Fortunate that the past few days have given us moderate temperatures, enabling us to enjoy our ravine walks with Jack and Jill, able to walk along without freezing their tiny paws. It isn't yet all that difficult for us to carry them for periods of time before letting them down again to forge on with their amble on the forested trails, now nicely groomed and easy to navigate. But it's a bonus when they are able to do the walking on their own; good for them, good for us.

And that's also the thing of it, a strange absence of snowfall this winter. There is a nice covering of snow on the forest floor, but nothing like the usual accumulation that this area usually has gained over January. Still, the lack of fresh snow and the fact that the trails have been well tamped down has made it easier for our little puppies to get along.

What hasn't yet become easier for them is becoming accustomed to collar, coat, harness and leash. They're most awfully agitated by these new constraints to their total freedom of movement. But as with most other things, time will accustom them to what is a necessary control of their spontaneity. Otherwise we'd be contemplating the horror of a tiny dog lost, or one hit by a passing vehicle.

We've by now come across most of our usual ravine-walking acquaintances and friends, although some have yet to be apprised of our loss of little Riley. All have been surprised and gladdened at the sight of two new puppies, professing their happiness on our behalf. Most had urged us to ameliorate our mourning by the expedient of another puppy in our lives. All of them had experienced the profound grief that accompanies that sudden loss of a beloved pet.

They are skilled at commiserating with other pet lovers, feelingly recalling their own anguish at the sudden bleak void in their lives. We appreciate their candour and their emotionally feeling support. Nothing will completely extinguish that sense of loss, but we are finding ourselves engrossed in the puppy-antics of our two little devils, and marvelling at the miracle of life, even in the shadow of death.