Evanston Farmers Market's Most Colorful Visitor

R.I.P. SWEETIE

Death Notice
Sometime in the early morning hours, on 2/15/09, after three years and two months of joining our family, Sweetie passed away. Sweetie, a Beta, was beautiful, brave, intelligent, serenity-inducing, loving, patient, a big bubble-maker, a great and noisy eater, a world class swimmer, a good listener. The first photo appeared in Chicagoland Tails, and won $50 in Desert Life Magazine. He was just that photogenic, but never arrogant. He is and will remain, greatly missed. I've had a lot of fish to care for, but never one who was determined to make a connection. Sweetie connected, and we are grateful for the experience. In lieu of flowers or visits to pay your respect, spend some quality time with your pets, by looking into their eyes and making your own connection on a daily basis. Tell them they are smart, beautiful and loved. If you should happen to be in a pet store, walk over to the Beta's in their tiny cramped containers, and know that at least one brightly colored beauty, lived out his life in a large, footed and stemmed, tulip-shaped, crystal bowl, surrounded by love, fresh flowers and candles on those cold days/nights, and gave as much as he received, in extraordinary fishy ways.

Sweetie.....

is going on 4 years with us. He's semi-paralyzed now on his left side and can be found floating sideways most days or curled up in a fetal position playing dead. He swims still, lopsided but exhuberantly, he eats enthusiastically, he recognizes those he loves and floats over for a listen, but just approach with a camera and he rallies and strikes a healthy looking pose. Still the best looking beta pet around these parts and not yet ready for the big sleep.

Sweetie

Sometime this week, Sweetie will have been with us for two years. In that time, he's appeared in Chicagoland Tails as an
Honorable Mention and won $50 and an appearance in Palm Springs Life as a winning photo in their contest. He's defied pet shop advice to keep him in a tiny bowl because 'beta's stand in one place' by swimming a lot, and making fish faces to anyone sitting next to him who might stop for a chat. We all need to free the beta's in their little pet store margarine containers or at least stop the insanity ourselves!