Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Sepia Serendipity: Just Jiggs

One of the unexpected benefits of joining in on the Sepia Saturday project has been the photos I have found along the way. While many of these have been just plain old Kodak black and white, they are nonetheless treasures for me. This is my early childhood playmate, Jiggs. When each of my three older siblings were off to school each day, I remember long hours of quiet strolling through the pasture with Jiggs walking right behind me. Sometimes he would nudge me forward with his nose and snuffle & wuhuffle his way back to the barn in high hopes that he might convince me to put some oats in his feed box, and I would always sneak him an extra scoop. I loved using the curry comb to brush his winter coat. It was during this ritual that I could always talk to Jiggs. He was a great listener. My mother hanging out laundry nearby would ask, "Who were you talking to out there?" My reply, "Just Jiggs."

My sister Sue took these photographs with her Brownie camera.
This one certainly captures the rough and tumbly and often stubborn Welsh pony who was a family pet to my mom and dad, a noble steed to Sue, and just Jiggs to me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


"To be loved by a horse,
or by any animal,
should fill us with awe-
for we have not deserved it."
~~~~~~~~
Marion C. Garretty

17 comments:

Tess Kincaid said...

Oh, I wanted a horse SO badly when I was a girl, I thought my heart would burst. Always living in neat little subdivisions across the midwest, I was a city girl. I couldn't understand why it wasn't possible to keep a horse in my bedroom. I wanted to cut my closet door in half, like a stable door and keep him there. You know, like Mr. Ed. He could answer the phone for me, and stuff like that.

alaine@éclectique said...

Oh, Jiggs is just gorgeous; you were a lucky little girl. Your header is smashing! xa

Martin said...

Jiggs is noble looking horse.

There used to be a horse in a field near us, when we were children, called Traveller. He, too, was a good listener.

Unknown said...

Hello FireLight,

Isn't it strange how different we all are when it comes to four-legged friends? Perhaps, if I'd grown up with horses around me I wouldn't be so shy around them now! Jiggs looks gentle enough.

Jen said...

Hi Firelight! It's been a while since I've wandered in this direction but I always enjoy my visits! I love the old photos of your horse. What a beauty!! Honestly, I never wanted a horse but I always wanted to go back in time to when people road horses. In fact, driving through Atlanta traffic every day, I really want to go back to horse days :)

Happy Wednesday,
Jen

Country Girl said...

How wonderful to have been loved by this dear pony. Or was he a horse? I especially love the quote at the end. So true . . .

Michael said...

Such a wonderful photo M.......Jiggs has character bursting out of him. I love horses of any kind....especially those sleek thoroughbreds. A great blog.....

Lyn said...

So easy to love..even though brought up in the city..they are many trails in the parks..lucky to have gone from time to time..lovely post...

North County Film Club said...

How wonderful to have such a great listener. He was definitely more than "just Jiggs". I also loved the quote at the end.

Leah said...

Such a poignant post about your friend Just Jiggs!

Tess Kincaid said...

Just popping back in today to say Happy Sepia Saturday, and that I adore this lovely post on your dear Jiggs.

Kat Mortensen said...

What a wonderful set of memories of a beloved companion. I envy your childhood experience of having a horse. I had plenty of small pets, but a horse would have been delightful! I love the name, "Jiggs" and your response to your mom, "Just Jiggs".
Lovely post.

Kat

Vicki Lane said...

What a great memory! When I was growing up, to have a pony was my dearest wish -- but all my ponies or horses were imaginary ones, alas! (There was a particularly nice little Palomino filly named Butterfly...)

Barry said...

I like how Jiggs was such a good listener. He is certainly a good looking pony.

PattyF said...

What a great childhood friend! Pets of any stripe make such good listeners and such loyal companions. After all, they keep all your secrets and never judge!

Excellent post!

The Clever Pup said...

A helluva horse.

karen said...

Jiggs is a beauty, how lucky you were to have a horse. Every girls dream I suppose.
Love your header.
As always...enjoy my time here at the keeping room.
Happy Monday.
xo

About Me

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Recreational scholar, former high school and junior college English teacher. Animal lover (especially horses, dogs, and people), lives in the South, sometimes poet and essayist... "Ireland, Scotland, Britain, and Wales...I can hear those ancient voices calling..." Van Morrison from Celtic Heartbeat