Day 19 - The Circle of Life

Amazeballs!

As it was a nice sunny day today, we decided to go up to the woods to visit the place where we scattered some of Bluez ashes, and carved his name into a tree. 

It was the first time we'd been up there since his memorial day, a week after he died.

Jazz was quite lively going up into the woods.   His arthritis is pretty bad, he limps all the time now, and sometimes is clearly in pain.   But today he seemed to have some energy and was even trotting out of choice, at one point.   

Normally he just limps and plods these days, so it was really nice to see him apparently invigorated by the fresh woodland sights and smells.

And he was finding quite a bit of rabbit poo, so that helped motivate him, I'm sure. 

I, however, was feeling quite different...

Walking back up along the wooded path where I took them so many times (the same route we took for his little funeral procession) brought the pain flooding back, and I struggled once again to hold back the tears.   I miss him so much. 

Even now, 8 weeks later, I can still be caught off guard at a moment's notice.   Anna too. 

It won't put us off having another dog though.   The pain we are feeling is representative of how much he brought to our lives, how much he meant to us.   

Je ne regrette rien!!   I would (and will) do it again, in a heartbeat.  

Seriously, get a dog...the joy and warmth, the fun and the comfort they bring to your life is immeasurable and invaluable.   

Anywho, I had planned to take a photo of Bluez' name, carved into the tree, and indeed I did:

But whilst we were there I spotted this lovely fungi (picture above), and decided to try for a nice picture of it.  

After a little sleuthing (ok, you got me, I googled it), I learned that this is Lycoperdon Pyriforme, commonly known as Stump Puffball, as it grows on rotting wood, often the stump of a fallen tree.

In this case, it's very mature, and the little holes you can see are where it released its spores. 

This has happened in the weeks since we were last up there, so it seems more positive that we should focus on this new life, even as we continue to mourn lives now passed...

Good luck, little Stumpy Puffball spores!!