With the potential sale of our house pending, the subject has come up of the bittersweetness of leaving behind a home where we have so many happy memories with so many pets. In the summer of 2014 I completed a project here that was very close to my heart – a memorial garden for all of those pets. I am sad to leave that behind, but I will be taking many parts of it with us, and creating a new garden at our new home.
I believe that each of our pets that are buried there, or whose ashes are scattered in that garden, will be going with us. Their spirits and their memories will follow us wherever we physically go. Last week I shared a Throwback Thursday post “Trio” – a special memory of this home and how things have changed here. All of this inspires me to continue to share some of the memories of this home, and the pets that have lived and died here with us.
We had this house built in 1993, and the photos I’m sharing are from our first Christmas here. Back then I was only a cat person, my first dog was soon to come but that hadn’t been decided for sure yet. We brought a different trio than the type I shared last week – a trio of tiger cats.
Miss Bones and her son Don Juan had moved up with us from Massachusetts, and Tasha joined our family when we were renting the house we lived in while building our new home. The rest of the story will be told in photos.
The loss of each of these cats, who were a very, very special group, are memories I want to leave behind. This house has seen a few tragedies. If you are interested in more of their stories, you can click on their names above to read previous posts I wrote about them. My next post in this series will be about my very first dog!
Today we are joining the Thursday Barks & Bytes blog hop. Thank you to our hosts 2 Brown Dawgs blog, and Heart Like a Dog. Please visit other blogs through the links below!
I love that trellis! What a beautiful way to keep them all with you no matter where you go!
I haven’t been able to start a memorial garden for the fear of leaving it behind and when we moved last year the fear seemed well placed. I absolutely love the tag tree and will be watching for one to add to our garden immediately!!
It took me a while to find the perfect thing…I ended up finding that at Hobby Lobby. When I first created that garden, selling this house and moving was not on our minds one bit! I had talked about it over the years. Our house has a lot of stairs and we are aging (and the dogs have trouble with all of them at times since they are older as well!); I wanted to move while it would still be easy. But my hubby has always been resistant so I had given up. When he mentioned it in passing once I just ignored him…but then couldn’t help bringing it up again, and now here we are, ready to move on!
What great memories! I love the tag tree! Mom keeps all of your pet’s ashes, she says they go where she goes. Except for Danny he was her first and she didn’t know what to do about keeping his ashes then. I assume that the tags go with you which will help save your memories. Love Dolly
Yes, the tags and the tree will be going with us. It will be the first thing I set up in the spring at the new house. The new house actually has a lovely garden so I will put it there to start, but make a new memorial garden at some point I think.
What a special post and the memories will follow you everywhere’s. A new journey in life will being and more beautiful memories will be made.
I love the trellis, what a lovely and lasting tribute to the precious fur babies who have shared your lives.
When we moved to our new house I left a house I had basically lived in for 47 years. It was my grandmother’s house first, then my mom’s and finally mine. I thought it would be a lot harder leaving it then it actually was, but I think that’s an individual thing. You may find that you really miss your current house or you may find you don’t miss it like you thought you would.
Your kitties are beautiful and besides that beautiful trellis, you have pictures and stories on your blog. Thanks for sharing this on the blog hop.
You’re so right…and I think the blog is one of the best ways to save memories.
Wow, 47 years, that is a long time; and I’m glad it wasn’t too hard for you. We have been here for over 22 years and it was the first home I’ve owned. We’ve put a lot into it, but I am ready to move on. I need a change, and a new project…I’ve been married to the same guy for over 27 years, at the same job for almost 21 years, and then this house. The house is the easiest thing to change. LOL
I am glad to see this post, Jan, as bittersweet as it may be, because that is one of things I have wondered about with you leaving your current house-that wonderful Memorial garden you had done. But you are correct, that it is the spirit of all the pets that will be with you, that’s what matters. And realistically, we can’t expect to stay forever in a place where we may have buried our pets, or spread their ashes. Spirits and memories will always follow us and be our treasures.
When I moved from my last house where one of my cats had died, I took 7 or 8 fist-sized garden rocks with me. She used to wiggle the rocks out from under the fence so she could watch (and get upset at) the neighbor’s cat. She put so much energy into moving those rocks that I couldn’t leave them there. Your memorial tag holder will be a great way to take something “physical” to your new home. As you said, the pets’ spirits will follow.
What a great idea to take those rocks with you….the perfect memento!
It would be hard to leave that special garden behind, but as you say, they will move with you.
Your house holds a lot of memories…but really, those memories live on in your heart and will be there wherever you are. 🙂
Such a heartwarming post. I was very moved by your memorial garden, and I love the trellis with a tag for each pet. What a great idea. We have a small memorial patch out back too, but it’s nothing like yours. A trellis like that is something you can take with you wherever you go. All your pics are so warm and beautiful – I love that huge Christmas tree!
I love your memorial garden. I have the tags or collars of my dogs on a shelf, but I think the way you have them displayed in the garden area is beautiful. Since all of those pets live in your heart, they will go wherever you go. ♥
Beautiful garden!! I can see why leaving it behind will be a bit sad. But I look forward to the post where you show off the new garden at the new house! And yes, the spirits of those pets whose earthly remains will be left behind will go to the new house with you. They will be with you wherever you are, always.
Tom Jr. looks to be about the same age as my stepson, Jason. Jay was 9 years old when we got married in November of ’93. And he now has two boys of his own – with a third on the way – and a dog of his own.
Thank you, Sue! I only wish we were leaving the house in the spring, so I could dig up some of the flowers I had planted there! I really look forward to starting a new space. That garden had a lot of shade which made finding plants to thrive there more challenging.
That is such a coincidence….Tom Jr. was 8 years old when my hubby and I got married in 1988, so they are close. He also now has two boys, though I don’t think there will be a 3rd. But there might be a dog one day! 🙂
Love your series and especially your memory garden. Congratulations on that house contract! Hope all goes smoothly and you’re closing that deal soon.
Thank you, Sue! We got one hurdle out of the way, but still one more big one to go (having our house inspected). It hasn’t been an easy process, so I’ll be so glad when we’re free and clear!
Wonderful memories! I’ve lost plenty of pets as well but it’s made me appreciate the new ones even more while they are here with us. I look forward to reading about your first dog.
Aw wow, what a load of absolutely beautiful memories. I can imagine how sad it will be to leave some of that behind in the garden, but as you said, they will be with you always, wherever you go.
ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
Definitely bittersweet. All those pets are going right along with you
Lily & Edward
I would be so sad to leave a house with so many memories. We have lived in our house since 1984 and every pet we have ever had is buried here…two dogs and nine cats. I love what you did with everybody’s tags. I have a tag of everyone of our beloved angels and have always tried to figure out a great way to display them. Your idea was genius, and I hope you don’t mind if use it. XOCK, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo
It will certainly be sad to leave here…it was our first house together and my first house ever. But hopefully we are moving on to other things we have always dreamed of that this house couldn’t provide (lots of land, privacy, and hopefully a pond).
I don’t mind at all if you use the display idea for the tags…I hope you do. But I can’t take credit for the idea. I saw it on a Facebook page….Hundenruhe Senior Dog Sanctuary…and fell in love with it. I loved the idea of the tags tinkling in the wind, though mine never did! I think the woods were too close and blocked the wind. Maybe at the new house I will finally get the tinkling!
I hope you will share if you do end up doing it…you certainly have a lot of pets to share, how wonderful. I didn’t know you used to have dogs as well as cats.
I’m sure they are always with you… and they have a place in your heart furever, so they go with you to all places :o) Your first christmas tree in your house looks great and I love the perspective you took this photo… looks like your hubby holds the cat and the tree :o) Great!
Oh, you’re right, I hadn’t noticed that about that photo….too funny!! Good catch!
Aww it would be hard to leave the garden behind but as you said you take the memories and their spirit goes with you.
LOL I noticed the TV first. See this is why I have pet ashes sitting in boxes on a shelf in the garage. What is we move and would have to leave them behind? So glad you have your trellis. Thanks so much for joining the hop!
If you had asked me a year ago, I might have said we’d never leave this house! Things have a way of changing though. You obviously think ahead better than I do…LOL!
Ni I have just moved around a lot (not now but when I was younger).