Mij with Henry in the background
Mij, our Labrador Henry's brother, who lived down the road from us and appears in many GardenFork shows passed away this weekend. He had developed an enlarged heart.
Mij was the tennis ball obsessed alpha male of the Labradors who congregate in our yard. He would let Charlie Pup and Moose act like the goofs they are, while he and Henry sat in the yard or on the couch and watched. He was a great pup.
Mij in my Ford F150
Mij and Henry as newborns
Joe Rose
Eric
Sorry for your loss and the loss of Mij's other owners. I know from your site and video's that one could conclude those dogs are your 4 legged children!
I feel your pain.
Joe
Monica
Oh Mij. That looks like a no nonsense kind of dog.
@rhkennerly
There's something about taking animals into your heart when you know they'll not outlive you. You steel yourself for the heartbreak, but it still hurts. But I wouldn't have it any other way.
Janis
Tears to my eyes reading this, but I can see Mij happily chasing a ball into the Light. He was a delight to watch. Hugs to you and all of his human, and non-human, family.
Di Leach
I HAVE JUST SIGNED UP FOR YOUR NEWSLETTER ETC. I WAS VIEWING ALL THE WONDERS OF THE LABS AND LAUGHING AT THEIR ANTICS WHEN THERE IT WAS ABOUT MIJ. OH I AM SO SAD. KEEP CRYING. THEN FURTHER ALONG I HAD SEEN THE PIC OF BUDDY AND LEARNED THAT HE TOO HAS PASSED. CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR THIS SITE. IT'S A REAL BLESSING TO SEE HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR FURBABIES. HERE IN AUST WE HAVE LITS IF OFF-LEASH DOG BEACHES. SO FOR THE 9th DAY IN A ROW, I AM OFF AGAIN WITH MY FOUR BABIES TO GIVE THEM PLEASURE.
LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE NEXT LOT. OH, NEARLY FORGOT. WHAT ARE THE LABS DIETS
DI
Myra
Mij had a good life.
Ginger
Mij will be missed by everyone. Please send our sympathizes to Mij's owners
mary
my deepest condolences for the loss of your furry buddy
Diane
So very sorry to hear about Mij. Condolences to you and his family.
Brian Beech
Sorry to hear that. Hope his loss is overshadowed by the fond memories of him soon.
Eric Gunnar Rochow
thanks everyone, i appreciate you taking the time to leave a note. eric.
Matt
Sorry about Mij, Eric.
I still think about Murph my shep/lab mix who died a few years ago and is buried on our farm. Every time I see a tennis ball I think about her and how we played with tennis balls out in the field and played catch with the frisbee. Those were good times.
Remember all the good times. That's what I do.
Matt
Donna Wynn
Found your site about a year+ ago, & you guys are just magical !! Hope your not tired of us, cause we're not of ya'll... :))
Please add my condolences for Mij's (how did his name come to be?) passing, it's SO sad when our "fur-babies" leave us. But we love them as long as we can !!
Kevin
Sooo sorry for your loss.
Jeff
Eric.... I'm really sorry to hear about Mij.
Tony Duncan
Eric... I am sorry to hear about the loss of one of the Labs. Sad days.
Claire Odell
To all the GardenFork readers who left wonderful words re: the passing of Mij. My name is Claire, I am the proud mumma of Mij, Moose and Annie and want to share this with you all...this, especially, is for Donna Wynn and anyone else who ever wondered.....
Mij ~ March 28th 2006 - January 5th 2013
People asked me all the time 'why did you give your male dog a female name'? And I would reply, with a certain amount of exasperation in my voice, 'his name is MIJ... not Midge...it's an English thing'. I had, long ago, given up explaining his name. To me it seemed ridiculous that 'Mij' should have to be explained at all. I guess you had to have grown up in the 60's and 70's in England with a mother who encouraged her children to read 'British Classics' and who then took them to the cinema to watch the film.
And so, here it is... the reason that Mij was Mij. I encourage you all to read the book and/or see the movie... 'Ring of Bright Water', it truly is the most beautiful (true) story of a man and the otter who changed his life forever.
Back in the early 60's an English man named Gavin Maxwell wrote a book based on his memoirs. In 1969 the book was made into a film and was played in cinemas across the UK. I don't think the book or the film ever made it to the US. The film became a classic, in the same way that 'Born Free', the story of Elsa the lion did, and was played on television once a year or so. It was a beloved film and I think I was 8 or 9 the first time I watched it.
The story is that of a man, Graham, a somewhat lonely man, who has a dull desk-job and a one-bedroom drab flat in London.
On his commute to and from work he passes a pet shop and one day happens to notice a new animal in an aquarium in the window of the shop... an otter... a strange animal to have in a pet shop in London! It seems the otter notices him too and for the weeks that followed man and otter formed a bond between the glass of the aquarium and the pet shop.
One day Graham overhears two men discussing the otter and 'what a lovely pair of mittens he'd make'. On impulse he bought the otter and took him home to his tiny flat. Obviously, chaos ensues and it isn't long before Graham realises that London is no place for an otter, but has fallen in love with him, so, of course, he did what every rational person would do.... he moved to the Scottish Highlands in order to give Mij the true, free life of an otter.
It's the most beautiful story of a man's sacrifice for his most unusual pet, but the joy, love and laughter that Mij brings in return is heartwarming, funny and sad.
As a little girl I longed for my own pet otter who I would also call 'Mij'.... of course that dream ended abruptly... thanks mum!!!....but I always knew that one day I would have my own 'Mij' and that our lives together would be filled with the same love, happiness and joy that Graham had with his little otter.
My Mij came in the form of a little Yellow Lab puppy, he was the one not picked from the litter.
I'd never had a puppy before... dogs yes....many many many of them over the years and over the continents...the strays, the abandons, the abused...they all seemed to find me and I would shower them with all the love I had in my heart until it was time for me to move on and then I'd find beautiful people with beautiful hearts to adopt them.
Mij came to us at the age of 6 weeks. He was the tiniest, warmest, fluffiest, puppy-breathed, most adorable bundle I'd ever held in my arms, my heart instantly melted and I was smitten.
Our life together was full of love, happiness and joy... he made my little-girl dream come true.
I had to say 'goodbye' to him yesterday and I truly feel that it was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. He was too young, too full of life, it shouldn't have been his time.
Thank you Mijjy for being the best boy.
We buried you with your chuckit and tennis ball... I'll see you when I get there....
Love, Mumma x
Michelle
So sorry to hear of Mij's passing...well all our bodies just house the infinite part of who we are....he remains in your heart and around you at the same time as moving higher in dimension to help all those who need him there. May your beautiful memories of him comfort you until you see him again....
Laurie McLaughlin
oh, mij. you touched so many hearts. GF won't be the same without you. you were the dog so many people would have liked to have but couldn't. come back and visit us.
Lise MacFadden
Was listening to Paolo Nutini's "Autumn Leaves" when I read this message. Such sad news today. I can't help but cry. Thank you for sharing the happy memories you have of Mij.
erin b.
ahhh, we lost our beloved pet Rottweiler, Zion, a few years ago and she also is buried on our property. We think about her very often, even though it has now been about 4 years. My husband called her a "real dog" because she would retrieve the tennis ball and run around with it and eventually bring it back for another toss. We had had other dogs before Zion who couldn't really get the "playing with a ball" game.
Barbara
Ahhh, so sad....
Stephen Ahern
So sorry to hear about Mij's passing...
Stephen and Abbie Ahern
Heidi Bernstein
I am so sorry. These words seem so empty... Labs are not regular dogs... They are family members. We lost our Lab 1 1/2 yrs ago and still think of him daily. We are not ready for another Lab. Our sweet chocolate Thuggie remains as if he were a child of mine. I still cry for the loss of him. I send out prayers of healing and happy thoughts of remembering Mij.
alice
So sorry for your loss..... heaven's got another lil angel, let's celebrate her life.
Vivian Gassan
Being a dog lover, I empathize with you. When my dogs have passed, they have taken pieces of my heart.
Dogs give so much, life seems fuller while they're with us and emptier when they're gone.
My prayers are with you and I believe your dog is with God.
Love and Light
Vivian
Lisa
Eric and family of Mij
so sorry for your loss,watching those videos the dogs all looked so happy, those will be good memories to have until you see each other again:)
Martha
So sorry to hear about Mij passing. It is always so hard to lose one of our animal friends. They are so faithful and loving and will always be missed.
Alicia kramer
So sad , sorry for the loss. Our animals are part of our family, I can imagine how you and mij's family are both so sad.
Marilyn wilkie
Harrington was the first Podcast I ever subscribed to several years ago. Min was always there. Always a presence and I guess I always thought he was part of Eric' s pack. I am so saddened to hear of his passing. We have loved and lost so many wonderful furry friends over the last 40 years a nd we never forget any of them. Our other girls are all about Mij' s a he and we dread the day we will have to say goodbye. Our kitty Bagley is 18 and we know she may not be with us for long, but she is here now with her sisters and brother and tells hash e Ian.t ready to go anywhere. God bless Min.
Marilyn wilkie
please excuse previous comment..autospell changed My words!
Brigette
So sorry to hear about Mij. He will be missed!
Carol
Our best doggie passed this summer. We are still missing her. I've loved watching these dogs with you. I could see you loved them, too. My family and I wish you the best during this time.
jenna
so sorry that mij odell has passed, but i truly believe that we will see our dogs in heaven;they are truly our loved ones. i'll always remember that beautiful dog mij in the videos.
Jon
I'm so sorry to hear of Mij's passing.
Juliette
To Eric, The Boss and Mij's mum and dad,
I'm so sorry for your loss. I had to say good bye to my girl last July, her heart gave out but she made it to 15 and had a great life. They might 'only' be dogs and cats, but they really are family and it hurts when they leave us.
Janie
Sorry for you loss! Brought back memories of my yellow lab Saddie. She was the sweetest lab. Love to chase balls, always wanted to be petted nudging you with her wet nose. Went to feed her one morning and found her dead in her kennel. She was not locked in.That was where her bed was. We don't know what happened. Saddie is burried in our back yard.She was 9yrs old.
Roberta Lykins
So very sorry for your loss!
Sending love & prayers! ♥
sharon faulstick
so very sorry for the loss of mij....it's never easy when this happens.....thoughts and prayers for you and your family...
Don & Lois
Eric: Just received your e-mail and am so very sorry to hear of the loss of Mij. We never met him but we know what it is like to have lost some thing very close to you.
Having lost all of our pets in the past couple of years we know how all of you are hurtihg. So very sorry to hear of your loss. I.ll get in touch shortly.
Michelle Blair
You have my condolences. everyone must be heartbroken; including Henry and the other dogs. I really enjoy the dogs in the Gardenfork and will miss Mij. I feel better knowing that Mij had a good life and was loved by all.
Kind regards, Michelle
Debbie
my heart breaks and tears come.
i am so sorry.
thinking of Mij, respectfully debbie
Michelle
Hi Eric,
I'm so sorry to hear about Mij's passing on. He died so young if you think about it in human years! My condolences go out to your families as you deal with this. I feel your pain, as I too lost a good dog at a young age. Thank you for your podcast. I enjoy it all equally, your work and the Labradors. God bless you all.