Travels with Nellie

 


Who can explain the connection we have with our dogs? They are a source as well as a recipient of unconditional love, but it is much more. We lost our sweet, wonderful Nellie this week and she has left both an emotional and physical hole in our lives.

Nellie's Spot

Nellie has been showing her age in recent months, moving more slowly and less rambunctious on her walks in the woods, but she seemed to get as much joy as always from her favorite activities, being near us and being touched. On Monday she had her usual morning walk, but later in the day
she became increasingly lethargic, breathing rapidly. By the time I got her to the Vet, she needed to be carried. She had a large bleed from an abdominal tumor, probably on her pancreas and there was nothing to do but relieve her suffering. It all happened so suddenly that we couldn't possibly have been prepared, but for Nellie, it was mercifully quick and painless. Susan and I were close to her, speaking softly and rubbing her behind the ears as she drifted away.

Nellie Arrives in a Storm

Nellie joined our family as a puppy in 2002. She came from a liter that was expected to be pure-bred Soft-Coated Wheaten Terriers, but mom apparently had other ideas. We think that the father was a Giant Schnauzer, but, whatever the mix, the results were wonderful. Nellie was loving from the start and insisted on sleeping between Susan and I on the first night. She loved walks, and going frog hunting in the lake. Despite her frequent leaps, she never caught anything and wouldn't have had a clue what to do if she had. In the winter Nellie enjoyed prancing through the snow, periodically flipping on her back to create her own version of snow angels. She was always friendly to strangers as long as they kept petting her. She was excited to be chased by other dogs and had a typically raucous relationship with her sibling Sammie, who lived nearby. She was good with other dogs, but following years of torment from a local Jack Russell Terrier, she triumphantly bite the annoying little mutt firmly on the ass. We all cheered, but sweet little Nellie acquired a criminal record.

Frog Hunting

The feelings of the loss that accompany the death of a beloved pet can't compare to loss of a parent, child or close friend, but Nellie was such a integral part of our daily lives that her passing leaves holes everywhere we look. Nellie was a calm and loving soul. She watched me closely as I moved about the house and lay close whenever I settled at my desk or on the couch. Her eyes had gone a bit milky in the last few years but she could still melt your heart

As long as touching was involved
you could do anything.

with her warm gaze. She could never get enough touch and would wantonly roll onto her back inviting belly rubs. If someone stop touching, she would lean in and flip the person's hand into the air with her nose. For me, touching her  was intensely therapeutic and I still find myself reaching out for Nellie in all her favorite resting places about the house.

With Abby on Gap Mountain

I will miss our walks about the village and along forest trails. Even though she was getting stiff, she still became excited with the mention of, "Let's go for a walk" or "a hike in the woods". So many of my best images from around our village came with her at my side. 

Time to Head Home

On the trail, she was remarkably patient as I took my pictures and seemed to understand when I said "Nellie get out of the shot". "Ride in the car" was another of her favorite phrases and Nellie was a wonderful companion on my photography drives. I'm sure she had no idea what I was doing with that black chunk of metal supported on those spindly sticks, but she loved the road, the wind in her face, and she absolutely hated to be left behind. She also had a certain look that always reminded me that, "It's time to head home".

At the Gorge,  Thanks to the Sentinel's Michael Moore

Travels With Nellie




I apologize for these highly personal reflections, but this week I don't think I could speak of anything else. I know that our pain will ease over time and at some point we may even welcome another dog into our family, but Nellie will always hold a special spot in our hearts and memory. We feel incredibly lucky that she shared our lives for so many years and she will always be deeply loved.

Good Puppy Nellie





Nellie's Picture Gallery

Jeffrey Newcomer
Partridgebrookreflections.com

Photography Close, Really Close, to Home

Frog Hunting in Spofford Lake

Walks with Nellie (a Photo Album)
This week I have published another article on the New England

Spofford Lake Sunset

Photography Guild web site. I’m pleased to be a member of this great group of dedicated and talented New England Photographers. The guild celebrates the unique qualities of photography in our special corner of the world. Our popular Facebook page has become a showcase for the best New England photography from guild members as well as from nonmembers. Personally, displaying my work next to so many amazing images is a constant inspiration to improve my own hotography. The guild members are strongly committed to education and are always generous with advice and support. A big part of our focus on education has been the regular contributions from members to the NEPG Blog. As members we are all required to post articles on a rotating basis. With so many contributors, the NEPG Blog is a rich and varied resource, with article ranging from technical discussions of photographic technique to more philosophical musings about the nature of photography. The blog is truly “like a box of chocolates”. 

Pine Grove Springs Country Club

Partridge Brook

Local Blooms

It Takes a Village

Winter Cover, Spofford

This week, my confection is about photography within the range of my daily walks with our dog Nellie. My wife has recently been incapacitated following bilateral knee replacement surgery and my photo shoots have been largely limited to strolls around the neighborhood. I live in Spofford, a lovely little village in Chesterfield, New Hampshire. My walking routes have become very familiar, but recently I reviewed the images that I have captured over the years within this easy walking distance of my house.

Partridgee Brook and My Backyard

The range of images was surprising. Spofford has several special attractions, but I'm sure that this is true for most New England communities. The keys to shooting close to home include; being on the lookout for interesting perspectives, being aware of how our ever-changing New England weather and seasons can refresh even the most familiar scenes, and most importantly, remembering to bring a camera along for the walks. It is amazing how having a camera I your pocket can excite your eyes to see the photographic opportunities all around you. Without your camera the eyes primarily become threat avoidance tools. Don't trip on that curb! 

Partridge Brook, Seasons Change

Spofford Autumn

My New England Photography Blog this week is a superficially claustrophobic, but surprisingly varied,  travelogue of the attractions of my small village. My goal is to encourage you to get out and engage in a deeper exploration of your own immediate environment. What is special about your community will, very likely, be different from my own, but that's what makes it exciting. Sue is getting around much better now and my photographic leash is significantly longer, but Nellie will still require walking and I will continue to bring my camera along for the ride. 

 

Storm Building

Lake at Peace

So check out my article about my walks with Nellie and then go find your own treasures. And don't forget to bring the camera. 

Nestled
I just found this view this week.

As always the number of images I can show on the NEPG Blog is strictly limited. My pictures are my children and picking 3-4 favorites is impossible. Included here are a few more images which, I hope will flesh out the character of my little corner of New England.

Backyard Autumn

•  New England Photography Guild Article 

"Spofford the Moose"

Jeff Newcomer
partridgebrookreflections.com