March 15 - A wildflower by any other name

Today again was beautiful, sunny, and warm (about 70 degrees!), so I decided to go back to MSU Dog Park to find the first wildflower I saw on March 12. MSU Dog Park, which really isn't a dog park but an agricultural display ground, is one of my favorite places to take a walk. 

Beautiful MSU Dog Park. Tawny brings a stick.

Throw it!

Of course Tawny picked up a stick and asked me to throw it for her. 






I didn't notice any flowers right away but did enjoy this beautiful pine grove.

A pine lane.

We walked around some and the dogs amused themselves, Tawny by chasing geese, 

Tawny chases geese.

and Max and Phoebe by having a good roll in the grass...

Max and Phoebe find a good spot to roll in the grass.

Max enjoys his roll in the grass.

...over and over it seemed.

Phoebe is pleased with herself as she finishes.

I finally see a flash of yellow in the grass! Could this be the wildflower I am looking for?   

A wildflower?

Well, not quite. But it is proverbial that one man's weed is another man's wildflower -- or at least, it should be proverbial. Why shouldn't a dandelion be called a wildflower, just because it is common and hardy?

Driving home I discover that Max and Phoebe stink to high heaven, and need baths. They must have been rolling in something quite nasty. 

So I learn, from the dandelion and the stinky dogs, that even the unpleasant and inconvenient can still be a source of joy -- for somebody, anyway!