All this talk about Earth Day got me thinking about a post Asa wrote when he was a puppy. As a winter puppy, he was amazed by all the new sounds he heard in the spring when the world woke up after the snow melted. I can now relate to this post because since we’ve all been staying home these past few weeks, I’ve noticed a lot of new sounds too.

Without the constant drone of commuters, on my morning walk I notice the birds signing more. Even the squirrels scurrying through the leaves are louder now. Just last night Dad said rather than being lulled to sleep by the cars in the distance, he drifted off to the song of the frog peepers singing. Even our usually quiet neighborhood is alive with the sound of children playing. Before they were always on the go heading off to sporting events or on family adventures. It’s nice to hear their laughter being carried on the breezes to our yard. I have no idea how long this new neighborhood symphony will last. However, I plan to enjoy it as long as I can. In the meantime, here is Asa’s Throwback Thursday post on his first spring symphony…

The World Awakens with a Symphony of Sounds (April 29, 2015)

Without further ado, here is Asa with his puppy perspective on Spring:  Once again I’d like to thank Chuck Billy for helping me adjust to the ways of the world.  But clearly he does not realize the unique issues faced by a winter puppy in springtime.  If having my beloved snow disappear is not troubling enough, what is up with all this noise all of a sudden?  

It began slowly enough with the chirp of a bird here and there, the rustle of a squirrel in the dried leaves, and the babbling of the once quite brook.  But as the weather warmed my once silent world has exploded with sound!  Suddenly there are mysterious children’s voices filled with laughter drifting on the spring breezes, the rumble of motorcycles as they pass by on our walks, and the ever present buzz of weed whackers and lawn mowers have replaced the occasional sound of snow blowers.  Who knew the world could be such a noisy place?

I am grateful that I arrived here during the winter when the only sounds I had to worry about were the gusts of wind during a Nor’easter, or the perpetual sound of the shovel game my Mom and Dad insisted on playing.  I would have been constantly distracted if the world was always this noisy!  So Mom and Dad, please be patient with me if on our walks I stop dead in my tracks and perk up my ears to try to identify a new sound.  And Chuck Billy, please don’t laugh at me when I dive into my crate during thunderstorms.  I’m pretty sure you weren’t so big and brave either during your first crash of thunder!  And finally to my neighbors, my apologies for barking at you as you walk past my home.  It’s just the sudden sound of your conversations make me want to join in on your fun!