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today would have been his day. 

pluckie. 

my best friend for 14 years. 

i think of him on the anniversary of his birth. 

i think of him on the anniversary of his death. 

because i can. 

because i want to. 

because he still visits me. 

this is the third year for the pencilfox garden to be planted on the upper terrace. 

the area is large and wide-open. 

pluckie's tree overlooks the field. 

for years, when married to that other guy, this flat of ground was where i raised sled dogs.
pluck was born under that giant spruce tree.  

he was the only one who looked exactly like his bernese mountain dog sire. 

his mother was an alaskan husky....part wolf. 

pluckie had cariboo's colouring 

and papillon's conformation. 

and he had the heart of a true sled dog. 

for years we lived within sight of each other. 

he went to work with me and slept in my truck. 

we slept together, once home. 

we suffered the abuse of a man who lost his spirit. 

life is so different now. 

the field has been cleared of stumps. 

mister pencilfox has his sawmill and two sheds and all his farm equipment there. 

he made this garden spot just for me. 

near my pluckie's tree. 

mister pencilfox grew to love my doggie as much as i loved my doggie. 

we cried together 

as we buried his lifeless body many years ago. 

i clipped some of his fur 

and it is sealed in a sterling reliquary with a photo of me-and-him. 

i'm so blessed. 

i truly am. 

i've known true love 

past and present

and my heart is so very full. 

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life is good, ain't it....

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