Our constant companion, lover of all people, the sweetest three-legged farm dog ever will no longer accompany us when we work, celebrate or gather. Sadly, she will not be at the farm store to greet you and thank you for your visit. This last week I noticed a change in her behavior, and today she passed away peacefully under a grain cart full of sunflower seeds. Regretfully, I was away when she passed despite my strict orders to "wait until I get home, Hunyuk. Please don't die while I'm away." I knew from her significant slow down and change in behavior that death was at her doorstep, so to speak.
This sweet farm dog was given the name Daisy as a pup, but when she just couldn't resist chasing after tires despite losing a leg to one, William's uncle started to call her the Hunyuk. Despite its derogatory meaning, I preferred to call her Hunyuk or Honey Oak as autocorrect assumed her name to be when I typed Hunyuk. The sound of the name suited her much better than Daisy, I thought. However, she was not really a Hunyuk, she was smart, very obedient and extremely loveable. It's just that her instinct had her confused between rolling tires and the animals her breed is intended to herd. She was a tri-colored border collie who lived to be nearly 13 years old. She spent nine years running strong on three legs only slowing down this last year or so.
She was lovely at our wedding.
Always got lots of attention from my son, Max.
Made friends at the farm store!
And joined us for work in the field, forest and farmyard.
She loved greeting people at the farm store.
Would jump in the car if I was going to the Dirt Farm.
Hunyuk was always tagging along, begging to be inside well before a storm hit, content to lounge under the kitchen table for hours her last few years, and ultimately preferring to be in the company of humans where her sweet spirit offered an enormous amount of love and kindness to anyone around her. She loved the Farm Store and knew when it was Thursday and would be open again. In the mornings when the farm store had shade, she'd plant herself right outside the door and then as the afternoon heat progressed, she'd wait for visitors under the truck by the house and then hobble out to join customers at the door. She loved to say hi and get a little petting out of the deal.
It's a sad day at Lake View Organic Farm.
The fact that she died under the grain cart full of sunflower seeds, not her usual place to rest, seems symbolic to me. The sunflowers in our fields are beginning to bloom and with each cheerful explosion of color and joy, I will remember the Hunyuk - the sweetest three-legged farm dog ever.
Stop out to see the sunflowers. They will be big and cheerful for the next couple of weekends.
I'm sad to hear of Daisy's passing. She was a great greeter when we stopped by a few weeks ago. She was so gentle and engaging with a smile plastered on her sweet face. I think she had a pretty terrific life with you out on the farm.