Another Spring

It seems impossible, but Spring has already begun. I can't remember when March was so warm and free of snow. I pushed away some dead leaves outside the front door, and there were the tulips already sprouting up out of the ground. Some of the Seedum has sprouted, too, and the lilac has some beginning buds. I took my obligatory "before" picture of the garden, and then began to pull up the dead stuff that I didn't get last Fall. Thinking that the dogs would enjoy being outside with me, I installed three separate tie-outs for them. They were thrilled at the idea of going out, but then couldn't seem to get the point of staying there in front of the house. They went to the end of their ropes and just stood there, totally confused. Passers-by broke their paralysis and they began barking and snarling, racing around and tangling themselves up. Shortly they were bound together in a tight package that took considerable effort on my part to untangle. Benny, the biggest offender, was the first to be put back inside. Then Patrick. The two of them whined and barked from inside the house while Lytton stood and yawned, looking bored and bewildered while I worked in the garden. Their lack of enthusiasm sort of ruined my mood and I cut short my labors to go back into the house and read, dogs happily sprawled on the couch beside me.