The combination of a cold winter atmosphere hovering on freezing that invites precipitation to fall in the form of rain is not conducive to carrying through plans of enjoying a peaceful stroll in a woodland landscape. So, because we had all-day heavy rain yesterday we were shut out of a walk on the forest trails that usually host us at some time during the day.

Early evening brought lightning and thunder, sights and sounds we haven't been exposed to for months. And both lightning and thunder marched through the atmosphere throughout the night-time hours, last night. At times I became aware through my sleep-shut eyes that bright flashes of light were intervening in the usual darkness beyond my closed eyelids and the thunder that erupted soon afterward confirmed that rolling thunderstorms were passing through.

By morning the landscape was thoroughly drenched, and the snowpack reduced somewhat albeit  inconsiderably. There is ample left of this season's accumulation of snow yet to go. The weather report informed that showers would continue through the morning to be replaced by steady rain by the time the afternoon came around. So we decided to embark on our daily ravine trek a little earlier than usual.

And off we went into the forest. Walking up the street to the ravine entrance it hardly seemed that the snowpack had been reduced much, on either side of the road, though the road itself was now completely cleared of ice and snow. In the ravine, the creek was full and hurrying its way toward the Ottawa River.

We decided to take a longer than usual circuit because the temperature was relatively mild at 2C. degrees with a slight breeze. Halfway through the circuit a light shower descended but it didn't last long. We kept coming across people out like us, anxious to beat the incoming rain, and with them their canine companions.

First, we came across a female Malamute whose patience with our two little dogs is monumental and very much appreciated. She is usually walked by a blonde, middle-aged woman we've become slightly familiar with only in the last several months, whose own sweet temperament is no doubt responsible for her canine companion's outlook on life. 

There was Jasper, the most even-tempered, good-natured dog we've yet met anywhere, whom we haven't seen before in the ravine this winter. He was as delighted to see us as we were to come across him. And his devoted walker, a dear young man, brought us up-to-date on what's been happening with his sister and his mother.

And along came Rufus, a large terrier mix, ambling ahead of a man we've known as a fellow ravine hiker for decades, when his two boys were still in their early teens. Now, both boys have gone into the vast field of the medical sciences, one as a radiologist technician, the other with a tactical paramedic crew. A calm young man dedicated to serving the interests of people in medical distress who has his own stories of the abuse paramedics are subjected to by some of the very people whose lives they save.

Another young man we met years ago when he had an elderly Newfoundland dog and its companion, a bull mastiff, and who on their deaths brought into his life another two bull mastiffs as puppies came along, though we haven't seen them also in many months. His two puppies are now fully grown and placidly regard everyone with a certain degree of playful curiosity, particularly our two little black runts whom they're interested in gently playing with.

Jackie and Jillie are light enough to walk over the snowpack without breaking through the melting crust and the snowpack beneath, while the bull mastiffs' muscular weight crushes everything in their path; their girth and their perfect symmetry of form more than a little impressive.