Dauby

Dauby died yesterday on New Year's Day.  She was 18 years old.

We think she knew that it was her time.  This is one of the last photos taken of her.  It was December 30th when we got our 12 inches of snow. 

After dad finished snowblowing that day, he came to this end of our pond, where mom and Molly took this picture, and he chopped a waterway from this point for more than 100 feet to the other end of the pond where the waterfowl get fed and where there is a bubbler to keep a portion of the pond defrosted so that the birds have open water to swim in and for their protection.
All of the waterfowl followed dad as he chopped a path through the thin ice for them - all except Dauby.    She stayed all by herself at night and the mallards hung out with her during the day.  Dad continued to bring her food but she wouldn't budge.

Yesterday, on January 1st in the early afternoon, dad and mom threw the canoe into the frozen pond and cornered Dauby and brought her to dad's workshop and they started a fire in the fireplace so she could warm up and eat.  Dauby was not in good shape. Dad stayed with her and talked to her and loved her. He never left her and around 8 last night, she died.   She knew that she was loved.

Dauby loved the camera and the camera loved her.
Angel Maggie knew Dauby for her entire life.  This picture was taken in January 2007.

 And this one in July of '09.

 This one was taken in the autumn of 2009.

 And these next 2 were taken in October 2012

Fly high and free, Dauby.  You will be missed for a very long time.

We love you,
Dad, mom, Mitch and Molly