Leaf Dog

Tis the season for shedding leaves, even if it's spring. My driveway is full of fallen soldier leaves, most of them looking like shriveled prunes. And my dogs - a couple of bushy-furred guys with long waving-in-the-wind plume tails - love to bring 'em on home. I think it's kinda funny to watch my dogs Kodiak and Sully trot into the house (okay, Kodiak the old one doesn't trot - he hobbles in), depositing a trail of dead leaves throughout the house. I think it's kinda funny until I have to sweep the floor for the gazillionth time that day. And the dogs seem to have hired additional help in the leaf-leaving department in the form of my indoor/outdoor cats who also bring in dried leaves and twigs and the occasional spider web. I sweep and sweep and, lo and behold, there are still leaves in the house. That's not so bad I guess; it's like having nature come and visit you in your house because while I'm sweeping or hand-picking up leaves off the rugs, I listen to the wild birds chirping and singing and calling through my open windows. I can almost believe that I'm living out in the country on acres of land, surrounded by tall lush trees that offer homesites for birds and squirrels. I can almost believe I'm living my dream.