~LOSSES~

When it comes to the loss or death of a beloved  pet, saying goodbye is never easy... With the start of Fall sadly my losses began ...Sadie Mae, the feline matriarch of Dog Trot Farm disappeared...  she simply vanished... gone...I have yet to adopt another cat...

Phoebe's untimely death took me by complete surprise...she exhibited no external signs of illness...sometime Thursday evening Phoebe closed her eyes, went to sleep  ...her death was discovered Friday morning by Mr. Dog Trot...

  Dear, dear Loretta...my sweet little banty... died in November and is dearly missed...Loretta was a happy little hen... she so enjoyed keeping me abreast of the goings on in the chicken coop...Loretta never had a bad word to say about anyone...

Sweet Lulu Belle...one day her comb became pale and floppy her health quickly began to deteriorate...Soon we both realized, she and I, her time on earth would quickly be coming to an end...During her last days Lulu was given tender loving care, I thanked her for all the many beautiful eggs she had laid...  I remained close by her side...Lulu Belle is buried in the flower garden next to Gladys...

 Annabelle, my meek... shy... little girl...and soul mate to Don Juan...died in December...

 Don Juan's tiny heart was broken after Annabelle's passing you could see the sadness in his eyes...he was lost without her... I never heard Don Juan crow again...Yesterday his heart ceased to beat, perhaps even roosters  die of a broken heart...burial will be in the spring...

 Chicken keeping has many rewards... there is heartache too...but the rewards prevail over heartache...

I'm still on the fence about getting chicks in the spring...

Now a bit of good news, the new season of Downton Abbey returns this evening!!!