Life, Death and the People we Love

Life is Funny, and Death for most of us is a sad event. Yesterday morning the Love of my Mothers Life Passed Over into the Great Mystery of Death. The whole week before seemed to bode signs for me of impending passing the strangest of all was Thursday night. For some reason I was called to go outside around 2:00 in the morning, I didn't know why so just stood at the edge of my porch and listened to the sounds of the night which were soft and somber. I heard a tinkling sound in the backyard and went to investigate the source which began to move around the peremiter of my Sacred Circle area. The tinkling turned into what I can only describe as the sound of bells or chains and it was circling the yard over and over. Then what I saw shocked even me, someone used the strange and unusual, and being that I work with animals I know a bit about wildlife.
Circling the yard was the BIGGEST and I mean BIGGEST BLACK DOG I have ever seen in my whole life. Cerberus had come to show himself to me and I will admit that it scared the total shit out of me. I know all of the local dogs who roam once in a while around the neighborhood because it has been a mission of late to find the owners to cuss out for letting their dogs loose to crap in my yard. This Beast DOES NOT BELONG to ANYONE around here I am sure, with no embelishment at all I can safely say this beast was the size of a small pony. I immediately started going around my yard banishing it from the premise, I even screamed "Git" at the top of my lungs a few times trying to hold back tears that I had no idea were they were coming from at all at the time. He circled my house and then my neighbors house before coming back toward my circle. Then with the sound of tinkling chains vanished without a trace. I was shocked and totally shaken to the bone. I tried to rationalize the event, but in my heart knew that it meant a Death was approaching. I thought that since my neighbor Dave didn't look to well the last I saw him, and having circled their house it was for him. I never suspected that Jack, the love of my mothers life would die in three days. I didn't tell anyone about this event but held it to myself hoping to be wrong. Sunday morning proved me wrong.
Saturday I had worked on the yard and Sacred Circle area pictured above, cleaning and cutting limbs off of the dead trees. I trimmed a lavender bush back and brought some boughs inside to mix with the flowers that Jack had given to me last Friday when I visited him at his office. A florist owes him money and brings dozens of roses and different flowers each week which in turn Jack gave to my mother. She always had fresh flowers in the house since her and Jack got together 15 years ago. I mixed the lavender with the flowers and thought how long they had lived, and even today look fresh cut. It was the last time I saw Jack alive.
Yesterday, as my Mother and I held each other and cried all day long she remarked on all the wonderful things about him. She said that he had taught her how to live and appreciate life like no one before in her life. I told her to remember what I used to call her house before she was with Jack, I called it the Mausoleum because she kept it so dark, cold and she always stayed inside,, most of the time sleeping on the couch or floor (for her back) alone and depressed because of my older sisters Father W.G. is a twisted soul bent on breaking peoples spirit, which he almost succeded with my Mother. Then one day, like a fairy tale really Jack literally appeared at her door and asked if he could take her out to dinner. The rest is history and a love story that we all should be so lucky to experience, they never once had cross words. He never put her down, or said anything but uplifting words. EVERYDAY he brought her flowers or some small gift, or a big gift, new clothes and even gave her two Caddilacs !!! Now that is a MAN.
He gave me peace of mind that my mother was always taken care of and that I had little to do or worry about while he was around. He became a REAL FATHER to me, and many times I told him I wished he had been my dad.
So, I will be planting some Hibiscus, his favorite flower, this year in my Sacred area to always remind me of him and his love.
And I am also planting things to remind me of others, and their Animal Companions too, so my Dear Blogging Friends........
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FLOWER???
If you comment, please tell me your favorite flower or tree/bush so that I can plant something to make me think of you here in 3D land when I am away from the computer. I have gained so much from each of my Blog Circle of friends, hell you all feel like family really, and I want to have something to smell, touch, and sit near in abscence of human contact. Sometimes flowers make such fine substitutes, so please tell me, What flower or plant to plant for YOU!!

So, Be kind to each other and Love like there is NO tomorrow.
I love you all dearly, and again sorry for my absence, but as always I will return soon.