Adventures

How Dew Drops and a Book Helped Heal My Broken Heart

Shelley

It’s not like I’m bored with photography or reading, it’s more like I miss that part of our relationship so much more than I thought I would. I keep trying, but it’s been hard especially when I glance out the window where many an adventure has happened over the years.

I was trying to capture my path in the yard. You see it right?

Last year in August was when we said goodbye. The weekend before, I spent every minute I could with him. I carried Copper around the yard, let him sniff every tree and spot he loved to smell, and danced with him in our tea house.

Gosh, I miss that serious little adorable face he’d make when I’d grab my camera.

“Hey, Little Buddy, there’s dew on the grass, let’s go outside and take photos!” He’d beat me to the door.

If he were here, I’d tell him, “Wait, I know you see the bunny too.”

To the left of the tree on the edge of the yard.

“You do your job while I take a photo of the dew on the fence. Okay, maybe more than one. You know me.”

“I wonder if they’ll look good in Black & White?”

“Hey, Buddy, look here, the scoundrels haven’t found the climbing morning glory yet. Or the ones in bloom. I wish you were here to chase the rabbits out of the yard.”

“I just want to get some photos…don’t go too far away!”

I’d tell him, “Look, Dad replaced the lattice for the flowers with the fake boards.”

It’s not the same as the old lattice, it’s a tighter weave, and the color is, ‘meh’, but I am thankful to see a morning glory finally climbing it.

Instead they’re climbing the zinnias. They are pretty though, I’m thankful to see the blossoms.

I knew when the weather warmed up this summer, I’d want to be out in the tea house. It was going to be hard to be there without my faithful companion. Many a day, I’d say, “Nope, not today.”

I wasn’t bored with my tea house, I love it there. To get me back out there, I bought a book, in hopes that it would occupy my mind.

If you’ve been following my blog, you know that Copper used to sit where the green pillow is.

I don’t have that picture frame out there, it’s in my office in the house. The book is too. I read it all on a weekend in June. I laughed out loud, I nodded my head, I felt bad & joy for the guys in the story, and I felt as though I was there sitting in the room with Abbie as the story was told to her. I’d like to thank Dan for his clever wit, his creativity, and the plot full of adventures told in the first book in the series. It was the book that got me over my blues and readied me to embrace the missing of Copper as forever love like no other.

Copper grew old with me. I hope our friendship was the best to be for him.

It’s hard to top the best that was yet to be.

I know Dan lost his dog, Maddie, this year too, so I hope he doesn’t mind that my mention of his book is tied to a loss of a dog. I do recommend reading his book, I left a review on GoodReads. The other reviews there are so thorough and give a much better picture of the book.

Since I finished reading the book, I spruced and revived the space in the tea house a little bit. Got some new cushions for the chairs, and I changed up the table from the piano bench to a table we’ve owned since we first built our house. Our kids played for hours with their games, toys, and crafts on that table. Now its presence makes it, well, homey, I guess.

On National Dog Day, I choked up and almost cried when I stepped into the tea house. It was a year ago on 8/23/2021 that we said goodbye. Funny how waves of missing someone hit ya.

I distracted the tears I was about to shed and watered the plants instead. The plants I’ve put out there for the summer are doing well, they’re growing nicely. I’m growing out of my boredom with photography too. Copper would be wagging his tail in happiness for me.

I took an adventure on the ground where Copper roamed and chased bunnies. I found some interesting dew drops to experiment with. ISO of 400 and set on manual mode.

These aren’t my best photos, but they are playful. I crawled on the ground like a dog sniffing through the dew-drenched blades of grass. My shoes were really wet and so was the strap on my camera. I didn’t have to dodge dog poop though – I’m really quite happy with that I must say.

Aw, Copper never really liked getting his paws wiped after walking outside. Meanwhile, I saw the mushrooms have returned. Reminded me that I always had to make sure he wasn’t eating mushrooms. Bunny poop was his favorite snack.

Imagine all the sparkles he’d see as he walked through the yard looking for the bunny nuggets.

I think Copper was never bored of our adventures. He’d be happy knowing that I’m thinking of him and carrying on with our yard adventure traditions.

“I grabbed the camera, Buddy, in honor of you!”

Thank you for stopping by dear blogging friends, I hope you enjoy the photos too.

The tiny rainbows are fascinating!

Post Inspiration – Linda G. Hill’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “board/bored.” Use one, or use them both for bonus points. Enjoy!

PS – Do you shoot your photos in manual mode? Have you crawled on the ground like a dog to get the best angles? What book have you read this summer that helped you in some way? What is your favorite hobby and why?

Published by Shelley

Letting my quirk out one post at a time.

53 thoughts on “How Dew Drops and a Book Helped Heal My Broken Heart”

  1. Wow, so many beautiful photos and memories in this post, Shelley. I feel as though I have actually met Copper, he sure was a sweet boy. I still get choked up for a Standard Poodle we had when I was a kid. I too have a tiny bottle like that with fur in it from an English Cocker we had when my kids were little in the 90s. Memories treasured, yet memories that kind of hurt too. Great post. 😌

    1. Aw, John, I just found your comment in my SPAM folder. I’m sorry it took so long to discover it. I appreciate you remembering Copper so much that you knew him personally. He was a sweetie. You must’ve had a very special relationship with your Standard Poodle and your English Cocker. You’re right, memories are treasures that tug at the heartstrings. Hugs to you too, thank you for sharing your thoughts. 🤗😊🤗

      1. That’s okay, Shelley, I’m glad that you found the comment. I find stuff in my spam folder too that shouldn’t be there. I can actually tear up just a little bit once in a long while when I see another Standard Poodle with black hair. I wish every human on the planet was as sweet as her personality. ❤️

        1. Yay – this reply didn’t go to spam!! I took care of my bosses Standard Poodle when I was in college. She was such a sweet dog too. They are beautiful dogs and so polite too. 🥰

  2. This was such a sad/happy post. Your heart is still breaking for Copper, but life goes on and it is beautiful. I love your photos taken from a low angle. That must be what the bunnies see 🙂 I enjoyed Dan’s book too and I’m looking forward to reading his next one! Take good care of yourself, Shelly.

    1. Aw, thank you, Janet. I just felt the need to revisit time with my little pal. Yes – that must be what the bunnies see too. They pick the longest blades and mow them down so they can see the next longest one.
      Yes, for Dan’s book(s). Retirement has provided him with the time to pursue that book writing dream.
      🤗🥰😊 Take care of yourself too!

    2. PS – welcome back to blogging! Your deck looks great and your smile does too in the picture with Terri. Congrats on planning an adventure to the next charging station. Your trip will literally be a recharging kind of trip ;-).

    1. Thank you, Neal, I just couldn’t resist writing one more post about my little guy. Each day is getting easier, although, I don’t think I’ll ever stop missing him. He was great.

      I enjoyed your post too – the colors you captured are stunning. 😎 I must say, the gas station sign was stunning in a different way…your gas is a full $1/gal more than ours here in Wisconsin. 😕🙃

        1. Yes, that’s still too high. We had one day, ONE DAY, where it dropped to $3.29. It was perhaps a mirage on the colorful CITCO sign? LOL.

    1. Thank you for revisiting the memories with me, Brian. I choked up re-reading the post too. Each day gets easier, I know he’d want me to keep on keeping on. 🙂

    1. Aw, yes, I loved it when he put his little paw on my leg, it was like he was giving me a hug he knew I needed.
      I don’t think another dog is in our plans. It was SO hard at the end, I don’t really want to go through that again. The cats are still around to remind us of the responsibility it is to have pets as well as the long lives they live. I do love seeing other dogs though – the pictures of Rufus remind me of how much fun they are and what great companions they can be. 🙂

  6. Sitting here quietly with this Tears dripping off my chin. This week I went north to camp by myself. Two of my nights were at Katie’s and my favorite campsite…#43 at Hartwick Pines. I mostly sat there without her and remembered. Remembered her sitting over there one year next to asters and over there in a beam of morning light, and sleeping under that tree, and barking at kids going by on that road…the usual. I didn’t leave the site much (except to go out for star photos) just sat and talked to her and cried. Sort of a formal goodbye to my girl.

    So I so get your time out in the yard remembering the adventures you had there with your boy Copper. And how things haven’t been the same and you haven’t lost interest but you aren’t so interested either in things you used to love because he was there with you then.

    I took 3 books with me on this camping trip. Finished one and wasn’t really into the other two, so I checked my goodreads ‘want to read’ list. And Knuckleheads was a recent add. I couldn’t rememer who or why, but I ordered it for my Kindle and started it while out on the road. I can’t say I’ve entirely connected with it…but I have smiled, which is nice since I’ve spent so much of my time crying lately. So thank you for that.

    I’m sorry about your boy. And my girl. And these times. Enjoy your tea house for the rest of summer and fall. Copper is out there with you. (And great idea to put his fur in a glass jar. I have Katie’s fur in a baggie in a cupboard. Time to find a glass jar!)

    1. Aw, Dawn, I’m crying reading your words too. I like to think that Katie and Copper are running around and playing together in heaven and have ensured our two paths crossed so we can sympathize and encourage each other. The pain of missing our furry friends is real, it will fade, but never 100%.
      That’s such a special way to formally say goodbye to Katie. Staying grounded with the connection of earth you two shared is a way to heal and grow. I can imagine you looking up to the sky and seeing an extra sparkle in a star as Katie smiling down on you! Congratulations on facing the places and things you’ve done in the past with Katie. And for carrying on with your photography. On my sleepless nights, I think to myself, “Dawn is out there still awake and taking moon and star shots…I should just get up.” I never do, but maybe I should! LOL.
      Thank you for your sympathy, it means the world to me.
      Wow, 3 books read, I have to take a trip like that, I have a huge stack of books to read. Dan’s book was a fast read, so I felt better having accomplished reading it while spending time in the teahouse. I’m glad it helped you smile too.
      Yes, the little jars were perfect. They are craft jars, only about 1.5 inches tall. Just enough to remember the tiny tufts he never wanted me to pull from him.
      Take care, thank you for sharing your thoughts, I’m sending 🤗🤗🤗 your way!

      1. If you have a place to see the stars somewhere near you you should definitely get up and spend a few minutes just staring up. Give your eyes about 20 minutes to adjust…and then it will be amazing. Promise.

        1. Your tips and your results inspire me. Thankfully, yes, I do – our backyard is the perfect spot, minus the water for the sky to reflect on. At 4:40 am this morning the stars were sparkling beautifully!

    1. Aw, thank you, Terri. I know you love your furry friends and know how hard it is to say goodbye to them. I definitely took lots of photos to remember my little pal. We will meet again someday in heaven. 🙂
      I enjoyed your Under Construction post – wow, you’ve done so much since you moved 2 years ago. Way to persevere amidst all the supply chain, etc. challenges the last 2 years have blessed us with.
      Hugs to you too, thank you so much for stopping by. I hope to join in again on the Sunday Stills this fall/winter. 🙂

  8. It has been six years since I said goodbye to my beautiful boy. I launched a blog site in his stead in September of 2016, called Chowdogzen.com. Herein, Chuy shares his thoughts on life, death, loss, and parting, as well as the life for the living that continues afterwards. Before he died we talked about what I’d do when the time came. After mourning, I would find the oldest, hardest-to-adopt-out dog who had lived a full life and suddenly found itself alone in a shelter. I would share the peaceful home Chuy and I had enjoyed with this orphan through his or her golden years.
    “We’ll have all this space in this beautiful place to share,” we reasoned, “and a big space in my heart.”
    Sasha was six and-a-half and had been in the shelter a full six months by the time I found her. An unsocialized Husky mix from a dubious and clearly neglectful past, she had made the trip to at least one potential adopter, only to return to her prison, unable to acquiesce to the existing dog. I researched the care and habits of Huskies.
    “Destroyed our house.”, one said. “Can’t be fenced unless you bury the fence a foot. They can dig out of anything.”, said another. “You’d better have a lot of energy” one cautioned, “and patience.”. Marissa from the shelter referred to her as “a flight risk.”.
    I was 57 years old, and had lived with a 15-year-old Chow/Husky mix with fading eyesight. He had a hearing impairment and poor balance after not one, but two bouts of vestibular syndrome (an affliction affecting the inner ear). He could trot when he was excited, but did so with a crooked gait and for short runs. Walks were slow, relaxing strolls along the trails and through the woods. Was I really ready to take on a six year old Husky?
    I called her Sassy June because I thought there could be bad things associated with the calling of her given name, due to her unknown past. Juney now brightens my days, makes me smile and laugh as Chuy did, and makes me think of him often. She has renewed my vigor and vitality, and indeed my physical health. She brought me from a place where I saw myself as an aging man, slowing down and starting to wear out, the same way Chuy was, back to the reality that I am not that far along my journey yet. Dogs live and die in dog years, and I was on a human timeline. And here before me was this beautiful creature that needed to move like a six-year-old Husky. She pulled me to pick up my pace, walk with energy, improved my stamina. I took up ski-jorring for the winter, and bike-jorring for the summer, for it is in a Husky’s nature to pull. In many ways, she sort of turned my life around.
    Chuy taught me many, many things about dog life, and in fact, life in general. He taught me many things about myself, too. In countless ways, he made me a better person for having known him and shared in his journey, and I think of him often, perhaps daily.
    Now my beautiful girl is twelve and-a-half, and we share that abiding love that dog people enjoy. Chuy was the one-of-a-kind, love-of-my-life dog that you’ll hear us speak of, and I hope Juney has become accustomed to living with his ghost.
    I don’t think it bothers her much, since she’s the one here getting kisses on her face.

    From the three of us, our hearts are with you.

    Paz

    1. Aw, Paz, thank you so much for sharing your stories of love, loss, and companionship. I teared up reading your words – they describe so well the relationship I shared with my little Copper. I can’t imagine a better one for me to be had than the one we shared, but you’ve shared that it’s possible to feel that love for a dog again.
      Thank you so much for sharing your words of wisdom, you’ve touched my heart. 😍🥰🤗

        1. Katie would want me to dry my tears and go find another dog to share my heart with. As long as the new dog wasn’t prettier than her. Because she was and always will be the Princess in the family.

  9. I remember what a sweet boy little Copper was. The stories you told of him. (When you and Mr. cleared a spot out of the snow for him to take care of business.) It was easy to see how much he was loved and how he loved you. He was blessed. I had tears while reading your post. I just lost one of my two girls left, a couple weeks ago. It wasn’t the one I thought would go first either. So confusing and shocking. I’ve lost a LOT of animals throughout my life and it never gets easier. You know it’s coming and you try to brace yourself but it doesn’t really help. I’ve learned not to feel guilty and to realize that I’ve done everything I could for them. We only get to have them for a short time, but the love goes on forever.

    1. Aw, thank you for remembering the stories of Copper. He was loved and he loved us in return.
      I’m sorry to hear you lost one of your girls. It’s SO hard and shocking when it’s least expected. That feeling will hit me again when our cats pass away – they’ve been with us since we first got Copper.
      I agree with you it never gets easier. It is important to remember we’ve done everything we could for them. The pain we feel afterwards is to remind us of the pain we took away from them so they didn’t have to feel it anymore. The love does go on for ever and brings us comfort.
      Thank you so much for sharing your words of kindness and wisdom. Hugs to you for the loss of your girl 🤗🤗🤗

      1. He and the cats are a part of your life & I appreciate the stories. In regard to losing an animal, I have a saying: “We take the pain so they don’t have to.”

        1. Aw, thanks for appreciating my pet stories. I know you love animals too!
          That’s one of my favorite sayings too – it really hits home!

  10. I am glad to be part of the tribute to Coopper, Shelley – thank you so much for your kind words. We still haven’t gotten over the loss of Maddie. I know how hard it must be. I remember your pictures of Copper in all kinds of situations. These guys occupied such a special place in our hearts, I don’t know that we’ll ever fully understand. We have so many places where Maddie used to sit. I’m avoiding some of them because being there alone makes me sad.

    Hugs!

    1. Thank you for being part of the tribute. I’m sorry it took so long to write about your book – at least I made it before the release of the second one 😂
      I know how you feel…a dog’s presence in our life is so prevalent, when they’re gone it’s hard to be in those special spots. Hugs to you and the Editor – Maddie was loved and cared for so well. And, I’m sure she’s smiling seeing you run with the fun of your book releases!!

        1. Aw, Maddie was lucky to have such loving parents. It’s even harder when the pets can’t talk and tell you what they’re feeling or thinking. You’re feeling the pain so she doesn’t have to.
          Copper had many bad days/nights. He was always happy when I took photos of him. I didn’t want to remember the extra bad days.

  11. Hi Shelley
    Such a wonderful memorial post – and happy sad because you kept us from feeling too sad
    (But I do feel it) and sending condolences again!
    Oh and I love the many dew shots on the fence and glad Dan’s book was right on time!
    Your post flow was good too
    🙏🧡

    1. Thank you, Yvette, I appreciate your feedback and empathy!
      I’m glad you liked the photos too. Yay for Dan’s book, it was just what I needed to read outside of all the news, etc.
      Writing from the heart seems to flow 🙂

  12. Great photos, sweet memories. What is they say, to live in hearts we leave behind is not to die. Copper lives on in perpetuity on this blog. And that’s wonderful.

    1. Thank you, Ally. That’s a beautiful reminder. Yes, Copper will live on here in my blogging attempts. He was my companion when I started blogging. A dog always has to go outside. I need to make a different excuse to do so.
      Happy September – may the rains stop and the projects complete! 🤗

  13. I remembered the one-year anniversary of Copper’s passing and didn’t know whether to bring it up or not Shelley, but, I thought of both of you on that sad day. I think the rest of your days you will think of Copper whenever you look out into the backyard, step onto the grass or into the teahouse. He will always be with you, just like the photos, pawprint you made and a treasure trove of photographs.

    1. 🥰🤗Thank you for remembering, Linda, I knew in my heart you’d remember.
      I agree, I will always think of Copper, he made a permanent pawprint on my heart, that’s for sure!

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