Yeah! Another sunny, warm day in Asheville!!! The most recent snow in the area fell on March 2nd, so we are really ready for Spring. I took Bailey to the nearby lake on Sunday and lots of people were out enjoying the day -- playing frisbee, running, biking, relaxing in the sun. It felt great.

Bailey, as you know, has quite the magnetic personality so we always end up striking up a conversation with someone. As many guests have noted, Bailey has never met a stranger. We were relaxing at a bench when a little boy and his mother strolled by. The boy seemed very interested in Bailey, but a bit tentative. I reassured him that Bailey is very friendly and he could pet her if he'd like. The mom mentioned discretely that her son is terrified of dogs and they have no idea why. Julian is in kindergarten and started fearing dogs when he was about three. But Julian was so interested in approaching Bailey that it really surprised his mom. Sure enough, he patted Bailey's head and stroked her back. Bailey sweetly looked up with her soulful brown eyes and wagged her tail. This little boy looked like he had just won a prize he was so proud!

After chatting for a bit, Bailey and I continued our walk and they headed on their way. The paths at Beaver Lake loop around like a figure eight, so it wasn't long before I heard an excited young voice behind me. I turned to see Julian running toward us, grinning from ear to ear, he was so excited to pet Bailey again. His mom just stared in disbelief, smiling and shaking her head. If there's any dog that can be calm and reassuring, patient and loving, it's Bailey. And I think Bailey understood she had helped make someone's day a special one.