Ani’s Advent Calendar 2018! Search and rescue, Munros and Ben

Posted on December 12, 2018 by Sue Vincent

As soon as winter comes, I have to be on search and rescue duty. I am one of the lucky ones… I only have to rescue abandoned toys from the garden. Some dogs have to climb mountains and look for lost two-legses. Some look after sheep and go out in all weathers while the rest of us stay warm and dry indoors. Some have to be eyes, ears and support for their two-legses, while I am just a foot warmer on cold nights (though with her cold feet, that is pretty heroic, let me tell you…).

Dogs like Trigger who looks after Kevin Morris deserve a special thought… as do all dogs who spend their lives helping two-legses. But then, you are mostly in need of a bit of love and looking after, you know. And that’s okay… so are we.

My mate Ben is doing something pretty heroic to help too… he doesn’t just write poems, he climbs hills… and they are not just little ones either, a hill has to be over three thousand feet high to qualify as a Munro! I think he deserves a good Christmas!

Ben’s Christmas

Lights and love and laughter

Lying in till late

Cuddles frame the morning

Postman at the gate.

And the tree

(but not for a pee!)

Drips with gorgeous baubles

Just beyond my paws

Hiding all my presents

Left my Santa’s Claws.

And the food

(I’m right in the mood)

Cinnamon and turkey

Make my nose go warm

Sausage rolls and mince pies

A culinary storm.

And the pub

(but not for the grub 😦  )

Beer and wine and whiskey

Though water is my Zen

Dancing fire and friendship

Bingo, Boots and Ben.

And the snow

(No longer a foe – I’m braver now 🙂 )

Flakes of white soft moisture

Settle on the ground

Artist with her vision

Makes a helping hound.

And the day

(excitement rules OK)

Tearing at the paper

See what lies within

Treats and toys and titbits

This must be win win.

*

Me and my people hope you all have the most wonderful Christmas and wish you every joy, peace and happiness in 2019

*

Love Ben, the dog poet 🐾

About Ben

I am a four year old Border Collie who was orphaned, and then rescued by my people, at the age of 6 months old. One of my main purposes in life is to be Munro Buddy for my female person on a big exciting charity challenge. We aim to climb all the Munros in ten years. They are the 282 mountains in Scotland over 3,000 feet high. This is before I am 10 and my person is 70. It’s v. v. v hard work. As we go we go we aim to raise £32,000 for two good causes, both of them are charities where we canines are put to work in the service of 2 legged things. I’m not even allowed to buy one treat with all the dosh. So far we have completed 52 Munros 🙂

Canine Partners.org.uk    Lakes-searchdogs.org

I started my blog to record all my adventures as I go and they are just here:

Mucky Boots and Flawless Paws

I would love it if anyone wanted to have a peep and especially if they put paw to paper in my comments box. I need all the support I can get to haul the old thing up all those hills. Then, responding to a poetry challenge, I became the dog poet adding a whole new paw to my literary career. All my poems are HERE.

Ben, The Dog Poet | Mucky Boots and Flawless Paws

My time off from the Munros in 2018 resulted in a rather contemplative Ben so… I thought I would turn these musings into a touch of rhyme, trying my v. v. v best to get the best possible words in the best possible order.

benonthebeinnsblog.wordpress.com

 

An Invitation from the Small Dog

If you would like to help Ani make her advent calendar this year, send your letters to Santa, festive memories, short stories, flash fiction or poems to the Small Dog. She will post them every day through December until Christmas…and there are still spaces left!

She would especially like to hear from her four-legged or feathered friends (she has a special place very close to her heart for turkeys)… but she says that two-legs are better than none, so she will accept submissions from humans too (and even no-legs if there is the odd literary snake out there…). To get in touch, please use the form on the contact page or email Ani at findme@scvincent.com

About Sue Vincent

Sue Vincent was a Yorkshire born writer, esoteric teacher and a Director of The Silent Eye. She was immersed in the Mysteries all her life. Sue maintained a popular blog and is co-author of The Mystical Hexagram with Dr G.M.Vasey. Sue lived in Buckinghamshire, having been stranded there due to an accident with a blindfold, a pin and a map. She had a lasting love-affair with the landscape of Albion, the hidden country of the heart. Sue  passed into spirit at the end of March 2021.
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58 Responses to Ani’s Advent Calendar 2018! Search and rescue, Munros and Ben

  1. Ritu says:
    December 12, 2018 at 06:36

    What a great canine Poet we have here!

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply
  2. drewdog2060drewdog2060 says:
    December 12, 2018 at 06:37

    Thank you for the mention. Much wagging of tail – Trigger

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
  3. robertawrites235681907 says:
    December 12, 2018 at 07:39

    What a great poem, Ben, you are a very talented dog.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  4. Ben, Munro buddy and budding dog-poet says:
    December 12, 2018 at 09:24

    Thank you for including my poem in your advent calendar Ani. I like the bit about us being mates
    Re blogging as I bark xx

    Like

    Reply

  5. Pingback: Ben’s own contribution to Ani’s Advent Calendar 2018 :) | Mucky Boots and Flawless Paws

  8. pensitivity101 says:
    December 12, 2018 at 12:24

    Lovely! and good luck for the climbs!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  9. Alethea Kehas says:
    December 12, 2018 at 12:35

    Ben, you are too cute. And, I think you deserve an entire Christmas dinner for climbing those mountains. ❤

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  10. Hugh's Views and News says:
    December 12, 2018 at 13:09

    I agree with Alethea, you deserve an extra portion of turkey for climbing all those Munros and for raising all that cash, Ben. Well done to you and your two-legs. Thanks for the festive poem, too. It’s excellent.
    P’S – I love the Christmas tree.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
  11. Teagan R. Geneviene says:
    December 12, 2018 at 13:44

    LOL. So glad Nemo was found and rescued, Sue. Mega hugs.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  12. samfiftysomething says:
    December 12, 2018 at 14:56

    Ahh a massive good luck with your mountain climbing, fund raising quest, Ben, you’re a real star, and a good poet too!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  13. Victoria Zigler (@VictoriaZigler) says:
    December 12, 2018 at 15:12

    Lovely poem, and good luck with all the climbing. Lots of licks, Lilie

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  14. OIKOS™-Publishing says:
    December 12, 2018 at 16:26

    A great poem. Ani will love it too. Michael

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  15. Lyn Horner says:
    December 12, 2018 at 17:46

    Brave, talented dog buddies! Lovely poem from Ben.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  16. Colleen Chesebro says:
    December 12, 2018 at 20:19

    How absolutely precious. I love Ben and Ani. Miss my Pomeranian sisters every day. Hugs and love to you all for the holidays. ❤

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  17. D. Wallace Peach says:
    December 12, 2018 at 23:50

    A wonderful poem from Ben, and what a heroic dog he is – climbing mountains for charity. Sounds like a win-win. Yay for rescue dogs who end up giving back a thousand times what they receive. Merry Christmas.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  18. Ben, Munro buddy and budding dog-poet says:
    December 13, 2018 at 12:06

    Oh thank you so much. It’s very hard not diverting some of the money for treats but I know that’s not allowed. I think I might have some treats lined up for Christmas 🙂 Love Ben xx

    Like

    Reply
  19. Anonymous says:
    December 13, 2018 at 13:08

    Hi Ben it’s lovely to meet you and I wish you well with your task 💜💜

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  21. noelleg44 says:
    December 13, 2018 at 22:10

    Super poem, Ben. Here’s to you and all the service dogs who provide love, companionship and aid to their two-leggeds every day!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  22. dgkaye says:
    December 13, 2018 at 23:20

    What a fun post from Ben! And Ani no doubt would be a great foot warmer. ❤

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  23. Jennie says:
    December 14, 2018 at 13:21

    Way to go, Ben. Thank you for all your good work. I hope Santa is good to you this year!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  24. Ben, Munro buddy and budding dog-poet says:
    December 14, 2018 at 16:49

    Thank you for such kind words Jennie. I’m working on it!! Have a lovely Christmas, Love Ben xx

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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