DIVA

The word Diva can conjure up all sorts of things from a lead opera singer to a vain, arrogant, and demanding person or a goddess.
 In this case it is all about Diva the horse who left this earthly plane 1 year ago today.

When Bob and I moved up here to Washington, we knew living on the farm would be peaceful and wonderful most everyday because of all the horses. Every morning from the first day we moved in until Diva left us, Diva and her very best sister friend would be in the paddock right alongside the house. I could watch these two old friends from the kitchen window or from the living room.
Diva's good friend Fire, was Suzanne's first horse. Fire is a beautiful  Arabian that was originally my sister Jayne's horse. She is delicate and has a beautiful prancing step about her. She is very old now and I love the cinnamon color that is around her nostrils and the gray that I see sneaking into her dark coat.
As delicate as Fire is, Diva was big and bold.
Diva was very earthy and when I would watch her walk from behind she had a very sensual sway much like a hot Italian mama (Sophia Loren comes to mind). You just knew the boys would be looking.
Suzanne tells me that the first moment she saw Diva, all she really remembers was seeing part of Diva's face and a certain spark or knowing in her eye. Suzanne knew in that moment she and Diva would be together.
They had their good riding times and lived through some harrowing medical problems. In between, Diva mothered 2 babies, Aria and Bronte.
During Diva's last summer with us, there would be evenings when Diva would want to go out grazing again and I would tell her I needed to check with her mom (Suzanne). She would look up at the camera Suzanne had in her barn like she was telling Suzanne to go ahead and give me permission. Suzanne had that camera there so she could monitor Diva in her stall since she had some previous medical problems that could require Diva needing help. Even though Suzanne was living several miles away at the time, she could still check in on Diva via the Internet and the camera. It was uncanny how Diva knew this in her wise and earthly way, but she did.
On the night Diva left us, I feel as though she intentionally waited to pass until the time of night that she knew Suzanne would have gone to bed and would have no immediate knowledge of her passing via the camera in order to spare her.
What she couldn't know was that Fire would be so upset and calling to her to get up that it roused an owner in the other barn who was visiting her own 2 horses.
I don't know whose grief grabs at my heart more....Fire's or Suzanne's.

Diva, I will love and watch over your old sister friend Fire. I will love and watch over your friend owner Suzanne. I will love and watch over Aria and Bronte (and Chatelaine too).
I will watch for you in your two daughters every afternoon when they come to the same place where I knew you every morning.
Farewell my goddess friend. I will know you in the moonlight.