This is the year's penultimate second shortest day of the year. It seemed to us when we were out in the ravine this afternoon at 3:00 p.m. that dusk was already falling. But that could be the effect primarily of the pewter-tinged clouds crowding the sky. Tomorrow is the winter solstice. From December 21 forward the days begin -- excruciatingly slowly -- their trek back to more daylight hours. Usually by February we can really see the difference.

Today's temperature was a complete reversal of yesterday's. Yesterday brought us copious rainfall and high winds to drive the rain at a warmish 4 C. We saw some sun briefly this morning, but it couldn't contend with the volume of clouds hoving into view and soon the sky was completely packed and began unleashing snow once more. Too late to save the snowpack that had already accumulated earlier in December with most days at or below -10C.

Yesterday the melt effect was in full drive. The roofs of our garden sheds' snowpacks were reduced by fully three-quarters of their height, and the house roof even more so, judging from our view of the house roofs behind ours. There were even some patches of still-green grass revealed in the backyard. The wind was merciless, lashing the drenched atmosphere, knocking the snow shovels over on the deck, and there were several instances last night when we could hear the sound of snow slipping off the roof.

 

Needless to say, we cancelled our usual daily hike through the forest in favour of remaining dry and avoiding contending with the weather. Exposure to cold and the likelihood of becoming uncomfortably wet, despite his warm winter coat's rain-resistant protection isn't little Jackie's idea of having a good time. Nor ours, come to think of it, in our old age. I was busy anyway, spent time in the kitchen with the dessert of choice. Irving wanted a cake. So I thought of baking a bundt cake.

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A white cake, I decided, with three eggs to 1/2 cup butter and 3/4 cup of sugar, and a half-cup of cream cheese. I thought I'd use cake and pastry flour and aside from vanilla flavouring, added brandy essence, as well as adding it to the cream cheese topping that capped the baked cake. The cake finished off our meal of chicken soup followed by roasted cauliflower, potato pudding, deboned, skinned chicken thighs and mushroom gravy. Jackie makes certain we don't forget to include him.

 

 

At -4C today and light snow falling, with a light wind, our circuit through the forest trails this afternoon was pleasant. There was a small flock of robins around the creek, but then we often see them on extremely cold days flitting about the trees adjacent and overhanging the creek with its icy waters. In the last few decades robins have increasingly rejected their traditional southward migration. When we put peanut-buttered bread cubes out on the winter porch it is never robins that show up along with squirrels, but slate-back juncos and chickadees and crows. As live-eaters we speculate that the open waters offer robins minute aquatic creatures we cannot see.

 

 

There was no shortage of much larger creatures appearing in the forest today, coming by to visit with us from time to time. Their presence excites Jackie because he knows that if his buddies are offered treats he'll be in line for some of those treats or at least small portions of them, as well. These are all regular community resident pups accompanying their humans on their daily perambulations through the woods. They're invariably alert to our presence when Jackie barks if he sees or senses them on nearby trails. The response is dogs leaping helter-skelter down valley and uphill to reach where we happen to be. Once they receive their allotted two to three cookies, then turn smartly and race back to re-join their humans.

 

 

What was quite evident was the reduced snowpack, resulting from several days of rain this week, during a period of days when the temperature suddenly fell. The trails showed the effects of yesterday's rain and slush, with now-frozen imprints of boots etched deeply into the icy aftermath of nighttime freeze-up. And while the cleats strapped over our boots help us cope with icy conditions, there is now added the risk of boots slipping into one of those boot-troughs, resulting in a twisted ankle. Without an investment in a good pair of reliable, sharp cleats it becomes too risky at this time of year to negotiate the snow-and-ice-crusted winter trails. 

 

Back home again, there's a rush to get out of our suffocating-but-necessary winter gear. To light up the fireplace. Have a refreshing glass of fruit juice, while Jackie scarfs down his daily afternoon after-hike treat, a bowl of chopped fresh vegetables.