Self Portrait Challenge

My wonderful art group of very talented ladies had a challenge to do a self portrait on an 8" x 8" square of white fabric for the last meeting. I guess I'm still having trouble getting used to the fact that I'm not a "dog momma" anymore, because the only image that popped into my mind was of my petite girl Saffron. One of her favorite things to do was to chase little bird feathers down the beach as the wind blew them along. So, I created a beach scene using sun-dyed fabric stiched together (it still has some of the pins in it). Saffron's body is made out of a bit of a sun-printed sassafras leaf which is my favorite tree.

Then I needed a little feather, so before my husband and I went for a walk on the beach I asked her to help me find one. We had walked a mile in one direction and only found big feathers, but when we turned around to come back there were lots of little feathers scattered in our path, each one better than the last. So thank you Saffyfor providing just the right touch for your very own art quilt! You're still my muse.

Saffron Crocus Chewning In Memoriam

on Tuesday April 13th, in her 13th year, our beloved companion Saffron Crocus left her earthly pains behind and joined the angels. In the language of flowers saffron means "joy and laughter" and she brought so much to our lives and to those of everyone who met her. Saffron was an intelligent, intuitive, sweet spirit, wonderful nurse and great listener. It is certainly true that dogs leave behind pawprints on our hearts.
Saffron had cancer of the spleen and tried to hide her pain from us, always thinking of others, she put on a brave face until recently when it became too much to bear. She spent her last day riding in the car, visiting the beach (her favorite place), and eating frozen banana yogurt. It was certainly the longest and shortest day of my life knowing what was coming. We wrote letters to the angels and asked them to please guide her journey and take as good a care of her as we had.
Her vet came to the house this afternoon and with her lying on her favorite rug (the one where she could be in between Al and I and still keep an eye on us both), soft nature music playing in the background, and a tussie-mussie tucked between her paws to guide her on her way she left for her new home. Who knew one could have so many tears inside to shed. As I write this I still can't wrap my mind around what has happened, and I'm thinking I'll go downstairs and see her snoozing on her favorite rug.
Fare well Sweetie-Pea. We were blessed to have you for thriteen wonderful years and we will miss you. Wait for us and we will see you again to play.

At Least Saffrons Sniffer Still Works

Intellectually I always knew the day would come when my faithful companion, Saffron, would get old, but I wasn't ready emotionally when it actually happened. After all, 13 years in dog years is about 80 or so years in people years(for a dog her size). A couple of weeks ago she needed to have a bad tooth pulled, and thankfully, came through the anesthesia just fine. But since then she hasn't wanted to eat and what we thought was just hard of hearing has become toally deaf. And now she needs help getting up into the back seat of the car. At least the sniffer still works!

I think she has been depressed since her hearing went. She sleeps alot and still doesn't really want to eat or play with her toys. My solution is to make her rice and broth, take her rides in the car, and try to engage her in everyday life even if it involves a new sign language. Today we took her for a long walk on the beach and her old smile was back as she romped across the sand checking out everything that was new and different. Another lesson in living in the moment.

Doggie Joy

I'd like to introduce you to Saffron Crocus, our 13 year old golden retriever, doing one of the things she loves best - running on the beach. She always runs with a big smile on her face so today the stick is just an added bonus. We would all do well to follow Saffron's example of being "in joy" in the moment.