Birthday boy...

 Bravo was born on this happy day 5 years ago. I had struck up a pleasant friendship with the woman who bred him, and she and I were messaging back and forth. Bandit, Bravo's mother, was in labor and had already delivered three puppies.  My friend messaged, "Here comes another one, I have to go." A while later she was back, "A male," she wrote, "Clear sable with the cutest dot on his head." A shiver went down my spine. That was my puppy. 

I had a stern talk with myself. I was NOT going to choose a puppy because it had a cute dot on its head. I was going to choose a puppy with a temperament that would suit me and our lifestyle. Dot be darned. The next day the breeder posted a photo of the lineup of puppies, and my eye went right to one puppy, I really liked its shape. Turns out, that was "dot" puppy. I went to meet the wee ones when they were 3 weeks old, and I still found myself drawn to this one particular boy, though I tried hard to fall in love with each and every one. The breeder thought his personality was a match for us, and on a happy day in May, we brought Bravo home.  He's been the best dog ever, ever since. 

He even lets me put silly hats on his handsome head, (covering his cute dot!) 

I had an article due this morning, so he spent the early part of the day snuggled next to me while I wrote. Then I took him for a romp, and he was joyous. 

It was my turn to be joyous when my friend Brenda showed up, unannounced, with her lovely sister in tow, and an enormous armful of forsythia branches. I've been wanting to force some so we could enjoy their happy flowers indoors, but I only have one wee shrub and it couldn't handle a serious pruning.  It will be a thrill to watch these branches bloom. 

March is full of springtime gifts... birthdays to celebrate and flowers to anticipate.