Gone, but Can't be Forgotten

She didn't miss to many on the first bounce!

When Brenda read the last blog entry she was surprised that I had not mentioned one word about Meg in it. Many of you know that Meg was our constant companion, both here at Dogpound as well as on our travels around the country with our RV. She has ridden more miles than most and ran along side our horses for hundreds more.

Many of our readers will have heard this story but early in May she and I took a ride on a sunny afternoon, just around the farm, but sadly it was to be our last. She came back into the yard and Matt threw her a couple of balls and then we headed down the field. When we got back she was laying in the barnyard in obvious distress. Last year she had been poisoned with strychnine and this year the symptoms were identical. I am not sure if last years incident had weakened her system or if this stuff accumulates in your system but by the time I ran and got the Jeep and we loaded her in it for a trip to the vet, she passed away. I am not sure where the poison came from but I have scoured our place and the surrounding area. I came up with a couple of dead magpie's and a hawk which had died and been scavenged, probably by those magpie's and possibly by Meg also.

Here at Dogpound North we have not used poison for probably 20 years and most of our neighbours are in the same boat. However like all farms we have a bunch of old buildings around the place that I thought might harbour some old cans or something. Matt and I hauled all of the old junk out of those buildings over the week or ten days following Meg's death and our plan is to demolish and burn all of those old buildings this summer. Our search however didn't turn up any hidden sources of poison.

This time of year in our county is the time when folks can actually buy strychnine from the county to enable them to poison gophers, or actually Richardson Ground Squirrels. A canvass of our neighbours came up with no locations where poison had been used within  a reasonable distance of our place but I guess if a hawk was to come upon a poisoned gopher a mile or two away it would take no time at all for it to get back onto our place. This poison acts quickly but quickly usually means within an hour or two, so lots of time for a swift flying bird to travel a long way.

Nevertheless what's done is done and nothing will bring back our friend and companion. I still don't ever pick up a stick without thinking of her and find myself looking around to see where she is watching from. She was always there when we were watering something and it is strange to set the water on and not see her watching it intently. I know she was Brenda's constant companion and faithful friend and she misses her with all her heart.

Rest In Peace old friend and we will be anxiously awaiting our reunion at the Rainbow Bridge when our own time comes. Till then keep gathering sticks, we'll be ready to throw a few when the time comes.

Meg was always there somewhere in the background and it will take a long time to come to terms with the fact that she is watching from a place we can't see anymore, but her antics still will bring smiles to our faces as we remember them.