It's been very busy around here lately, with more seniors to photograph before their deadlines and families squeezing in the portraits for the holidays! I've missed the fun of blogging so it feels good to be writing again.
By now, you might know that I love all things canine. So I want to share a touching story about Rocky, a German Shorthair Pointer, and his human companion, Mary. Mary adopted Rocky nearly 4 years ago and he became her 'rock.' As an older dog, Rocky was lucky to be adopted by Mary and her husband. Older dogs don't nearly get the chance for a forever home that younger dogs do. Rocky showed her how much he loved her by snuggling with her. Like my English Pointer, Emma, Rocky leaned up against her and every chance he got, was touching her. It's a Pointer thing!
And so it was that I witnessed this affection for each other at a Pointer Party, held to celebrate the adoption of 184 Pointers in 7 years, from the WI Shorthair Pointer Rescue Group (http://www.wgspr.com). There were 30 or so pointers running around a large, fenced in back yard, with owners milling about, talking to each other and sharing stories about their dogs. While I was talking to a woman that adopted a sibling of my Emma, I noticed this woman sharing a tender moment with her dog. I quickly knelt down and got off a few frames of their closeness. At that moment I was moved by this open display of affection because they both looked like an island of calm amid the chaos of galloping, barking dogs.
This image was made about 2 weeks before Rocky suffered a stroke/seizure and went on to run into the other side. Mary told me that on that day I 'spied' her and Rocky, she was telling Rocky that he was a VERY good dog; something she told him daily. From this image, it's easy to see his goodness, and hers! They belonged together.
I've invited Mary to be in my Dogs and Their Women project. In part, she tells me that Rocky has helped her to live in the moment. It's something I hear from many women who have dogs! As you can imagine, Mary's moments are a lot harder without her loyal companion. How odd it must feel to not feel his daily 'touches' of leans and snuggles. Funny how our pain in loss is really an indication of the depth of the love we felt and were lucky to have!
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