Purple Poppies

We're coming up to November and Remembrance Day and red poppies will be everywhere. I found these last year and managed to sell 15 of them, but this year I'm doing better. They're purple poppies to commemorate animal victims of war. I have three dogs - one of whom is terrified of loud noises, and I have often watched newsreel of air strikes or bombardments and felt deeply sad for any dogs or cats or wild animals caught up in it. People can comfort their children - but who thinks of their animals when the sky is falling in around them?
I'm not making light of the human sacrifice of war - but even today we're still using dogs, horses, even whales and dolphins to sniff out bombs, place explosives etc. It's just all so sad. We can only ever think about how we can use something intelligent and beautiful to further our own ends. Anyway, my blip today is the tray of purple poppies. Spare a thought just for a moment today for all the small creatures - and not so small creatures - that are used and abused (as well as loved) by people every day all over the world. And give your pet an extra cuddle tonight. A friend of mine lost his cat to kidney disease last night. She was only three.