We had prepared for ‘the dreaded day’ because of Copper’s age, 14 1/2, but nothing can fully prepare you or prevent your emotions from running wild when that day arrives out of the blue. Yesterday morning, Copper unexpectedly took a turn for the worse and received his angel wings. Matt, the kids, and I…we all sobbed off and on, and the tears will come until they’re all dried up. Our hearts are broken. So many reminders around the house…photos, his beds, chew bone, leash and collar, dog bowls, and dog food. When I saw his bowl of dog treats, I lost it.
But the silver lining is that we were so lucky to have had Copper in our family for almost 13 years. As time passes, the good memories will bring warmth and comfort to our souls. Right now, the grieving is raw. Honestly, I’m an emotional mess. We’ll miss his energy, his pleading for belly rubs, his slobbery kisses and cuddles and snuggles, his unconditional love. Those amber eyes. Sigh. He loved Dad, and his sister and brother more than words can express. But I was his mom, and he followed me everywhere, watching me like a hawk if I walked out of the room. I will miss my shadow. I’m wearing his dog tag as a necklace. I don’t care what people think. He was our family and we miss him so much.💔
Though yesterday was sad beyond words, there were many blessings in which Copper passed. His suffering began but it didn’t linger. The day was tranquil, the sky blue. And the timing, serendipitous – we adopted Copper and brought him into our hearts in March 2012, and he received his angel wings in March 2025.
We will always love you, Copper Boy! ❤️ Adopted March 27, 2012 – March 3, 2025 Received Angel Wings
I have a billion photos, but here a few of our beloved Copper Boy…
Our 14 1/2 year old puppy – this photo is from my blog post last week. ❤️
Thank you so much for stopping by, and please forgive me if I don’t respond to your comments right away. I don’t have the bandwidth for doing much, but I thought you’d want to know about Copper. ❤️
Last Sunday we took Copper, our 14 1/2 year old puppy, to our favorite state park. The weather was cool but not freezing, just perfect for a walk among the redwoods. Copper loved walking around, taking in the new sights and smells. He can’t hear anymore, so we use hand signals to communicate with him, and we give him lots of hugs and kisses. I took some pics and sent them to our daughter and son who live in TN. and CO. Then I saw an IG post from my daughter that went straight to my heart. She wrote about living far away from ‘her dog’ and missing him so much. I’m going to share it, then I’m going to add a poem written from Copper’s POV. So, this post is a combination of tears and smiles. I hope you enjoy, and maybe you’ll relate too.
From my daughter:
“It’s weird having a dog or any pet be part of your life for a good amount of time but then you move away. Across the country. And rarely see them anymore. And when you do visit once or twice a year, you’re so excited to see them because you know them, but you wonder if they remember or recognize you. And they look older because you’re older. When we first adopted Copper, I was with him for 6 years and was hesitant on adopting another dog after Lucky Girl passed. And now, I’ve been away from him for that same amount of time that I was with him & it’s sad, bittersweet. He’s still got those same amber eyes you get lost in, but he’s a little grayer than he was the previous year. And you just know the inevitable. It’s weird being so far away & not “growing up” with him into adulthood. But when someone asks if I have a dog, I say yes even though it’s only through pictures my mom sends me. I love this boy so much.” ❤️ (This brought us to tears. We miss her enough, and then to read her feelings about living far from Copper just about did us in! Does this scenario sound familiar?)
And now, let’s wipe away those tears and find a smile:
What a Fun Day! (from Copper’s POV)
Thanks, Mom and Dad, for taking me to the park! I took in all the beauty without one single bark!
Oh, the smells were awesome, and the redwoods so tall! I’m pretty tall myself but I felt very small!
Lifting my leg was fun around new territory, I even inspired Mom to tell my canine story!
We walked by the creek hearing water flowing. You said it was peaceful without any wind blowing.
Then we found a table where you ate your lunch and I gulped down my food with a crunch and a munch!
Naptime followed soon when I plopped down on my bed, with every muscle relaxed I laid down my big head.
I know I’m older now; I don’t move very fast, but I’m glad we came here because I really had a blast!
A note from Copper: I hope you liked this post that my mom and I put together! Can you relate? Do you have a dog or cat that melts your heart and whose eyes see right into your soul like mine do? If you do, let my mom know in the comments. And thanks for coming by today! I hope you don’t mind a slobbery kiss from me! ❤️🐶🐾
When I read Brian’s post at WritingfromtheheartofBrian where he shared a list of 100 things he loves, it really touched me. Brian’s posts and the essays he writes are always moving, humorous, and authentic. Please pay him a visit if you haven’t met him yet. Anyway, I picked up my loyal journal from where it rests on the coffee table, and began making a list. I seamlessly wove together things I love and things I’m thankful for. Perfect timing because here we are with Christmas just around the corner. The spirit of the season seeps into our hearts. For the sake of time, I tried to narrow my list down to 50, but I couldn’t. Now this says it all! And I went a few over! 🙂 These are in no particular order.
Family time.
Sharing life’s adventures with my best friend, my husband, for almost 36 years (37 since we met).
1989
3. My dog, Copper. He’s 14 years old and doesn’t go fast and far anymore, but he’s doing well. 4. Good health – this is no laughing matter, as my dad used to say. I don’t think I grasped the profound meaning when I was young, but now I get it. 5. Baking – carrying on my mom’s tradition. 6. Singing – my passion since I was 9 years old. 7. Barbara Streisand – my vocal idol who I was fortunate to see in concert – the most magical evening! 8. Elvis Presley – I was only a teenager, but his voice was incredible and he was so handsome. 🙂 I was lucky to see him in concert with my family two years before he passed away so young. 9. Redwoods – I feel a sense of peace and reverence whenever I’m in their company.
10. My childhood cabin – memories of Yahtzee nights and Mom’s lasagna! 11. Chocolate chip cookies made from scratch right out of the oven! 12. Sunsets, especially at our favorite lake.
13. Writing! Poetry, Fiction, a children’s book – trying new genres for a challenge. 14. Reading – getting lost in poetry that resonates or in the pages of a compelling book! 15. Poetry of Mary Oliver – I feel deeply moved by her poems. 16. Beautiful gardens – the colors, the life, the connections, the honey bees! 17. Addictive Netflix shows – Virgin River, Schitz Creek, Grey’s Anatomy, Gilmore Girls, & New Amsterdam. 18. Long phone chats with my daughter in TN. 19. Long phone chats with my son in CO. 20. Chardonnay on a Friday night after another work week has come to an end. 21. Going to the movies – the whole experience of relaxing in the recliner chairs and munching on popcorn. 22. Music – singing, dancing, listening, going to concerts. 23. A quiet drive on country roads. 24. Wine country in the spring and fall. 25. All animals, esp. dogs, and elephants – After I read two non-fiction books about elephants, I fell in love with the magnificent creatures. 26. Chocolate!
27. Hawaii. 28. Camping in a tent – I don’t mind roughing it and getting a little dirty. 29. Campfires in the wilderness.
30. The color blue like the clearest sky, a tropical ocean, and my husband’s eyes. 31. Musicals – The Sound of Music with Julie Andrews and Christopher Plumber top the list. 32. Small, charming towns. 33. Reminiscing through old photo albums. The memories… 34. Moving furniture around in the house. 35. RomComs: Pretty Woman, While You Were Sleeping, Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail, The Proposal, When Harry Met Sally
36. A hot shower after tent camping for a week. 37. Air conditioning on a 100 degree summer day. 38. A fun day at the county fair. I have great memories of going as a family, checking out the art exhibits, the pig races and petting zoo, riding the ferris wheel, and eating fun fair food: gyros and chocolate mint ice cream. 39. Noisy holiday gatherings with children’s laughter that evoke wonderful family memories of when my parents were still with us. 40. Christmas decorations inside and outside. 41. Coffee with hubby no matter where we are.
42. Typing. 43. A great sense of humor 😂 44. Kind people. 45. Ethical politicians. 46. Tacos and a margarita. 47. Jeans and t-shirts. 48. Hokas – my saving grace to mitigate foot nerve pain. 49. Jewelry – Silver, gold, beaded, all kinds. Necklaces, earrings, rings, bracelets. I love to accessorize! 50. Blogging and the wonderful friends I’ve made! 51. My Apple watch – changing the photo & using for exercise. It’s simply fun. 52. The moon! 53. Visiting my daughter in TN. 54. Visiting my son in CO. 55. Technology when it works! LOL 56. My white Mazda CX-5. 57. Disneyland – Childhood memories of having Disneyland in my backyard. I love Disney! 58. Compassionate and trustworthy doctors – I am grateful for the care and treatment my family has received at Kaiser over the years. 59. Purses. 60. Backpacking with my husband! The tranquility, carrying all we need on our backs, the photos, the memories!
61. Hiking. 62. Holding a book in my hands. There’s something special about the feel of the cover and pages. 63. When Paxlovid kicked in during Covid, even though the metallic taste in my mouth was unpleasant for a week. 64. Organization. 65. Playing in the snow: sledding, snow shoeing, tobogganing, tubing. 66. A lush, green lawn. 67. Carrot cake. Did you know it counts as a vegetable? 🙂
Made by my son for my birthday a few years ago.
68. Sitting on our patio on a summer evening, watching the hummingbirds. 69. Stinson Beach. 70. Heat in the house on a cold winter’s morning. 71. A live Christmas tree adorned with ornaments the kids made and ornaments that were given to us.
72. A new roof that cost too much but that keeps us dry. 73. A house we call home. 74. The feeling of euphoria I had after giving birth to my daughter and son. 75. Walking hand in hand with my husband. 76. Paying someone a compliment. 77. Waking up early in the morning and enjoying quiet time to read, write, or blog. 78. Reveling in the joy when my husband gets home from an awesome motorcycle ride. 79. A simple walk around the neighborhood. Each time, it’s a different experience. 80. When my kids tell me they love me. 81. Receiving Christmas cards. 82. Getting together with friends. 83. Motorcycle rides with my husband. 84. Lucille Ball. The laughter never ends! 85. Enjoying a day at the beach. 86. Attempting a new creative endeavor and succeeding. 87. Reading the blogs I follow. 88. Listening to the rain from inside my cozy home. 89. How comfy my bed feels at night when I’m tired. 90. Any body of water.
91. The excitement of a new year’s possibilities. 92. Riding bikes in Lake Tahoe. 93. Weekend getaways. 94. Having something to look forward to. 95. When my children graduated from UC Davis. 96. Self-publishing a new book. 97. My poetry and stories getting published in literary magazines. 98. Opening all windows in the house on a beautiful spring day. 99. Emojis ❤️🥰🎉🤗🙏 What can I say? They’re fun! 😍 100. Bodega Bay. 101. Pain-free days and nights. 102. Samuel P. Taylor Park. 103. Point Reyes. 104. West Marin. 105. The Cheese Factory.
Could any of these land on your list? I’m sure some from Brian’s are the same for mine. And that’s okay. Like- minded individuals! I’d love to hear your thoughts! Thanks for taking the time, and for stopping by today! I appreciate you all for visiting my little corner of blogland. ❤️
Resa rocks, enough said, and I’m sharing a bit about her if you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting her:
I’m an amateur photographer who has a passion for taking pics of outdoor ephemeral art.
My name is Resa McConaghy, and my site, “Graffit Lux and Murals”, was originally dedicated to showcasing & documenting Graffiti Art and Murals in Toronto and Winnipeg.
However, I now find I am featuring the Street Art of other cities around the globe through travels of mine, and guest contributors.
Taking these pics is a passion and a joy. Each work of graffiti art or mural evokes thoughts in me, and these thoughts are reflected in the titles of my Post.
Resa has posted and reviewed my last two books, Ever So Gently and More than Coffee, and now she’s done it again for Cora’s Quest, my first children’s book illustrated by my nephew, Chris Mendez! She creates stunning masterpieces weaving art and books together seamlessly like needle and thread.
So, I invite you to visit Resa’s post and immerse yourself into the colorful palette of her amazing creativity! Thank you again, Resa, for your invaluable support and friendship! You have enriched my life! ❤️🎉🙏
A Huge Thanks to you who have bought Cora’s Quest, and I’ll share again that in the last few days since Cora was released, it has reached… Top New Release in Baby and Toddler Beginner Reader Books, #1 New Release in Children’s Self-Esteem and Self-Respect, and #1 New Release in Children’s Mammal Books! I’ve never paid attention to Amazon’s Best Seller’s Rankings, but I’ll admit this news is a great boost! 🎉👏🏼 Thank you for stopping by! I appreciate you so much! ❤️ And I hope Cora will find herself on your holiday shopping list. 🥰
Have a wonderful weekend ahead, and I hope to see you at Resa’s!
With the holidays upon us, my memory can’t help but reel back a few decades. Our parents were still alive, all of their grandkids were young, and those big, noisy family gatherings for Thanksgiving and Christmas were anticipated with excitement. Sure, giving and receiving gifts at Christmas time is rewarding and fun (in that order), but what I truly miss is ‘the noise, the laughter, the chaos, the loved ones’ (section 2 of my book, Ever So Gently). And I remember when our daughter and son were precious little bundles of joy. The elation my husband and I felt when our family became 3 then 4, and then complete. Don’t misunderstand though – returning to the past isn’t my wish, I’m simply reminiscing.These are thoughts from last year’s post.
And so, to those who celebrate Thanksgiving, I wish you a blessed day, and to those who don’t, I wish you a blessed day! Below is a poem I give to you all! ❤️
Thanksgiving Thoughts
Born from history a day we celebrate blessings in our lives, for each breath we take but some live in darkness with light, imaginary living to survive is anything but sanctuary I hold them in my heart, though trite to some ears In moments of surrender, I give freedom to the tears
So, I ask not for anything but one gift I will bring to the feast laid before me where all should dance with glee a piece of me that I impart is my very grateful heart.
p.s. Cora’s Quest, a children’s book, is coming in December – I’m working on final approvals. p.s.s. I’m working on several book reviews, but because of tech issues, I lost the word doc. Sigh. Maybe a miracle will bring it back. Otherwise, I have to start over. These will come in December also, but I had hoped by end of this month. Sometimes, all we can do is go with the flow! 🥰
I appreciate you all, Hugs, Lauren 🩷🍁❤️
Photo courtesy of my daughter, Cheekwood Estate, Tennessee
I shared a poem about The Natchez Trace Parkway here after visiting our daughter and son-in-law a couple of weeks ago. So today, I’m sharing about the famous Natchez Trace Parkway Bridge located in Williamson County, Tennessee. I’m including one of the photos I took, along with a gorgeous photo found on the National Park Service website during autumn. I’d love to visit during this season, but we’re home now so maybe next year!Of course, inspiration stirred some poetic thoughts, but I was in the mood for a challenge. So, I wrote a septet for the first time, and I hope I wrote it correctly. I could only read it so many times before the words began to blur. So, go easy on me, please. 😁
Anyway, bridges are always special, holding some kind of significance, so we were literally in awe. I hope you enjoy!
Arches curve with honor and elegance as we gaze in awe beneath sun of gold enticed by crimson autumn elements. A phenomenal vision to behold, motorcyclist’s freedom to unfold. Praised for design and historic facets – homelands of the Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Natchez.
Note: The rhyme scheme of a septet poem: A 7-line poem that is also known as a Rhyme Royal. Traditionally, Rhyme Royals have the following rhyming sequence: ababbcc.
I have returned to the land of the living, feeling much better from a week of Covid, about 90% so. I’m still taking it easy because Covid isn’t meant to be taken lightly. But I’m grateful to feel human again. I’m sharing a poem I wrote from one of our day trips with our daughter in Tennessee. We visited The Natchez Trace Bridge, which I will share photos and a piece of writing (in progress) a little later. But the poem today is about our drive along The Natchez Trace Parkway. A brief history is also included. I hope you enjoy the journey…
Photo taken at one of the stops on the parkway.
The Old Natchez Trace – pulled from the National Park Service
The Old Natchez Trace is one of the oldest transportation routes in North America; its human use dates back 10,000 years. The Old Trace consisted of a network of trails. For centuries, American Indians traveled and traded along this corridor, which traverses the homelands of the Natchez, Chickasaw, and Choctaw nations. The parkway is a 444-mile scenic drive that connects Nashville, Tennessee to Natchez, Mississippi. It’s a National Scenic Byway and All-American Road that’s open to motorists, hikers, and bikers year-round.
The Natchez Trace Parkway
The tires roll on the graceful parkway flanked with thicket of forest on both sides. My imagination turns whimsical where fairies, gnomes, and unicorns coexist within the density of the woodland. I exit my tenacious thoughts stirred from world events, and I revel in wide-open spaces and a vast valley that continues forever.
Hemlocks, maples, and pines dot small sections, and I delight in leaves skipping across the road, letting the grass catch them in soft embraces.
Our car leapfrogs with a lone cyclist, but you wouldn’t label our journey a race. It is a gift to savor where the clock does not personify a dictator.
My eyes watch butterflies ride the gentle breeze and crickets hop among the myriad of greenery. A smile finds its way, and I am lost in the wonder of every living creature and how each feels about our presence in their homeland.
Autumn ensures her presence to come with hints of golds and crimsons. I can almost smell the cinnamon. I can almost taste the pumpkin. What a delicious season to welcome!
When we reach the end, I direct my mindset to remain in such a magical state because not only am I in the best company of two loved ones, but my mind and soul feel exhilarated to release heavy cargo.
Instead, after leaving the heavenly national park, I find it meditative to observe a man with silver hair contained beneath a ball cap, sitting in his chair on his massive, mowed lawn, simply watching the grass grow.
Let us all immerse into the tranquility of stillness where time is nothing but irrelevant.
It was just another day at the county fair. Everything looked the same. Vendors gathered in their dedicated spots. The music venue sat under the white canopy by the pond that never changes location.
Henna ink has lightened – the faded hummingbird no longer reminds me of Mom, the wolf, incognito, but the memory shines like the glimmering pond…
Chatter and laughter echo around the zooming roller coasters, high-flying swings, and games that will eagerly take your dollar bills. Feathered spectators compete in the distance, but their melodies as faint as clouds drifting in the sky. Soft tacos satisfy our palates under a waterfall of sunshine as we observe parents walking by with their children wearing cotton candy smiles. Nothing brings more joy than cheering on the trio of piglets racing around the track. Their curly tails in view past the finish line!
What a delightful visual the lively grounds present from the revolving Ferris Wheel. I grab my cell for photos of him with the crowd’s energy buzzing in the background. He entertains me with these photo ops, knowing how much I love documenting precious moments. The ride pauses with our bucket at the top while others climb in below for their trip around the moon – our fingertips almost touch the vast blue. I am surprised by the vacancy of butterflies in my stomach.
It was just another day at the county fair. Everything looked the same, except… this day was time spent with my adult son – he would soon embark on a cross-country adventure. So, a Sunday of togetherness while enjoying the county fair landscape proved to be anything but the same, and was indeed different in the very best way – worth more than any materialistic possession I could ever own.
Baydreamer Writes ~ Lauren Scott, Author 