Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Leaping Lizards

Back East, it's easy to tell when spring arrives. The snow melts. The crocuses pop up. The buds appear on the trees and you can smell it in the air. In Southern California, it's more subtle. But The Family Dog knows that spring is here. Today, he saw his first lizard.

The little lizards that live here disappear somewhere in cold weather. I don't know if they spend the winter burrowed in the ground, hibernating under a rock or vacationing in Puerta Vallarta. I do know they're back. The Family Dog saw his first one today.

The Family Dog loves to chase lizards. He has never caught one and he probably never will. He doesn't stalk them in a serious way, the way he does with rabbits and squirrels. They are more like a video game to him. He sees one and goes crashing into the bushes after it. During the season I become used to this game and, when I see a lizard (almost always before the Family Dog does) I just let go of his leash. Today, I wasn't expecting it, and went crashing into the bushes with him. The lizards are back. Happy Spring.

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