Asherpark

The Dogs of Christmas Past

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Journey and Finn

T’was the night before Christmas and all through the house two little Aussies were restless. We wandered and whined and barked at the owls. We chased each other around the yard and into dark corners. Journey barked with abandon seeming to satisfy some primal urge to be heard. I grew tired of the chaos and retreated to my happy place – my corner of the big bed.

Journey seemed focused on something she couldn’t explain. Her eyes were wild with urgency. She was clearly distracted by a vision or sounds only she could perceive.

Mom pleaded with Journey to settle down. It was late and we were tired. I just wanted to sleep and mom kept drifting off only to be jolted awake by Journey’s frantic barking.

Scolding made no difference. Journey was obsessed with something real to her but invisible to the rest of us.

Journey began pacing and looking into corners behind furniture, under the bed, in the closet. All of this was extremely strange behavior that neither Mom nor I had ever seen.

As Journey became more and more distraught, Mom and I suddenly realized what was happening. How dumb could we be? How could we not recognize what Journey was a trying to tell us? It was the dog souls of Asherpark. The departed ones. The souls from the great beyond. Journey has the sixth sense, the gift. She can see beyond the veil and they were calling to her. No wonder she was wild with excitement.

“Journey, who do you see?” I begged. Journey was talking so fast we could barely understand what she was saying.

“It’s Ash and Tess. Nellie and Jack. Shiloh and Mama. I see Codie and Jess. Even Darcy is there!” she shouted.

“Do you see them?” I asked. “Or smell them? How do you know they are here?”

“I see them AND sense them,” Journey said.

I saw Mom reach over and stroke Journey’s ears. She spoke very quietly to Journey but I could hear the intensity in her voice.

“Journey do you see any human souls?”

Journey paused and looked at mom with her big blue eyes. She seemed to take forever before she answered.

“Yes, I see the outline of human souls behind the dog souls. I can’t see their faces but I can tell they are kind and they are there to make sure the dogs come back safely to the big beyond.” Journey said.

“Do the human souls have anything to tell us?” Mom asked.

Journey clearly heard the question but she didn’t answer right away. Her demeanor had changed. She looked tired. I sensed she had lost contact with the dog souls.

Slowly but with conviction Journey stated, “The human souls said we should love one another.”

And so we should. As the old year fades into memory and the new year is not yet upon us, let us all try harder to love and care for one another.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Asherpark, Jack

The Magic of Friendship

by  • 

Friends

We had the best time ever this week when Liz came to see us. She started coming to Asherpark long before I was born and she knew all the dogs that I’ve only heard about:  Ash, Tess, Jack, Nellie, Mama and Shiloh.

I love the story of how she and Mom got to know each other. Sometimes when I’m bored and don’t feel like doing much, I ask Mom to tell me how she and Liz got to be friends. The story goes something like this.

After Mom retired she wanted to foster older dogs through her favorite organization Old Dog Haven. Jack was the first foster dog to come to Asherpark. Mom picked him because he was kinda sorry looking and she was afraid nobody else would want him. Turns out Liz knew about Old Dog Haven and she sponsored some of the final refuge dogs including Jack.

Sponsor a Final Refuge Dog

Jack

Liz wrote to Mom about Jack and they started talking on the phone. One thing led to another and pretty soon they were phone buddies. Turns out Mom and Liz had a lot in common and they really liked each other. Next thing you know Liz came to visit Jack and the other dogs at Asherpark and she’s been coming back ever since.

Me and Journey love Liz. She lets us get on the bed and play with her. She doesn’t mind if we’re silly or crazy. She likes us just the way we are. You can see our friend Dex in the picture too. He’s been hanging out with us while his boss is on vacation. Dex took to Liz right away and slept in her room the whole time she stayed with us.

Mom said being friends with Liz is magic. An old worn out mutt named Jack brought two strangers together and Voila! A friendship that has endured long after Jack crossed over the bridge.

Here’s a big shout out to Liz from all of us at Asherpark. Thanks Liz for coming to see us!

Journey, Dex & Finn

Finn

Another Kill

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Journey

Journey gets this look on her face when she’s killed something. It’s very matter of fact. Like she’s saying, “Oh by the way I just killed again.”

First thing this morning we were all out in the front yard. Journey was scratching around under a tree when she got fixated on something. Mom came running over to see what was happening, but it was too late.

Journey had found a nest of little rabbits and she killed two of them in a flash. She carefully laid them out on the ground so we all could see what she’d done. She let me smell them and I even picked one up in my mouth.

I tried to be as gentle as I could because I thought maybe the rabbit might still be alive. It made me sad to hold the little bunny in my mouth, so I gently put him back next to his brother.

Mom felt bad too. She picked up the  bunny and massaged his chest to see if he could still be alive, but he was gone. We didn’t see Journey kill the rabbits and there wasn’t any damage to their little bodies. But Journey must have shaken them just enough to make them dead.

Mom carried the rabbits out of the yard one by one. She laid them beyond the fence in some tall grass where they could rest in peace. “Sorry, bunny,” she said over and over.

Journey knew we weren’t too happy with her, but I don’t think she understood why. Me and mom felt the little bunnies didn’t stand a chance. They have no defense against predators and they’re not the brightest creature. Sometimes we have to get out of the car to chase them off the road so they don’t get run over.

It’s different when Journey hunts moles. They’re devious and do so much damage to the fields and lawn. It’s a game of hide and seek. Journey is good at hunting the moles, but it’s always a challenge. It wasn’t a challenge with the little bunnies. They didn’t stand a chance. Journey just happened on them and the next thing you know they were dead.

That’s the way it is living in the country. The bears and bobcats eat the chickens, the cougar eats the goats, and Journey hunts for the fun of it. She rarely eats what she kills except for the occasional rabbit.

I guess we do what comes natural to us. Killing varmints and small creatures comes natural to Journey. I admire her skill but sometimes I wish she’d find another hobby.