When the rain finally stopped this morning we hastened to get ourselves out to our nearby ravine for a morning walk. We missed getting out yesterday, there was simply no opportunity as the rain was incessant and driving. There were a few others out on the trails with their dogs, catching the opportunity before the return of rain.

Despite the low cloud ceiling we could feel the sun trying to get through. It's unlikely it will succeed today; Environment Canada has warned of rain and more rain for the next five to seven days. It's a nuisance, but on the other hand, this is spring and if it doesn't rain in this season we're in trouble. It does also translate into our being late this year planting our garden pots and flower beds, but we'll get around to all of that.

Usually the safest time to embark on that annual ritual in any event, is the May 24th long week-end, so we're on track there, though it's always been our habit to plant earlier, to get a jump on our season of growing things. Short enough as it is in this geographic area.

It's more than a little sobering, thinking of rain and how vulnerable some human settlements are with respect to receiving uncommonly excessive amounts of rain. Those facing their homes and fields and growing crops being flooded by the rising Assiniboine River and its tributaries in Manitoba, and in the United States, the Mississippi inexorably flooding its banks, particularly in Louisiana.

All that drenching rain and wind we received yesterday has resulted in a snowstorm of drifting serviceberry blossoms today. And the ash trees too in the ravine have shed their florets. The lack of sun has the trout lilies shut tight their yellow flower heads, but the trilliums don't mind the sun's absence, nor do the woodland violets; they're abloom in tiny perfect heads of mauve, purple and yellow.

A special treat this morning was the unmistakable querying call of a Great Grey owl, deep in the hollow of the ravine. If we're fortunate we'll have the opportunity to see it on another occasion; often enough the crows make a racket when an owl's about and following the audible clues we can sometimes catch sight of the imperturbable owl surrounded by hysterical crows.