Unruly Love, Life and Loss

So, this past two weeks has found me in the beautiful foothills of southern Alberta, Canada, staying on the land of my stepdaughter and husband, of which they have graciously opened their doors to my two other daughters and me. Life throws us unexpected curve balls, having us wind up in positions and places we would have never imagined ourselves in.

It is a time of grieving the great loss of their Dad and my good friend, who passed away just days ago; The four of them have been there every step of his 2 year journey with cancer, tagging off visits, traveling and staying for months at a time, nurturing, caring, loving, being on a roller-coaster of emotions. This heart of mine aches with the expansion of witnessing so much love and caring, exemplifying what Love truly is.

And it is also a time of celebrating a man they loved and who loved them well. Tears flow, laughter bursts forth, sharing food and stories whenever we please – a sense of easier living even in the midst of a very painful time. This ability to be present, to let time disappear into the illusion it is and not care what else is going on in the ‘outside’ world is a gift which we in the western society have mostly removed from our realm of possibilities. What is it about birth and death that brings us back into alignment?

I came out here to support in whatever way I can and have found myself being supported by their land, their dogs, horses, donkeys and a loud, lovable little pig, Frankie! I have discovered a labour of love that Jamie-Lynn and Brian have created, rescuing all their animals from sometimes dire and sometimes unknown circumstances and seeing how this miscreant family has come together, ebbing and flowing, constantly dynamic and changing as animals pass on and are replaced with new, grateful ones that will spend their last days in total acceptance and appreciation for their quirkiness and unruliness. Their land, like their house is friendly to all 2 legged, 3 legged (yes Botez the princely dog is 3 legged!) and 4 legged creatures with lots of room to roam, with areas cordoned off to keep the horses and donkeys happy with their own large shared space and multiple great fenced off areas for the dogs and piggy.

The antics of the animals are enough to keep all of us amused and distracted – Frankie’s twirling tail telling tales of happiness and sometimes complaining as he squeals his way off to his next adventure! And each of the dogs has their own unique perspective – Leah, who is brain damaged from some unknown experience, yet is so playful; Annie, who recently became a certified therapy dog after showing what a gentle, calming influence she has on Leah and others (me included!); Botez in all his princely charm – the 3 legged wonder who lays and sits with front legs crossed, erect and regal; big old loveable Gus, the guardian of all, howling and barking at strangers and friends alike, rallying the troops to either wiggle their bodies in excitement, or to ready for battle.

This pack would not be complete without shy Georgia – a black beauty who stays away, hesitant in approaching, and one must be careful in how to pet her when she finally finds the courage to come to you. Who knows what her story is? I felt like I had won the lottery when she finally greeted me, with a nudge and a hesitant tail wag!

And last but certainly not least, the donkeys (Chaquita and Cisco) and horses (Peso and Rudy), vying for our attention, receiving it with great affection and of course, carrots!

Yes, Jamie-Lynn and Brian too, live an unruly existence with these animals that is worth celebrating! And joy of joys! I have also discovered their unruly gardens!

Using what they have, and finding gems along the way, they have created and continue to adjust, tweak and play with an outdoor garden built between trees and raspberry bushes, woodpiles and fence lines. There are galvanized tubs filled with soil and plants of all ilks, some raised beds, all with end of the season plants thriving; and an old water trough where great big green onions are still reaching for the sky. I love the sense of experimentation, of 'let's try this and if that doesn't work, no big deal, 'Let's try something different'.

And what a great harvest of all things green! The swiss chard is prolific, the beets and beet greens delicious, lettuces and spinach that have already survived the first frost - so yummy! There are still some hopeful tomatoes and zucchini making their appearances before winter hits this Canadian landscape. And the raspberry bushes run amok in all their beauty, with dear old Gus eating his fill and theirs too, leaving only scraps! I am not sure how he does this without a mouth full of thorns, but apparently he has figured out this art. Hmmmm…. maybe a project for next year – how to keep some of those delectable fruits for human consumption?

Gardens (And people! And animals!) are works in progress - the continuous, ever-changing landscape of life. How they burst forth in the spring, eager to shoot up and live! The summer sees this life turn into an abundance of delectable edibles and medicinals. And then in the fall, the last-ditch effort of veggies, herbs, fruit to share their life force with us and all beings, even as the leaves turn yellow, wilting away, there is still the urge to produce just one more flower, one more veggie, one more chance! We harvest, freeze, dry, can and pickle all we are able, so we can savour the fruits of our labour all winter long.

Some plants die off, leaving their seed to continue the circle of life, others coming back again year after year, growing, spreading, sharing, just like we humans.

And as we say goodbye to the unruly Dad of these amazing young women and son-in-law (he loved his family/friends, his land and his Harley!), so begins the winter time - a time to reflect, a time to rest and recover, and eventually a time to rise again and live our lives to the fullest!

Goodbye to dearest Pat, may he be Free!

And may we live fully and freely all the days we are allotted here on Earth.