Monday, 25 January 2010

Remembering a Lifetime of Pets


I have recently been thinking about all the pets I have had since childhood. Reminiscence can be difficult and it is easy to become maudlin. Perhaps the most colourful pet I had was Alan - he was the one chick that became more than just a chicken. He was the strutting cockerel who would direct the hens to food. That made him popular with the girls. One day, I saw him facing off a fox, standing between it and his hens. Sadly, he was killed by the fox a few months later, right in front of my eyes on . . . my birthday! I was very sad.


7 comments:

  1. Stunning! He sounds wonderfully tenacious.

    You make me miss the two chickens I made pets of that actually belonged to a neighbor. Tweedledum and Tweedledumber. They'd follow me anywhere for a saltine cracker. My little buddies were also killed by foxes.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sorry to hear your little buddies were killed, also. Great names, though.
    Laurie

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sorry to hear about your loss and on your birthday, too. Pets are such an important part of our lives and memories. Great idea for a blog.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Linda. Nice to hear from you. Yes, so important to us, I agree.
    Laurie

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Laurie,

    Thanks for visiting my spot recently. I realize that it has been too long since I commented here. But I really enjoy checking out your updates. The photos are always interesting and thought provoking.

    I am sorry to hear what happened to Alan. Pets! Their lives are often too short and we attach ourselves to them.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I helped look after a cockerel called Jean-Luc in Wales a long time ago. He was exceedingly nasty.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Here is a very odd and sad thought. Last year, due to age and illness, I had to put down two very old and very loving pets.

    It occurred to me that I am too old to properly train and care for any new large breed dogs. It gave me a bit of relief in knowing I would never have to endure this heartbreak again.

    My last two animals are also "rescues" that I have had for about five years each... a large cat and a four pound dog.... both with care will live another 10 to 15 years with good care.

    Then the most dreadful realization. They will both out live me. While I have many loves in my life, they only have me.

    I set out to immediately bond these animals to a younger member of the human race.

    ReplyDelete