The road ahead

One of the great things about having multiple dogs is that when you lose one, you still have plenty of others. It's not that you don't grieve for the one you lost, but the others don't permit you to wallow in your grief. It's the blessing of a routine, I guess. No matter what happens, you still have things to do. The other dogs all need to be fed on schedule and they expect their routine to continue regardless of what happened. Dogs live in the moment; they don't dwell on their losses for long. It's a good characteristic and a valuable lesson.

It's not that dogs don't grieve in their own way. Sparky and Teddy both are missing Brady. When I take Sparky in the van to go hiking he closely investigates Brady's scent on the blankets in the back of the van. He's been barkier in the mornings and evenings, basically lonely. Teddy is alone now too. Sparky is a little too big to play with Teddy and Teddy is too small for Sparky. Brady was just right for both of them. Molly is missing Emmylou too. Molly came back from the pasture with a brown nose yesterday, as she always did when she and Emmy were hunting and digging for moles and such. She doesn't stay out there that long now, however, because the boys aren't good hunting companions.

I've been walking Molly and Sparky separately, but haven't been brave enough, or strong enough, to try them together yet.

The building is one of the pole barns at Pleasant Grove at one end of the Heritage Trail. It is also where I first met Molly when the Fluvanna SPCA had her out at an adoption event several years ago. I was impressed by how calm and friendly she was in a rather chaotic environment. I know now that that she was probably pretty scared and intimidated but it was enough to make me take her home shortly thereafter. The pole barn has caution tape wrapped around it now because the building is listing a bit to one side due to the winter's ice and snow load and the rotting poles that hold it up.

Copper is doing well in his new home, but I am going over there today to help secure some fencing. Someone else sent in an application for Copper, but I think he's going to be all right where he is now. I also just received an app for Teddy, but it says that they would give up the dog if they ever moved into no-pet housing. And they are in Virginia Beach. You can guess what I'm going to do with that one.

The native redbuds in the woods where we hike are beginning to come into bloom. The ticks are coming out now too.