What a gorgeous, bright day this morning greeted us with. Earlier, while out in the backyard with Jack and Jill I heard a cardinal trilling happily. Along with the clear skies, typically, the extreme cold has returned, with the temperature plunging again overnight to minus-20. It was still minus-16 when I was out, with a brisk wind making it seem even colder, but oddly in our protected backyard with its micro-climate it didn't seem very cold at all.

Some of the massive snow accumulation has been reduced as a result of the rain we'd had a few days back following hard on the heels of that snowstorm, but more than ample snow has been left everywhere.

We'd thought that because of all that rain falling directly after the snow (all right, a few days later), conditions in the ravine would be dreadful, but that wasn't the case at all. The trail was just fine, good and firm underfoot, and unpunctured by boots even though the day previous was mild and the snow melting. In fact, when we were out yesterday, it was just after a morning snowfall, defying the temperature of plus-three.

So all of us enjoyed the daily trek. Right after breakfast Irving hied himself out to the front to clean up the accumulated birdseed and nuts, and to refresh the feeders. There was a flock of goldfinches at the feeders and roosting in the trees this morning. And, of course, the ubiquitous squirrels, large and small, grey, black and red, they come calling throughout all hours of the day, their presence entertaining and amusing.

Although it wasn't all that cold yesterday we had a bubbling-hot lentil-vegetable soup for dinner with a small salad and grilled cheese, and sliced mangoes for dessert. I'll be busy cleaning house today, but will have time enough to put together a French onion soup with a bit of a twist; bacon scattered atop the finished product. With a fresh salad and sliced strawberries a nice dinner will result.

More time-consuming productions come with the rest of the week when there are fewer other distractions, allowing more preparation time.