Painting of Border Collie Valentine

Valentines' Day Memory of Miss Brooke

What could be sweeter for Valentines' Day than a memory of Border Collie Brooke all decked out in a bright red hat?

The beautiful Miss Brooke departed and crossed over the rainbow bridge at age 14 after teaching Thor Boxer pup everything she knew about guarding the home and gardens and protecting her master … namely me. However, Thor did not excel in the lesson of how to be a studio dog. Miss Brooke loved relaxing in the studio at the foot of the easel as I painted. Thor has never been keen about lying by the easel, but he earned an A+ in all his other classes. 

A New Home for Border Collie Brooke

I suppose you could call Miss Brooke a rescued dog. I picked her up from a family who no longer wanted her. The story was they were moving to a new house and would have no room for Brooke in the new house, but the truth of the matter was primarily that they hadn't taken good care of the girl and she was stinky with sarcastic mange, mites and skin bacteria, as well as eaten up by fleas. Additionally, she had a bad case of heart worms. If Brooke stayed with her current family or was dropped off at a shelter, she didn't stand much of a chance. Fate intervened when True Blue Animal Rescue in Brenham called me to the rescue. 

Friend Betty and I drove to Pasadena, Texas, to meet Brooke. She met us at the door, well trained and polite, and sat patiently waiting for a pat, and she practically beat us out the door to the Jeep. Brooke instinctively knew she was going for a better ride. The only person in that house that she told goodbye was the father. She never even tried to say goodbye to the mother or either of the young children. She never feared Betty or I, and jumped into the back of the Jeep.  She was so stinky, we had to drive home with all the windows open for the circulation of fresh air blowing through the Jeep. After Brooke came to live with me and (long story short) was cured of all her ills, she was very protective and not so friendly and welcoming of strangers, although she did always love Ms. Betty. 

I have thought back on the initial meeting between Miss Brooke and I, and I decided that surely it was God who brought us together. Brooke needed a new home and some healing care, and unknown to me at the time, I would soon need a caring friend and companion of my own. If you take care of your dogs, they will take care of you.

A Border Collie Red Hat Valentine

Miss Brooke became my Red Hat Valentine.  That said, I wish you a Happy Valentines' Day! May you have love and companionship and a caring friend in your life!

BORDER COLLIE BROOKE, THE RED HAT VALENTINE
oil on canvas 8x10 inches
copyright V. Bridges Hoyt 2007, 2015

This painting is unavailable, but I do accept commissions for pet portraits.

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