“I never dreamed I’d think green was such a beautiful colour” Molly Whiteside said as she delivered the menus at Mabel’s Grill the other morning. “After nothing but white for months in the winter and then brown when the snow finally melted, green grass and the thought that green leaves on the trees are only a week or so away is so enchanting.”
“Yeah, green grass that I have to cut and still find time for all the other chores in the spring,” growled George MacKenzie.
“If the lawnmower will work,” Cliff  Murray added. “It seems about every other year the riding mower won’t start and I have to call in the mechanic who charges a fortune.”
“You guys are so cheerful this morning,” Molly said ironically.
“There’s just so much to do at this time of the year,” chimed in Dave Winston, “I mean I can hardly wait to get started planting corn – and soybeans after that.”
“I know you’re busy but can’t you take a minute to enjoy the good weather after so much bad?”
“I know, but like Dave said, it’s the busiest time of the year on the farm. I’ve got all these sheep having lambs.”
“But at least your sheep will be going on pasture soon,” Molly continued her cheerful take on life.
“My wife has been chirping away about me working up her garden,” Dave sighed.
“I’ll bet you can hardly wait to get lettuce and radishes from the garden and you can’t get those until the garden’s planted,” Molly reminded him.
“Well I suppose that will make a break from the ridiculous cost of groceries these day,” George grumbled.
“See, there are good things in life too,” Molly chirped in.
“And the spring flowers are up!” Cliff said more cheerily. “The daffodils are blooming and in a week or so there’s the Canadian Tulip Festival in Ottawa.”
“My wife wants to go there some year,” George said. 
“You should go!” Molly.
“At the busiest time of the year on the farm!” George complained.
“Oh yes, I forgot,” Molly said, then collected their orders and headed back to Mabel in the kitchen.
“I was driving by that apple orchard on the edge of town the other day and the trees are starting to come out in bloom,” Dave said. “That’s something you don’t see every day.”
“My Dad was telling me a while ago that when he was young every farm used to have its own apple orchard,” George said. “He particularly remembers a big Astrachan tree that ripened early and he and his friend used to climb it and eat the apples while his father was threshing barley and oats at the barn.”
“Oats and barley!” Dave shook his head. “Farming was so different back then.”
“My dog caught a groundhog yesterday,” Cliff said. “He hauled it back to the lawn where he can let it get nice and stinky before he eats it.”
“Oh your wife will love that,” Dave laughed.
“I wish my dog would catch a few of our groundhogs,” George said. “I don’t need to have one of my cows break a leg if she steps in one of all those groundhog holes they dig.”
“Well you can borrow our dog if you like,” Cliff offered.
“I’m sure your wife would be happy to have stinky groundhogs on somebody else’s lawn,” Dave chuckled.
Molly returned with the coffee pot to refill their cups. “Your food will be just a few minutes more,” she said.
“Well at least I can enjoy my coffee and not have to cook my own breakfast.” Dave chuckled.
“But that way you wouldn’t have to tip,” George laughed.
“Oh that would save you a lot,” Molly grouched. “What do you tip, about a quarter a day?”
“Well at least Mabel doesn’t have one of those machines that gives you the option of 15 percent or more!” George grumbled.◊