Here Comes the Sun ...

You know, I'm beginning to think that the groundhog might be right this year. It was absolutely gorgeous out today, with the snow and ice melting. The sun is growing in strength each and every day. It's almost tangible.

In honour of the occasion, Piper and I headed up to Rockwood Park (after I picked her up from her "job" at Hubby's business, that is). We were at the park for about an hour in total, and I managed to snap some photographs while we were there.

One thing I found absolutely mesmerizing was the ice on the lake. It was so close to melting that it was reflecting the blue of the sky. It was so pretty -- almost otherworldly.

Even though she was stuck on her leash for most of our walk through the park, Piper was clearly having a good time. We walked from the gate up to the Fisher Lakes parking lot, along to the A-frame canteen, and then back towards the Bark Park. The path was a little slippy-slidy, but she didn't pull too much, so I managed to remain on my feet.

I'm always amazed by the snow this time of year -- how it becomes granular like those rock candy suckers I made as a kid. Just crystals and crystals of something that's not quite ice and not quite snow. It made the walking much easier than it has been for weeks.

We were at the Bark Park for about twenty minutes, just the two of us. Piper is usually pretty bored if there's no one else there, but the patches of exposed grass gave her lots to sniff and kept her occupied.

We played fetch for a little bit (she's getting really good at dropping the stick at my feet now), and then the love of her life arrived.

It's absolutely comical, this case of puppy love. Of all the dogs she's met over the past few months at the Bark Park, Piper obviously feels something special for Casey. She goes totally bonkers when he arrives -- whining, crying, trying to crawl under him as if she's not worthy. It's absolutely hysterical.

Casey is ultra-cool about the whole thing, being the mature gentleman (three years old) that he is. But as much as he protests when Piper gets in his face, it's clear that he's fond of her, too.

I'm so glad we went up to the park today. I probably shouldn't have been outside so long with this cold (my voice in class was, shall we say, less than authoritative today), but the air did us both some good. Besides, I have a feeling that, with things getting rattly in my chest, I'm probably going to be house-bound before too long, so it was good to get out for a bit.

* * *

I'm really missing Stormy. I keep seeing her out of the corner of my eye, and I feel as if her presence is still here in the house. I'm not as sad as I was, because I know I did what was best for her. We had a phenomenal fourteen year run, the two of us.

The very last time I picked her up, she began purring immediately, and I had an overwhelming sense that she knew why we were there -- that release was coming -- and she was relieved.

How could I regret that?