2023 was truly a rough year. Of course we had our positives, but it seemed as though the losses, tipped the scales.
I suppose that’s where the discouragement part of my blog comes from. In February 2023 my mother passed away peacefully here at my home. She definitely was a bright spot and a grateful individual. It was such a privilege to care for her. She is greatly missed, but her sparkle still shines! So many photographs of her sitting with puppies, caressing and talking to them. She enjoyed the dogs, and I have many fond memories of her patting, heads and cuddling babies!
My father will turn 100 years old this year! And he’s been lost without my mom, in this day and age, when relationships, come and go, they had been married for 78 years! Most of us can’t even comprehend that or even grasp what that would look like.
I’m grateful for the legacy that my folks left for us and the way that they raised us. They grew up in the great depression and instilled in us tenacity, creativity and a can do spirit.
2023 was to be my last year of breeding standard poodles. My body and my health were at the point that I could no longer raise a litter of standard poodle puppies. It’s probably one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made. There is a special type of joy when you hold a newborn in your hands. Excited for the future, what they will do and hopefully help others.
I knew it was the right decision, at the right time. everything aligned and I had two wonderful women who wanted to continue the lines that we had started here at Winters Wind.
I don’t think anyone could have foreseen what was going to transpire in the summer of 2023. The Rescue of two poodles from Texas, and not knowing where the other four were. Was a heartache like no other. To see my beautiful, healthy poodles brought to the brink of death through starvation! Unheard of and unbelievable that anyone could do that.
The rescue of itself was quite the ordeal. I had gone to Dana-Farber to look for hopefully some cancer treatments. I also was in debilitating pain from my back. Where I had bone cancer years ago.
It was there at Dana Farber that we received a call. Cindi, an amazing private investigator that I hired; found the dogs!
The dogs had been located and a rescue was going to be in progress. My husband and I left Boston and flew to Austin Texas, since time was of the essence to get the dogs and get them back up to our prairie home for restoration. It’s a very long story, but the bottom line is the dogs survived and are thriving!
The sad part of the story is, the family that was to get one of the dogs decided to blame Winters Wind for what had transpired. Though we had been close as a family, at some point, there a rose such an anger. It was like a spark, that set a forest a blaze. The tragic loss of a family and a friendship; coupled with the anguish of what happened to the dogs truly was devastating.
When faced with such a situation, how do you handle it? Until your presented such a thing; I’m not sure we really know how we’re going to handle it.
There are some options; retaliation, false accusations, Character assassination, bullying, and Misdirected anger.
OR
There’s also another way to handle it. Silence, No rebuttal, allow the words to fall where they may, and no retaliation.
In the long run, if we look at the quickest way to put out a forest fire; deprive it of oxygen. Turn the other cheek. This is not an easy thing to do , but it is the right thing to do. I have never believed that anything good can come out of words spoken out of annger and spite.
So as a one-sided battle raged. I lost my beautiful Luna, the foundation of Winters wind to kidney failure. Than my adored. Beloved dog of my heart, Sienna went to join Luna over rainbow bridge.
Than I had to have back surgery and learned that I have severe Adhesive Arachnoiditis. There is no good prognosis for this.
A court hearing has been scheduled for the perpetrator of the abuse on the dogs. That case will be held before a judge on March 3. There is a concern that all of the Internet spewing may have hurt our court case against her. I would appreciate prayers, that this individual would get the highest penalty allowed by the law; for what she had perpetrated against the dogs. That we may find the dogs that are missing and put an end to this tragic ordeal.
2023 ended in anguish and agony. I pray that 2024 will bring us all; restoration, peace, and forgiveness.
So, as we stepped into a new year, may we, “Love your Neighbor, as you Love yourself. Love does no harm to a neighbor.”
So, as we stepped into a new year, may we count our blessings!
