Molly Maguire and the Robins

[IrishAyes]

This past Monday an immensely powerful straight-line wind knocked over a trumpet vine arbor in my front yard that had been standing there almost 8 years. It was the very first thing I ever planted after buying this place, and I thought that by now it was strong enough to withstand anything. Not so.

I discovered two nests had been hidden in the thicket, and sadly, the young robins lay dead near one another as well. They were big enough to have been flying before the storm struck. The deaths of these poor little things bothered me a lot more than the loss of the arbor. The trumpet vine will grow back and next time be kept to a far less lethal size. I gave the little robins a proper disposal but forgot to pick up their nest.

Next time I stepped outdoors, I saw Molly Maguire curled up around the nest like it was her own. In fact, it is now because she carries it all around the yard with her everywhere she goes. It's beyond sad but still endearing to see her mope around with that bird nest like it was her own puppies she lost. Thank goodness Brigid, the JRT, has no interest in Molly's treasure or she would've shredded it in short order. But I can't help believing that Molly is mourning the loss of those birds somehow. She would've made a great mom herself, which brings me to another reason I refuse to breed even show quality dogs; because I KNOW the mother grieves when her pups are gone. How they ever forgive us is beyond me.

[sinkingfeeling]

1. I had a dog once, long ago, who had just two puppies that both died. She

adopted a teddy bear and kept it with her for 6 to 7 weeks.

[Walk away]

2. What a beautiful story! Molly is a special girl.

[Voice for Peace]

3. I'm starting to think dogs are able to perceive & connect with the immortal.

including the immortal in us, and the baby birds

[IrishAyes]

4. Thanks for sharing your stories with me

Brigid is only 6 months, so she might behave differently a year from now. Don't know what Molly would've done at her age. I also wonder if Molly might've considered those birds sort of like friends instead of potential prey. They were certainly part of her world. And she was a bit lonely until we got her a baby sister.

Thinking about other animals, despite my earnest landscaping for wildlife habitat, today I saw the third bee of the season. THIRD. Damn Monsanto and GMO's. Hopefully before the end of summer I'll be able to start raising mason bees. It's my understanding that they have placid natures. The county courthouse 3 blocks away hosts a big colony of bats which swarm out over the town every night, so I don't have to worry about those. But if they start to decline locally, I'll have to buy or make a bat house too.

The critters I'm NOT hospitable too are the racoons, possums, and skunks, partly because of their tendency to spread rabies. Besides, they have more than a few abandoned houses to live in, which the town fathers refuse to do anything about, citing their alleged helplessness regarding aesthetics. Well, at least they made the owners of junk vehicles clean up those eyesores.

[TorchTheWitch]

5. oh, that's adorable!

Funny the things that dogs get emotionally attached to.

My first Akita got an unreasonable attachment to a Winnie the Pooh bear that he slept with, wouldn't let anyone sit next to (it was enthroned in one corner of the couch) except me (grudgingly) and oddly enough my mother. For years he wanted to bring it with him on our every single walk, but I put my foot down about that after the first time since once outside he dropped it and made me carry it (rather embarrassing, that). First thing he'd do when returning from a walks was rush to the couch to be sure that Pooh was unharmed in his absence. I got used to telling people that came over for the first time to not sit next to Pooh bear. That very much upset Kato, and he'd rush to protect his Pooh by shoving himself between Pooh and the person and glaring at them.

After he passed away, Boo, my next doggie inherited Pooh bear, but he wasn't the least bit emotionally attached to it and promptly ripped it to shreds which he did with every stuffed toy he got. Yoshi likes to beat up on his stuffed toys and only injure them enough that I have to fix them... and he will bring them to me to fix and insist that I do it (and insist that this be done immediately while he watches and waits) only to injure them again. I think I spend part of almost every day stitching up one of his injured stuffed toys.

[IrishAyes]

6. You're a good egg.

Yoshi may be wreaking destruction because it reassures him (her?) to see you care for him. This might reassure Yoshi that you will always be there for him/her or something.

That said, out in the boonies my red chows used to bring me the remains of their catch of the day. I'd hide to make sure no one passing by on the road could see me, then pretend to enjoy their present before giving it back to them. But I'm sure they considered it very important and would've been hurt beyond measure if I rejected their present entirely.