Salt kind of shows up everywhere. She comes up to the house to eat with Kate and Tilly. She greets visitors at the barn. She follows me around while I work and sleeps in the tack room. Hank had his routines, too, but they were pretty much all behind the barn and out of sight...until it snowed.
I remember his first night of really nasty winter weather here. I *knew* these dogs were well equipped for cold weather and I shouldn't worry, but I did. When I couldn't find him in the barn with the sheep or tucked into his dog house, I thought the worst. He was miserable and had run away.
I finally found him out back. He was running big excited circles in the front field, bounding through the snow with a huge grin on his face. I went out and joined him and from then on, any time it snowed he and I would have a party.
We got our first snow of the year yesterday morning...and even though I wasn't consciously thinking about Hank, my subconscious remembered and I realized I was looking around, expecting to see him.
I ended up having to run a lengthy errand in the afternoon and didn't get back until dark. As I hustled up to the barn for evening chores, I cut through the snowy yard. As I approached the big pine tree in the middle, a big white snow dog came bounding out to greet me with a big smile on her face.
Such a fine memory.
12 comments:
I thought of Hank when my friend adopted a failed guard dog. It turned out she was a lap dog at heart.
Enjoy your sweet memory. Enjoy Salt. Enjoy the snow.
I'm so glad you shared this memory of Hank and that you book-ended it with Salt. I have to confess that every time I read your blog, I think of Hank. I love imagining him running joyous snow zoomies! Mostly I think of him as this very dignified, focused worker, and it's lovely to have a new way of thinking and remembering him.
Mostly he was and sometimes I feel guilty spending so much time with Salt, but that's the way he wanted it. Those rare snow parties were the best :-).
What a beautiful memory. Brings tears to my eyes.
I woke up to snow and it was delightful to see!!
Those delightful memories are just wonderful. I'm glad you have Salt and she has you.
We had snow here this mornung, too. I always think of Hank and Boomer and my ole setter Starr wgen it snows. Starr loved the snow like Hank ~ nothing like a big red dog running, rolling & sliding in the snow. Our dogs, gotta love them and the memories they've left us.
Such a lovely old soul face on Salt. I miss Hank too.
I remember Hank liked the snow too! Good for Salt glad she is there with you...maybe she would train a puppy for you to protect your flock:)
Thank you for sharing this sweet story. It melted my heart as your stories often do.
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