When I arrived home from Hartford, there was a package waiting for us; sent by our longtime friend Joyce, who we worked with at the Old Globe when we lived in San Diego. Inside the package was a lovely sympathy card. And this:
Prayers on the Wind – Pet Prayer Flags, in the tradition of Buddhist/Tibetan Prayer Flags.
We were so touched by her thoughtful present. We immediately thought about where to hang them. Prayer Flags are meant to hang outside and to stay there through all kinds of weather, fading with the sun.
It seemed like the perfect place would be at the entrance to Scout’s mini-corral.
It was windy on the day I took these pictures. But that’s sort of perfect, isn’t it?
We said a prayer for our girl.
And we cried.
Then Don had an idea. We had planned to take this part of the larger corral down. But he said, “It has to be Scout’s Memorial Garden.”
And I think he’s right. We already have the rose bush that was given to me in memory of my mother there. We have the hydrangea. Why not go even further? We’ll start adding some plants this spring.
Maybe a bench.
In her last months, as winter set in, we blocked off the upper corral and limited her to the mini corral, which was on flat ground and was safer for her. When getting around became increasingly difficult, she still loved to stop and sniff the ground and look at her territory through the chicken wire fence.
So it’s the perfect place for a little Scout Garden. And the flags will fly at the entrance.
Thank you, Joyce.
She would like that.
Thinking of you every moment of every day, dear beautiful girl.
Happy Thursday.
A perfect memorial (I’m saying this through tears!)…
Thank you, Patricia. It is. We are so grateful to Joyce.
That’s a beautiful tribute for your girl.
I love the foot print.
Monica
Me too, Monica.
Of course, I’m crying again! What a beautiful tribute-such a thoughtful friend. What a great idea for memorial garden. Perfect.
I know. I just cried again, too.
What a special garden it will be and I love the flags. A very nice tribute to all your dogs.
Yes, to Riley, to Winston, and to Scout.
lovely!
Thank you, Carolyn.
So lovely Claudia and a great idea. Love those prayer flags.
I do, too. Joyce somehow knew they were just what we needed.
That’s a wonderful idea. The prayer flags are wonderful.
They are. I really love them.
The prayer flags are awesome – what a lovely memory of Scout, and a thoughtful friend to send them.
The planning of a little memorial garden is something positive you and Don will enjoy together – will look forward to seeing how you do it. How pretty it will be later in the year when flowers are blooming and the flags flying in a warm breeze.
Hugs – Mary
I look forward to it, Mary.
What a beautiful, thoughtful gift. The garden is a lovely idea!
I don’t know if we would have come up with the idea without the prayer flags.
That was such a thoughtful and wonderful gift. Perfect for the corral. I think a memorial garden is a great idea too Claudia. Isn’t it lovely to know that you have so many friends out here in blog land ? Even though you will probably never meet some of us in real life, we can still carry each other’s cares and worries. Because that’s what friends do.
Love and blessings, Betsy
It is wonderful and a blessing – I don’t take it for granted. This blog has blessed my life, introducing me to so many truly fine people.
Lovely just lovely
Indeed!
That is so thoughtful of your friend and a fitting tribute to the fairy-like Scout and her pouncing/dancing.
That paw print is so precious.
xo
Sheila
We are so grateful for the paw print, Sheila. It sits on the sideboard in our living room.
How beautiful.
Thank you, Betsy.
Claudia,
This certainly brought tears. How beautiful and how very thoughtful. I love the idea of a memorial garden.
Susan
It will be a fitting memorial to all our dogs, Susan.
Oh Claudia, tears. I love the flags. I’ve never seen anything like that and what a perfect entrance to Scout’s memorial garden. The paw print? more tears. hugs and more hugs.
Linda
Thank you so much, Linda.
OH…I’m crying as I write this. That is such a beautiful idea…a memorial garden. Those flags are so special…such a thoughtful gift! ;)
The flags are perfect for our girl.
As I sit here crying, all I can say is “perfect”. ?
Thank you, Chris.
As soon as I saw the flag, the tears started flowing. I loved it. I am sure Scout would approve. I love the idea of her little space out there with the flags blowing in the wind. Keeping the space and adding plants, flowers and a bench is perfect. When Lucy passed I had found this poem on line and I just wanted to forward the link to you and Don. I had printed it out and framed it and put it next to all my babies pictures and Lucy’s paw print.
http://abernook.com/prod/pawprints-poem-message.asp
lots of hugs
Thank you, Nancy. xo
Perfect….!
It is.
I never saw a flag like that before. That is absolutely beautiful. It must be comforting to you.
It’s very comforting, Cindy.
I think that it will be a lovely tribute to the memory of your beloved Scout, to dedicate a section of your garden to her. Long after the flags fade, the blossom will continue to be renewed year after year which will bring smiles to both your faces.
That is our hope, Elizabeth.
I know for sure that a garden makes the perfect memorial for a beloved pet. I have a postage stamp backyard and years ago, while my hubby was still alive, we decided to call our backyard Musashi’s Garden … after our beloved kitty. The garden has grown and now includes a water garden with fish. Sashisan (our nickname for him) would have loved that! It remains Musashi’s Garden complete with a cat sculpture. A place of sanctuary for all who visit.
oxox
We have lots of garden beds, but this will be just for our doggies. And for us.
What a sweet and precious gift!!
Judy
We are very blessed, Judy.
scout’s garden … what a beautiful tribute and a lovely place to sit and be and think and pray and smile over happy memories … am sure your scout loves that idea. :)
and such a nice gift from a friend.
peace …
kathy in iowa
It was the place she liked to be, besides with us in the house, so it’s appropriate.
The Scout memorial garden is perfect! May it give you both a place to feel peace in the remembrance of your beloved dog.
Thank you, Karen.
What a lovely gift.
It is so lovely, Jo.
I’m crying too. Wonderful gift and I love the idea of a memory garden for Scout.
Big Texas Hugs,
Susan and Bentley
I do too, Susan. Thank you.
That is the sweetest gift. And the perfect spot for it. A memorial garden is a lovely idea.
I’m looking forward to spring when we can start in on it, Tammy.
Oh Claudia…what a precious gift from your friend….how pretty it will be flying over our girl’s beautiful little garden…Happy Hugs today, Nancy
Thank you, Nancy.
I hear a real positive spring in your step! How wonderful! Hope that you enjoy arranging this new area in your garden and adding plants and so on. Something to look forward to as the year progresses and somewhere to remember all of your loved ones. xx
It will be a good project, Amy.
I LOVE the idea of prayer flags! Just beautiful~and the thought of having something tangible and alive and growing in memory of your Sweet Scout is just perfect.
Blessings, Joanne
Thank you, Joanne.
Very touching, today I’m crying with you. I know Scout would wonder what all the fuss is about.
and you know She would, LOVE IT -Judy A-
She would. I wish she was here.
That’s a lovely idea, Claudia. She so deserves something very special. Hugs
She does indeed. And we are going to create something special for her, Deb.
What a lovely and touching gift. The prayer flags look beautiful in the sunlight. I think it’s great that it has inspired the Scout memorial garden. I love that she will always have a physical space with you now as well.
Thank you, Ellen.
I have a nearly-lifelong friend (since we were age 12) who lost a young-adult child (just beginning a career out of college), and something from which they derived comfort and a sort of affirmation from after the death was the gift of thousands of origami cranes. The word got around and suddenly their house and garden were filled with beautiful, hanging, handmade, ‘chains’ of paper cranes…colorful, fluttery; comforting. Catching the light…
I haven’t known much about prayer flags. So beautiful. And what a brilliant idea they prompted, to make a memory space for you, for Scout. Peaceful. Soothing. Her territory. Her bigger world of sun, sky, breeze, birds and green things growing. You’ll feel visited. Our outside spaces are so spiritual in all the ways.
I have a cousin who is a sort of lay preacher. He’s a good listener. When my brother had died and, for the first time ever, it became a subject my parents could simply not discuss…one of the strangest things that had happened in my life because we all talked about EVERYthing all the time (Dad didn’t think it was a good idea, I think mostly for Mom, to ‘go too deep’ whatever the hell he meant by that)…my cousin was troubled for us and he suggested we create a place of tranquility…for rest, for reflection; hopefully for prayer and maybe, eventually, healing conversation. He said this is sometimes why people will donate a bench to a park. It’s somewhere to go. Be in a moment; have the moment.
Yes, indeed. xo
What a thoughtful friend.
She is.
I have not been keeping up with reading blogs……but I just read the news….. I am so sorry for your loss….. I understand and I know that is the hardest decision to make…but I also know that we know when it is time we make that journey. I had to do it a few months ago…. I still miss that pesty cat. Just wanted to send you a hug….
Thank you.
I love this idea, Claudia. Something to plan and hold on to, while you hold your beloved pets in your heart.
Thank you, Nancy.
What an incredibly thoughtful gift.
Hugs,
Mere
I agree. xo