We’ve received several “sympathy” cards from friends who know about our loss. They are thoughtful and deeply appreciated. (We have special friends!)

Willow was a tiny heart-stealer. She joined our family 14 years ago when she was nine months old. She died April 29th, a month short of her 15th birthday.

What a charmer! But she wasn’t easy. She had a reputation for being impossible for anyone but us to approach successfully. She’d nip (although no one ever claimed she’d successfully bitten them.) But it was fun to watch folks try to get her to warm up to them.

The secret was to grab her from behind and hold her off the ground. She wouldn’t bite the hand that was holding her if she knew she’d have a distance to fall.

Willow loved music. As a young pup, John would play his dulcimer with her on his lap.

She went everywhere we went. She never missed a festival. Everyone knew she reigned at our campsite. She had her own comfortable double-seated lounge chair, but didn’t appreciate sharing it. When we’d arrive at the fairgrounds where the festival was held, she’d have more visitors than we did.

One of the sympathy cards came from a friend representing the Original Dulcimer Players Club (the organization that puts on the big festival we always attend.) The note in it said, “We were saddened to hear of the passing of Willow. She was a part of the festival, especially being named after Les Raber’s tune. The music community mourns with you.”

She was a special little dog and a true beauty. We miss her. There’ll definitely be a vacancy at the festivals where she was a fixture.