Bringing home outdoor plants from the nursery to prepare for our first wedding of the new season.
My first thoughts this morning should have been: what I will make for breakfast, and my to-do list for the wedding we’re having tomorrow. Rather, I struggled to remember what it was I felt sad about the night before. It was 5:30 AM and my mind was in an emotional fog and I couldn’t remember why.
Snap dragons do great in Estes Park. I have been planting them around this tree for seven years with success. One or two get pulled up by elk, but they survive and the elk get a sore tummy. I’m convinced planting the same plants in the same spot each year conditions the elk’s eating behavior.
My heart sunk when it came back to me that my little old lady Maggie was laying at the foot of my bed sick. She wont be pawing my bed posts to wake me. I went to her and prayed she was alive. She lifted her head to let me rub under her chin, and stretched out her back legs. It was all normal, she was behaving like she normally did when I beat her to the wake up call.
The tag is for the snap dragons near the rear of the photo. The flowers in the foreground are Verbena. I LOVE this family of flower. I plant them in my window boxes at he top of my porch. Wind, rain, cold temperatures. They are heat tolerant thriving summer and into early fall with full Southern exposure. The flowers last for weeks but when the flower expires dead head them for new growth.
Magg’s head gets tired at times.
I think for a few minutes Maggie too forgot she had lost her ability to jump up at will. Maggie is a sight-hound so making eye contact is Magg’s M.O. Her bright brown eyes turn people’s hearts to soft gel. It was while looking into her eyes that I saw a slight flash. She was fully awake now and she now remembered.
She can eat alone but it’s hard on her neck.
Over the years many of our guests have kissed Maggie’s head, rubbed her ears, sent her Christmas cards and even gifts. She has friends all over the United States and world. Including; Germany, Holland, and Thailand.
We had a guest that was terrified of dogs. She had not touched one since she had been bitten in the face as a little girl. Maggie’s soft knowing eyes opened that lady’s heart up–healing an old wound. Our guest, from Thailand, held Maggie crying when she told us her story and triumph over a fear that paralyzed her at times.
Thank you from Maggie, and Eric and I, for sending your thoughts and well wishes.
