A brilliant spring day

The signs are all there. The last couple possible snow storms managed to miss us. The maple trees are budded. Birdseed consumption has increased and a few of the summer birds are making appearances at the feeders. The official start of spring is almost two weeks off, but today was first real spring day around here. The morning started cool, but the sky was clear, and the wind was calm. The temp must have reached the mid to high 60s, and it was the best day we've had around here in a very, very long time. There is still one patch of ice right in front of the steps and door that refuses to go away entirely. We haven't been entirely free of snow and ice since mid-December, before the first big snow.

If there was any doubt about whether spring arrived today all you needed to do was ask a dog. I hooked up the hose for the first time in months and filled the outdoor water tanks while the dogs romped and played in the pasture. I filled bird feeders, cleaned kennels, and picked up debris that had accumulated in the yard over the winter. I had plenty to keep me busy while rotating groups of three to six dogs in and out of the dog yard and pasture. Everyone got plenty of exercise and social time today.

I don't know if it's the spring weather or the Deramaxx that I switched to for Emmylou instead of Rimadyl, but she's acting very spry again and eating well too. She had three outdoor romps today and is going down the stairs readily again. She can't open up for a long run like like she used to, and she's not jumping the fence, but that's a good thing.

We have a boarder with us for about 10 days. His name is Austin and he's a former foster. He was very shy and scared for the first few days, but today's romp in the pasture has brought him out of his shell some. It was nice to see. I'm so profoundly depressed these days about my job and insurance situation that it's hard to really enjoy anything, but today came close.