Spring has almost sprung!

OK...I can feel the breeze of change...literally and figuratively! Boy that word looks funny when typed, no? Anyhow, I am proud to say that finally the huge heaping mounds of filthy frozen winter snow have met their maker..and their maker is the sun and the temperature beating down upon the earth. Thee biggest sacrifice we have made throughout the winter months has to be the lack of outdoor space because of all that snow. When it falls, and it did quite often this year, there is no where for it to go except onto all of our available outdoor spaces. My poor pooch has endured a very long winter of discontent as she was not free to cavort and romp. She is a great creature of routine and as hubby puts it, fiercely independent! Our routine in the 'nice' weather is to have an early evening cup o' joe on the deck while pup gallops like a mini horse around the yard chasing an array of tennis,rubber and inflated balls. This is what she does and when that is taken from her then depression hits like a bag of cement. This year hubby did snow-blow a path from the deck steps to the other side that we fondly referred to as the 'racetrack' but that didn't produce much elation..especially considering that the racetrack quickly turned into the 'poop track' when poor pup had nowhere else to 'go'...she did attempt the impossible on many occasions..lifting herself up onto the snow piles in a futile effort to leave her 'behinds' away from areas that she could step upon. On a sidebar note here..3 hours and a dozen plastic bags later, hubby and I had the distinct pleasure of removing all of those winter landmines that embedded themselves deep into the snow and eventually popped up onto the ground once the snow melted fully. Hours of fun I tell ya! So now we have assessed the winter damage now that we can fully view the remnants of what should be grass and have to say that it really isn't that bad. Granted, we had many impressive ice storms this winter and did lose quite a few branches and some bushes but during all of that we (and when I say we I mean hubby) made the effort to stay on top of any issues, damage and the potentials for disaster. All of my nagging at hubby to get out and take care of things while they were happening really paid off now that Spring is here. All over this tiny wooded town there are echoed sounds of chainsaws and leaf blowers from others who were NOT proactive through the wintertime. We lost a lot as a town and many of the carcuses of Oaks and Pines that did not fare well in those stroms, lay alongside the roads awaiting further demise..chopped up inot manageable pieces and hauled off to that place they take dead trees to lay in rest. All this being said, I am happily enjoying the dancing and mating rituals of my many feathered friends in my backyard. I got smart already this year and decided to strategically place bird seed and a few extra special birdie treats right onto the railing of my deck so that I can watch them at close range and when real lucky I can actually snap a few photos of my elusive and camera shy flight friends. AHHH ..today..yes my friends..life IS good!