1 Month

Today is one month since Margarita crossed over the rainbow bridge. The last month has brought so much pain, but also much comfort in seeing just how many other people love Sweet Reet. The thoughtful gestures and gifts presented to Brian and I not only have warmed our hearts, but also opened our eyes even more so to how blessed we are to have such a large support group – both near and far. I have been a wreck (to put it lightly) and Brian has been my rock despite his own sadness. I just could not find the words to write this morning, but then I saw the following posted on a friend’s page, which is pretty much spot-on for how I feel – and accurately describes Rita :

“We could live a thousand lifetimes and I’d like to think that I’d always find you, in every single one. And I hope one day I’ll have the words for that moment that we met. That kismet feeling like my subconscious had been looking for you my whole life without me knowing it. I recognized you instantly and I’ll never know how or why, but I’m so darned grateful you were mine. You changed my whole world. More than one could ever imagine. You were bigger than life. You still are I guess. My once in a lifetime. You just loved it all so much. You loved every single moment of this life. Every person, animal, all of it. You appreciated life in a way I don’t think I’ve ever seen before. You were a miracle, and i know that sounds so ridiculous, but there’s no question, it’s just what you were in the most subtle and humble of ways. You had a life. You got to live. That was the miracle. And I’ll never stop being grateful for that, for our [5] years together, but I hate that you’re gone now. I hate it so much. I don’t want to do any of this without my [girl]. I just don’t want to. But I’m glad you’re healthy again somewhere. I’m glad you’re finally free. But I wish you could have stayed. More than anything I wish you could have stayed.” ~Author Unknown


The photo posted is my all time favorite picture of Margarita. I’m not sure why… I have many better pictures of her….It wasn’t taken at any special event, her piggy nose is out of focus…yet for some reason – it has always been my work email profile pic, my Apple Watch background photo, my phone wallpaper, the photo I choose of her for everything … Maybe it was just the way she was looking at me – or maybe it was because it was taken soon after I met her … soon after my life changed forever.💖

Pinelands’ Perfect Half-Pour: Martini (“Tini”)

Please help us welcome “Poppy” (formerly known as “Jiggy”) to Windy Spot Cabin! This little gal is a lemon and white English Pointer and estimated to be about 6 months old. She was surrendered to the same small outdoor kill shelter in Tennessee as Whiskey was – and by the same person.Poppy was lucky enough to be saved by Pointer Rescue, Organization where she was then extremely fortunate to be loved and cared for by Jessica, a Pointer Rescue foster volunteer, before making her journey to us in NJ.

Despite the extreme heartache I have every day, I know Margarita would want me to continue the rescue journey that she helped our family start when she became our first “foster fail” in 2016. Rita’s superpower was her ability to help others both near and far…and I intend to honor her by doing my best to continue to help as many dogs and people as I can. With “Poppy’s” arrival being just short of the 1-month anniversary of losing Rita, I can’t help but think Sweet Reet played a part in the timing of her arrival – reminding me that even during my sadness- to keep my heart open to helping others.

While Brian and I are still capable of handling a larger pack, we feel we should continue to have a full house.. “Poppy” is with us as a Foster-To-Adopt placement because …well…let’s face it – we all know what happens to just about every foster dog that finds their way to us! Poppy will be examined by our veterinarian and spayed before we can officially adopt her. Poppy’s official family color will be turquoise…and her adopted name will be Pinelands’ Perfect Half-Pour: Martini (“Tini”)

Meaning behind Tini’s name…

We live in an area of southern New Jersey called the Pine Barrens (Home of the Jersey Devil)…It’s also referred to as the “𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬”… “𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭” is a way to order a martini (50% dry vermouth and 50% sweet vermouth for all the non-martini drinkers)…and plus let’s face it… she IS pretty perfect … at just 28 pounds, she’s half the size of even our smallest Pointer, Whiskey… which is where the “𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐟-𝐏𝐨𝐮𝐫” and “𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐢” came from.

We have A LOT to learn in terms of helping an extremely fearful dog, and an enormous amount of work ahead of us as we set out to show her not all humans are scary … but we are honored to be Martini’s family and grateful that she found her way to us !