Dear my friends,

Winter has come, but no frost yet. Mochaccino, our ancient finch, passed away peacefully early yesterday morning. We did a funeral for him at lunch time. He was buried in a pretty Japanese box filled with flowers. Flowers? You might wonder. Surprisingly a patch of crocuses suddenly opened yesterday in the garden. It might be coincidence, it might not. Just about the time he passed away, Topaz, our sentinel dog inexplicably barked a lot. Mike thinks she sensed something.

Crocuses suddenly opened.

Mike took away the table where the shoe box that has been Mochaccino's home for the last couple of months had been placed, as I was still talking to the table as if he were still in the room. We lost our chirps for the first time in 15 years. We had always had little birds in our house. They belong to a beautiful world. Don't worry, I still talk to him twice a day when I visit his grave. My concern is that he might feel chilly outside, but Mike says that he has joined his family and friends and he is happy. I should believe him.

He didn't eat anything on Sunday and refused to drink water when we put a wet cotton bud on his beak. He looked like going into a coma, but twice during the evening, he made a quiet sound. We knew that the end was near. He waited for Monday morning. After Mike woke him up, he slipped away. Do you know lots of loved animals wait until their humans come when they die?  They don't want to die alone. Nobody does.

You probably know I cry. Do you know Mike cries, too?

I gave the remains of his seeds to Pumpkin, our chicken. She ate them all and made a cooing sound. She was happy. I sent her a wish that she would be as healthy and long-lived as Mochaccino had been. I imagined his spirit entered into Pumpkin via the seeds and will make her a strong healthy bird.

I hope you and your loved ones are well. Dear friends, I am glad that you are with me today.