Hallie, Mick, Rutherford through the years as they passed, were born and then passed also. She saw the arrival of the present young guys. She was our last link to what we call the golden era.
Ginger was super smart and many of her antics are recorded on this blog. She was mischievous, curious and a true strife stirring rabble rouser. She also had another side that rarely was shown here. She truly liked to try to figure out how something worked. She was also truly the one who took younger collies under her wing and showed them them ropes and taught them much. Yes, that included her mischief making. She was also a very loving collie with a great sense of humor. She made us laugh endlessly. In her later years she would get in the midst of the great wrestling matches of the younger collies breaking them up and then somehow reorganizing it so it was more of one group against another instead of the anarchy she saw. She kept us on our toes and was continuously moving on to another plot even before the last one she organized was done playing out.
she seemed to begin her decline when lil Hallie passed last January. Then when Rutherford passed this January she rapidly seemed to decline more. It was like she missed all the old gang. Yet, she would still give the younger collies what for, but the plots ended. She was doing what I have seen other old collies do, standing and looking across the yard like she was remembering the past. She seemed content but she also seemed to be looking for those she loved.
But, the day before she passed she gave all the collies one by one a good what for letting them know she was still the boss. Then she came in and they all slept with her in a circle. Cuddling up to her as she slipped away through the night and then as the end drew near they began to whine and cry and as she passed Shiloh cried out sadly. Apollo grabbed her neck fur and tried to pull her up… they tried to rouse her but she was gone.
for several days they looked for her when going out and coming in. Even though they had seen her go, they didn’t seem to want to let her go. It was a mood we all felt. The end of an era had come, with the echoes of all those glorious collies whom we were blessed with coming to life in our memories.
Time marches on and the era has come. It is wild, full of spirit and rampaging fun. It brings hope to me again, but there is the realization that we have lost something that will never return. I love you Ginger. Take over the universe. Goodbye to the golden era and the Sade realization that my golden era has ended also, as I head into my elderly years spending more time remembering what was then planning for the future…. For while this bunch of collies are the most over the top bunch who bring me great joy, they are probably my last bunch, which brings with it a deep sadness….. and the realization that the day I will eventually join my gone collies is coming closer…. Way too quickly. Till that day I will love this bunch till they too become dust… and sometime after that, hopefully, I will join them in a new adventure. Till then, we will squeeze love and fun out of every moment we can, although it will be tinged with a touch of sorrow.
Shortly after my post about Apollo last year we received a call from our friend stating that Apollo’s brother needed a home for his owner was not doing well. After a lot of discussion we decided to bring him here. Apollo was still struggling with his past but still making gains each day. More about Apollo in a minute.
Apollo’s brother is a good size boy. He is a playful, fun loving and sweet collie named Zephyr. He is also a rabble rouser who instigated backyard antics and chases and barkfests. He is a notorious cat food stealer and yet is so sweet he melts one’s heart. He can get caught doing something like stealing cat food and look so innocent that you can begin to doubt what you saw.
He came here and met the collies. Apollo of course was upset, until it calmed down a bit and they sniffed each other. Their tails wagged and they instantly took off on a wild chase and this was the turning point for all the past was gone in that moment and Apollo has never looked back. These two have the most physical and intense chases since the Lad and Smoke chases of years ago. They are very physical and I hold my breath as they run full speed and end up in a rolling crashing end, only to get up and go again.
I can alway tell what is going on in the backyard for Zephyr is a talker and has different pitched barkeeps for each situation. A naughty yapping for when there is a wrestling match in the backyard that he instigated, a chase with Apollo with a quick series of barks or that famous Lassie sounding bark if the big chase with all the collies involved and so on.
Zephyr is a true gentleman that always looks at you lovingly, but I have learned behind those loving eyes mischief is being born. Apollo love to have me chase him and Zephyr will suddenly grab my arm, Thor the other while Shiloh grabs the back of my shirt or coat and I wonder why I am tired all of a sudden then realizing I am dragging three collies with me across the yard. All instigated by lovey dove eyed Zephyr.
A daily event is now what we call the Good, the Bad and the Ugly moment. All of a sudden on one side of the yard Apollo appears, eyes squinting looking across the yard. Looking over there appears Zephyr, wide eyed staring back. All goes quiet except my mind can hear that darn song from that western. One minutes passes, no one has moved, no one has blinked. Sometimes Thor may join in making it three, but sometimes not. But not one of the collies move as they watch… in silence. Two minutes and nothing has changed.. squinting Apollo and Wide eyed Zephyr. Three minutes and nothing…. Then boom off they go chasing each other and they run hard jumping over things between things full speed around the yard several times until one dives and the become a rolling, disheveled crashing wreck, only to get up and do it again. Not sure how the decide who wins but it’s a sight to see.
Zephyr has brought with him the rollicking crazy days of the past and best of all Apollo left behind those days of pain and suffering. Apollo has become a delightfully naughty collie. He has fun filled days and has become a bit mouthy telling me off when I say no and demanding his way. He has become quite vocal in fact with onlyZephyr talking more. To see him so happy and free makes me smile. So, as we mourn the loss of Rutherford we also feel blessed to have had him as a family member. It makes us more determined to enjoy every moment we have, for those moments end way too soon.
So many things have happened and life has been so busy that time has slipped away and it has been a long time since I posted. We will do a couple of updates today fill in what has been going on.
This morning we got up and let the collies out and Rutherford as usual was sleeping in. But, when ai glanced at him I knew he was no longer with us. He had a really great day yesterday, being more active than is normal for a 13 year old collie. Was even out and about in the bitter cold and snow barking up a storm and trying to steal the other collies toys. He went to bed happy and content and shortly after passed.
Rutherford was an interesting collie. He was such a naughty puppy and he battled Wally his brother all day long in the backyard wrestling, chasing and mock battles. He was happy, could be deep in thought scheming up something silly and loved to run and play all day. In some ways he reminded me of Trevor. He enjoyed life and was always part of Ginger’s plots but in a background sort of way. He made us laugh at his silliness and at times he could however be so regal that it was hard to believe he was the same collie. He is deeply loved and I take comfort he is now with Wally. Rutherford is the last of the collies born here. The last of the line is Ginger who is old now, gray and growing feeble. She and Rutherford hung out since lil Hallie’s passing last year and she is rather dejected this morning. She may be plotting some sort of scheme for a send off for a Rutherford so stay tuned.
Today marks the end of an era in our lives. The last of those lovable puppies have grown old and are now gone. While my heart is once again broken, I take great comfort that Rutherford went in his sleep peacefully. But, it was a surprise for he was doing well until the end. Some pictures of my Regal, clownish, happy family member, Rutherford…. Till we meet again….
Shortly after our last post we received an email from our friend whose home Shiloh and Thor came from. from her we learned that a beautiful white collie she had sold she had found out had been rehoused to an abusive home. We won’t go over what happened to him, but it really made him scared of everyone and everything. No one would take hime for he was a wreck. Our friend was broken hearted and asked if we could try to help him and give him a good home. she gifted him to us and he arrived and he was frightened but the collies gathered around him and licked and showed affection and in a matter of minutes he had new friends.
That was the high point for the next several weeks as I spent every hour I had trying to get Apollo to come out of his shell. we would make some progress only to have him relapse the next day into a life of fear. It was heartbreaking, hard to see and it broke my heart. somedays at the end I would hold him as he shook in fear and weep for him.
However, a month and a half in he made progress everyday and each day he came to get over his fears and I became very hopeful for him. Two months and he has adopted me and was a bit tentative around our son, but was still scared of my wife. A note on this, the person who abused him was female.
Three months in and he was doing very well and I became very proud of him for he had grown so much. He was still scared of my wife, but becoming braver and bolder. Four months and he went up to my wife and accepted a treat from her. In his fifth month Apollo has become a collie with that is very happy, has a delightfully naughty streak and is very playful with a crazy sense of humor.
His favorite trick is when I will grab his toy to throw it, he grabs my shoelaces untying them, when I bend over to tie them he gently nips my backside then steals his toy back.
He still has a few issues to work through but he is doing great now. As you can see his eyes glow with joy as he plays. Our Apollo, the collie who has brought me so much joy as he has grown and overcome his past.
Last year we decided to get another collie in 2022. Fate had it otherwise. our friends where we picked up Shiloh had a beautiful lil pup whose is Shiloh’s brother from a different litter. so, we brought him home last summer and he and Shiloh do everything together. Thor is a sweet guy who is loving, gentle and very soft hearted until he goes outside to play and then it is all out physical play with lots of roughhousing, wrestling and craziness. with winchester in the mix we have craziness and they remind me of the three stooges. Winchester is like moe, trying to keep control but causing more chaos by doing so, shiloh is like Shemp a nutty funny guy and Thor the lovable carefree spirit who loves everyone, roughhousing, carefree, happy yet full of the craziest, thoughts, actions and has the most creative answers. we will begin updating here in the next few weeks. Thor loves shoes…. to death and loves shoestrings. only collie to do so in our lifetimes. Rumor has it he gives them to Ginger for bomb fuses……
first day, no time to introduce let rampage across the backyard
13 years ago I was there when Anya and Skylight conceived the litter that lil hallie and mick were born in. First one I helped to deliver was lil Hallie and I watched in wonder as she took her first breath! I was there when eyes opened, I was there when she first stood up, there for her first step, there as she first ran.
Through the years we went for lots of walks, spent lots of time together and she was loyal, faithful and my right hand. I loved her as much as I loved her grandmother Hallie whom she was named after and looked like. She was the one collie I can never remember ever doing anything naughty. She was good and true. I never wrote much about her other than to show she was my protector and loyal and my right hand like her grandmama was.
On January 11th she began to fade from old age and spent the day laying next to me as I worked and cared for her. After work I sat next to her till 7:29 when she, in my arms passed from my life and took another piece of my heart as they alll do. The collie who helped me heal from the passing of her grandmama the day before she was born now is gone. She was a sassy type of an angel but she was one heck of a collie. She is a treasure that lives in my heart. like her grandmama she was the alpha female.
Of the collies born here only Rutherford is still with us. His time is clearly drawing to his end Also. Ginger still is mischevious but slowing down.
As I look out the window at Winchester, Shiloh and Thor rioting in the backyard I see the future as they look like the three stooges with their craziness…… but I the past also, a past I dearly miss.
i love you lil Hallie, I always will. You were pure and good….
Shiloh arrived last fall and quickly became best friends with Winchester. Shiloh is a friendly, loving, loveable, fun loving collie who enjoys life until he gets bored.
once that happens Shiloh kicks into action chaotically creating chaos and whipping the Meadow into craziness. This has earned Shiloh the name Captain Chaos. Then add Winchester to the mix who is Super Psycho and brings planning to the chaos and we have the Dastardly Duo whose antics bring howls of glee from Ginger who uses the distractions to her advantage…..
above is their mugshot…. Er picture. As you can see Captain Chaos is about whip into action as Super Psycho is looking for the next target with his blue eye which like the eye of Sauron from the lord of the rings misses nothing and pierces the soul.
Once Super Psycho zeroes in into action they go gleefully weaving their chaotic assault with Winchester methodically doing his thing while Shiloh chaotically adds to the confusion working together towards their goal. Sometimes it is funny and fun other times intervention is needed which then of course Gingers adds her twist which keeps the action going.
Huh, look at all the smoke, fire and rubble, that was fun and kept me entertained. Dad looks mad, where did Ginger go and why is Winchester’s eye piercing my soul. Time to be cute and loving so I can get out of this mess.
Two weeks from today…. a new face will arrive at the meadow. Excitement is building, Ginger is plotting on how to recruit him to the dark side. A few pictures of Shiloh. 🙂
Hi, I am Shiloh. Who is this Ginger I hear about? She has already written to me telling me she will be my only friend at my new home. But, I hear others say the Old Guy is good to collies. Who is Winchester, I hear him and I will be play buddies. I am a curious guy who likes to run, hope Winchester likes to run, that is what I hear.What is a doggie bomb. Ginger says she will teach me how to make them……..Two weeks!!!! I am curious about my new home and family. I am not sure I want to be like Ginger, I like to be held and to cuddle…… but I am curious and will investigate everything. Ginger tells me if I do not like it at the meadow she will help me hop a train to Georgie…. wherever that is…. See you all in Two weeks! -Shiloh
THE OLD GUY HAS TURNED HIS BACK…. The voting in our previous post is still going on!!!! Remember, vote for me!!! GINGER!!!!! The vote combined with the collie vote is close… help me to become President. Collies of the world unite!!!!
I am the candidate that kisses babies!!! See! 🙂 VOTE!!!!
Collies Of The Meadow 