Herding Bronze Cats

Dizzy appears alert, awaiting his master's call to bring the next load of lights up the mountain. Author's Collection Warning: This may be part one of Dizzy's story. I have reached out to a couple of people in Palmer Lake (including the statue's artist) to learn more. If I hear back I'll add a new Dizzy entry. I haven't had a chance to write here lately. I've been too busy. If you're actually following this blog regularly please accept my apology for the time you waited for this entry. "Come Dizzy" Donna Arndt, Palmer Lake Historical Society 2006. Author's Collection I visited Palmer Lake recently to see the monument to Dizzy the dog. Dizzy is remembered with an amazing bronze in the small park between Palmer Lake’s Historic Society and Town Hall. Dizzy's statue is the finest, most detailed statue that I've seen so far in my quest to visit memorials to animals. Dizzy is also the first monument I've talked about to a...

Secretariat's statue at Belmont Park has a history almost as amazing as the horse's abilities. New York Times photo Today the Belmont Stakes is taking place in Elmont, New York very soon. The favorite is Triple Crown hopeful Justify. In case you're not a fan of the sport of kings, I'll translate: there's a big horse race today; Justify has already won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. Odds-makers think he'll win this one too. There are so many stories that we can look during the run up to a big race like this. I'd like to take the opportunity to discuss the memorial statues that surround the sport in the U.S. and one statue in particular, the statue of Secretariat, a past Triple Crown winner, that sits in the paddock at Belmont Park. This is the first horse memorial that I've covered in the blog. That probably betrays a bias of mine. I'm a dog person. Don't get me wrong, I like horses and even spent some time at a racetrack with ...

The grave of US Army dog Sgt. Geronimo in the historic Denver Pet Cemetery. Author's Collection  Today is Memorial Day in the United States, a day we remember those who have fallen in the defense of our country. You can find a memorial to lost service members in every city and state in the United States. Some memorialize a specific event, platoon, or branch of the military. There are also a surprising number of memorials to war dogs. These military working dogs (MWD) did a variety of jobs in the military, including sniffing for explosives, tracking, guard duty and more. Many of the memorials specifically reference the Vietnam war, where dogs were helpful in navigating dense jungles, locating landmines and guarding sleeping men. I wanted to take some time today to mention a few of the memorials around the US that are dedicated to war dogs. Then I'll talk about visiting the grave of Sergeant Geronimo, a site near me that commemorates an interesting military dog. A select ...

Tombili's statue and plaque in Istanbul. Huriyet Daily News Photo The original photo that attracted attention on Buzzfeed.  Tombili was a fat cat whose carefree and laid back countenance made her much beloved in her Istanbul neighborhood, Güleç Street in Kadıköy. Her name reflected her attitude, Tombili is a common nickname for an overweight pet; to my understanding the best English translation might be something like pot-belly. She often ignored those who wanted to play with her in favor of lounging on step. In 2012 a tourist snapped a photo of Tombilli and posted it on social media. The oldest link I could find is this Buzzfeed post . Tombili became an international sensation thanks to another post on 9gag, and photoshoping contest based on the  photo, The lounging cat charmed viewers around the world. The internet generated memes from the photo and Tombili's moment of fame was extended until she passed away. Here are some of my favorites, More can be found on Kno...

Annie in bronze. Author's Collection I recently visited the grave of Annie the Railroad Dog in Ft. Collins. Annie's story is similar to Shep's , which happened not to far away. But it's not just their locations in Northern Colorado that make them similar. Both were mascots for transportation hubs while the country was shifting from trains to automobiles as our primary transport. Their stories dovetail nicely, with Annie's life ending in 1948, and the train station she lived in destroyed in 1953, while Shep appeared at the tollbooth shortly before it opened in 1952. Both became symbolic of the town and both garnered loyalty that protected their graves from encroaching change.  This plaque was added at the grave in 1997 following landmarking and restoration. Author's Collection What I can find of Annie's story begins in 1934, just west of Ft. Collins. She was found in a blacksmith shop in either Tinmath or Windsor, depending on the source. The bla...