Finally, spring has placed a tentative toe into the door that winter has left ajar. Two weeks left before the Spring Equinox is upon us, but the ferocious winter that clamped down so icily upon us in February has gracefully permitted March to welcome milder temperatures. Snow is melting off our roof, and the centre of the road of the street our house is located on is finally free of snow and ice; we can walk on the bare paving.

Snowmelt is running down the street into catchbasins, and crows are circling overhead. The backyard now actually has winter-suffering grass appearing where the snow has melted. Jack and Jill hardly know what to make of it all; suddenly where everything was a monochromatic blanket of white, there is now colour and texture and intriguing smells, along with inviting bits and pieces of shrubs they can now reach to chew on to their hearts' delight.

We've got an absolutely clear ocean of blue above, and the sun is plugging away melting the icy atmosphere into a welcome blessing of warmth kissing our cheeks. As glorious a day was yesterday today is even more so. My husband is out in the driveway, washing his truck. Earlier he had washed layers of grime off the car; everything looks sparking-clean.

In the ravine it's tough going, with boots sinking into the melting snow. All the snow has fallen off the trees, and the snow melting on the ground is revealing rather un-polite detritus. Plenty of smells being released to intrigue the powerful capacities of little dogs' noses. We thought it was warm yesterday, so warm that a quite insistent wind felt like a caressing breeze. Today, however, it seems even warmer, the wind more gentle. Yesterday's high was an astounding plus-8, and today's a degree cooler yet it seems balmier.

We heard a pileated woodpecker calling from far-off within the ravine. Saw no other people rambling about in there, nor their companion dogs; we were earlier than usual, and most people tend to go out in the afternoons. Yesterday on our ramble we came across many of our acquaintances, stopped to talk interminably, as Jack and Jill made the acquaintance of other dogs, delighted at the opportunity.

Today, though, the ravine was our private preserve.