It’s time for an animal update from Canterbury.  Yesterday we said good-bye to Alex, our beloved 14-year old sheep.  (Pokey and Scout, the “babies” are still alive and well, although missing their companion.)

Alex died peacefully and was buried near Nicholas (yes, they were Nicholas and Alexandra) at the edge of our field.  I can see the newly-turned soil as I write this.

It was very nice that RPE was home and able to say good-bye (as well as helping with the digging).  She recalled taking Alex and Nicky to the Canterbury Children’s Center for show and tell 14 years ago when they first came to us.  That’s quite a span of sheep years – from 2nd grade to junior year in college!

Farewell Alex – we will think of you often – and especially when we pull on our mittens!

Willie continues to be lame – and may require another vet visit (much to his eventual consternation, I have no doubt).

Ruby is thriving and turned 5 today!  We are still deciding exactly how to celebrate this momentous milestone … and she is hoping that whatever we decide, it will somehow involve extra treats!

Here is a poem from today’s Writer’s Almanac – that could easily be about Ruby!  Just substitute Westie for spaniel, and she for he … and you pretty much get the picture …

Lyrical

by Joseph Millar

The spaniel next door yaps at the sparrows,
he yaps at the crows and the mailman,
yaps at the compost pile and the sunflower,
yaps at the rain and the sky. He yaps
at the steps leading down to the creek
where the flax plants bloom high as my waist
and blue flowers force their way up
though small stones the color of night. He
yaps at the garbage truck’s back-up beeper,
iron bell song of the priest and bridegroom,
song of the lone ship, song of the train,
song of the big waves rolling and breaking
over the western reefs. He yaps at the rosebush,
yaps at the fence, song of the sidewalk cracked
in half, the wine bottle resting against the curb,
the neighbor who doesn’t come home.