Where do I begin? I guess it starts back when I was showing Monet (GCH Rusticwood Spellbound CGC) - Bling's mama dog. Monet was gorgeous. She just didn't enjoy showing. At one show in Palm Springs, a well known judge (whom I'd never shown to before) said to me quietly, "She is gorgeous, can you get her to move out for me?" I shook my head no. "Not today," I replied. I understood Monet and loved her with every breath I had. I loved her independence. I laughed at her "I only do what I want" attitude. I shrugged my shoulders the time she was excused from the ring when she tried to fake limping. She was a smart dog; as beautiful as the day was long. She was one unique and special girl.
Back to my story....I was showing Monet at a specialty at the Irish Setter Club of Southern California's summer show. In our class, standing behind us, was a woman with the most fabulous mane of blonde hair and a beautiful Irish Setter named Maggie. I thought to myself, that is a beautiful dog. I am not sure we can defeat her in this show. If Monet wanted to show, we had a chance. What caught my attention the most was how much fun Maggie was having - how much she loved her mom. They were a special team with a special bond. Years later, the two were standing in my front yard so I could photograph Maggie for her painting.
On that day, taking the pictures, the vibrant Maggie with a white speckled sugar face still looked up at her mom glowing. We were laughing and having a grand time taking the photos. Maggie was healthy given her age. Both her mom and I knew that her days were fleeting as time will rob us of memories the future could hold. They say with an Irish Setter, or any large dog for that matter, any time past their 10th year is a gift. We were in Maggie's gift time.
Maggie would pass a year later. We sat outside the home while the vet went inside to help Maggie on to rest. We were there for Maggie's mom. After Maggie passed, it took Maggie's mom a few years to be able to look at the photos again for the painting. There was no rush. It would happen when the time was right. A few months ago it was time. We had gone through the photos while Maggie was still with us and made notes of favorites. When it came time to choose the primary reference photo, though there were many wonderful candidates, one jumped out. The one that jumped out was Maggie looking up at her mom...that look of love I'd seen so many years ago when Maggie and Monet were youngsters.
I hope Maggie and Monet are once again young; I hope they are jumping around chasing butterflies and waiting for their moms to play with them again when those days come. You see our love for our dogs never dies. Our love is always in our hearts and when we close our eyes, we see those priceless memories that will keep us together until we meet at the rainbow bridge.
