With the quietest of whispers, in just a moment, she was gone. A scruffy, cuddly, ball of energy named Iris with a piercing bark which either announced her presence, demanded attention, or a treat. Oh, those treats! Liverwurst was her absolute favorite, given her mixed Schnauzer/Sheltie German heritage. When she came to visit throughout the pandemic incarceration period, she would sit in front of the refrigerator and bring forth her best, most dramatic, little whine. She had a distinct vocal range with a mix of very low growls, subdued chirping, dramatic whining and, of course, her all out, glass-breaking-nails-on-a-blackboard, barking. She was…unique. Then again, what pet isn’t?
Iris died quite suddenly in August of last year, not long after this photo was taken of her, sitting patiently in her dog stroller. Long walks in the country weren’t a favorite for this short little lady, she was always happy to sit back and enjoy a scenic ride with someone doing the pushing. Refreshments and treats were close by.
Our daughter was her favorite, her rescuer and her owner, but, no one really “owns” a pet, do they? In fact, it’s completely the other way around, pets rule our lives and our hearts. At least that’s how it should be. Whenever Iris had the opportunity, she’d hop in Jill’s front seat to ride shotgun, almost defiantly at times. She was so tolerant of being photographed and being dressed in various costumes, depending on the season or holiday. Speaking of holidays, I used to play a song from “The Singing Dogs” each Christmas and, very much to my family’s dismay, taught Iris to bark along with their version of Jingle Bells which she was always delighted to do; liverwurst was the encouragement, of course.
Iris made us happy, asking for little except love and attention. She showed her love with the wag of her tail and her happy, sometimes annoying, piercing bark. She was part of our family and we were all so much better for having her share her life with us.
From Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop… Throwback Thursday: Choose a photo from a previous August and write a poem or a blog post.
