Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems. ~Rainer Maria Rilke

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Murphy

We always expected that Brownie would be the goat to leave us first, not Murphy. Some things cannot be assumed or anticipated.
Monday, Memorial Day, we had to call the Vet out to our place. Murphy was lying down and in obvious distress. The Vet arrived with her husband and examined Murph'. She said that he had stones and couldn't urinate. The recommendation was to take him to UC Davis animal hospital for an operation or she could put him down, here. That's not a choice we ever thought we would have to make so soon.
We talked it over and decided to take Murphy to UC Davis below Sacramento.
The Vet and her husband helped us get Murphy into the truck and the Prospector drove him  to Davis.
I stayed home with the dogs and finally got a call in the afternoon.
The doctors said that the operation would be more than $2000. and there wasn't any guarantee that Murphy would be OK. He might be fine after a long recuperation but new stones could appear again. They showed him a goat that was recuperating from this operation. The poor goat had tubes and drugs going into it. The Prospector thought that this was not what we wanted for Murph'. The money was an issue too.  So, my husband made the decision to have him put down.
Tuesday was an awful day.  As much as you tell yourself that these are farm animals and this is a part of what you take on when you bring them home, it doesn't make it any easier.
Murphy was a special goat. He stood out in a crowd.
If you will allow me a moment of your time I will anthropomorize a bit about this goat.
He was a Nubian Wethers that had something special about him from the day we brought him home.
I called him my "magic" goat because he always seemed more aware, paid more attention and responded  to us in a more "human" way.. and he spoke the Welsh language... in my blog posts.

Murphy was a beautiful baby.
He was a stand out.
As he grew up, he seemed to take great joy in helping others. He had a soft spot for Brownie, who was always getting into trouble.
We would find him listening to Brownie's conversations all the time. He was always there to monitor the situation and lead Brown' in the right direction.
Brownie loved Murph'.
They were good friends.

Murphy was the first goat to learn  the butting, jump. He was so graceful and had a great Nijinsky move when he flew into the air. He practiced a lot, from an early age. I felt that he danced to some internal music...
Music that we didn't understand and only Murph' knew the notes.

He sometimes got carried away and became a wild thing.
and this would become contagious to the other goats.

Bart, Brownie, Murphy and Freckles. We called them the Four Musketeers and life was good.

A few years later, after Brownie's horns kept growing back and becoming a problem... and Brownie finally had the accident where he lost his left horn and he got so sick, we had to give Bart and Freckles to another farm because they wouldn't leave Brownie alone. They were always picking on his weak condition and he couldn't defend himself. It was hard to make this decision but it was the right thing to do.
Murphy stayed with Brownie and seemed to care about his well being.
.
As for me...He was always waiting at the fence.
Acknowledging my presence. Waiting to reach through and give me a kiss... squinting his eyes with happiness.
Like a guardian of the farm and defender of his domain, he was always there.
Especially if I had lettuce in my hands.
Oh Murphy, why did you have to leave so soon? I will miss your wonderful goatness... your ever watchful presence.
Your beauty, and your gentle spirit.
Goodbye sweet friend.

18 comments:

  1. I'm so sorry, Connie.
    Murphy was, indeed a very beautiful goat.

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  2. Thank you so much for sharing Murphy's life with us in words and pictures. I can easily see why you thought of him as your magical goat. What a dear little being.

    I am crying for this got I never knew and for you in your loss. I swear I have come to love animals more than many people and mourn their passing from our lives. Buddy just nudged my leg with his mouth. He knows. They always know so much more than we do.

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  3. Murphy had a beautiful face and playful spirit and he won a special place in your heart. You made the right decision for him, hard though it was. I like the last photo of him in this post, the close up of his face.

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  4. So, so very sorry to hear about Murphy. I know it was a tough decision.

    Velva

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  5. A lovely tribute to a special animal. Your love for him and sadness at his loss shines through so clearly. One day this will be lovely post to look back on. So sorry!

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  6. breaking my heart again...i am glad that he did not have to go through all the pain and still not make it...he was a good goat...

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  7. My sympathy goes out to you in the lose of your magical goat Murphy. I hope your sweet memories of him with see you through this loss. Have a blessed evening. Madeline

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  8. ah Farmlady, I'm crying so for your loss....for your love of this beautiful animal....you'll see him again....he'll dance you across the river Jordan...for sure.
    love to you my dear compassionate friend...we both grieve this week...ah this thing called love

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  9. MURPHY REALLY WAS A GOOD,SMART, SWEET GOAT.
    THANK YOU FOR SHARING MURPHY WITH US.
    HOW IS BROWNIE DOING?
    SO SORRY TO HEAR THIS.

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  10. Oh Connie...I can honestly say that I know how you feel. Losing characters like the ones which live in goats can leave such a void. I miss our nibblers every time I'm outside. And the head butting dance...too funny! I can only offer my deep sympathy and hope that all of your sweet memories keep Murphy's flame alive. Take care...hope Brownie is o.k.

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  11. Having grown up on a farm that included goats (most of them my pets) I feel the pain of your loss. You described Murphy perfectly! I hope Brownie is okay -- I'm sure he is missing Murphy as well.

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  12. I am so sorry. That is such a hard and heartbreaking decision to have to make. Take care. xxx

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  13. Few things hurt worse than the loss of a dear animal...those faces, those eyes, the personalities...such a connection. So sorry about your Murph. Brownie must be lost without his companion...Wishing you peace...

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  14. I'm so very sorry you lost your sweet Murphy. It is truly a difficult thing to lose an animal one loves. How nice to know he brought such joy into your lives.

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  15. Even though I never have seen them personally, I am very sad about this. I am so sorry...

    They bring me such joy each time I visit here...

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  16. I'm so very sorry. Unless you've spent any time at all around goats, you wouldn't know what special creatures they are. I still miss my three Boer goats that the cougar killed last year. I hope each day will ease the sadness you feel.

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  17. Farmlady, I feel your pain; I've felt that pain. And it continues as you watch your lonely Brownie, I'm sure. May the love of another help ease the pain of the hole in your heart soon.

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  18. I am way behind on my reading, so I am late catching up here. I am so sorry about Murph. It made me cry to think about the hole they leave in our lives when they go. But I guess that is part of having them, is losing them. They give so much more than they take. Hang in there..when are you gonna come and visit D&B?

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