We are joining Ruckus the Eskie for his Sepia Saturday blog hop today. The only rules for this hop are that it be sepia related (pet or non-pet), and have fun! Grab the badge, link to the host, and join in the fun.
Yesterday marked four months since we lost our beagle Kobi to old age. I don’t know why over the last week or two I have been especially missing him and feeling his loss more than ever. Maybe it’s because I’ve been working in my gardens where he used to always be by my side chasing grasshoppers. The other dogs aren’t allowed in the garden area as much until everything is well established and can handle possibly being stepped on; Kobi was the only one who could be trusted!
Perhaps it’s because I’ve been working on the Memorial Garden which I started last summer. I first wrote about the idea last July (scroll towards the bottom of that post to read about it) when the idea came to me to start a garden around the area where some of our pets are buried or have their ashes scattered. When we started that garden I didn’t really think we’d be burying Kobi’s ashes in there before it was even finished.
I can’t wait to share the garden with you once it is finally completed! Right now Kobi’s ashes sit on my desk in the office where in life he was always by my side. But the time is coming to put him in the garden with his siblings, and we plan to do that this weekend. We were going to bury him yesterday on the 4 month anniversary, but pouring rain changed our minds. Once he is laid to rest I need to put in a few more flowers and some finishing touches and then I can share the project from start to finish. I am excited to be getting close to completion.
I was working in there last week while tossing the ball for the dogs, and I looked up to realize I didn’t see Luke anywhere. “Where’s Luke?” I asked the girls, as my eyes searched the yard. Then I looked up towards the deck of the house and saw Luke sitting there looking down at us. He was in the exact same spot where Kobi often sat watching us play.
I hope to get a photo of Luke there sometime so I can put them side by side. It made me sad yet happy to see Luke there. He is carrying on many of Kobi’s traditions and even though it makes me miss Kobi, it also makes me happy that Luke will keep Kobi’s memory alive.
For me, grief waxes and wanes, and I know this feeling of sadness will mostly pass. I think completing the garden will give me a sense of peace. In that spirit, I want to leave off with some happy memories of Kobi. These photos are all of him in his younger years…..I think the beagles look so good in sepia!
Happy Sepia Saturday! Please visit the other participants through the links below!
Those are wonderful pictures of Kobi. I can’t wait to see the garden.
Thank you!! We’re on vacation this week so it should be completed soon.
Love the pictures of Kobi. My Shiloh used to do the same thing with me in the garden and even though she has been gone for a couple of years, I still miss her when I’m outside and she’s not there with me. Makes me sad but it does get easier as time passes.
Thank you! I imagine at some point the other dogs will calm down and can keep me company gardening, but they just can’t be trusted now. But it’s nice also to have special things that remind us of certain dogs, like Kobi and Shiloh gardening with us.
Kobe was a sweet boy. I miss him too. 🙁 the memorial garden is a beautiful idea. I may copy your idea when we have land…hope you don’t mind? Shadow & Zoey are very missed still, but it does get a little better with time. Can’t wait to see the finished garden. Love, S
Of course I don’t mind, Sheryl, and I hope you’ll like some of the details and want to copy those too when you see them! Time does make things easier, but it’s never easy. I hope you’ll come see the garden in person too!
Just try and keep me away. 😉
I wouldn’t! 🙂
I agree! Beagles do look good in sepia! I can’t wait to see the pictures of the completed Memorial Garden–what a beautiful way to remember Kobi and your other pets! It’s so hard to lose a pet, but I love the idea of Luke keeping his memory alive.
It’s something about the beagles’ coloring that just makes the sepia perfect! I’m so glad you like the idea of the garden too….for years I didn’t really have anything special to remember all the pets we lost, but after we lost our golden retriever Moses last summer the idea came to me and it just seemed right. I love gardening so it is an enjoyable project for me.
Kobi is living through Luke sometimes I would say. the reminders are always tough, but as time goes on, they are also more welcome.
I think you are right, Emma. Some of things Luke does are uncanny really! It is true…as time goes on the memories will be so enjoyable because that is how Kobi will live on.
Dang it, you made me cry. Sweet Kobi was an adorable pup. I think a memorial garden is a splendid idea. Happy memories to you while you finish planting flowers.
Sorry to make you cry….I guess I didn’t want to cry alone! 🙂 The garden will be a happy thing when it is finished! Thank you for your kind words about Kobi…he was definitely a very special dog.
Aw Jan. So sorry it’s been hard for you the last little while dealing with your loss. The memorial garden is so sweet. I hope I didn’t upset you further with the photo graphic I made the other day :/
ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
Thank you, Jenna. No, the photo you made the other day was perfect, and made me feel better really. I don’t want Kobi to be forgotten and the fact that you remembered him really touched me.
I love the idea of a memorial garden. I never liked the idea of keeping ashes in the house (it’s kind of creepy) and my dogs are/were too big to bury. I’ve kept collars, but displaying them is kind of morbid too. A garden, however, sounds perfect.
Thank you, when the idea came to me it just seemed right. I think having the ashes in the house just makes me dwell on the sadness too much. Happy photographs are better in the house. I hope you’ll come back to read my post about the garden when I get it up, because I’m going to have some really special things in there that I just love.
This was a beautiful post that had me in tears! Thank you for sharing your private moments with us. I have my days also, that’s ok, you have as many days as you need! I’m sure your memory garden is going to be beautiful and Kobi will love to rest there. I have a bleeding heart in my garden for my pets lost and gave my friend one when her dog passed and they are still doing strong. Hugs to you today!
Thank you, JoAnn, for your kind words and for sharing in my private moments….it means a lot to have friends that care and understand.
Oh, I love bleeding heart….I used to have a lot in my other flower garden but it got overtaken. I might have to get some for this garden at some point.