Tawny the Bear

Sometime after my family had Moosie, we got an Airedale Terrier. We got her when she was a puppy from a breeder in Beaver Falls, PA. My mom named her Tawny the Bear. As soon as Tawny was old enough, my mom started taking her to obedience classes. She did very well, and won several trophies. However, I didn't like the fact that Tawny had to go to school. I always felt that dogs should just be able to be dogs. When my mom took her for walks, she was somewhat strict, making sure Tawny stayed by her side at all times. Tawny also had to sit down every time they stopped to cross the street. But, when I walked her, I allowed her to be herself. I let her stop and meet other dogs. And, I let her stop and smell the roses at her own leisure. I was very close to her when I was growing up, and she was always there for my sister and I through good times and bad....

Here are a few photos of Tawny Bear:

In the above photo, Tawny has one of her favorite toys. It's a tire from my dad's 1947 Stinson Voyager 4-seater airplane. Stinsons are taildraggers, and this tire was from the tailwheel of the aircraft. I used to roll the tire around and Tawny would chase it.

The next photo is one that my mom took. Even though Tawny had to stay in the kitchen most of the time, occasionally, Mom would let her run around the house. This was usually only after the dog was groomed. As you can see, Tawny definitely had her own style...

In the next picture, here I am with Tawny by the fireplace. This photo was taken almost 20 years ago, in December 1986.

This last photo was taken in January 1987. My little sister, Julie, was reading a bedtime story to Tawny Bear on the couch. Julie was in the first grade. This photo will be the inspiration for my next bead-embroidered piece.....