Sweet




I had a good kind of cry today
It was a brief sort of  weep. A happy one.
A nice one indeed.
Years ago I planted several buddleia which always bloom in late July and today in the oppressive heat , their blooms seemed to explode with their tiny nectar filled flower heads.
A mass of butterflies descended on the cottage today, and their numbers included the beautiful leopard spotted Comma with their fluted and oh so delicate scalloped wings.
The air was alive  with them this afternoon
Half Blind  twelve year old William loves to chase bees , but the butterflies are so much easier  for him to see, and I teared up briefly as I  watched him gleefully chasing their fluttering shapes around the flower beds like a silly uncoordinated puppy

65 comments:

  1. Happy cries are always so good for the soul.
    Very pretty butterflies, John.

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  2. No wonder it made you cry. I'm crying just reading about it. Good for elderly William; I'm glad he had some fun that he could see.

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    1. His sweetness never fails to move me ...I've never known such a nice natured dog

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  3. Wonderful flowers and prof that we are all puppies at heart. Take Care! DG

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  4. Awww, very sweet indeed. *Sniff*

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  5. The butterflies came to delight you and to carry away some of your pain.

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    1. They were filling their bellies with nectar ! X

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  6. Sweet William...bless his heart!

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    1. Of all of my dogs he lifts my heart the most because of his gentle soul

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  7. Gorgeous butterflies, lucky you. When you post pictures of your William, I am just enchanted by him. He's so sweeeeeeeet and cute as the dickens.

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    1. He is.... I bought the dogs some Swedish meatballs tonight and even though he knew he'd love them to death...he still took them politely from my hand like lady mary picking and sandwich from carson's plate

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    2. He's a Good Dog for sure.

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  8. You are a delight John Gray xx

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  9. I was fine until you described him as an uncoordinated puppy .. That's ok , I needed a little cry this evening.
    the flowers are just amazing .. the color !!
    <3

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    1. He cannot now judge space , and so crashes into things with his usual surprised and understated grunt

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  10. I have never seen comma butterflies before. william can chase them for me, that's a good old dog.

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    1. Google them , they are rather beautiful and used to be rare ( only living by the Welsh borders) now they are commmon

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  11. What a sweet pup, never too old to chase butterflies. They looked beautiful with the buddleia flowers.

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  12. I know what you mean.. appreciating our older dear dogs everyday not only brings tears but smiles too - it is very poignant, but aren't they lucky .. we love them so.

    And those butterflies - magnificent!

    Buddleias have the most extraordinary perfume that drifts - just oozes summer for me. Ellexx

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    1. That's why I planted four of them in the garden

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  13. What a wondrous enchanting day you and William had! Gorgeous blooms, resplendent butterflies, and a fun, frivolous, joyous experience for the both of you.

    Your butterflies are stunning and so fancy. No Painted Ladies about? They're lovely to hang out with, if you don't mind getting a reputation...

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  14. , I counted 5 commas, 5 admirals , 3 tortoiseshells , 4 cabbage whites,
    3 painted ladies, 7 peacocks

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    1. Wow! You could start your own lepidopterarium! People love a butterfly center!

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    2. so lucky...most of the few we have round here this year are varieties of white butterfly, and only the odd tortoiseshell

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  15. I can't wait to someday have butterflies all over the farm. (need more flowers for that, need to be there full time for that, but I digress, ha). When I do see them they make my heart happy. Something about a butterfly, just doing its thing, beautiful like flying stained glass. It's truly magical.

    So happy you got to share that moment with William. Or did William share it with you? ;-)

    Hugs John, hugs.

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  16. He couldn't be arsed about me that why the moment was so sweet

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  17. Sweet indeed, no wonder you had a little weep. ❤ We were at a garden centre today for lunch and the amount of bees sharing flowers was amazing to see.

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    1. Yes I love the fact so many mini need are around but no wasps !!!

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  18. I have never seen such beautiful Butterflies. Buddleias are a flower I do not know about. Such beauty. Love that Willian was able to play and enjoy the lovely day.
    I can understand your tears over William I cried many time with Watson and then Hamish. They both were almost blind and deaf but such sweet gud dugs. I miss them so much.

    cheers, parsnip

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  19. I love when you post garden pics & a frolicking William gladdens any heart.

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  20. I think that wherever you and your family are John,you are surrounded by love & happiness x

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  21. You have beautiful butterflies there. I plant flowers to try and attract them and bees. To me they are fluttering angels. Love them! Sweet William brings tears to my eyes too. Old dogs teach us great wisdom on living! It's the small things that matter!

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  22. I'd have cried, too :) Just had a lot of new plants added to my front flower beds, and the sudden influx of butterflies has been wonderful!

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  23. Some tears are wonderful. As are butterflies, gardens, and the love of a dog.

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  24. A bit of a magic moment with William . . .
    Oh my . . . how sweet . . .
    and tears . . .

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  25. Flowers, butterflies and William equaled a nice day. I am a believer of “enjoying the moments”.

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  26. How wonderful for you, William and the butterflies! And all thanks to the beautiful, blooming buddleia. Such are some of the greatest joys of the world.

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  27. Sweet William...I'm so happy he had a joyful day!

    As for the butterflies....you know that they're a symbol of transformation, right? I think your butterflies are a very good omen for the new future that's about to open up for you.

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  28. I have 'earmarked' a deep purple Buddleia for a cutting this autumn. They are always welcome in the garden. We have a few big Swallowtails this year, they seem to have no fear of humans.

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  29. A sweet memory for you to treasure xx

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  30. That's a tremendous variety of butterflies, John! My grandmother always visited me as a butterfly once she had passed. They are my spirit animal and have brought me comfort at times. I hope you felt better after your cry. I echo one of your followers who said I stand with you in the dark times. Waving to you from California!

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    1. How lovely, Mary. A few days after my dad passed, a robin flew into the house and waited patiently while I picked it up. It chirped at me before flying away. Afterwards I read that a robin visiting is a sign that a loved one is close by. xx

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    2. I had just returned home from the hospital after my aunt had passed-I looked at my window and a butterfly was fluttering inside-it was November x

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  31. William... resolute protector and he is. A sweet gentle dog. Just what you need at the moment. Love how gentle and gentlemanly he took the meatballs. Do you call him William or do you have other cuddly names for him when you snuggle up?

    LX

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  32. Dearest little William, bless his little heart.

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  33. I have never forgotten you likening William to David Niven. We seem to have more butterflies this year. It's a delight. Elsie likes to chase bees. Unfortunately. she eats them.

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  34. A very moving little story. You have a rare gift John Gray, you can reduce me to tears with a few words, and I don't cry easily......just about old dogs mainly ! Give that lovely boy a hug from me please!. xx

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  35. The peacock butterfly. My absolute favourite...looks like velvet.
    Arilx

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  36. They are so beautiful and of good omen! Orange buterflies predict that a change is coming and you have to go out and grab this opportunity.
    Greetings Maria xx

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  37. There is something so lovely about seeing a pet happy that non-pet people just don't get. Pets ask for so little, and give so much. I'm pleased for William that he enjoyed his time in the sun.

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  38. Glad William enjoyed himself with those gorgeous butterflies.

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  39. happy tears and a happy doggo, sounds good!

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  40. All is well with your environment. Last night going to the bins I nearly stepped on a toad. Thankfully I didn't.

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  42. A special dog indeed.

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  43. Debbie10:51 am

    Beautiful! We were just talking about one of our old dogs, named Ethyl. She taught Maggie how to wait for blueberries who taught Roxy how to wait for blueberries. Good dogs are such a gift!

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  44. Magical! And I agree with Suzie Simplelife. You ARE a delight, John Gray.

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  45. It looks like you have had a uplifting day with the dogs and the garden. Wishing you more of the same.

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  46. The flower and butterflies are absolutely beautiful. Wow....

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  47. What a lovely thing to cry at - definitely worth it. While William might have felt young again, and had fun with the chase, I hope he didn't manage to catch any butterflies? (So there'll be enough for the next time :) )

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