Rain and Memories of a Great Dog

Mother Nature has returned Oregon weather back to what it should be at this time of year, cold and wet.  The early part of the month we all enjoyed summer-like weather with all the windows open and the ceiling fans twirling, welcome back to reality.  I had to turn the heater back on in the greenhouse as the nights are just too cold for the orchids and all the seed trays.  While I was in there, I discovered orchid #14 had bloomed.


Odontoglossum "Tahoma Glacier Wilma" or as I call it,  Meg's orchid.  Meg was our Australian Shepherd for 14 years.  When she passed friends gave us the orchid in sympathy for our loss.

MeMa with her girls Meg and Miss Betty the new pup of the Manor ten years ago

Some dogs come into your life and leave such an impression that one can never forget them.  Meg was two years old when friends asked us to dog sit her for the summer months while they visited family in Italy.  She fit right in from the start and adored our dogs and our two sons.  She was intelligent to the point that if she was told once she would never forget.  We were at a park and as some children ran by she went to give chase with a devilish look in her eye, I called her back and reprimanded her for leaving my side and she never did it again.  She watched over our two young sons and always stood between them and any stranger that happened to walk by, never a bark or growl only a dutiful glare until they passed and then she would sit or lay down next to the boys as they played.

As summer's end neared, Meg's owner Kathy came to collect her much to our dismay.  But there was something odd going on, Kathy was quiet and seemed troubled and it showed in Meg as well.  The happy dog look left and was replaced by a down trodden expression that left us all wondering what was going on.  The next morning Kathy rang us up and asked if we could take Meg back to which we responded with an enthusiastic yes.  When she arrived back at the Manor she said Meg wouldn't eat and just laid by the door whining the entire night, we looked surprised because the minute she entered back into the house she was running through every room of the house licking our boys and barking and playing with our dogs.  Meg never left after that day, there are some changes in life that are just meant to be and Kathy and the rest of us recognized Megs desire to make a change in our lives as well as her own.