We're breaking weather records this month in the Ottawa Valley. Admittedly, there has been another December in our memory in the past two decades that was green, not our usual depths of white coverage, but this year's prolonged mild spell and lack of snow is highly unusual. We've had more than our share of precipitation, but it's come down as rain, and on occasion freezing rain. Only once, about three weeks ago, did we have what we assumed would represent the first snowfall to begin the layering of the snowpack that would remain on the ground for the entire winter, and it melted in record order with following days of moderate temperatures.

Not complaining, mind, no one that we know is. And because it's been so mild, there has been increased traffic in the ravine, people wandering onto the trails drawn by how pleasant the atmosphere has been. And bringing with them new dogs, and sometimes puppies. Yesterday, for example, Jack and Jill, no longer restrained by being perpetually leashed, found an unexpected new playmate, however temporarily.

Yesterday dawned with copious rain completing what had fallen steadily throughout the night. But the rain clouds cleared in short order and we were soon comfortable with wide, blue skies and a bright, warm sun that took up the late morning and early afternoon. Then a brisk wind came up and soon afterward more clouds began to assemble, and it was clear that we'd soon be entertaining rain again. In fact, the weather forecast was spot on.

By the time we set out on our regular circuit the sun was playing peek-a-boo with light grey clouds crowding the horizon and pushing their way over our landscape. Half of our ravine walk took place mostly with the sun shining, although it doesn't penetrate all that deeply into wooded areas, even those shorn of foliage, but it was exceedingly pleasant, given the prevailing temperature. Among others we came across was a young woman walking a puppy, and our two ran briskly over to introduce themselves, rather overwhelming the puppy.

It was a four-month-old Collie, a beautiful little fellow with long white socks and a pudgy and soft-furred body who soon regained his composure and began to frolic with our two. The young woman was clearly besotted by her puppy and who could blame her, it was quite a lively, lovely little guy. Jack and Jill thought so, too, and their play became fairly rough-and-tumble. The puppy, even at four months, was sturdier and slightly larger than either of our two, and as confidence built, he became increasingly aggressive, rather alarming Jack and Jill. Because the little fellow was rough and they were tumbling.

The young woman whom we'd never before seen had been training her little guy to be obedient, to sit on command-and-reward, and wanted to begin doing the same with Jack and Jill. When she began giving orders and doling out treats she won their greedy little hearts. They weren't necessarily responding to the orders, but were certainly responding to the prospect of treats and they soon swarmed her.

When it came time to part, the puppy would have none of it and decided he'd rather troll along with us and enjoy tussling with Jack and Jill who by this time were trying to evade him. Putting the puppy on leash to encourage him to accept that they were headed in the opposite direction proved a challenge; he was quite skilled at evasion. But part we eventually did, to Jack and Jill's relief.

And then we witnessed the reverse when we came across their old pal Charlie, a large shaggy cross-breed who, whenever she sees them, makes a swift beeline for the ravine slopes as yet inaccessible to Jack and Jill, happy to wait until she relents so they can greet her by leaping all over poor Charlie.

By the time we parted again, the occasional raindrop reminded us that rain was again imminent. But as luck and an accelerated hike had it, we made it back home on the completion of our usual circuit just before the rain became seriously drenching.