Eggs

My dog Jezebel died last week. She wasn’t sick, so it was a shock…a hard thing for my family to go through. (Not that it’s any easier when your animal is ill and you have time to “prepare”: I have been through that scenario a number of times and it’s very hard, too.)

Jez was a leonberger: they are very beautiful, very big dogs (she was 125 pounds). She was a fun-loving gal, and loved to play (and often caused mischief) with her brother Jake.

The unfortunate reality is that leonbergers (and other giant breeds) don’t live as long as smaller dogs. But because Jez was such a puppy at heart (even long after she stopped being an actual puppy), we hadn’t really faced the fact that she was getting on in years for the breed. She was 8 1/2 when she died, which is sadly about average as far as the leonberger lifespan goes :(

Jez wasn’t just a big dog…she had a seriously big personality! So her passing has left a big hole in our family. For a couple of days after it happened, I couldn’t do much of anything because I was too upset. Accomplishing the simplest of tasks was like trying to cross a river filled with molasses. It was so hard…I just wanted to lay in bed and cry.

On the third morning, though, I woke up and reflected on how Jez died outside under a tree where she’d spent a good deal of time since we moved to this house 6 years ago. I am guessing she enjoyed that spot a lot, and I believe she was happy each time she lay down there, even the last time. I’ve been told that it is a blessing for one’s dog to pass on in their sleep at home, as they are near their family and the surroundings that make them comfortable. Thinking about things this way has helped me to feel better.

Rest in peace, sweet girl.

Working in my garden has also helped me to feel better. Thank goodness for that, because it’s kind of a mess…it’s like the weeds are on steroids or something this year. But my garden is also bursting with many different types of heirloom tomatoes, and for that I am so grateful. I’ve been using them in all sorts of ways and will be sharing a few different tomato recipes with you in the coming weeks, beginning with this Roasted Cherry Tomato Frittata.

This frittata may not be appropriate for those super hot summer days when you don’t want to turn the oven on, but our weather has been blissfully pleasant as of late. And now’s the time for the best tomatoes, so get ’em while you can. I made this for my family last Sunday morning before we took my kids to sleep away camp and we all loved it; I hope your family loves it, too.

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