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I’ve written before about the gravestones of two dogs buried on the Nevis property. In that post, I talked about clipping away the vegetation (mostly raspberry bushes) to keep the path to the stones clear.

Since I wrote that post, I’ve visited the gravestones every year in May. The task has become harder each year. Raspberry bushes are hardy and aggressive plants. Clipping them down to their roots only delays their growth. Every year there are more of them to clip down.

This year, the fallen tree that I used to climb over to get to the site has become rotten and dangerous. Also, there are now piles of entwined twigs, branches, and other debris that have piled up against the side of the log, making it even more hazardous to approach. I suspect that the origin of these piles were the discarded raspberry bushes I clipped last year.

I cleared out a path as best I could. It was hard work. I suspect I’m fighting a losing battle. There’s more vegetation to clip each year, old trees branches fall to block the path, the earth next to the stones is piling over them (or the stones are sinking), the markings on the stones themselves are becoming harder to read.

In the battle of man vs. nature, man must lose eventually.

I keep hoping that the Nevis grounds crew will clean out the area so their automatic mowers can reach the site and keep the bushes down. I’ve put in a request, but they’ve got many other things to do.

Until then, I’ll try to keep the area clear as long my health and energy holds out. I know it’s silly; I’m the only one who cares about a pairs of dogs who died in 1889. As I said before, by keeping the path to the stones clear, I keep alive the memory that they were loved just a little longer.