LEARNING FROM ANIMALS & OTHER LIVING THINGS (page 2)

LEARNING FROM ANIMALS & OTHER LIVING THINGS

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patio34

xjw_b12

patio34

Nikita

Dansk

LyinEyes

Dansk

Carmel,

Do I have to sic my little sister on you??

What's wrong with a materialistic philosopher and I am NOT like a cow, you ol' gas bag you! No wonder Waiting calls you names.

Harumph!

Patio

Guess I'm in a philosophical mood this morning

Dansk. It is the beauty and harmony of nature (unniterrupted by man) that still connects my to something greater.

I may have to call you names too! How's the old windbag doing? I don't seem to be able to grap her nanny like I used to! Must be slippin... but then maybe you'll take her place, the materialist that u are...

caveman

LOL @ Carmel!

Waiting is doing great--just became a new granny (the first one!). Her daughter had a beautiful baby boy and Waiting's been pretty busy with all that.

Patio

Hi Ian, I have often sat mused on the very same things !

Along the same thinking, here's a story-when we lost our beloved border collie in '99, I went to a shelter and adopted a lab mix. I knew from the beginning, by little things he did/didn't do, he had been abused-just wasn't sure to what extent. Recently, we found out he had shot gun shrapnel (sp?) in his shoulder and his left hip socket is almost non-existent! When I think about him and his early days as a puppy like your Rosie, I get all teared up just knowing he went through things designed to end his life or make it a living hell. And yet after all he went through, he still had some room in his heart left to love a human being! He is so devoted to me and I feel blessed to have found such a sweetheart!

Is Rosie a Border Collie-she looks as if she might be in the photo.

Nikita

Hi Nikita,

I was very moved by the kindness you evidence. Your dog is sure one fortunate guy!

Is Rosie a Border Collie-she looks as if she might be in the photo.

Yes, Rosie is a border collie. We purchased her from a border collie shelter around 200 miles away. She has a crushed back foot that doesn't appear to give her trouble, but we have to take care of it in winter. The shelter picks up border collies from farms as the farmers breed too many unnecessarily (they just leave them to it!). So many dogs looking for good homes. We're so impressed with Rosie that we're seriously considering going back to the shelter for another puppy. Rosie is typical of the breed, very intelligent!

While animals obviously have predators to contend with, I am fascinated by their sheer zest for life and how they live it to the full. As I said earlier, I think we ponder too much on sad things, such as worries over things that might never even occur, instead of enjoying TODAY! Easier said than done, I know, but that's what I'm striving for.

Ian

I love to watch the Discovery channel and tonite they had ,,,,,,,correct me if I get this ladies name wrong,,,,,,,,Jane Goodall on it. She is the one who has been observing chimps, apes , in the wild for years.

I was totally mesmirzed by the very human qualities the chimps had that were raised by humans.

They were like little babies, small children. They wanted to be held, and would hold on to their handlers as if they were their mothers.

She made a comment about this waterfall and how she watched the monkeys enjoy the water play, and it as almost spiritiual to them. She said she would observe them , sitting on a rock and just looking at the waterfall , the water droplets and she thougth they must have had some kind of appreciation for the wonderful waterfall.

One monkey was very sad,,,,,,,because he was thrown out of group of monkeys because they didnt want him to be the leader and it was sad to see him suffer what was apparently loneliness. Even the animals especially the highly intelligent ones like the monkeys,,,,,,,need to feel love, to feel part of a family, or community.

Some people say animals do not love,,,,,, I disagree. Maybe they can not love like we do,,,,,but they do feel love. I know when I leave for a few hours , my little pug dog, will cry and go crazy upon my return as if I had been gone for days.

I am so much of an animal lover that I get myself in trouble for brining too many strays home.

It does make me wonder why the Creator choose to make some animals smarter than others and why are the monkeys so close to our DNA, compared to other animals. I don't beleive in evolution as the reason we are here,,,,but I wonder if it was a tool God used to experiment with????? I dunno....but interesting.

This story always warms my heart:

The sacred spot was not wholly disregarded and forgotten. For fourteen years the dead man's faithful dog kept constant watch and guard over the grave until his own death in 1872. James Brown, the old curator of the burial ground, remembers Gray's funeral, and the dog, a Skye terrier called "Bobby", was, he says, one of the most conspicuous of the mourners. The grave was closed in as usual, and next morning "Bobby", was found, lying on the newly-made mound.

This was an innovation which old James could not permit, for there was an order at the gate stating in the most intelligible characters that dogs were not admitted. "Bobby" was accordingly driven out; but next morning he was there again, and for the second time was discharged. The third morning was cold and wet, and when the old man saw the faithful animal, in spite of all chastisement, still lying shivering on the grave, he took pity on him, and gave him some food. This recognition of his devotion gave "Bobby" the right to make the churchyard his home; and from that time until his own death he never spent a night away from his master's tomb.
Often in bad weather attempts were made to keep him within doors, but by dismal howls he succeeded in making it known that this interference was not agreeable to him, and he was always allowed to have his way. At almost any time during the day he could be seen in or about the churchyard, and no matter how rough the night, nothing could induce him to forsake that hallowed spot, whose identity he so faithfully preserved.

That, however, concludes the story of the life of Greyfriars' Bobby, a life which was later commemorated by the erection of the statue and fountain by Baroness Burdett Coutts. The figure which was unveiled, without any ceremony, on November 15, 1873.
Baroness Angelia Georgina Burdett-Coutts - in 1870 she was made President of the Ladies Committe of the RSPCA. During 1871 she visited Edinburgh on several occasions to see Bobby, she had been deeply moved by his story. The Baroness asked the City Council for permission to erect a granite fountain with a statue of Bobby placed on top. To be sited on the pavement near the Kirkyard as a lasting memory of the little Skye Terrier Bobby upon his death.

William Brody - sculptured the statue from life, and it was unveiled without ceremony November 1873 after the death of Bobby.

The original sculptured model is in the Museum of Edinburgh

John Grays headstone - The American Lovers of Bobby erected a Red Granite stone to mark John Gray's grave, the inscription reads "John Gray - died 1858 - Auld Jock - Master of Grayfriars Bobby - Even in his ashes most beloved"

Bobby's headstone - The Red Granite stone erected by The Dog Aid Society of Scotland the inscription reads "Greyfriars Bobby - died 14th January 1872 - aged 16 years - Let his loyalty and devotion be a lesson to us all - Unveild by His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester CCVO - on the 13th May 1981"