What would have been a typical beautiful spring day waking up to the loss of a romantic relationship and saying goodbye to his dog was a day Larry B. did not want to face. Like a good old country song, losing his companion, Dynah, after 13 years was worse than any romance he had ever experienced. Forcing himself out of bed and setting out for a typical weekend hike was a fateful decision that would change this spring day forever.  

     Driving the same road to their favorite trails, he was passing the local pet store where he and  Dynah would stop for treats, and he noticed a sign that read, “Adoptions today.” Without thinking, he turned the car around and found himself in the parking lot with all the other pet lovers looking for a companion. Hope was springing, and as Larry told his story, he began to smile at the precious creatures waiting to be adopted, but he was told that most of them were spoken for. He quickly spotted this little guy who looked like an Australian Shepard mix but learned that a young couple was filling out the paperwork to take him home. As he turned to leave, one of the volunteers said that the dog had a female sibling still at the rescue lot. Without hesitation, Larry drove across town, located the lot, and found a dirty, scared female who he knew was waiting for him. He was even more motivated to rescue her, considering her living conditions and learning that not all rescue groups are equal. On the drive home, he was trying to think of a name that fit her, and he began to think of the 2 pots of Lilly’s at his aunt's front door, the ones that no one knows how they got there and how it is that they bloom every spring causing instant smiles and joy. 

     A few springs have passed since that day and Lilly has become a serious hiker with her own cabinet that she opens to pull her leash out when she knows it’s the weekend. She has become that pet everyone is happy to see and is loved beyond expectation. Larry still hopes for a serious romance someday but says whoever she is, she will have to bond with  Lilly and enjoy watching Lilly bloom!