In my opinion there are few sights as ravishingly beautiful, albeit transitory in nature, as a forest upon which a snowstorm has recently lavished its burden. The landscape that reveals itself, with the soft billowing snow resting lightly on every surface it touches is breath-taking in its scope and aesthetic.

The enchanting sight compensates for the wind and the cold icily nipping through winter-protective clothing, and the difficulty of navigating through foot-deep snow on forested trails. We're thankful for the number of people who do appreciate their proximity to this natural resource we live so close beside, since their earlier forays onto the ravine trails make it possible, in forging a narrowly flattened trail, for little Riley to be able to trot along.

When he was younger we used to be the ones who would be first out making our way through newfallen snow. Back then he literally became accustomed to 'swimming' through the snow, continually leaping to get ahead. He hasn't the physical energy and stamina to do that any longer, and nor do we. Striding or attempting to, through deep snow coverings takes a toll on the energy resources of the elderly. As difficult as it is to think of ourselves as being 'elderly', we are among that contingent.

Yesterday the snow had been trodden down sufficiently to make it relatively easeful for us to negotiate our way through a ravine walk. Slipping and sliding on the uneven trail, even with our cleats pulled over our boots. Even now my husband is busy replacing the old screws with new, sharper ones that will go far from preventing us from having another slide and subsequent fall on trails that have become icy.

We came across our good friend Suzanne taking one of her neighbours' little dogs out for a stroll in the snow. She and her husband have never replaced the golden retriever they lost to age and ill health a dozen years ago, and she enjoys taking others' pets out for ravine walks to keep her company and give them the opportunity to enjoy the freedom of the trails. She had with her a tiny miniature, long-haired dachshund, whose owners are busy coping with a strong-willed black Labrador puppy given to their care to raise before it can be trained as a working dog for someone without sight.