Tonight, as I was sorting through my photos from this past year, I came across a snapshot of Shadow. For many fine years, Shadow was the scourge of small creatures who dared to enter a wide zone surrounding the horse barn. I've no doubt that for many a mouse, snake, vole, mole, and even chipmunk, Shadow's lovely, luminous green eyes were the last thing they saw.
Shadow and her two siblings, Bear and Hoodoo, came to live with us when they were tiny kittens. Raising them was such a delight and somewhere, I have a snapshot of all three sitting on our first horse, Summer's, back. When our barn kitties were ten months-old, Hoodoo disappeared. For many years, Shadow and Bear cooperatively hunted and kept each other company, spending their nights in the safe, warm tack room. This past August, we humanely euthanized Shadow as her kidneys were failing rapidly. Our veterinarian, Dr. Tom Tsui of North Plains Veterinary, gently put Shadow to sleep here at home, with Bear and the rest of the family present. She's burried in our pet cemetary and recently, I planted many colorful bulbs over her grave.
Until this evening, I didn't recall taking this snapshot but I'm sure glad I did. Everything about Shadow was a masterpiece, from her white ear tufts and snazzy tuxedo, to her designer boots. Just as she seems to be doing in this photo, Shadow was fond of collecting me when it was time for her dinner.
"When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight." ~Kahlil Gibran
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