It wasn't exactly a blinding blizzard when we set out yesterday afternoon for our daily woodland walk.  But it was snowing and blowing.  It had indeed been snowing all day, although there wasn't a huge accumulation.  Because it was also very cold the snow wasn't sticking to the overabundance of ice underfoot that had accumulated over the last week or so.  Even the road in front of our house leading to the ravine entrance is heavily rutted with snow and ice; it had managed to melt a little in yesterday's sun, but was now snow-covered and slippery.

We wore our cleats over our boots, otherwise it would not be at all possible to take to the woodland trails.  There are so many hills to clamber and to descend, we would be clinging to any available tree trunks to ensure we didn't slither and fall, without the help of those cleats.  The trails have been ice-covered for over a week, and heavily ridged and pitted as well.  With the aid of the cleats we usually experience few problems, but yesterday's conditions made negotiating the trails even with their help, a rather exciting affair.

It was heavily overcast, and dark as a result, made even darker by the almost-opaque veil of snow that kept descending.  With the wind insistently blowing it directly into our faces.  There were times, descending those long slopes when we slipped short distances, cleats or not.  And although I wore gloves under mittens, to disperse peanuts in the usual cache places I remove the outer layer, the mitten of my right hand.  Though gloved, it doesn't take long before the fingers of that dispensing hand become rigid with cold.  By the time an hour had passed, I donned the mitten on my frozen right hand and dispensed with dispensing.

But not before coming across two men we've seen before on occasion walking three large dogs; two golden retrievers and a mixed hound-retriever the same golden colour as its companions.  These are intelligent, friendly dogs one of which nudged me constantly while I was placing peanuts in the cracks of a large old pine, anxious to be noticed and given his share of peanuts.  Some dogs just are crazy for peanuts, and he was one of them, lifting his large beautiful face to me, eyes patiently waiting to lock with mine, to deliver his message.