Floating Umbrellas

I trotted down the front steps and followed the flagstone path all the way through the open garden gate. Right along the curb of the quiet neighborhood sidewalk, a tall dandelion had puffed into a fluffy white globe. I paused, keeping my pink bone clutched securely against my chest, and leaned in close. The tiny downy seeds looked like miniature umbrellas waiting for a gentle breeze. Cautiously, I reached out one paw and tapped the slender green stem. Three little parachutes drifted loose, floating in lazy swirls across the warm asphalt before settling quietly on the curb. I stepped closer, watching the fluff rest still in the sun.