Daisy and I were about the same age. She was as beautiful as I am handsome. This blog is for my beautiful friend, Daisy, who left our world a few weeks ago.

She was a Rhodesian Ridgeback. I am a Bearded Collie. We are what you call dogs. We have four legs. You have two legs and two arms. I hug you with my front legs like you pet me with your arms. Daisy and I mostly chased each other in circles. She jumped over my head and I barked. We had a lot of room to do that up at Old Pines, where she is resting in the photo above. Daisy had long legs and was bred to hunt lions who run very fast . I was bred to herd sheep which are slower and shorter and are intimidated by loud barking. Almost every time you saw Daisy, you patted her lovely head, and sang a very old song to her. It sounded like this:

“Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer true. I’m half crazy all for the love of you. It won’t be a stylish marriage. I can’t afford a carriage, but you’ll look sweet, upon the seat of a bicycle built for two.”

For those of you who have reached a certain age, you may remember that song. For you young ones who just like the song, you might like to know that it was written by a man named Harry Dacre in 1892 for someone he loved named Daisy, Countess of Warwick. She was one of the many sweethearts to the King of England named Edward. But Harry loved her too and wrote the song for her.

My pal Daisy was related to me somehow but we never know how to describe that kind of relationship. She lived with Iris, her sister, in the household of your daughter and all of those humans at that house, Stephanie, Howard, Eleanor and Eliah. I don’t really understand what you’d call us, cousins or uncles or aunts or something. The real thing that mattered is that it was always clear we loved each other and that is what counts. We sniffed each other all over in the important places and in the respectful ways that dogs do. Iris and everyone around your house and mine and miss you, but we are taking good care of each other and will remember you forever.

Advice from Oliver: Love the ones around you, no matter how many arms and legs they have. And no matter how many other people love them. Sing to them, even if it’s an old song, (131 years old). Bark if it’s in your genes. Sniff them if you feel like it. Remember them forever.